Billy In the Lowground

    I was first introduced to "Billy in the Lowground"  when my Dad brought home an LP record of live performances by Doc Watson and his late son Merle (Doc Watson on Stage, which you can still buy from  online from your favorite retailer ).

Billy in the Lowground Doc and Merle Watson

   According to Nigel Gatherer, Billy in the Lowground may derive from some Scotch-Irish tunes such as Braes of Auchtertyre ( http://www.nigelgatherer.com/tunes/tab/tab8/bauch.html ), Belles of Tipperary, Beaus of Albany, and O Dear Mother Minnie What Shall I Do?

     In its present form, Billy in the Lowground dates back to at least the 1920's in Kentucky, and was sometimes known as Billy Lost in the Lowlands or Billy in the Lowlands, according a  cording to Andrew Kuntz in The Fiddler's Companion ,  It dates back to Kentucky in the 1920's and perhaps earlier, and was sometimes known as Billy Lost in the Lowlands. 

      Cuje Bertram, Leonard Rutherford (Monticello, Ky.), John Salyer,  and Doce Roberts were among the 1920's Kentucky fiddlers who played the song (see Titon, Old Time Kentucky Fiddle Tunes, 2001).  The song was also known as  “Billy Lost in the Lowlands” (Darley Fulks)  and “Billy in the Lowlands.”  I found a pretty fair version of Rutherford's version on Youtube:

Billy in the Lowground Rutherford

Outside of Kentucky, versions of the tune were played by  Bob Wills and Uncle Jimmy Thompson (Texas), Fiddlin' Cowan Powers  (Virginia), and  Monkey Brown and D. Dix Hollis (Alabama).  North Georgia fiddler Lowe Stokes recorded “Billy” in 1930 with Riley Puckett. Other early recordings include Georgia’s Fiddlin’ John Carson (1923) and Clark Kessinger  (1929). 

Clark Kessinger

     Just for good measure, here is a version from Morgantown's Elmer Rich. 

Billy in the Lowground--Elmer Rich

  And here is a mando and guitar tab. 

TAB: Billy in the Lowground (traditional, arr. Joe Carr, TAB by Bo Parker,
bo_parker@fbpmac.msfc.nasa.gov)


Pick-up measure
  N/C        
  |   |   |   |    
|-----------------|
|-----------------|
|-----------------|
|-----------------|
|---------0---2---|
|-----3-----------|

Part A
  C                                   Am
1 |   |   |   |   2 |   |   |   |   3 |   |   |   |   4 |   |   |   |   
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|---------------0-|-1-0-1-3-1-----1-|-1-----1-1-----0-|-1-----1---------|
|-----------0-2---|-----------2-0---|/2-------2---2---|---2-0---2-0-----|
|-------0-2-------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------2-0-|
|-3-2-3-----------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

  C                                   Am                C           G
5 |   |   |   |   6 |   |   |   |   7 |   |   |   |   8 |   |   |   |   
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|---------------0-|-1-0-1-3-1-------|-1-----1-------0-|-1---------------|
|-----------0-2---|-----------2-0---|/2-------2---2---|---2-0-----------|
|-------0-2-------|-----------------|-----------------|-------3-2---0---|
|-3-2-3-----------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------3---2-|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

  C                                   Am
9 |   |   |   |  10 |   |   |   |  11 |   |   |   |  12 |   |   |   |   
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|---------------0-|-1-0-1-3-1-----1-|-1-----1-------3/|/5---1-----------|
|-----------0-2---|-----------2-0---|/2-------2-------|---------2-0-----|
|-------0-2-------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------2-0-|
|-3-2-3-----------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

  C                                   Am                C
13|   |   |   |  14 |   |   |   |  15 |   |   |   |  16 |   |   |   |   
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|---------------0-|-1-0-1-3-1-------|-1-----1-------0-|-1---------------|
|-----------0-2---|-----------2-0---|/2-------2---2---|---2-0-------0---|
|-------0-2-------|-----------------|-----------------|-------3-2-------|
|-3-2-3-----------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|


