Soldier's Joy

Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers.  Riley Puckett is on the lower left. 

   Soldier's Joy is considered to be a Civil War song.  In some circles, there is a kind of a tradition that a performing Old Time band is supposed to play at least one Civil War song, a murder song and a gospel song in each and every performance.  So Soldier's Joy is a song which meets the bill for the Civil War song, but in actuality the melody is known to have existed since the 18th century, in both America as well as Great Britain. 
     What is "soldier's joy?"  It's been the subject of more than its share of metaphysical  analysis.  But in actually it's very simple.  It was a painkilling concoction used by wounded soldiers (and later no doubt by soldiers who just wanted to get high).  It was a blend of morphine and beer, and this is likely what the boys were singing about by the time of the Civil War.  
    The tune predates the invention of morphine in 1804. The song was titled "Soldier's Joy" in the 1781 version of McGlashan's Scots Measures (in which case it might have referred to an extra ration of beer given to the soldiers from time to time), or whether the title was created later; i.e., after the invention of morphine. In any case, the lyrics and meaning evolved in the 19th century, as versions exist in both Britain as well as America  (durn those Brits!  How dare they steal our 100% American songs?!).   The same tune also been known as Logan Waters. By the time of the Civil War, very likely the soldiers were signing the praises of morphine (which was legal, by the way, as its addictive properties were not understood at that time). 

     The Morgantown version is sometimes played as a pure instrumental, or sometime sung using lyrics similar to those below.  Sometimes in the interest of politeness  over historical accuracy, people don't mention morphine, but we usually go with the historically accurate version in this case.  

     Below is a hilarious film clip (do you think it could be of the original Brew Pub?) paired with a very early version of Soldier's Joy by Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers, circa 1929.  Gid Tanner was based in Georgia, teaming with another fiddle player (Clayton McMichen) and blind guitarist and vocalist Riley Puckett among others.   
    Back in the day, they didn't necessarily keep track of what pitch they were on, as long as it matched the other instruments, or the range of the singer.  Nowadays in the age of the electronic tuner everyone is pretty much tuned to the exact pitch.   Guitar players can play along with this video in the key of D (actual key E flat) with a capo on the first fret.  
    Likely the song itself dates back to the Civil War itself, as versions are known to have existed 

 

      Another more modern version that I like is a Dobro version by Martin Gross.  It's great to play with because the Dobro complements just about whatever instrument you happen to be playing.  Richard Pierce played Dobro at our jam for several years, but he recently took a job in another state, and we just haven't had a Dobro since then.  Good luck Richard, but please come back when you have the opportunity.  

Soldier's Joy

D   D   D     A

D   D   DA  D

D   G   D     A

D   G   DA  D

Grasshopper sitting on a sweet potato vine

Grasshopper sitting on a sweet potato vine

Grasshopper sitting on a sweet potato vine

Along comes a chicken and says you're mine

I'm a gonna get a drink don't you want to go ?

I'm a gonna get a drink don't you want to go ?

I'm a gonna get a drink don't you want to go ?

All for soldier's joy

Twenty five cents for the Morphine, 

Fifteen cents for the beer right here
Twenty five cents for the Morphine, 
Gonna get me out a here


I am my momma's darling boy

I am my momma's darling boy

I am my momma's darling boy

Singing 'bout soldier's joy