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Roundtown Girls/ Rount Town Gals/Buffalo Gals
Old-Time, American, English; Breakdown, Reel or Polka- Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi, New York, Pa., Arizona (widely disseminated both in US and Internationally). Traditional Tune and lyrics “composed” by Cool White in 1844. [Sources: 020/028@Levy; pages 130-131 of "Minstrel Songs, Old and New" (1883)].
CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes. DATE: 1844. Used in the 1850’s at minstrel shows.
OTHER NAMES: Alabama Gals; (The name can be changed to any city’s name, and was used as New York Gals etc.) Portsmouth Airs ; Buffalo Girls Louisiana Gals; Roundtown Girls/Gals; “Won't You Come Out Tonight," "Bowery Girls," "Brown Town Gals," "Cincinnati Girls," "Hagtown Girls," "Hagantown Gals" (Pa), "I Danced with the Girl with the Hole in Her Stocking," "Jackto(w)n" {or "Jackstown"} (Pa.), "Jimtown (Gals)," "Johnstown" (Pa.), "Louisiana Gals," "Lubly Fan," "Lushbaugh Girls," "Midnight Serenade," "Old Johnnie Walker" (English Country Dance), "Round Town Gals," "Yellow Gals."
RELATED MELODY: Bear Creek Hop
SOURCES: The Black-Faced Minstrel groups. American Ballads and Folk Songs, MacMillan, Bk (1934), p.288 (Louisiana Gals); American Folk Songs for Children, Doubleday/Zephyr Books, Bk (1948), p. 30 (Buffalo Girls); Traditional Music in America, Folklore Associates, Bk (1940/1965), p 53c (Buffalo Girls); Traditional Music in America, Folklore Associates, Bk (1940/1965), p409 (Buffalo Girls); Bell, David. Learning the Fiddler's Ways, Penn State, Sof (1980), p 47; Cheeseman, Bob. Learning the Fiddler's Ways, Penn State, Sof (1980), p 52; Kaufman, Alan. Beginning Old-time Fiddle, Oak, sof (1977), p54 (Round Town Gals); Potter, Frank. Fiddle Book, Oak, Bk (1967), p119; Warren, Paul. Devil's Box, Devil's Box DB, Ser (196?), 12/1, p55 (Alabama Gals); Krassen, Miles. Appalachian Fiddle, Oak, sof (1973), p65 (Roundtown Girls/Gals) Randolph 535, "Buffalo Gals"; Randolph-Legman I, pp. 424-425, "Buffalo Gals"; Lomax-FSUSA 33, "Buffalo Gals"; Lomax-ABFS, pp. 288-290, "Louisiana Girls"; Fife-Cowboy/West 101, "Buffalo Gals"; Botkin-AmFolklr, p. 841, "(Buffalo Gals)"; Arnett, p. 58, "Buffalo Gals"; Spaeth-WeepMore, pp. 107-108, "Buffalo Gals"; PSeeger-AFB, p. 34, "Buffalo Gals"; Silber-FSWB, p. 36, "Buffalo Gals"; Kuntz, Fiddler's Companion, http://www.ceolas.org/tunes/fc;
RECORDING INFO: Armstrong, Sarah. Hill Country Tunes: Instrumental Folk Music of Southwestern Penn, Amer. Folklore Society, fol (1944), 1b (Johnstown Gals); Benford, Mac. Backwoods Banjo, Rounder 0115, LP (1979), cut# 1 (Woncha Come Out Tonight); Bluestein, Evo. Evo's Autoharp, Greenhays GR 715, LP (1985), cut# 9; Boarman, Andrew F. Mountain State Music, June Appal JA 0025, LP (1978), cut# 5; Brand, Oscar. Oscar Brand's Children's Concert, Riverside RLP 1438, LP (1961), cut#A.01 (New York Gals); Brickman, Weissberg & Company. New Dimensions in Banjo and Bluegrass, Elektra EKS-7238, LP (197?), cut# 17; Brown, Paul. Tribute to Tommy Jarrell, Heritage (Galax) 063, LP (1986), cut# 9 (Roundtown Girls/Gals); Bunkhouse Orchestra. Old-Time Cowboy Songs, Gibbs Smith, Cas, cut# 12; Campbell, Blind James; and his Nashville Street.... Blind James Campbell and his Nashville Street Band, Arhoolie F 1015, LP (196?), cut#A.03; Catfish Keith. Catfish Blues, Kicking Mule KM 179, LP (1985), cut# 7; Clemmens, Ginni. Sing a Rainbow and Other Children Songs, Folkways FC 7637, LP (1967), cut#B.01a; Cockerham, Fred. Southern Clawhammer, Kicking Mule KM 213, Cas (1978), cut#A.06 (Roundtown Girls/Gals); Cockerham, Fred. Old Time Herald, Old Time Herald OTH, Ser (1987-), 5/5, p37 (Round Town Gals); Cole, Emmett. Close to Home, Smithsonian/Folkways SF 40097, CD (1997), cut#30 (Alabama Gals); Common Ground. Traveller's Choice, Kicking Mule KM 229, LP (1984), cut# 10a; Contay, Major; and the Canebrake Rattlers. When the Yankees Came Down, Marimac 9006, Cas (1986), cut#B.06 (Roundtown Girls/Gals); Edwards, Bert. Old Time Fiddling at Union Grove. The 38th Annual Old-Time Fi..., Prestige 14039, LP (1964), cut#A.08 (Round Town Gals); Falderal String Band. Step Right Up... Free Show Tonight!, Hen House, Cas (1996), cut#A.01; Fleck, Bob. American Hammer Dulcimer, Troubadour TR-6, LP (1978), cut# 21; Fontanna and his Orchestra. Gay Nineties, Palace M-653, LP (196?), cut#A.02; George, Franklin/Frank. Traditional Music for Banjo, Fiddle & Bagpipes, County C-2703, Cas (1992), cut#B.05c (Roundtown Girls/Gals); George, Franklin/Frank. Traditional Music for Banjo, Fiddle and Bagpipes, Kanawha 307, LP (1967), cut#B.04c (Roundtown Girls/Gals); Golden Gate Quartet. Folk Music Radio, Radiola MR 1133, LP (1982), cut#B.01; Guthrie, Woody. Woody Guthrie Sings Folk Songs, Vol. 2, Folkways FA 2484, LP (1964), cut#B.07; Hall, Leland. Old-Time Fiddling of Braxton County, Augusta Heritage AHR 012, Cas (1992), cut#B.11 (Roundtown Girls/Gals); Hammons, Edden. Edden Hammons Collection. Vol Two, West Virginia Univ SA-2, CD (2000), cut#1.10; Harold and Abe. Cornbred, Molasses and Sassafras Tea, Heritage (Galax) 023, LP, cut# 14 (Old Aunt Katy Won't You Come Out Tonight); Hash, Albert; and the Whitetop Mountain Band. Albert Hash and the Whitetop Mountain Band, Heritage (Galax) 025, LP (1979), cut# 14 (Alabama Gals); Hatcher, John. American Fiddle Tunes, Library of Congress AFS L62, LP (1971), cut# 23; Hillbillies. Hillbillies, County 405, LP (197?), cut#B.06 (Roundtown Girls/Gals); Hill, Dudley. From A Northern Family, Voyager VLRP 317-S, LP (197?), cut# 3; Hill, Dudley; and Benny Thomasson. Tenino Old Time Music Festival. 1973-74, Voyager VRLP 313-S, LP (197?), cut# 2; Howes, Clyde. Old-Time Banjo Anthology, Vol. 2, Marimac AHS 5, Cas (1991), cut# 2 (Roundtown Girls/Gals); Jarrell, Tommy. Appalachia, The Old Traditions, Vol. 2, Home Made Music LP-002, LP (1982), cut# 7 (Roundtown Girls/Gals); Kessinger, Clark. Live at Union Grove, Folkways FA 2337, Cas (1976), cut# 4 (Roundtown Girls/Gals); Kimble Family. Pine Knots School Rowdies, Marimac 9037, Cas (1992), cut# 18; Latty, Vee. Fever in the South, MSOTFA 101, Cas (1992), cut# 18; Levenson, Dan. Light of the Moon, Buzzard 