Part B
  C                                   Am
17|   |   |   |  18 |   |   |   |  19 |   |   |   |  20 |   |   |   |   
|-3-------3-------|-0-----0---------|-5-------5-------|-5-----5---------|
|---------------3-|-----4---3-------|-----4-------4-5-|---4-5-----------|
|*----0-------5---|---5-------5-----|-----------------|-----------------|
|*----------------|-------------7---|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

                                                      _1________________
  C                                   Am              | C
21|   |   |   |  22 |   |   |   |  23 |   |   |   |  24 |   |   |   |   
|-3-------3-------|-0-----0-----3-4-|-5-3---0---------|-----------------|
|---------------3-|-----4---3-------|-----4---1-------|-1---------------|
|-----0-------5---|---5-------5-----|-------------2-0-|---2-0----------*|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------3-2------*|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

_2________________
| C
32|   |   |   |   
|-----------------|
|-1---------------|
|---2-0-----------|
|-------2---------|
|---------3-------|
|-----------------|

Raise a Rough House Tonight

This song is known by several names and different pronunciations (kind of like listening to a speech by former President Bush).  In Morgantown, it's known as "Raise a Rough House Tonight"  but others know it as "Raise a Ruckus Tonight"   Ruckus can be pronounced so that it rhymes with "Duck Us" or with "Kook Us."

     

      One of the fellows in Mudcat.org  says that the song dates to at least the early 19th century in the form of a slave song.  To me this is very plausible based on the structure of the song and the leader/response pattern of singing the lyrics.  A slave version of the song found its way into print in 1922 (Thomas W. Talley's Negro Folk Rhymes, published in 1922, p. 90.  This doesn't even come close to being politically correct, however, as the N-word is used throughout.     

   The East River Band version, like the Talley version, tells the grim story of a slaveowner woman who promised to set her slaves free upon her death, and one of the slaves got tired of waiting and took matters into his own hand.  One could not understand "Mistress" to be the fellow's wife or girlfriend, but almost certainly a slaveowner. The lyrics appended below allude to the same story, though the Mistress is replaced by a Master.

     The image of a boat floating down a river suggests that a version of this song may have been popular in minstrel shows, some of which were held on the riverboats.  It's easy to imagine that Raise a Ruckas may have been performed in Minstrel shows on the riverboats, but I have found no direct proof of that.  

 Minstrel shows, such as The Virginia Minstrels and  "The Celebrated Negro Melodies"  represent a rich source of musical heritage, despite their questionable attitudes on race. 

John Heneghan and Eden Brower and the East River Band perform this version, with Robert Crumb on the lefty mando (strung for a righty no less!), Dom Flemons (Carolina Chocolate Drops) and Joe Lauro (Lone Sharks).



Blues musician Buster Brown (not the kid who lives in your shoe) recorded a New Orleans version in 1960.

Best of all, Uncle Earl has a version of this song, which you can find here:  

http://www.myspace.com/music/player?sid=70954240&ac=now

Uncle Earl is an all-female band, not the least of whom is Rachel Eddy Herner of Morgantown (now Stockholm).  Speaking of Uncle Earl,  one of the past members is Rayna Gellert, the daughter of Dan Gellert, who is a very talented fiddle player who occasionally drops in at the Trolley Stop in Dayton.  How about that? 

Raise a Ruckus

(choice of Jesse Fuller in Something to Sing About! - The personal Choices of America's Folk Singers, collected and arranged by Milton Okun, McMillian, 1968, pp 63-67.)

CHORUS:
(A) Come a-long, lit-tle chil-dren come a-long
(A) While the moon is shin-ing (E) bright.
(A) Get on (A7) bo-ard,- (D7)down the ri-ver float,
(A) Raise a (E7) ruck-us to- (A) night!

VERSE:
(1) (A) Love my wife, I love my ba-baby,
Raise a (Bm) ruck-us to- (A) night.
(A) Love my bis-cuits pick-led in gra-vy,
Raise a (E) ruck-us to- (A) night.
(A) Save me the ham-burg,
give me the gra-vy, (Bm) Raise a ruck-us to- (A) night.
(A) Love my gis-cuits sopped in gra-vy,
Raise a (E7) ruck-us to- (A) night.

