"Sourwood Mountain" is an American folk song. It is usually associated with Appalachia, but there are New England versions as well. It is written in rhyming couplets, with nonsense lines added between them.
Those who have read Catherine Marshall's novel Christy may remember the scene where Christy, the new teacher at a mountain school, asks the children what songs they know, and this is what they sing for her.
Someone in the room went “Fa-sol-la” to give the pitch and they were off, the singing quite out of my hands:
“I’ve got a gal in the Sourwood Moun-tain
She’s so good and kind,
She’s broke the heart of many a poor fellow,
But she’s never broke this-un of mine.”
Brown feet tapped softly, fingers drummed on desks, heads wagged to the rhythm. Some of the boys and girls even sang parts. I could see that these mountain children had music in them. (p. 72)
Lyrics, as published here. You may want to compare them with these.
Chickens a-crowin' on Sourwood Mountain,
Hey, ho, diddle-um day.
So many pretty girls I can't count 'em,
Hey ho, diddle-um day.
My true love's a blue-eyed daisy,
She won't come and I'm too lazy.
Big dog bark and little one bite you,
Big girl court and little one spite you.
My true love's a blue-eyed daisy,
If I don't get her, I'll go crazy.
My true love lives at the head of the holler,
She won't come and I won't foller.
My true love lives over the river,
A few more jumps and I'll be with her.[Optional last verse!]
Ducks in the pond, geese in the ocean,
Devil's in the women if they take a notion.
Chickens a-crowin' on Sourwood Mountain,
Hey, ho, diddle-um day.
So many pretty girls I can't count 'em,
Hey ho, diddle-um day.
My true love's a blue-eyed daisy,
She won't come and I'm too lazy.
Big dog bark and little one bite you,
Big girl court and little one spite you.
My true love's a blue-eyed daisy,
If I don't get her, I'll go crazy.
My true love lives at the head of the holler,
She won't come and I won't foller.
My true love lives over the river,
A few more jumps and I'll be with her.[Optional last verse!]
Ducks in the pond, geese in the ocean,
Devil's in the women if they take a notion.Video Links
No comments:
Post a Comment