2001, CD (1997), cut#13; Myers, Sidna. High Atmosphere, Rounder 0028, LP (1974), cut# 20 (Alabama Gals); Shannon, Bookmiller. Southern Journey. Vol. 7: Ozark Frontier, Rounder 1707, CD (1997), cut# 6; Shannon, Carlos. Folk Songs from the Ozarks, Prestige International INT 25006, LP (196?), cut# 3; Simmons Family. Stone County Dulcimer, Dancing Doll DLP 112, LP (197?), cut#1.04; Sizemore, Asher; and Little Jimmy. Songs of the Soil, Old Homestead OHCS 153, LP (1984), cut#1.1e; Skillet Lickers. Day in the Mountains, County 512, LP (196?), cut# 3d (Fiddler's Convention in Georgia); Slaughter, Matokie; and the Back Creek Buddies. Saro, Marimac 9028, Cas (1990), cut# 2; Smith, Ralph Lee. Dulcimer. Old Time and Traditional Music, Skyline DD-102, LP (197?), cut# 1; Stoneman, Ernest (V., "Pop"). Round the Heart of Old Galax, Vol 1. Featuring Ernest Stoneman, County 533, LP (1980), cut# 10; Stoneking, Lee R.. Missouri Old Time Fiddling, Stoneking, LP (197?), cut#A.04 (Alabama Gals); Tenenbaum, Molly. And the Hillsides Are All Covered with Cakes, Cat Hair, Cas (1994), cut# 10; Ward, Fields and Wade. Country Music - Fields and Wade Ward, Biograph RC-6002, LP, cut# 10 (Roundtown Girls/Gals); Warner, Frank. Come All You Good People, Minstrel JD-204, LP (1976), cut#A.01; Wijnkamp, Leo;, Jr.. Rags to Riches, Kicking Mule KM 117, LP (1975), cut#B.04; Wilson, Nile. Tie Hacker Hoe-down, MSOTFA 202-CS, Cas (1995), cut#2.05; Wine, Melvin. Vintage Wine, Marimac AHS 6, Cas (1993), cut#A.05; Yaugher, Irvin; Jr.. Hill Country Tunes: Instrumental Folk Music of Southwestern Penn, Amer. Folklore Society, fol (1944), cut# 1a (Hagantown Gals); Molsky, Bruce. Lost Boy, Rounder 0361, CD (1996), cut#15
NOTES: "F Major (Shaw): G Major (most versions). Standard. AB (Shaw, Sweet): AAB: AABB (Phillips). The name Buffalo for the New York town derives from the name of a Native American and was first called Buffalo Creek, becoming simply Buffalo as the town grew. The tune is widespread in American tradition, though as Samuel Bayard (1944) points out, the song is widely disseminated and is now an 'international melody'. Curiously, he thinks the air itself probably originated in Germany, but came to America and was assimilated in 'British style'. Instrumental versions, not surprisingly, are more ornate than vocal settings and display much wider variation, as a comparison of the sources listed below will attest. "Version B ('Johnstown Gals') affords a good example of how the influence of common melodic formulae, combined with tendencies toward attaining easy bowing and fingering will modify the outlines of a tune in instrumental tradition. Version A ('Hagantown Gals') is much like some recorded further south; B is in some ways distinctive. Sets from American tradition are Lomax, American Ballads and Folk Songs, pp. 288-289; Ford, p. 53; Adam, No. 12; and three playparty versions from Texas in Owens, Swing and Turn, pp. 45, 54, 103. (Bayard, 1944). See also "O Dear Mother My Toes Are Sore " [3] for a 6/8 version ('A' part only)." (Kuntz, Fiddler's Companion, http://www.ceolas.org/tunes/fc).