(2) My old master said to me,
Raise a ruckus tonight,
When he'd die he's set me free,
Raise a ruckus tonight.
He lived so long his head got bald,
Raise a ruckus tonight,
He got out o' the notion of dying at all,
Raise a ruckus tonight.

(3) Old hen sitting on a fodder stack,
Raise a ruckus tonight,
Hawk came along and struck he in the back,
Raise a ruckus tonight.
Old hen flew and the biddies too,
Raise a ruckus tonight,
What in the world is the rooster gonna do?
Raise a ruckus tonight.

All Night Long (Richmond Blues)

     All Night Long, which is also known as the All Night Long Blues or the Richmond Blues, is a great jam tune.  It's a very simple blues progression, and the chorus only has three words, so even I can remember it. At  Morgantown Brewing Company, we played it in the key of G, while at the Trolley Stop in Dayton Ohio, we played it in the key of C.  

Dan Gellert from Dayton way, nails Richmond Blues at Clifftop, 2013.  

Burnett and Rutherford recorded All Night Long in 1928.  They are actually in the key of B-flat, which is the Antichrist key for intermediate level players (one way out is to try the capo on 3rd and play as if were the key of G). 

Clarence Tom Ashley,  the fellow holding the guitar, and the Blue Ridge Mountain Entertainers performed a version of All Night Long, also in the late 1920's.  Ashley would eventually become friends with a young Doc Watson and perform together at various venues including the Newport Folk Festival  in the early 1960s.   A Folkways version by Clarence Tom and Doc is linked here (for whatever reason I'm not able to imbed it in the blog):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ77jez37Mo

The lyrics are not particularly sophisticated. They tell  the story of a fellow (with a wife and family) who left home in order to pursue some other woman.  "I coulda been sleeping in mama's bed" is referring to an ex-wife and not to be taken literally (unless of course, the composer has even more problems than the average blues singer!).  And, as is typical in a blues song, the woman is blamed for everything.  "On account of you....I left my home...I'd rather be dead than be treated this way."

This is a more recent version, and has tap dancing accompaniment.  This is guaranteed to help your sense of rhythm! 

Here's a version from John Heneghan (guitar) and Eden Brower (resonator uke + legs) and the East River String Band with some help from Robert Crumb (Cheap Suit Serenaders), Pat Conte (Canebreak Rattlers & Legendary Otis Brothers), Dom Flemons (Carolina Chocolate Drops), Eli Smith, Craig Judelman & Walker Shepard (The Dust Busters), Ernesto Gomez (Brotherhood Of The Jug Band Blues).

G   C  G   G   Burnett and Rutherford  =  C    F   C   C

G   D  G   G   (capo on 3)                    =  C    G   G   C

G  C   G   G                                         =   C   F    C   C

G  D   G   G                                         =   C   G    G  C

***********************************************************

Honey all night long, Baby all night long
Got the Richmond Blues, Baby all night long

I’m going to the depot
Look on the board
If the train ain’t here
Somewhere's on the road Well I left the country
And I moved to town
That's when my baby
Was done and gone.

Honey all night long, Baby all night long,
Got the Richmond Blues, Baby all night long.
 (Fiddle) 

If I’d have minded
What mama said
I could-a been sleeping
In Mama’s bed

Me being young
And foolish too
I left my home
On account of you.

On account of you,
On account of you
I left my home
On account of you.

I'd rather be dead;
And in my grave
Than be in this town
Treated this a-way.

All night long, All night long,
All night long, All night long.

Ain’t got no woman
Ain't got no kin
Ain't got nobody
To be bothered with.

All night long, All night long,
All night long, All night long.

(Fiddle break)

So if I live
And don’t get killed
Gonna make my home
In Louisville.

All night long, all night long
All night long, From midnight on.

(Fiddle break)

All night long, All night long
All night long, All night long.

