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OLD JOE CLARK
Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Widely known. Mixolydian mode; Standard Key A; AABB form
ARTIST: Bluegrass Messengers
CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes
DATE: Earliest date 1842, "Nursery Rhymes," Halliwell
RECORDING INFO: AFS 20-21, Wayne Crowley (Louisiana, 1934. A field recording by Alan Lomax). AFS 23, Horace Forman (Louisiana, 1934. A field recording by Alan Lomax. Mr. Forman was elderly, having been born in the mid-19th century). Briar 4202, The Kentucky Colonels- "Living in the Past." Brunswick 313 (78 RPM), Lonnie Austin (1929). County 524, "Da Costa Woltz's Southern Broadcasters, 1927 Recordings." County 723, Cockerham, Jarrell and Jenkins- "Back Home in the Blue Ridge." County CO-CD-2729, Art Stamper - "Goodbye Girls I'm Going to Boston" (2000). Folkways FA 2337, Clark Kessinger- "Live at Union Grove." Folkways FA 2395, New Lost City Ramblers- "Vol. 5." Front Hall 01, Fennigs All Stars- "The Hammered Dulcimer." Heritage 080, Enoch Rutherford - "Old Cap'n Rabbit." Marimac 9038, Dan Gellert & Brad Leftwich - "A Moment in Time." MCA 88, Bill Monroe- "Bluegrass Ramble." Poppy PP-LA210-G 0698, Doc Watson- "Two Days in November." Victor 19434 (78 RPM), Fiddlin' Cowan Powers (Russell County, S.W. Va.), also recorded by him for Edison in 1925. James "Iron Head" Baker, "Old Joe Clark" (AFS 200 A3, 1933) H. M. Barnes & his Blue Ridge Ramblers, "Old Joe Clark" (Brunswick 313, 1929) Fiddlin' John Carson, "Fare You Well Old Joe Clark" (OKeh 40038, 1924; rec. 1923) (OKeh 45198 [as "Old Joe Clark"], 1928, rec. 1927) James Crase, "Old Joe Clark" (on MMOK, MMOKCD) Da Costa Woltz's Southern Broadcasters, "Old Joe Clark" (Gennett 6223/Challenge 333/Herwin 75565, 1927; on GoingDown) The Hillbillies, "Old Joe Clark" (OKeh 40376, 1925) (Vocalion 15369, 1926) Vester Jones, "Old Joe Clark" (on GraysonCarroll1) Bradley Kincaid, "Old Joe Clark" (Brunswick 485, c. 1930; Conqueror 8090, 1933) Clayton McMichen & his Georgia Wildcats, "Old Joe Clark" (Varsity 5029, 1942) John D. Mounce et al, "Old Joe Clark" (on MusOzarks01) Glen Neaves & band, "Old Joe Clark" (on HalfCen1) New Lost City Ramblers, "Old Joe Clark" (on NLCR05, NLCR11) W. Lee O'Daniel & the Light Crust Doughboys, "Old Joe Clark" (Vocalion 02975, 1935) Mose "Clear Rock" Platt, "Old Joe Clark" (AFS 197 A1, 1933) Fiddlin' Powers and Family, "Old Joe Clark" (Victor 19434, 1924) (Edison 51662, 1925) Riley Puckett, "Old Joe Clark" (Columbia 15033-D, c. 1925) Ernest V. Stoneman, "Old Joe Clark" (Victor 20302, 1926) Pete Seeger, "Joe Clark" (on PeteSeeger07, PeteSeeger07b) Gid Tanner & his Skillet Lickers, "Old Joe Clark" (Columbia 15108-D, 1926) Wade Ward, "Old Joe Clark" [instrumental] (on LomaxCD1702) Addiss and Crofut. 400 Years of Folk Music, Folkways FA 2404, LP (1962), trk# B.02c Alterman, Ned; and Richie Mintz. Alterman, Ned; and Richie Mintz / Bluegrass Bass, Oak, sof (1977), p54 Anderson, Bob; and the Country Ramblers. Indiana Hoedown, Puritan 5003, LP (1973/1969), trk# B.06 Austen, Seth; and Madeline MacNeil. Ye Banks and Braes, Roots and Branches RBR 002, LP (1981), trk# B.03e Austen, Seth. Appalachian Fiddle Tunes for Finger Style Guitar, Kicking Mule KM 174, LP (1982), trk# 15a Beers, Robert. Art of the Psaltery, Prestige International INT 13028, LP (196?), trk# 10 Beltaine. String Fling, Beltaine --, CD (2005), 15 Benfield, Kenneth. Mountain Music on the Autoharp, Folkways FA 2365, LP (1965), trk# 10 [1961/07/21] Bird, Elmer. Elmer's Greatest Licks, Bird, Cas (1980), trk# 1 Blevins, Frank. Devil's Box, Devil's Box, Ser, 32/2, p17b(1998) [1931] Bluegrass Orchestra. 