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Christmas Time Is Coming/Christmas time Will Soon Be Over
Traditional Old-Time, Breakdown- USA, North Georgia.
ARTIST: Bill Monroe written by Tex Ritter
CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes DATE: Early 1900’s;
RECORDING INFO: Fiddlin' John Carson And His Virginia Reelers; Okeh 45273; Issued November 1928; County 514 cut# 10, Fiddlin' John Carson and the Virginia Reelers- "Hell Broke Loose in Georgia" (originally recorded 1927). Victor Vi45273 (78 RPM), Fiddling John Carson and the Virginia Reelers (1927).
Christmas Time's A Coming Recordings: Fahey, John. Popular Songs of Christmas and New Years, Varrick VR-012, Cas (197?), cut# 5a; Sparks, Larry; and the Lonesome Ramblers. Christmas Time Back Home, Rebel REB 1600, LP (1980), cut# 2;
OTHER NAMES: John Carson's "Christmas time Will Soon Be Over"
SOURCES: Fiddlin' John Carson and Earl Johnson (Kuntz, Phillips). Kuntz (Ragged but Right), 1987; pg. 312. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), 1994; pg. 51; Kuntz, Fiddler's Companion, http://www.ceolas.org/tunes/fc;
NOTES:Chorus is based on the "B" part of Mississippi Sawyer. "A Major ('A' part) & A Mixolydian ('B' part). Standard, AEAE or ADAE. AAB. A bluegrass song derivative of John Carson's is fiddler Tex Logan's "Christmas Time's a-Comin'", although the chorus seems based on the 'B' part of "Mississippi Sawyer." (Kuntz, Fiddler's Companion, http://www.ceolas.org/tunes/fc).
"That song was composed by Tex Logan and has been a Bill Monroe staple for forty years or longer. I'd buy Bill's great recording and learn the lyrics from him. The composer is a native of the Big Spring area of Texas and a respected scientist who was with Bell Labs for many years. After college (early 50s) Tex played fiddle on the WWVA Wheeling Jamboree with Red Belcher's great oldtime band. While acquiring skills in math and physics and a graduate degree at MIT, Tex helped introduce bluegrass to New England by importing the Lilly Brothers and Don Stover to perform with him in Boston and its environs. His is a great happy song and 'ol Tex is also a gem as a fiddler and as a person." Joe Wilson
As a fiddler, Tex had access to lots of tunes to set his words to. He chose the "B" part of a fine old tune: "Mississippi Sawyer". And if you listen to the Fiddling John Carson rendition of the same, you will find him singing the words:
Christmas Time will soon be over (3x)
Then we'll join the band!
LYRICS: CHRISTMAS TIME IS COMING- Bill Monroe
Author: Tex Logan
Snowflakes falling my old home is calling
Tall pines are humming Christmas time is coming.
Can't you hear them bells ringin' ringin' joy to all here them singin'
Let it snow and I'll be going back to my country home
Christmas times a' coming Christmas times a' coming
Christmas times a' coming and I know I'm going home.
Holly's in the window home where the wind blows
Can't walk for running Christmas time is coming.
Home fires burning my heart's yearning
For the folks at home when Christmas time is coming.
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