(Fiddle break) 

Welcome to the Old Time Jam at the Trolley Stop

     Every Wednesday night at 930, a group of music lovers gathers at the historic Trolley Stop restaurant and bar in the Oregon Arts District in Dayton Ohio, 530 E. Fifth Street, 937-461-1101. We play Old Time string music, which loosely speaking is made up of the old folk songs that came to us from the British Isles, and which were modified by the early American settlers.

    Please bring your instrument, pull up a chair and join us if you like, or if you prefer just sit for a spell and we'll entertain you.  

    I'm a newcomer to the group, having moved back to the Dayton area after living in Morgantown, West Virginia the past nine years or so.  In West Virginia I picked up my guitar which had lain in a closet for some 30 years or so.  I took lessons from Dave Asti, a brilliant musician who happens to play banjo and mandolin professionally for the Hillbilly Gypsies.  Dave plays bluegrass but also plays Old Time as well as other styles. 

    It turns out that Morgantown is a major world power in the area of Old Time music, and I was fortunate enough to find out that there are several jams that meet weekly, including the Brew Pub jam on Wednesday nights, Percival Pickers on Tuesday at (where else) Percival Hall on the WVU campus,  Elmer Rich's jam at the Senior Center in Westover, and Irish music at the Blue Moose on Friday night.  So I made a lot of friends and learned a lot about music.  

   I'm not particularly strong musically, but I'm interested in learning about the songs that people play, and so for a couple of years, I've been posting in a blog called the Morgantown Old Time Music Jam Wednesday Night at the Brew Pub.  It's been a way to kind of organized the songs that I'm working on, and to share some information.  It's also been interesting because people from around the world follow it.  

    Now however, my job situation has led me to pull up stakes and move back to the Dayton Ohio area.  I was thinking I would have to learn some other type of music, but amazingly enough there is a very strong jam every Wednesday Night at the Trolley Stop.  Organizers are Rick Good (banjo), Sharon Leahy (bass and guitar) and Sharon's son Ben Cooper (fiddle and bass). Rick and Sharon have worked together in diverse venues such as Rhythm and Shoes as well as Shoefly.

You can read about Rick and Sharon here:

http://www.leahygood.com/ 

  They are joined by regulars Lynn (mando), Israel (bass), Big Ben (fiddle), Rick Donahoe (guitar), Ryan on guitar and vocals, and little old me on 12 string baritone guitar.  We might be joined by several others on any given night.    There are some ridiculously talented people at the Jam, and others who are just ridiculous, like me.  The thing about Old Time musicians however, is that they are about nicest people that you could ever meet.  You would never guess that they are famous or acclaimed for their work (which they are).  

   I really think that there is something profound that happens when you sit down with a group of people and play music together.  Perhaps this is something that God wants us to do as part of living in a community.  It makes you feel connected in a very special way, almost like an extended family. 

   

   I plan to stay with this hobby for as long as I'm able, and if there is a way that I can help others to discover the joy of music making I will certainly do so.  This blog may be a modest step in that direction.    I hope it provides a little insight about the songs, and if I can supply some tips for the beginning or intermediate players, I'll try to share what I know.

  In the meantime, I'll share a few videos I made last week.  Dan Gellert came to the jam and led us in a few new tunes (new to me that is).  

 Here's a song I don't know. One of the weird things about Old Time musicians is that they can generally play songs that they don't know, as long as the leader knows it. 

  Here's another song I don't know.

                                 

This one is Old Mose (thanks Dan!).

                                And another...

   
  

Doc Watson-- Way Downtown

An era has ended in American folk music.  I'm so sad to hear that Arthel "Doc" Watson passed away today.   I've told this story before, but my musical life changed forever when my Dad brought home an LP with Doc Watson and his son Merle, Doc Watson on Stage, circa 1971. 

Understand, in my family, Dad's taste in music was considered  questionable at best.  My Korean Mom was certain that the only music worth listening too was classical music.   Much to her chagrin, my Dad liked  Nashvillers like Porter and Dolly, Hank Sr. and those types, and frankly I was more into music from the Moody Blues and Chicago or Led Zepellin.  But Doc Watson was one artist my Dad and I could agree on.  He produced an incredible clean sound from an acoustic guitar unlike anything I had ever heard before.     