2nd Florida Bluegrass and Old Time Music Championships, Sunny Mountain EB 1003, LP (1975?), trk# A.01 Bolden, Frank. Tenino Old Time Music Festival. 1970-72, Voyager VRLP 308-S, LP (1973?), trk# 6 Boys from Wildcat Hollow. Day in the Mountains, County 512, LP (196?), trk# 5c [1928/06/23] (Fiddlin' Bootleggers) Brand, Oscar. Bawdy Songs and Backroom Ballads - Vol. I, Audio Fidelity AFLP 1906/5906, LP (1955), trk# B.04 Brickman, Weissberg & Company. New Dimensions in Banjo and Bluegrass, Elektra EKS-7238, LP (1963), trk# 4 Brody, David. Brody, David (ed.) / Fiddler's Fakebook, Oak, Sof (1983), p207 Brown, Sullivan & Company. Magnum Banjos, Sequatchie --, LP (197?), trk# 7 Buck Mountain Band. Union Grove, The Hub of the Universe, Union Grove SS-4, LP (1970), trk# 6 [1970/04] Byrd, Robert (Senator). Mountain Fiddler, County 769, LP (1978), trk# 11 Camp Creek Boys. Camp Creek Boys, County 709, LP (1967), trk# 3 Carawan, Guy. This Little Light of Mine, Folkways FG 3552, LP (1959), trk# B.09 Carpenter, Ernie. Old-Time Fiddling of Braxton County, Augusta Heritage AHR 012, Cas (1992), trk# A.09 [1985-87] Carson, Fiddlin' John. Fiddlin' John Carson. Vol 4, Document DOCD 8017, CD (1997), trk# 14 [1927/10/10] Carter Family. Carter Family in Texas. Vol. 7, Old Homestead OHCS 139, LP (1984), trk# 17a Chambliss, Emma B. (Baird). Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume III, Humorous & Play-Party ..., University of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p324/#533A [1927/08/10] Clayton, Paul. Dulcimer Songs and Solos, Folkways FG 3571, LP (1962), trk# 2 Clemmens, Ginni. Long Time Friends, Open Door, LP (1976), trk# B.02c Cockerham, Fred; and Kyle Creed. Clawhammer Banjo. Vol 2 [More Clawhammer Banjo], County CD 2717/717, LP (2003/1969), trk# 19 [1964/10] Cockerham, Jarrell and Jenkins. Back Home in the Blue Ridge, County 723, LP (1970?), trk# A.04 Cooney, Michael. Pure Unsweetened. Live Family Concert, Alliance WRC1-2310, LP (1982), trk# 5 Corn Bred. 15th Annual Topanga Banjo and Fiddle Contest, Black Mountain Mi 7775, LP (1978?), trk# 14 [1975] (New Old Joe Clark) Crase, James. Mountain Music of Kentucky, Smithsonian/Folkways SF 40077, CD (1996), trk# 2.55 [1959] Criger, Fannie. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume III, Humorous & Play-Party ..., University of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p329/#533I [1940/07/24] Crisp, Rufus. Rufus Crisp, Folkways FA 2342, LP (1972), trk# B.01a [1946] Cunningham, Bill. Cunningham, Bill / Hoedown Fiddle in America (How to Play It), Cunningham, fol (1971), p 8 Cunningham, John. Border Bandit, Cunningham, CD (200?), trk# 14 Cutler, Marty. Brody, David (ed.) / Banjo Picker's Fakebook, Oak, Fol (1985), p113 Dillards. Back Porch Bluegrass, Elektra EKS-7232, LP (1963), trk# 1 (Old Joseph) Dillard, Douglas. Duelin' Banjo, 20th Century Fox T-402, LP (1973), trk# B.05 (Old Joseph) Dodd, Margaret Jack. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p259/# 183 [1918/05/25] Driftwood, Jimmie. Best of Jimmy Driftwood, Monument MC6639, LP (197?), trk# 11 Driftwood, Jimmie. Battle of New Orleans, RCA (Victor) LPM-1635, LP (1958), trk# 11 Driftwood, Jimmie. Rackensack. Volume 1, Driftwood LP 278, LP (1972), trk# A.06a Ensemble. Shivaree!, Esoteric ES-538, LP (1955), trk# A.04b (Joe Clark) Erbsen, Wayne. Erbsen, Wayne / Manual on How to Play the 5-String Banjo for the com...., Erbsen, sof (1974), p23 Farina, Richard. Dick Farina & Eric Von Schmidt, Folklore F-Leut/7, LP (1963), trk# A.04a Farina, Richard and Mimi. Celebrations for a Grey Day, Vanguard VSD 79174, LP (196?), trk# 13b (Celebrations for a Grey Day) Feldmann, Peter. How to Play Clawhammer Banjo, Sonyatone STI-104, LP (1975), trk# 1 Fennigs All-Star String Band. Hammered Dulcimer, Front Hall FHR-001, LP (1973), trk# 13a Gateway Singers. Wagons West, Warner Bros W 1334, LP (1959), trk# B.06 Gavin, Pam. Potpourri, Dancing Doll DLP 612, LP (1985), trk# B.07 Gellert, Dan; and Brad Leftwich. Moment in Time, Marimac 9038, Cas (1993), trk# B.05 George, Franklin/Frank. Traditional Music for Banjo, Fiddle & Bagpipes, County C-2703, Cas (1992), trk# B.03 Grant, Mary. