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Once I Lived in Old Virginia/East Virginia
Traditional Song and “Blues”- Appalachian region, widely known.
ARTIST: Sung by Dan Tate at his home in Fancy Gap, Carroll County, VA.
CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes DATE: 1913 Burnett; 1917 Sharp.
EARLY RECORDING INFO: Buell Kazee, "East Virginia" (Brunswick 154B, 1927; on AAFM3) Clarence "Tom" Ashley, "Dark Holler Blues" (Columbia 15489-D, 1929)
RECORDED AS FOLK: as East Virginia (Jean Ritchie and Doc Watson (SF 40005c); Pete Steele (FW 3828c); Walter Williams (RND 0237c)); and a later version by Kazee was recorded on FW 3810c); as Born in East Virginia (Betty Garland (FW 2307c)); as the related song Dark Hollow (Doc Watson (FW 2390c));
RECORDED IN THE FOLK REVIVAL (1960’s): as East Virginia (Addiss and Crofut (FW 2405c); Joan Baez (VG 41/42c, VG 2077c, VG 9078a, VG 73102c); Leon Bibb (VG 9041a); The Brothers Four (COL 1402a); Rambling Jack Elliot (Big Beat 86a); Logan English (FW 2316c); The Folkswingers (WP 1814a); The Gateway Singers (WB 1295a); Bob Gibson (RVR 12-830a); The Halifax Three (EPC 24060a); Carolyn Hester (COL 8832a); Michael Holmes (FW 8372c); Cisco Houston (FW 2480c); Mickey Miller (FW 2393c); Pete Seeger (COL 2705a, COL 31949a); The Tarriers (Kapp 1349a); Hally Wood (Tannehill 101a); Josh White Jr. (MER 21022a)); as East Virginia Blues (Travis Edmondson (Horizon 1606a); Rambling Jack Elliott (PRS 7721a, PRS 13033a); Mike Seeger (RND 0313c); Pete Seeger (SF 40018c, VG 17/18c, VG 73112c); John Stewart (FKE 1428a); Dick Weisman (CAP 2033a)); as Born in East Virginia (The Tradewinds (Diplomat 2278a); The Weavers (VG 79075a, VG 147/50c)); as In Old East Virginia (The Weavers (VG 79075c)); as the related song Dark Holler (The New Deal String Band (SIR 97024a)).
RECORDED POST REVIVAL: as East Virginia Blues (Beppe Gambetta (GL 2117c); Rabbit in a Log (MMC 9600Country/String Band: as East Virginia (The Iron Mountain String Band (FW 2477c); Lily May Ledford (GRN 712a); The New Lost City Ramblers (FW 2396c); Two Boys from Alabama (CAP 2287a)); as East Virginia Blues (Clarence Ashley and Garley Foster (VOC 02576b, YZ 2019c); The Carter Family (BB 5650b, RCA 507a, ACM 22a); The Coon Creek Girls (CTY 712a); George Hamilton IV (RCA 2373a); Roscoe Holcomb (SF 40077c)); as Old East Virginia (Morgan Sexton (JA 0055d)); and in the related song, Dark Holler Blues (Clarence Ashley (CTY 525a, CTY 3505c)) d); The Wandering Ramblers (MMC 9033d))
BLUEGRASS: as East Virginia (The Virginia Mountain Boys (FW 3829c)); as East Virginia Blues (The Bray Brothers (RND 0015a); The Country Gentlemen (REB 1527a, REB 1104c); The Country Store (Ridge Runner 0012a); The Hart Brothers (OH 80085a); The Kentucky Ramblers (TQ 5052a); The Mac-O-Chee Valley Folks (RR 161a); The McLain Family (Country Life 9a); The Muddy River Boys (Rich-R-Tone 8111a); The Pine Mountain Boys (RR 199a); Ralph Stanley (REB 1118c, REB 1554a, REB 4001c); The Stanley Brothers (CC 5512c, REB 1495d; REB 1110c, JLY 118a, CTY 739d)); as When I Left East Virginia (Flatt and Scruggs (COL 8751a)); as the related song Dark Hollow (J.D. Crowe (REB 1598d); Ted Lundy (CTY 749a); John Starling (SGH 3714c); Earl Taylor and the Stony Mountain Boys (VET 3026c); Joe Val (RND 0003c); Mac Wiseman (CMH 9001a)). ROCK: as Old Virginia (Cordelia's Dad (OMN 2011c)).