   

    One of the interesting things about the Doc Watson album was that, as a live performance, it contained some of Doc's commentary.  "Let's play some of the Old Time fiddle tunes," he boomed.  I couldn't quite figure that out, since I was pretty sure that both he and Merle were playing guitars.  Fiddle tunes?   Eventually I figured out that American folk music was originally played with fiddle as the lead instrument, and that that came from our musical forebearers in Scotland and Ireland.   

    Doc, of course, is equally comfortable with bluegrass or Old Time and is embraced by both crowds. 

     In fact, if you search Youtube.com, there are  about a million people, it seems, who can play  Doc Watson songs virtually note for note.  I used to try to do that also, but after some 40 years, for me it's better to try to learn to play the song.  For me that means first being able to hear the basic melody of the song and chord structure, rather than copying any one version. For many of us non-virtuouso musicians, it may be more interesting to try to add some harmonies that might bring out the sound from someone else playing lead. 

   Perhaps what I'm trying to say is that trying to copy the great Doc Watson is not the easiest row to hoe, if you catch my drift.    

      I wound up finding other stuff from Doc in my Dad's collection, such as recordings from the 1964 Newport Festival, which was a mixed bag of folk musicians like Doc and young folk rockers like Joan Baez, Judy Collins, and Bob Dylan.  

      Doc was great not only because of his music, but because of his authentic friendliness and humility.  He never forgot who he was.  He may have been one of the great musicians of the past 100 years, but he was also a simple country boy from Deep Gap North Carolina.  
     One story that has made the rounds is that Doc's daddy made a banjo for Doc when he was just a toddler.  What I hadn't heard until reading some of the obits is that the banjo head was made from the family's cat, who had recently passed away.  Now if that isn't authentic country, what is?
     Doc like to do concerts for college audiences, and so I'm glad that he came to Morgantown, where I had the chance to see him in person.  That was a great experience.  Not only to watch his left hand, but to laugh at his funny stories.  He said that his concert was just like being at his home, as informal as can be.  I believe that--I feel like I've been lucky enough to be his guest at his home.  What a great feeling to attend a concert that way.   

     I was working on this blog before Doc passed away, and for a while I wondered whether it would be appropriate to have a little music lesson in an obituary blog.  But then I thought, this is exactly what Doc would want us to do.  Namely, let's pass some of his music on to a new generation of musicians and listener's.  So here are the lyrics and chords (I hope--please send corrections if I've got it wrong) to  Way Downtown, with Doc and Clarence Tom Ashley....

  God bless you Doc.  We love you and your music.

                   C              G
Way downtown just foolin' around
D                      G
Took me to the jail
C                         G
It's oh me and it's oh my
D                          G

No one to go my bail
           C                               G
It was late last night when Willie came home
D                                            G
I heard him a-rapping on the door
C                                                            G                                             
He's a-slipping and a-sliding with his new shoes on
                    D                                  G
Mamma said Willie don't you rap no more


Way downtown just foolin' around
Took me to the jail
It's oh me and it's oh my
No one to go my bail


(break)

I wish I was over at my sweet Sally's house
Sittin' in that big armed chair
One arm around this old guitar
And the other one around my dear

Way down town just foolin' around
Took me to the jail
It's oh me and it's oh my
No one to go my bail

(break)

Now, its one old shirt is all that I got
And a dollar is all that I crave
I brought nothing with me into this old world
Ain't gonna take nothing to my grave

Breaking Up Christmas -- Tommy Jarrell

    A while back, on our Facebook page, fiddler Keith McManus posted a video link to  the song, Breaking Up Christmas, played  by Tommy Jarrell  (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fGg2gUgkT0 ).  This video looks like it could have been shot yesterday, but actually it was made in 1983, when Tommy was a spry 82 years old.  It's kind of amazing how well he plays this song at that age, so readers of this humble blog will not be surprised to learn that he is a member of the Old Time Fiddler's Hall of Fame.   Check out his bio at  http://www.oldtimemusic.com/FHOFJarrell.html .

  

Tommy's full name was Thomas Jefferson Jarrell in Airy North Carolina.  If I may add a personal note, my great grandfather was named Thomas Jefferson Kennel, so do you suppose I might be related?   

