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Kitty Clyde/Katy Cline
Old-Time Song and Breakdown- Originated from L. V. H. Crosby “Kitty Clyde” published in 1853; Southeast US;
ARTIST: From American Memory Collection-Written and composed by L. V. H. Crosby. H. De Marsan, Publisher, 54 Chatham, Street, N. Y. 1853;
CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes
DATE: “Kitty Clyde” published in 1853; Recorded by Monroe Brothers in 1937.
RECORDING INFO: Benfield, Neriah & Kenneth. Traditional Music at Newport, 1964, Part 1, Vanguard VSD 79182, LP (1965), cut# 10; Creed, Kyle. Liberty, Heritage (Galax) 028 (XXVIII), LP (1977), cut#A.06 (Katy Kline); Greenbriar Boys. New Folk, Vanguard VRS 9096, LP (196?), cut#A.01; Harold and Abe. Cornbred, Molasses and Sassafras Tea, Heritage (Galax) 023, LP, cut# 9; Jones, Vester. Traditional Music From Grayson and Carroll Counties, Folkways FS 3811, LP (1962), cut# 14; Monroe Brothers. Feast Here Tonight, Bluebird AXM2-5510, LP (1975), cut# 19; Red Fox Chasers. Red Fox Chasers, County 510, LP (1967), cut# 6; Rutherford, Ernest; and the Gold Hill Band. Old Cap'n Rabbit, Heritage (Galax) 080, Cas (1989), cut# 21; Seekers. Seekers, Pickwick SPC-3068, LP (197?), cut#A.06; Singing LeFevre Family. Folk Festival of the Smokies. Vol. 1, Traditional FFS-528, LP (197?), cut# 13 (Katy Kline)"Katie Cline" is performed by The Dillards on "First Time Live," 1999; "Katie Klein" is performed by The Stoneman Family on "Stonemans," 1970; "Katy Cline" is performed by Mountain Heart on "Mountain Heart," 2000; Stover/Lilly/Anthony on (various artists) "Mountain Music: Bluegrass Style," 1991; The Greenbriar Boys on (various artists) "Original New Folks," 1993; The Lilly Brothers on "Live at Hillbilly Ranch," 1965; The Stanley Brothers on "Shadows of the Past," 1981; "Katy Kline" is performed by Raymond Fairchild on "Banjo Breakdown," 2000; The Seekers on "1963-1964" The Seekers on "Seekers Complete," 1997; Traditional Grass on "Howdy, Neighbor, Howdy," 1992; "Katy Klyne" is performed by The Scottsville Squirrel Barkers on "Bluegrass Favorites," 1963.
OTHER NAMES: "Katie Klein," "Katie Cline," "Katy Kline," "Katy Klyne"
RELATED TO: “Kitty Clyde,” “Free Little Bird”
SOURCES: The title appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954. Silber-FSWB 149, "Katy Cline" (1 text);
NOTES: “Katy Cline” is an adaptation of “Kitty Clyde,” written and composed by L. V. H. Crosby and published in1853; for complete lyrics see Version 6. Here’s a verse and chorus of Kitty Clyde:
How I wish that I was a Bee,
I'd not gather honey from flowers,
But would steal a dear sip from Kitty's sweet lip,
And make my own hive in her bowers.
Or, if I was some little bird,
I would not build nests in the air,
But keep close by the side of sweet Kitty Clyde,
And sleep in her soft silken hair.
CHORUS: Sweet Kitty, dear Kitty, my own sweet Kitty Clyde,
In a sly little nook by the babbling brook,
Lives my own sweet Kitty Clyde.
“Kitty Clyde” is the originator of both the “Free Little Bird” and “Katy Cline” songs. The “Katy Cline” title appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954. It was first recorded by Monroe Brothers in 1937.
Here’s the complete lyrics to “Kitty Clyde” from American Memory:
O, who has not seen Kitty Clyde,
She lives at the foot of the hill,
In a sly little nook by the babbling brook,
That carries her fathers old mill.
O, who does not love Kitty Clyde,
That sunny e'yd, rosy cheek'd lass,
With a sweet dimpl'd chin that looks rougish as sin,
With always a smile as you pass.
CHORUS: Sweet Kitty, dear Kitty, my own sweet Kitty Clyde,
In a sly little nook by the babbling brook,
Lives my own sweet Kitty Clyde.
With a basket to put in her fish,
Every morning with a line and a hook,
This sweet little lass, through the tall heavy grass,
Steals along by the clear running brook.
She throws her line into the stream,
And trips it along the brook side,
O, how I do wish that I was fish.
To be caught by sweet Kitty Clyde.
CHORUS: Sweet Kitty, dear Kitty, my own sweet Kitty Clyde,
In a sly little nook by the babbling brook,
Lives my own sweet Kitty Clyde.
How I wish that I was a Bee,
I'd not gather honey from flowers,
But would steal a dear sip from Kitty's sweet lip,
And make my own hive in her bowers.
Or, if I was some little bird,
I would not build nests in the air,
But keep close by the side of sweet Kitty Clyde,
And sleep in her soft silken hair.
CHORUS: Sweet Kitty, dear Kitty, my own sweet Kitty Clyde,
In a sly little nook by the babbling brook,
Lives my own sweet Kitty Clyde.
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