RECORDING INFO: Allen-Ward Trio. Allen-Ward Trio, Vanguard VRS 9189, LP (1965), cut#B.01; Baez, Joan. Joan Baez, Vanguard VRS 9078, LP (1961), cut# 2; Bibb, Leon. Leon Bibb Sings Folk Songs, Vanguard VRS 9041, LP (196?), cut#A.02; Brothers Four. Brothers Four, Columbia CL 1402, LP (196?), cut#B.01; Edmonson, Travis. Travelin' with Travis, Tradition 2074, LP (197?), cut#A.04 (Virginny/Virginia); Garland, Betty. American Folk Ballads, Folkways FA 2307, LP (1964), cut#A.02 (I Was Born in East Virgina); Hester, Carolyn. This Life I'm Living, Columbia CL-2032, LP (1963), cut#A.03; Ledford, Lilly Mae. Banjo Pickin' Girl, Greenhays GR 712, LP (1983), cut# 11; New Lost City Ramblers. New Lost City Ramblers, Vol. 1, Folkways FA 2396, LP (1958), cut# 9; Presnell, Lee Monroe ("Uncle Monroe"). Traditional Music of Beech Mountain, NC, Vol II, Folk Legacy FSA-023, LP (1965), cut# 11 (Old Virginny); Ritchie, Jean. O Love Is Teasin', Elektra BLP-12051, LP (1985), cut#2.04 (Old Virginny); Ritchie, Jean. Best of Jean Ritchie, Prestige International 13003, LP (196?), cut# 3 (Old Virginny); Ritchie, Jean. Singing Family of the Cumberlands, Oak, Bk (1955), p.132 (Old Virginny); Ritchie, Jean; and Doc Watson. Jean Ritchie and Doc Watson At Folk City, Smithsonian/Folkways SF 40005, LP (1990), cut# 7; Sexton, Morgan. Shady Grove, June Appal JA 0066C, Cas (1992), cut# 7 (Old East Virginia); Sexton, Morgan. Rock Dust, June Appal JA 0055, LP (1989), cut# 16 (Old East Virginia); Simmons Family. Wandering Through the Rackensack, Dancing Doll, LP (198?), cut#B.05; Steele, Pete. Banjo Tunes and Songs, Folkways FS 3828, LP (1958), cut# 8; Tarriers. Tarriers, Glory PG 1200, LP (195?), cut#A.04; Tate, Dan. Appalachia, The Old Traditions, Home Made Music LP-001, LP (1982), cut# 16 (Once I Lived in Old Virginia); Weavers. Weavers at Carnegie Hall, Vol. 2, Vanguard VRS-9075, LP (1960), cut#A.02 (Born in East Virginia); White, Josh; Jr.; I'm on My Own Way, Mercury MG 21022, LP (1965?), cut#B.01; Williams, Walter. Library of Congress Banjo Collection, Rounder 0237, LP (1988), cut# 2;
OTHER NAMES: “East Virginia Blues;” “Old Virginny” (Ritchie); “In Old Virginny” (Sharp); “ Dark Holler Blues” (Ashley); “I Don't Want Your Millions, Mister”-tune; “Greenback Dollar”-words, tune; “Dark Hollow”(Browning); “Man of Constant Sorrow” “Darling Think of What You've Done;” “Oh Molly Dear (Go Ask Your Mother)” “Silver Dagger;” “Born in Old Kentucky”
SOURCES: Cecil Sharp (In Old Virginny), EFSSA-No. 167; Ritchie-SingFam, pp. 134-135; Anthology of American Folk Music, Oak, Sof (1973), p 80; Baez, Joan. Joan Baez Song Book, Ryerson Music, sof (1964/1971), p 36; Kuntz, Fiddler's Companion, http://www.ceolas.org/tunes/fc; Williams, Walter. How to Play the Five String Banjo, Seeger, sof (1962), p36;
NOTES: Standard Tuning- One Part, Key G. Listed as Fiddle tune in Kuntz, Fiddler's Companion, http://www.ceolas.org/tunes/fc). County CO-CD-2729, Art Stamper - "Goodbye Girls, I'm Going to Boston" (2000).