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume III, Humorous & Play-Party ..., University of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p326/#533C [1928/09/14] Green Briar River Valley Mountain Boys. Devil's Riding Horse. 44th Annual Old Time Fiddler's Convention, Union Grove SS-2, LP (1978), trk# B.08 Griffin, Neil. Griffin, Neil / Deluxe BLuegrass Banjo Method, Mel Bay, sof (1974), p102 Guilliams, Will. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume III, Humorous & Play-Party ..., University of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p329/#533J [1941/10/22] Hall, Barry. Virtuoso 5-String Banjo, Folkways FG 3533, LP (1964), trk# A.01 Hammons, Edden. Edden Hammons Collection. Vol Two, West Virginia Univ SA-2, CD (2000), trk# 1.03 [1947/07] Hastings, Dr. George E.. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume III, Humorous & Play-Party ..., University of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p330/#533L [1942/01/06] Herdman, Curly. Ohio State Champion (Ohio States Best), Kanawha 310, LP (1967), trk# 4 Herren, Ruth Burton. Solomon, Jack & Olivia (eds.) / Sweet Bunch of Daisies, Colonial Press, Bk (1991), p100 [1975ca] High Strung. High Strung, Loose Noose ASM-489, LP (1981), trk# B.02b Hinton, Sam. Singing Across the Land, Decca DL 8108, LP (1955), trk# A.03a Homer and the Barnstormers. Blue Grass Banjos - Flaming Banjos, Alshire 2-120-1/2, LP (197?), trk# 1B.03 (Ole' Joe Clark) Houle, Lawrence "Teddy Boy". Wood That Sings, Smithsonian/Folkways SF 40472, CD (1997), trk# 19g Howard, James. Lomax, John A. & Alan Lomax / American Ballads and Folk Songs, MacMillan, Bk (1934), p.276 [1920s] Hughes, Delbert. Home Recordings., Augusta Heritage AHR 015, Cas (1994), trk# A.07 Jarrell, Ben. Going Down The Valley; Vocal & Instrumental Music from the South, New World NW 236, LP (1977), trk# 2 [1927/05ca] Jones, Vester. Traditional Music From Grayson and Carroll Counties, Folkways FS 3811, LP (1962), trk# 19 [1960ca] Journeymen. Coming Attraction - Live, Capitol ST 1770, LP (196?), trk# A.03 (Old Joe Clarke Blues) Keith, Bill. Trischka, Tony; & Bill Keith / Bill Keith Banjo (Bluegrass Masters serie, Oak, Sof (1978), p20 Kelley, Lewis. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume III, Humorous & Play-Party ..., University of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p327/#533F [1931/08/04] Kelly, Maidy. Owens, William A. (ed.) / Texas Folk Songs. 2nd edition, SMU Press, Bk (1976/1950), p158 [1941] Kentucky Colonels. Livin' in the Past, Briar BT 7202, LP (1975), trk# B.08b [1965/03/27] Kessinger, Clark. Clark Kessinger Memorial Album, Kanawha 327, LP (1976/1968), trk# 11 Kessinger, Clark. Live at Union Grove, Folkways FA 2337, Cas (1976), trk# 9 Kincaid, Bradley. Bradley Kincaid. Volume 2, Old Homestead OHCS 155, LP (1984), trk# A.05 [1930/10/08] Kingston Trio. Something Special, Capitol ST 1747, LP (1962), trk# B.06 Krassen, Miles. Krassen, Miles / Appalachian Fiddle, Oak, sof (1973), p16b Kratzer, Marvin. Guntharp, Matthew G. / Learning the Fiddler's Ways, Penn State, Sof (1980), p130 [1974ca] Kretzner, Leo; and Jay Leibovitz. Dulcimer Fair, Traditional TR 018, LP (1981), trk# B.06c Lain, Myrtle. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume III, Humorous & Play-Party ..., University of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p328/#533G [1930/01/06] Landers, George. Close to Home, Smithsonian/Folkways SF 40097, CD (1997), trk# 31 [1967/08/15] Lane, Rose Wilder. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume III, Humorous & Play-Party ..., University of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p326/#533E [1930/05/16] Ledford, Lilly May. Lily May Ledford, Old Blue --, CD (2005), trk# 3b [1966/06/29] Lee, Rod. National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest & Folk Music Festival. 1964, NOTFC 64, CD (1964), trk# 20 (Hoedown) Leming, Carl. Hootenanny Hoedown, Dye, LP (1963), trk# B.07 Lieberson, Richard. Lieberson, Richard / Old Time Fiddle Tunes for Guitar, Amsco, Sof (1974), p 97 Lowinger, Gene. Lowinger, Gene / Bluegrass Fiddle, Oak, fol (1974), p12 Lundy Family. Back in Galax Again, Heritage (Galax) 105, Cas (1992), trk# B.06 Luxon, Benjamin; and Bill Crofut. Simple Gifts. British and American Folk Songs, Stolat SZM 0124, LP (1981), trk# B.04c Mainer, Wade. From the Maple on the Hill, Old Homestead OHTRS 4000, LP (1976), trk# C.02 Maloy, Frank. Devil's Box, Devil's Box, Ser, 17/2, p24(1983) [1950ca] Manes, Virginia. National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest & Folk Music Festival. 1965, Century, LP (1965), trk# 10 March, Bob. Chicago Mob Scene. A Folk Song Jam Session, Riverside RLP 12-641, LP (196?), trk# 13b Marden, Larry. Silver and Gold. Southern Vermont Old-Time Fiddlers, Green Mountain GMS 4009, LP (1977), trk# B.06 McCord, May Kennedy. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume III, Humorous & Play-Party ..., University of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p328/#533H [1934/04/17] McCoy, Paul (B.). Allegheny Trails, Jewel LPS 504, LP (1975), trk# A.02 McMichen, Clayton. Traditional Music at Newport, 1964, Part 2, Vanguard VSD 79183, LP (1965), trk# A.01 Mid-Columbia Old-Time Music Club. Way It Was, Kuiper, CD (2002/1978), trk# 22 Mitchum, Johnny. Johnny Mitchum, Sircy 7304, LP (1972), trk# B.01 Mountain Ramblers. Sounds of the South, Atlantic 7-82496-2, CD( (1993), trk# 4.07 [1959/07ca] New Lost City Ramblers. New Lost City Ramblers, Vol. 5, Folkways FA 2395, LP (1963), trk# 1 New Lost City Ramblers. New Lost City Ramblers, Disc D 102, LP (196?), trk# 1 New Lost City Ramblers. 20th Aniversery Concert, Flying Fish FF 090, LP (1986), trk# A.01 Newman, Emmett. Thede, Marion (ed.) / The Fiddle Book, Oak, Bk (1967), p 28 [1930s] Old Hat Band. Concert, Voyager VRLP 307-S, LP (1972), trk# 4 Osborne, Uncle Charlie (Charlie N.). 100 Years Farther On, June Appal JA 0064C, Cas (199?), trk# 17 Paley, Tom. Old Tom Moore and More, Global Village C 309, Cas (1991), trk# 19 Paley, Tom. O Love Is Teasin', Elektra BLP-12051, LP (1985), trk# 3.17a Paley, Tom. Courtin's a Pleasure and Other Folk Songs of the Southern App..., Elektra EKL-122, LP (1957), trk# B.07c Parish, Roscoe. Old Time Way, Heritage (Galax) 070, LP (1986), trk# 23 [1984/03/23] Pegram, George; and Parham, Red (Walter). Music From South Turkey Creek, Rounder 0065, LP (1976), trk# b-6 Pegram, George; and Parham, Red (Walter). Pickin' and Blowin', Riverside RLP 12-650, LP (1959), trk# 11 [1957] Perlman, Ken. Perlman, Ken / Fingerpicking Fiddle Tunes for Finger Style Guitar, Chappell, Sof (1978), p13 Perlman, Ken. Perlman, Ken / Melodic Clawhammer Banjo, Oak, Sof (1979), p15 Perry, Wayne. American Fiddle Tunes, Library of Congress AFS L62, LP (1971), trk# 25 Petty, Pauline. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume III, Humorous & Play-Party ..., University of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p326/#533D [1930/07/07] Plank Road String Band. Plank Road. Vocal and Instrumental Blend, June Appal JA 0015, LP (1978), trk# 3 Poor Richard's Almanac. Poor Richard's Almanac, Ridge Runner RRR 0002, LP (1976), trk# 10 (Li'l Joseph) Poplin Family. Poplin Family of Sumter, South Carolina, Folkways FA 2306, LP (1963), trk# A.01 (Goin' Back to Sumter) Richardson, Hilary G.. Cox, John Harrington / Folk-Songs of the South, Dover, Sof (1967/1925), p495/#174 [1917] (Old Joe Clog) Ritchie, Jean. Ritchie, Jean / Dulcimer Book, Oak, sof (1963), p39 Roan Mountain Hilltoppers. Down Home, Roan Mountain, CD (2000), trk# 22 [1982/02] Rooftop Singers. Good Time!, Vanguard VRS-9134, LP (1964), trk# A.07 Rosenbaum, Art (Arthur). Art of the Mountain Banjo, Kicking Mule KM 203, LP (1975), trk# 1.05 Rosenbaum, Art (Arthur). Rosenbaum, Art / Art of the Mountain Banjo, Centerstream, Fol (1981), p24 Rutherford, Enoch; and the Gold Hill Band. Old Cap'n Rabbit, Heritage (Galax) 080, Cas (1989), trk# 10 Salyer, John Morgan. Home Recordings 1941-42. Vol. 2, Appalachian Center Ser. AC 003-v2, cas (1993), trk# B.08 Salyer, John Morgan. Home Recordings 1941-42. Vol. 2, Appalachian Center Ser. AC 003-v2, cas (1993), trk# C.01 Sapoznik, Hank (Henry). Brody, David (ed.) / Banjo Picker's Fakebook, Oak, Fol (1985), p112 Schilling, Jean and Lee. Folk Festival of the Smokies. Volume II, Traditional FFS-529, LP (1972), trk# A.04 Seeger, Peggy and Mike. American Folk Songs for Children, Rounder 8001/8002/8003, CD (1977), trk# 1-24 Seeger, Pete. We Shall Overcome, Columbia C2K 45312, CD (1989), trk# 1.02b [1963/06/08] Seeger, Pete. Seeger, Pete / How to Play the Five String Banjo, Seeger, sof (1962), p31 Seeger, Pete. Seeger, Pete / American Favorite Ballads, Oak, Fol (1961), p35 Sharp, Clyde. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume III, Humorous & Play-Party ..., University of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p325/#533B [1928/08/12] Short, Lillian. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume III, Humorous & Play-Party ..., University of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p330/#533K [1942/06/17] Simmons Family. Wandering Through the Rackensack, Dancing Doll, LP (198?), trk# A.07 Simmons Family. Simmons, Tommy & Jean / Simmons Family Songbook, Simmons, Sof (1974), p35 Sims, Leroy. Sims Family Presents Country Music, Spirit Arrow LP 203-101, LP (197?), trk# B.03 Sizemore, Asher; and Little Jimmy. Sizemore, Asher; and Little Jimmy / Favorite Mountain Ballads & Old T..., Sizemore, fol (1932), p 3 Smith, Raymond; & Bob Cowan. In the Hills of Home, Marimac 9010, Cas (198?), trk# 12b Smith, Hobart. In Sacred Trust. 1963 Fleming Brown Tapes, Smithsonian SFWCD 40141, CD (2005), trk# 12 [1963/10] Smith, Hobart. In Sacred Trust. 1963 Fleming Brown Tapes, Smithsonian SFWCD 40141, CD (2005), trk# 24 [1963/10] Sons of Blue Ridge. 31st Annual Old Fiddlers Convention, Justice, LP (1966), trk# A.03 Stanley, Peter;, Judith Lang and Christopher Stanley. When You and I Were Young, Talkeetna 25008, CD (1999), trk# 9b Stanley, Peter. At the Sidekick, Talkeetna 25003, CD (1999), trk# 10b [1965/03] Stoneman, Scotty/Scott. Devil's Box, Devil's Box, Ser, 22/3, p31(1988) [1960s] Stracke, Win. Folk Songs for the Young, Golden Records, LP (1962), trk# A.08 Sweeney, Ed. American Sampler, North Star NS0033, Cas (1991), trk# 10b Taussig, Harry. Taussig, Harry / Teach Yourself Guitar, Oak, Sof (1971), p 79 Taussig, Harry. Taussig, Harry / Advanced Guitar, Oak, Sof (1975), p 20 Thompson, Joe. Family Tradition, Rounder 2161, CD (1999), trk# 11 Thomas, Tony. Old Style Texas and Oklahoma Fiddling, Takoma A-1013, LP (195?), trk# 25 Tottle, Jack. Tottle, Jack / Bluegrass Mandolin, Oak, Sof (1975), p 36 Trail Band. Voices from the Oregon Trail, Trail's End TEP 001, Cas (1991), trk# B.05c Traum, Happy. Traum, Happy / Flat-Picker Country Guitar, Oak, Sof (1973), p 76 Trischka, Tony. Trischka, Tony / Melodic Banjo, Oak, Sof (1976), p 22 Trischka, Tony. Trischka, Tony / Banjo Songbook, Oak, Sof (1978), p 80 Tuttle, Jack. Fiddler Magazine, Fiddler Mag., Ser, trk# 1/3, p29(1994) Unidentified Singer. Owens, William A. (ed.) / Texas Folk Songs. 