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Lonesome Road Blues
Traditional Old-Time Breakdown and Song; Widely known.
ARTIST: From Brad Leftwich. Round Peak Style Clawhammer Banjo Book. Words from Tommy Jarrell. Key A;
CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes DATE: Early 1900’s (1923);
RECORDING INFO: Rounder 0132, Bob Carlin - "Fiddle Tunes for Clawhammer Banjo" (1980. Learned from revival musicians in New York in the early 1970's). Rounder CD 0383, Mike Seegar and Paul Brown - "Down in North Carolina." Alden, Ray. Old Time Friends, Marimac 9009, Cas (1987), cut# 22; Carlin, Bob. Fiddle Tunes for Clawhammer Banjo, Rounder 0132, LP (1980), cut# 17; Cohen, John and Penny. String Band Project, Elektra EKS 7292, LP, cut#B.02; Harman, Bob; and the Blue Ridge Descendants. Music of the Blue Ridge, Galaxie, LP (198?), cut#B.06; Hooven, Greg. Tribute to Fred Cockerham, Heritage (Galax) 079C, Cas (1993), cut#A.07; Houston, Cisco. Cisco Special, Vanguard VSD-2042, LP (196?), cut#B.04; Jarrell, Tommy. Pickin' on Tommy's Porch, County 778, LP (198?), cut# 4; Jarrell, Tommy. Music of North Carolina, Heritage (Galax) 024 (XXIV), LP (1979), cut#A.02; Kimble Family. Carroll County Pioneers, Marimac 9036, Cas (1992), cut# 5; Paley, Tom. Old Tom Moore and More, Global Village C 309, Cas (1991), cut# 2; Parrish, Pete. Galax International, Heritage (Galax) 067, LP (1988), cut# 5; Round Peak Band. Round Peak Band, Marimac 9044, Cas (1992), B.11; Schwartz, Hank. Room at the Top, JHU, LP (197?), cut#B.06; Seeger, Mike; and Paul Brown. Way Down in North Carolina, Rounder 0383, CD (1996), cut#19; Seekers. Seekers, Pickwick SPC-3068, LP (197?), cut#A.02; Smith, Orriel. Voice in the Wind, Columbia Special Prod. CSRP 8924, LP (196?), cut#B.02; Spilkia, Dave; and Alden, Ray. Tribute to Tommy Jarrell, Heritage (Galax) 063, LP (1986), cut# 13; Ward, Wade. Round the Heart of Old Galax, Vol 3., County 535, LP (1980), cut# 12; Ward, Wade. Anglo-American Shanties, Lyric Songs, Dance Tunes & Spirituals, Library of Congress AAFS L 2, LP (195?), cut# 18; Ward, Wade. Uncle Wade. A Memorial to Wade Ward, Old Time Virginia Banjo ..., Folkways FA 2380, LP (1973), cut# 10; Ward, Wade. Sounds of the South, Atlantic 7-82496-2, CD( (1993), cut#1.24;
OTHER NAMES: Goin' Down This Road Feelin' Bad; Lonesome Road Blues; Levee Moan; Honey Your Hair Grows Too Long; East Coast Blues. SOURCES: From A Treasury of Folk Songs, Kolb; Sandburg, pp. 225-227, "Levee Moan" (2 texts, 1 tune) Alcazar Dance Series ALC 202, Sandy Bradley - "Potluck & Dance Tonite!" (1979). Carryon 005, "The Renegades" (1993). County 778, Tommy Jarrell - "Pickin' on Tommy's Porch" (1984?. Learned from Carlie Holder). Heritage XXIV, Tommy Jarrell - "Music of North Carolina" (Bradywine, 1978). Marimac 9009, John Cohen - "Old Time Friends" (1987). Reed Island Rounders - "Wolves in the Wood" (1997).
NOTES: G Major. Chilly Winds is a related version of “Goin' Down This Road Feelin' Bad". Both are frequently categorized under “Lonesome Road Blues.” The title appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954. Mt. Airy, North Carolina, fiddler and banjo player Tommy Jarrell learned the tune in early in the 20th century and played it in AEAE tuning. He related to Mike Seegar:
“Carlie Holder and me was playing for a dance when I was about fifteen or sixteen years old--I was just beginning to play the fiddle... back then you didn't have over six or eight girls, you know, and they'd get tired and want to rest a while. While they was a-resting, why Carlie, he got to playing that tune, the first time I ever heard it. Then I got him to play it right smart little bit, maybe over two or three times and I learned it right there. I was young then, I could listen to a fellow play a tune, you know, and it would go in my head and stay...I thought it was the prettiest thing I ever heard. And I used to know a lot of words to it but I forgot 'em cause I quit making music for about forty years there. I didn't play none much and I forgot some of them songs.” Tommy Jarrell.
Botkin credits the words of this piece to Woody Guthrie. The first recording and probably Guthrie’s source is Henry Whittier’s Dec.10, 1923 recording “Lonesome Road Blues” on Okeh 40015, Side A. Skillet Lickers included it in their skit "A Corn Likker Still in Georgia" in about 1930. A bluegrass favorite recorded by Bill Monroe to Doc Watson.
Here are the lyrics to “Lonesome Road Blues” from Tommy Jarrell:
I’m going down this long, lonesome road
Yes, I’m going down this long, lonesome road
Going down this long, lonesome road
Lord I ain’t gonna be treated this-a-way.
Oh I’m way down in jail on my knees
Lord I’m way down in jail on my knees
Oh I’m way down in jail on my knees
Lord they feed me on cornbread and peas.
Oh it’s mama won’t buy me no shoes
No mama won’t buy me no shoes
No mama won’t buy me no shoes
Lord I ain’t gonna be treated this-a-way.
Oh, that sweet talking don’t do my baby no good
No, sweet talking don’t do my baby no good
Oh, sweet talking don’t do my baby no good
I’d go back and see her if I could.
Oh, I’m going where the chilly winds don’t blow
Oh, I’m going where the climate suits my clothes
I’m going where the chilly winds don’t blow
And I ain’t gonna be treated this-a-way.
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