The first published versions of “East Virginia” are the “Farewell Song” from a 1913 songbook printed by Richard Burnett of Monticello, Ky. and “In Old Virginny” from Sharp’s English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians. Both “The Farewell Song” and Sharp’s “In Old Virginny” Version C are early versions of “The Man of Constant Sorrow,” which is usually referred to as “East Virginia Blues.” The differences between “East Virginia” and “East Virginia Blues” are transparent at best.
I categorize the various branches under “In Old Virginny” from Sharp’s No. 167- English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians. These are separate branches:
1) “Man of Constant Sorrow/Girl of Constant Sorrow” or “East Virginia Blues”
2) East Virginia including the “Dark Holler” Versions
2a)“Dark Hollow”- Browning
3) East Virginia including “Greenback Dollar” versions (Carter Family).
3a) Hoyt Axton’s “Greenback Dollar”
4) “Darling, Think of What You’ve Done” versions including Tammy LaRue’s.
5) “Awake! Awake! ( Sharp No. 57 see: Version 4)” “ The Drowsy Sleeper”.
This is the “Oh Molly Dear (Go Ask Your Mother)-(Mike Seegar)”
“Silver Dagger;” and “Katie Dear” branch.
The English version is entitled, “Arise! Arise!”
Buell Kazee (1927) and Clarence “Tom” Ashley (1928) recorded early versions that include the “I'd rather be in some dark holler” line which developed into the chorus of “Dark Hollow” by Bill Browning.
Later in the 1930’s the song developed into the very popular “Greenback Dollar.” The Carter Family’s “East Virginia”- version 2 (1934) has the verse: “I don’t want your greenback dollars, I don’t want your watch and chain.” A different version by Hoyt Axton was a hit for the Kingston Trio. Another version of “Dark Hollow” is credited to Bill Browning. He recorded it on the 'B' side of his single "Borned With The Blues" in 1958. The song was a minor hit for Jimmy Skinner (to be found on the cassette of his 20 greatest hits) and was a favorite of Del McCoury, who first sang it as a member of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys.
The “Oh Molly Dear (Go Ask Your Mother)-(Mike Seegar)” “Silver Dagger;” and “Katie Dear” versions are directly related as are some of the lyrics from, “Little Birdie.” The “Arkansas Boys” version that has “East Virginia” and “Carolina” in it is a completely different (although older 1858) song and not related.
With the “O Brother Where Art Thou?” phenomena “The Man of Constant Sorrow” has been a crossover pop hit. “The Farewell Song” and Sharp’s “In Old Virginny” Version C are early versions of “The Man of Constant Sorrow.” SEE: “Man of Constant Sorrow” in this collection.
LYRICS:
Once I Lived in Old Virginia (Roud 3396)
(Sung by Dan Tate at his home in Fancy Gap, Carroll County, VA.)
Once I lived in old Virginia,
To North Carolina I did go.
There I spied a beautiful damsel,
Her name I never did know.
Her hair was black as any charcoal,
Her eyes were of some diamond blue.
On her bosom she wore white lilies,
Oh my poor heart most broke in two.
Every day I'm a-thinking about her,
Every night 'till I can't rest.
Every moment seems like an hour,
Oh what a pain across my breast.
Oh bring me a razor and a pan of cold water,
Bring me a hammer to beat out my brain.
For the old corn liquor has got me surrounded,
And the women have run me deranged.
Shall I go to Alleghany?
Shall I go for loving you?
Or shall I go to some far country,
And bid a sad adieu?
Dan's verse 4 has also turned up as far away as Mississippi where it
forms part of the song Wild Bill Jones (see Arthur Palmer Hudson's
Folksongs of Mississippi (1936) p. 240):
Verse 4: Oh bring me a razor and a pan of cold water,
Bring me a hammer to beat out my brain.
For the old corn liquor has got me surrounded,
And the women have run me deranged.
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