778. Blow the Man Down
'Blow the Man Down.' Sung by Thomas Leary, Olin, Iredell county, August 24, 1939. The version in ABFS 491 furnishes an interesting example of what can happen to a tune on its melodic odyssey. Musically speaking, our version seems much more satisfying. The author of BoS 50, refers to the melodic relationship of the beginning to the well-known 'Silent Night, Holy Night.' For another text cf. IMWS 45.
F-677
One day I was walk - ing down Win - ches - ter
Street With a - weigh, heigh, blow the man down! A
come - ly young dam - sel I hap - pened to find, Oh,
give some time to blow thp man down.
For melodic relationship cf. ***TFS 123; Ford 329; EFC 44; FSONE 129; TAS 83; **FB 157; JAFL xliv 298, and lix 109; compare in these
three versions our first eight and last four measures with the first eight and last four or two measures there. Also BoS 50; RG 14; ASb 404 and PC 4.
Scale : Heptachordal, plagal. Tonal Center : f. Structure : aba^c (4,4,4,4) =: aai (8,8).