2nd edition, SMU Press, Bk (1976/1950), p157 [1930s] Vanderlaan, Vera. Five String Banjoree, Quest Q 101, LP (196?), trk# B.04 Waldman, Ken. Week in Eek, Nomadic, CD (2000), 10 Ward, Wade. Banjo Songs, Ballads and Reels from the Southern Mountains, Prestige International INT 25004, LP (196?), trk# 3 [1959/08/31] Ward, Wade. Anglo-American Shanties, Lyric Songs, Dance Tunes & Spirituals, Library of Congress AFS L 2, LP (195?), trk# B.08 [1939] Ward, Wade. Uncle Wade. A Memorial to Wade Ward, Old Time Virginia Banjo ..., Folkways FA 2380, LP (1973), trk# 22 Ward, Wade. Southern Journey. Vol. 2: Ballads and Breakdowns, Rounder 1702, CD (1997), trk# 1 [1959/08/31] Ward, Wade. Burke, John / Book of Old Time Fiddle Tunes for Banjo, Amsco, sof (1968), p64 Ward, Wade. Clawhammer Banjo, County CD 2716/701, CD/ (2002/1966), trk# 3 [1964/10] Watson, Doc. Doc Watson's Favorites, Liberty LN-10201, LP (1983), trk# A.05b Watson, Doc and Merle. Two Days in November, Poppy PP-LA210-G, LP (1974), trk# 7 Weissman, Dick (Richard). 5-String Banjo Greats, Liberty LST 7357, LP (196?), trk# 11 Weissman, Dick (Richard). Weissman, Dick / Five String Banjo. Vol. 3, Advanced Techniques, United Artists, Sof (1977), p 92 Weissberg, Eric. Folk Box, Elektra EKL-9001, LP (1964), trk# 43 Weiser Judges. National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest & Folk Music Festival. 1969, NOTFC 69, LP (1969), trk# A.01 Wernick, Pete/Peter. Wernick, Peter / Bluegrass Banjo, Oak, Sof (1974), p 54 West, Hedy. Old Times and Hard Times, Folk Legacy FSA-032, LP (1967), trk# 4 Whitewater. Springtime in the White Clouds, American Heritage AHM 401-41D, LP (198?), trk# B.04a Woltz, DaCosta;'s Southern Broadcasters. DaCosta Woltz's Southern Broadcasters, County 524, LP (1972), trk# A.06 [1927/10/01] Young, Claud V.. Solomon, Jack & Olivia (eds.) / Sweet Bunch of Daisies, Colonial Press, Bk (1991), p 94 [1975ca]
RELATED TO: "Cuckoo Waltz" (floating lyrics); Pretty Little Shoes; Devilish Mary ; Acadian Two Step ; No More Will I Work in the Factory; Shady Grove;
OTHER NAMES: Betsy Brown; Round and Round Hitler's Grave; Vee Latty's Breakdown in A; Fare You Well, Old Ely Branch (by Aunt Molly Jackson)
SOURCES: Ceolas; Folk Index; Traditional Ballad Index; Mudcat DT; The tune was recorded for the Library of Congress by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph from Ozark Mountain fiddlers in the early 1940's. Randolph-Legman I offers some of the rarely printed bawdy verses to this familiar square dance and quatrain ballad. Perrow, "Songs and Rhymes from the South," Journal of American Folklore 25, p. 152 ("sung by E. Tenn. Whites, 1905"); Brown, The Frank C. Brown Collection of North Carolina Folklore vol. 5, pp. 65-66 (#89 and 990); Bennett, "A Study in Fiddle Tunes from Western North Carolina", p. 72, played by Fiddlin' Bill Hensley, near Asheville, North Carolina; Sharp, English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, vol. 2, 259 (#183), Beechgrove, Virginia; Thede, The Fiddle Book, pp. 28-29; Lomax, American Ballads and Folk Songs, p. 277; Thomas, Devil's Ditties, pp. 106-107. Additional discussion and citations may be found with a Louisiana set in American Fiddle Tunes (Library of Congress, AFS L62). Emmet Newman (Delaware County, Oklahoma) [Thede], Wiley Jobes (Greene County, Pa., and northern W.Va., 1930's) and Walter Ireland (Greene County, Pa., 1944) [Bayard]; Judy Hyman (Ithica, N.Y.) [Phillips]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 161A-B, pgs. 98-99. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 207. Cazden (Dances from Woodland), 1945; pg. 20. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 121. Frets Magazine, "Mike Seeger: Traditional Music," July 1983; pg. 55. Krassen (Appalachian Fiddle), 1973; pg. 16. Lowinger (Bluegrass Fiddle), 1974; pg. 12. Phillips (Fiddlecase Tunebook), 1989; pg. 30-31. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, Vol. 1), 1994; pg. 172 (two versions). Reiner (Anthology of Fiddle Styles), 1979; pg. 38. Ruth (Pioneer Western Folk Tunes), 1948; No. 99, pg. 35. Thede (The Fiddle Book), 1967; pg. 28-29. Randolph 533, "Old Joe Clark" (10 texts plus 2 excerpts, 1 tune); Randolph/Cohen, pp. 399-401, "Old Joe Clark" (1 text, 1 tune -- Randolph's 533A); BrownIII 86, "Old Joe Clark" (5 texts); also 111, "Wish I Had a Needle and Thread" (7 text, of which only "E" is really substantial; it is certainly the "Italy" version of "Going Across the Sea." The other fragments contain verses typical of "Shady Grove," "Old Joe Clark," and others); Randolph-Legman I, pp. 428-430, "Old Joe Clark" (5 texts, 1 tune); Lomax-FSUSA 25, "Old Joe Clark" (1 text, 1 tune -- plus the modern adaption "Round and Round Hitler's Grave"); Lomax-ABFS, pp. 277-279, "Old Joe Clark" (1 text, 1 tune, composite); Botkin-AmFolklr, pp. 814-818, "Old Joe Clark" (1 collated text, 1 tune); JHCox 174, "Old Joe Clog" (1 text, partly from "Old Joe Clark" and partly floating verses, several of them from "Shady Grove"); Abrahams/Foss, p. 89, "Old Joe Clark" (1 partial text); PSeeger-AFB, p. 35, "Old Joe Clark" (1 text, 1 tune) Darling-NAS, pp. 249-250, "Old Joe Clark" (1 text); Silber-FSWB, p. 206, "Old Joe Clark" (1 text) Roud #3594; Seeger, Ruth Crawford / American Folk Songs for Children, Doubleday/Zephyr Books, Sof (1948), p. 84; Ford, Ira W. / Traditional Music in America, Folklore Associates, Bk (1965/1940), p121c; Ford, Ira W. / Traditional Music in America, Folklore Associates, Bk (1965/1940), p389; Old Time Herald, Old Time Herald, Ser, 3/8, p32(1993); Cazden, Norman (ed.) / Book of Nonsense Songs, Crown, Sof (1961), p 38; Lomax, John A. & Alan Lomax / Folk Song USA, Signet, Sof (1966/1947), # 25; Shay, Frank (ed.) / My Pious Friends and Drunken Companions and More ..., Dover, Sof (1961/1927), p149; Best, Dick & Beth (eds.) / New Song Fest Deluxe, Charles Hansen, Sof (1971/1948), p135; Visconti, Carl (ed.) / Paint Creek Folklore Society Song Tune Book, Paint Creek, Sof (1986), p21; Sing Out! Reprints, Sing Out, Sof (196?), 4, p62; Albert E Brumley's Songs of the Pioneers, Brumley, Fol (1973), 13; Blood, Peter; and Annie Patterson (eds.) / Rise Up Singing, Sing Out, Sof (1992/1989), p148; Brody, David (ed.) / Guitar Pickers Fakebook, Oak, Sof (1984), p108; Fiddler Magazine, Fiddler Mag., Ser, 1/2, p25 (1994)
NOTES: In this song Old Joe Clark, a "fine old man" and a "preacher's son," lives an improbable life of courting, gambling, drinking, and sundry accidents. Versions range from the thoroughly clean (often involving animals) to the significantly bawdy.
Bayard (1981) thinks it was originally a song tune that later became a fiddle standard and playparty tune. "Old Joe Clark" is one of the most widely known of all Southern fiddle tunes. But though it may date back into the nineteenth century (1842 Traditioanl Ballad Index), There are no published/collected versions prior to 1900. Virginia family band "Fiddlin'" Cowan Powers and Family's recording of the piece was the third best-selling country music record of 1924, while the Skillet Lickers (north Georgia) 1926 recording was the fourth best-selling for that year.