"In America it is one of the most frequently mentioned fiddle tunes of the entire repertory. It appears listed in the early 20th century repertories of such geographically disparate Arizona fiddler Kenner C. Kartchner and Union County, Pa., fiddler Harry Daddario. Musicologist/Folklorist Vance Randolph recorded the tune from Ozark Mountain fiddler for the Library of Congress in the early 1940's. Cauthen (1990) says the tune had folk origins but was published in 1848 as a minstrel tune. "It was already well known in the gulf town of Mobile, Alabama, in 1846, where a woman who had once been "a flower, innocent and beautiful but long since turned from its stem, trampled, soiled and desecrated" was arrested for drunkenly singing 'Mobile gals, won't you come out tonight' on the streets" (pgs. 13-14). Bronner (1987) says that although the tune had a long traditional history its popularity in America stems from its use in the 19th century popular theater. In the 1840's one Cool White (real name: John Hodges), a blackface performer, sang a tune called "Lubly Fan, Won't You Come Out Tonight" with the popular minstrel troupe the Virginia Serenaders. He claimed to have composed it, and credit is often given to him, but it was first printed on sheet music in New York in 1848 with "author unknown." Alan Jabbour found a tune called "Midnight Serenade" in George P. Knauff's Virginia Reels, volume IV, printed in Baltimore in 1839, that is a set of "Buffalo Gals," and since it preceeds the minstrel era or at least publication of "Lubly Fan," he suggests the tune was at the time in oral tradition at least in the Upland South." (Kuntz, Fiddler's Companion, http://www.ceolas.org/tunes/fc).
This original version was “composed” by Cool White in 1844 who also wrote for "Lubly Fan" (Lovely Fan) and performed by his group the Virginia Serenaders. See: Buffalo Gals- Version 2.
Roundtown Girls
(Played on the fiddle by Tommy Jarrell and the banjo by Paul Brown at Paul's home near Mount Airy, Surry County, NC. 15.5.83) According to Samuel Baynard (Hill Country Tunes Philadelphia,1944) this tune - usually under the title Buffalo Girls or Alabama Girls - is possibly of German origin. Tommy sang the following verse:
Old Aunt Polly won't you fill 'em up again?
Fill 'em up again, fill 'em up again?
Old Aunt Polly won't you fill 'em up again?
An' well drink by the light of the moon.
Bookmiller Shannon, a fine Ozark banjo-player, has a good version of the standard tune on Ozark Frontier (Rounder CD 1707) and Earl Johnson & His Clodhoppers recorded a spirited version in 1928 (reissued on Document DOCD-8006).
Tommy Jarrell was the son of fiddler Ben Jarrell who recorded sixteen superb sides with Da Costa Woltz's Southern Broadcasters in 1927. (These are available on the reissue Document CD DOCD-8023). Following his retirement as a heavy equipment operator, Tommy returned to playing the fiddle and banjo, remembering the tunes that he had heard as a boy growing up in the Blue Ridge. Apart from his father, he also learnt many songs and tunes from near legendary performers such as Charlie Lowe and Esker Hutchins (The same Esker Hutchins who also influenced the young Benton Flippen). In the 1960s and '70s he appeared at numerous Festivals across America, and recorded a number of outstanding albums on the County label (CD 2702, 2724, 2725, 2726 & 2727) and one on Heriatge CD 038 June Apple.
Henry Reed's Rountown Gals: This well-known tune is usually called "Buffalo Gals," though in parts of southwestern Virginia and West Virginia the oldtimers prefer the title Henry Reed gave, "Round Town Gals." It is associated with verses to the effect "Buffalo gals won't you come out tonight and dance by the light of the moon." The title invites localization, and a number of other towns are commemorated in various sets of the song and tune. "Alabama Gals" appeared on an early hillbilly record, influencing its subsequent naming and circulation among some fiddlers. The notes to "Buffalo Girls" in American Fiddle Tunes (Library of Congress, AFS L62) contain additional notes and citations.
Accounts of the history of American popular song often cite the composer of the song and tune as a minstrel performer, Cool White, whose song "Lubly Fan" was published in 1843. But a set in Knauff's Virginia Reels (1839), vol. 4, #8, bearing the title "Midnight Serenade: Varied," suggests that it was already in circulation, with similar verses, before it found its way onto the minstrel stage. Indeed, it may be international in origin, for similar tunes have turned up in central Europe (see Bayard, Hill Country Tunes, #1a and 1b).
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