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Saddle Up the Gray
Old-Time and Bluegrass Breakdown; Southeast US.
ARTIST: The Carter Brothers and Son via the New Lost City Ramblers. Carter Brothers and Son (not to be confused with the Carter Brothers AKA Mississippi Sheiks) were George Carter, f/v; Andrew Carter, f; Jimmie Carter, g from near Harley, northeast Mississippi.
CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes
DATE: Carter Brothers and Son 1928 recording for Okeh.
RECORDING INFO: Source for notated version: The Carter Brothers and Son via the New Lost City Ramblers [Kuntz, Phillips]. Kuntz (Ragged but Right), 1987; pg. 351-352. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, Vol. 1), 1994; pg. 206. Flying Fish 102, New Lost City Ramblers - "20 Years/Concert Performances" (1978). Folkways 2492, New Lost City Ramblers- "String Band Instrumentals" (1964). OKeh 45202 (78 kkRPM), The Carter Brothers and Son.
RELATED TO: Feast Here Tonight; Rabbit in a Log
OTHER NAMES: Saddle Up the Grey; Not A Gonna Have No Supper Tonight (John Brown- Luka, Miss. 1939)
SOURCES: Kuntz; The Carter Brothers and Son via the New Lost City Ramblers [Kuntz, Phillips]. Kuntz (Ragged but Right), 1987; pg. 351-352. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, Vol. 1), 1994; pg. 206. Flying Fish 102, New Lost City Ramblers - "20 Years/Concert Performances" (1978). Folkways 2492, New Lost City Ramblers- "String Band Instrumentals" (1964). OKeh 45202 (78 kkRPM), The Carter Brothers and Son.
NOTES: Dance SADDLE UP THE GRAY. Old-Time, Breakdown & Song. USA. G Major. Standard. AB (Kuntz): AABB (Phillips).
Saddle Up the Grey better get away,
Ain't gonna get no supper here today;
Fill up the jug and blow out the light,
Ain't gonna get no dinner here tonight.
Saddle Up the Grey better get away,
Ain't gonna get no supper here today;
Fill up the jug and blow out the light,
Ain't gonna get no dinner here tonight.
Riding of the goat, leading of the sheep;
Won't be back till the middle of the week;
Di-del-i-dee-i, di-del-i-dee-oh,
Di-del-dee, i-di-del, i-dee-i-dee-oh.
The New Lost City Ramblers note that the 'di-del-i' etc. at the end of the ditty associated with the tune is reminiscent of Gaelic mouth-music, associated with singing for dancing in the absence of instruments.
Pitch of Carter Brothers and Son Recordings:
CO3513CD DOCD8009 presumed actual key?
Feb 24 1928 Liza Jane between G# and A A AEAE
Feb 24 1928 Give the Fiddler a Dram between G# and A A AEAE
Feb 24 1928 Old Joe Bone A A A AEAE
Feb24 1928 Saddle Up the Grey a little flat of G G G GDAD
Nov 22 1928 Leather Breeches F# G GDAE
Nov 22 1928 Nancy Rowland a little flat of F# a little flat of F# G GDAE
Nov 22 1928 Cotton Eyed Joe F# F# G GDAD
Nov 22 1928 Miss Brown a little flat of F# a little flat of F# G GDAD
Nov 22 1928 Jenny on the Railroad between G and G# between G and G# A GDAE
Nov 22 1928 Gimme Chaw Tobacco F# G GDAE
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