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29 Nov 06 - 01:24 AM (#1895270) Subject: Lyr Req: 'South' - western swing From: GUEST,Les B. Someone told me tonight at a jam that there are words to the 1940's Western swing tune - "South". This is one of my favorite instrumental tunes with a nice swingy beat. Do any of you know the lyrics ? It has been done by all the big swing bands, including Spade Cooley. Because of the song's rather generic title it's next to impossible to search it out on the web. Any help would be appreciated. |
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29 Nov 06 - 05:53 AM (#1895386) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'South' - western swing From: BanjoRay Well, in the Bob Wills recording the only words are various falsetto expostulations like "Oh Yeah" etc Cheers Ray |
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30 Nov 06 - 01:57 PM (#1896685) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'South' - western swing From: GUEST,Les B. BanjoRay - according to two fellows I was playing with, they had both heard lyrics to "South" - not just Bob's exuberant vocalizations! |
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30 Nov 06 - 02:17 PM (#1896708) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'South' - western swing From: Sorcha Is this 'That's What I Like About the South'? |
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30 Nov 06 - 06:55 PM (#1896980) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'South' - western swing From: Q (Frank Staplin) Benny Moten's "South"? Played by many dance groups in the 1950s; a revival of the 1920's hit by Benny Moten. Written by Leonard? My memory is failing. |
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01 Dec 06 - 12:58 AM (#1897175) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'South' - western swing From: GUEST,Les B. Sorcha - I don't think it's "That's What I like About the South" which I associate with the singer Phil Harris. I'm pretty sure it is not. This "South" has a bouncy 1st part somewhat reminiscent of "Johnson Rag". A friend called me today and says he has the words. I'll post them when I get them. |
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01 Dec 06 - 02:49 PM (#1897717) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'South' - western swing From: Q (Frank Staplin) For "South," two instrumentals by Bennie Moten, try this: www.redhotjazz.com/bmkc.html South Also listen to his "South Street Blues." |
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03 Dec 06 - 06:35 PM (#1899154) Subject: Lyr Add: SOUTH (Moten, Hayes, Charles) From: Jim Dixon SOUTH was originally written and recorded as a jazz instrumental tune, that is, without lyrics. It was written by Bennie Moten and Thamon Hayes, and recorded by Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra in 1924. The same orchestra made another recording in 1928. You can hear both of them at The Red Hot Jazz Archive. You can hear another instrumental version from 1944 by Kid Ory's Creole Orchestra Lyrics were written later. Here is the catalog data from Indiana State University: Title: SOUTH. First Line: Down below that old Dixon Line, there's a place that really is fine Chorus: Where the folks are happy and gay, and the easy way is the right way Music by: Moten, Bennie, and T. Hayes. Words by: Charles, Ray. P/P/D: New York : Peer International Corporation, c1941. Location: SPC, KIRK PS 1940-1941 Allmusic.com has sound samples of recordings of vocal versions by The Maddox Brothers and Rose, Lynette Morgan and the Blackwater Valley Boys, and Bob Scobey's Frisco Band. I have listened to them and pieced together the following lyrics. I don't know if they're complete. I have shown variants in parentheses: *** Down below that old Dixon line, There's a place that really is fine. Don't you know what I'm talkin' about? You want to find out, then take a trip with me (or "to meet me") Down below that old Dixon line. Where the sun is (or "stars are") happy to shine. Where a friendly face is common to see. That's where I'm longin' to be. Where the folks are happy and gay, And the easy way is the right way, Where the bees make honey (or "music") all day. Don't you know you're right next to heaven down south Where the moon shines mellow and bright And the breeze plays tag with the night. That's where the sundown gals hold you tight. Lordy, how I love the south! |
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04 Dec 06 - 03:41 PM (#1899937) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'South' - western swing From: GUEST,Pete Peterson That's the one I know-- first heard from the Canote Bros. and Sandy Bradley, playing as the Small Wonder String Band, who told me later they got the words from the sheet music and the tune from Bob Wills. I think the first line is "down below that old Dixie line" even though i would love to have the reference to Mason and Dixon's Line, which I live only four miles north of. |
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02 Sep 20 - 12:31 PM (#4070485) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: South (Moten, Hayes, Charles) From: GUEST,Buz Lloyd I have (somewhere) an LP from a string/swing band, _______________________ and his Georgia Playboys with a delightful rendition of "South". I cannot recall the band leader's name and am not finding it on the internet. I acquired the LP twenty or thirty years ago from John Hatton at a fiddlers' convention and it is one of my favorite albums from musicians of that era (40's? 50's?) whom I had never heard of! |
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02 Sep 20 - 12:44 PM (#4070488) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: South (Moten, Hayes, Charles) From: Stilly River Sage Via Google I see a reference from 1954 to Tom Gibson and the Georgia Playboys. Link to page in journal The Billboard. |