ORIGIN: Who was Old Joe Clark? Various sources including old-time performer/researcher Mike Seegar have proposed information on the Old Joe Clark that this song is based on.
JOSEPH CLARK "OLD JOE CLARK," KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS, US ARMY (From: MY OLD KENTUCKY ROOTS): Joseph Clark was the second son of Henry J. Clark and Patience Bledsoe and was born in Clay County, Kentucky on September 18, 1839. There was a popular break-down tune at the time that did not have lyrics, so some of Joe's friends started making up rhymes to be sung with the tune. From this originated the ballad of "OLD JOE CLARK." Joe is said to have liked the song until some of the more fun loving souls started making up rhymes that were not very complementary. Joe operated a country store near his house and also ran a moonshine still. There are several stories surrounding his death. J.B. Weaver gave this account, as told to him by Joe's son. Joe was living with a woman named Chris Leger and they split up. He then began living with a McKenney woman in his store, renting his house to Chris and her new friend, the brother of Old Jim Howard. Leger and Howard then devised a plan whereby they would kill Joe and she would claim he had left the farm to her. Howard shot and killed Joe on April 22, 1886, near the back porch of the store. Howard then fled to Beattyville, where a few days later while crossing a bridge, he was stabbed to death by two men from Clay County.
Bradley Kincaid's Favorite Old-Time Songs and Mountain Ballads, Book 3, 1930: "Old Joe Clark," who is immortalized in one of the ballads in this collection, was a notorious character in Clay county, Kentucky. As with many mountain ballads, the song tells something of his character. They will tell you in Manchester that he was a hard, rough-and-ready bully, who was shot to death by his own son, in a fight over some hogs. The boy was exonerated by the jury--and commended by the community where he still lives. When the fiddlers strike up "Old Joe Clark," every foot in Manchester beats time.
OLD JOE CLARK- ROCKBRIDGE CO. VIRGINA: Seeger states that Joe Clark was "an actual person, a veteran of the War of 1812." Mike Seeger (1983) relates the local story of the origins of the tune where he lives in Rockbridge County, Va.:
Joe Clark's father settled around Irish Creek, near South River,
in the early 1800's. Joe Clark had a daughter, and a jilted beau
is said to have written the song, out of jealousy, in the late 1800's.
The Clarks have been family-style string musicians right down
through the years.
OLD JOE CLARK-MARYLAND: Another investigation determined the source of the tune to be the murder in Maryland of a traveling salesman named Herbert Brown by Joe Clark and Brown's wife Betsy sometime after the Civil War. Joe and Betsy attempted to cover up the crime by asserting that Brown was on a trip up North. This perhaps explains the verse:
Old Joe Clark killed a man
Layed him in the sand.
...and the chorus, many versions of which include "goodbye Betsy Brown."
FINAL NOTES: The earliest reference to Old Joe Clark is found in 1842, "Nursery Rhymes," Halliwell. This reference was pointed out by Vance Randolph and other researchers. Many of the verses found in Old Joe Clark are ‘floaters” from other songs.
“Here are the lyrics to Old Joe Clark from Bluegrass Messengers:
Old Joe Clark- Bluegrass Messengers
Verse 1: Old Joe Clark's a fine old man,
I’ll tell you the reason why.
He keeps good liquor 'round his house,
Like good old Rock and Rye.
Verse 2: Old Joe Clark, the preacher's son
Well He preached all over the plain
The only text he ever knew
Was High-Low, Jack and game.
Chorus: Fare thee well Old Joe Clark
Fare thee well, I say
Fare thee well, Old Joe Clark
I am going away
Fare thee well Old Joe Clark
Fare thee well, I say
Fare thee well, Old Joe Clark
I am going away.
Verse 3: Old Joe Clark had a mule
His name was Morgan Brown
And every tooth in that mule's head
Was sixteen inches ‘round.
Verse 4: Old Joe Clark had a yellow cat
She would neither sing or pray
She stuck her head in the buttermilk jar
And washed her sins away.
(Repeat Chorus)
Verse 5: Old Joe Clark had a house
Fifteen stories high
And every story in that house
Was filled with chicken pie.
Verse 6: I went down to Old Joe's house
He invited me to supper
I stumped my toe on the table leg
And stove my nose in the butter
(Repeat Chorus)
Verse 7: Now I wouldn't marry a widder
Tell you the reason why
She'd have so many children
They'd make those biscuits fly.
Verse 8: I won't eat at old Joe's house,
Tell you the reason why,
He blows his nose in old corn bread,
And calls it pumpkin pie.
(Repeat Chorus)
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