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Man Of Constant Sorrow (Sharp No. 167-C, "In Old Virginny")
Traditional Song and “Blues”- Appalachian region, widely known.
ARTIST: Sung by Joan Baez;
CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes DATE: 1913 Burnett; 1917 Sharp. Earlier through the “Drowsy Sleeper” branch (see notes).
EARLY RECORDING INFO: Emry Arthur (C 1540; 1928);
RECORDING INFO: The best-known period version of "I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow" was Emry Arthur's 1928 recording (Vo 5208) Emry Arthur, "Man of Constant Sorrow" (Paramount 3289, 1931); "I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow" (Vocalion 5208, c. 1927). The Stanley Brothers, "I'm A Man of Constant Sorrow" (Columbia 20816, 1951). Roscoe Holcomb, "Man of Constant Sorrow" (on Holcomb-Ward1) Rounder 1010, Ed Hayley - "Parkersburg Landing" (1976). Frank Proffitt, "Man of Constant Sorrow" (on FProffitt01). Baez, Joan. Very Early Joan, Vanguard VSD 79446/7, LP (1982), cut#B.01. Country Gentlemen. Yesterday and Today. Vol 2, Rebel SLP-1527, LP (1973), cut#A.03. Dylan, Bob. Bob Dylan, Columbia KCS 8579, LP (1962), cut#A.04. Haley, Ed. Parksburg Landing, Rounder 1010, LP (1976), cut# 10. Holcomb, Roscoe. Roscoe Holcomb and Wade Ward, Folkways FA 2363, LP (1962), cut#A.06. Krater Brothers. Singin' for Fun, Flight 7, LP (197?), cut#B.02. Leftwich, Brad. Say Old Man, County 2714, CD (1996), cut# 6. Seeger, Mike. Old Time Country Music, Folkways FA 2325, LP, cut# 13 (I'm a Man of Constant Sorrow). Sessions, Bob. Room at the Top, JHU, LP (197?), cut#B.01. Spradlin, Retta. Gettin' Up the Stairs: Traditional Music from the Cumbe... Vol.1, County 786, LP, cut# 14. Stanley Brothers. Stanley Brothers on the Air, Wango 115, LP (1976), cut#A.03c. When Scopes Collide, Pacific Arts PAC 102, LP (197?), cut# 5 (Man of Constant Sorrow);
OTHER NAMES: “Farewell Song;” “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow;” Same tune as “Girl of Constant Sorrow” Life of Sorrow ; Maid of Constant Sorrow;
SOURCES: Richard Burnett's songbook; Cohen/Seeger/Wood, p. 113, "Man of Constant Sorrow", Darling-NAS, p. 260, "Man of Constant Sorrow"; Silber-FSWB, p. 57, "Man of Constant Sorrow". Old Time Herald, Old Time Herald OTH, Ser (1987-), 6/7, p36a (I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow);
NOTES: The first published versions of “Man Of Constant Sorrow” 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 a branch of “East Virginia Blues.”
Richard Burnett was born in 1883, married in 1905, and blinded in 1907. The second stanza of "Farewell Song" mentions the singer has been blind six years, which would date it at 1913. In later years, Richard Burnett was asked about the song. He himself could not remember, at that time, if he had composed it, or copied it, or -- perhaps most likely -- adapted it from something traditional. Charles Wolf: What about this "Farewell Song" -- "I am a man of constant sorrow" -- did you write it?' Richard Burnett: No, I think I got the ballet [sic] from somebody -- I dunno. It may be my song...” Man of Constant Sorrow -- Richard Burnett's Story,", Old Time Music, No. 10 (Autumn 1973), p. 8. Lyrics as printed in "Songs Sung By R. D. BURNETT. The blind man. Monticello - - - Kentucky." (no date); reprinted ibid. p. 10.
Although Emry Arthur who first recorded “I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow” (C 1540 in 1928) also claims to have composed this piece, a significantly different version was found in the Blue Ridge Mountains in 1957. A companion song, “Girl of Constant Sorrow” is also sung to the “Man of Constant Sorrow” tune.
I categorize the various branches of the related songs 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!”
With the “O Brother Where Art Thou?” phenomena “The Man of Constant Sorrow” has become a crossover pop hit. Here are the lyrics by Joan Baez:
I am a man of constant sorrow
I've seen trouble all of my days
I bid farewell to old Kentucky
Place where I was born and raised
All thru this earth I'm bound to ramble
Thru storm and wind, thru sleet and rain
I'm bound to ride that Northern railroad
Perhaps I'll take the very next train
For six long years I've been in trouble
No pleasure here on earth I've found
For in this world I'm bound to ramble
I have no friends to help me now
It's fare you well, my own true lover
I never expect to see you again
For I'm bound to ride that northern railroad
Perhaps I'll take the very next train
Your friends they say that I'm a stranger
You'll never see my face no more
There is just one promise that's give
We'll meet on God's golden shore
I am a man of constant sorrow
I've seen trouble all of my days
I'm going back to California
Place where I was partly raised
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