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Dogget's Gap (Version of Cumberland Gap)
Traditional? Old-Time, Breakdown; Western North Carolina,
ARTIST: Recorded by Artus Moser from the singing of Bascom Lamar Lunsford of South Turkey Creek, NC, at Swannanoa NC 1946.
CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes. DATE: Early 1900’s (1926 by Lunsford);
RECORDING INFO: Sainte-Marie, Buffy. Fire and Fleet and Candlelight, Vanguard VSD-79250, LP (1967), cut#A.06; Bascom Lamar Lunsford. Library of Congress Recording Project 1949- 9509B1.
SOURCES: Botkin-SoFolklr, p. 739, "Dogget's Gap" (1 text, 1 tune); Brown III pg 329. The tune was played by Bascom Lumar Lunsford in late 1920’s.
NOTES: G Major: AABB (Lunsford). Dogget Gap is located in Madison County, NC just above Spring Creek on Hwy 63, near an area called Sliding Knob.
Anne Beard, in her thesis on Bascom Lamar Lunsford, lists “Dogget’s Gap” as one of Lunsford’s compositions (the other four are “Booth Shot Lincoln,” “Good Old Mountain Dew,” “I’m Going Away” and “Bill Ormand”). Lunsford said, “The tune (Dogget’s Gap) is part of the well-known tune ‘Cumberland Gap’ which dates back, of course. I got a text of this song about 1926.” Lunsford describes “Dogget’s Gap” as being 10 miles from his home and directly across from Cross Rock School.
It seems clear that Lunsford attached his lyrics to the tune “Cumberland Gap” and is generally credited as the author of the lyrics:
LYRICS:
Walnut bark,walnut sap,
Colors all the stockings in the Dogget Gap.
Breaking up ground and I’m a gonna pitch a camp,
I’m getting something started in the Dogget Gap.
Jerked on the boots and pulled on the strap
With both socks missing in the Dogget Gap.
The went to the buggy and they raised up the flap,
Stole all my liquor in the Dogget Gap.
Oh, they took off a wheel and they throwed away a tap,
When I went a courtin’ in the Dogget Gap.
I reined up my filly and I give a little slap,
And I run like the devil through the Dogget Gap.
I shot about twice and I fetched a little yell,
And the boys all run like a bat out of hell.
I’ve gotta girl in the Dogget Gap,
She don’t mind sittin’ in her sweetheart’s lap.
Ask your pappy to send you back,
Send all the children to the Dogget Gap.
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