   I was kind of tickled at the story of how he proposed to his wife, Nina.   According to his OTFHOF bio, 

 Tommy had known Nina about two years before he married her. He proposed while they were hoeing corn one day. He said "Nina, we'll get married if you want to. But I'll tell you right now, I make whiskey, I play poker, and I go to dances, make music, and I don't know whether I'll ever quit that or not. But, if you think we can get along now, we'll get married - and if you don't think we can, right now's the time to say something."

"Well," Nina said, "I believe we'd get along all right." And that was the way it happened.

    We are indebted to Alan Lomax for shooting the original video.  Alan and his dad John were giants in the field of history of music, and recorded many of the old timers including Tommy.   And the fact is, John and Alan are one of my main inspirations for writing this blog.  Back in the day, American folk music was basically ignored by academics (i.e., intellectual snobs), who thought that classical music was the only form of music worthy of serious study.  But John and Alan realized this was a terribly short-sighted view, and went around the country recording and transcribing literally thousands of American folk musicians, in order to transmit the music and history to future generations.

    By the same token, little Elliot believes that future generations will have an interest in the music that was played in Morgantown West Virginia.  It's very unique, very good, and also very unappreciated.  In a small way, then, our humble jam is contributing to the musical history of the region, and even the world, judging by the amazing number of musicians around the world that seem to love what we do.  Even now Keith is off touring Australia playing fiddle (and hunting crocodiles, probably). 

    At the Brew Pub and other jam spots in the Morgantown area, folks like me have the audacity to sit and play with some people that are incredibly talented.  If it was a rock and roll venue, it would sort of be like playing with types like Paul McCartney, Chuck Berry and Lady Gaga.  The main difference is that Old Time musicians don't do quite as well financially, and perhaps dress a bit more conservatively than Lady Gaga.  As Bob Shank humorously explains, "I can make tens of dollars doing what I love!"

     Well, ok, back to the song.  It's played in the key of A, and a version  is appended below, courtesy of traditional music preservations  The lyrics are pretty simple: 

Hooray Jake, Hooray John,

Breaking Up Christmas all day long.  

Way back yonder a long time ago,

The old folks danced at the do-si-do.

Santa Claus come, done and gone,

Breaking up Christmas right along.

     The song is about celebrating Christmas in a much different way than it is usually celebrated today.  Years ago, mountain people had house parties every night for about two weeks.  Before there was TV, radio and video games, etc., the way that people entertained themselves was to play folk music and have folk dancing,usually square dancing or "contra dancing" as it's known in Europe.  After about two weeks, "breaking up Christmas" meant that it was time to bring the celebration to a close. 

     I think there is a lot of merit to celebrating that way.  Our commercial Christmas is an exercise in emotional overload, and in my opinion most children can't really process a few hours of presents in a truly meaningful way.  

    I believe that people are social animals, by and large, and that one of the joys of being human is to have friends and to make music together.  It's as simple as that. 

    At our house, we try to spread things out by giving a gift or two each day between Christmas Eve (or even a day or two early) till New Years or so.  This year my family is getting ready to move back to Ohio and so we didn't spend a lot of money onn presents (hint:  go to the Dollar Store and buy a bunch of stuff for $1 each).   But the nicest thing is to share good times with family and friends.  Going to church is a good time around the holidays.  And an occasional jam is not a bad thing either.

      By the way "do-si-do" is a square dance (folk dance) call, which is corrupted from the French "dos à dos" (back to back) in which the dancers turn their backs to one another. 

http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/old-time-music/001378.HTM

Mannington Number Nine

   Most of the songs performed at Old Time Jams are lighthearted.  However, once in a while our songs can be very serious.  Mannington Number 9, composed by Keith McManus, is one of the most powerful songs performed at the Brew Pub.  It tells the true story of a mine disaster at the #9 Mannington Mine in 1968, in which 78 miners were killed in an explosion.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVkuuQ0KKio

This version by the Woodticks has Bob Shank on hammer dulcimer, Rachel Eddy on fiddle, Karen Wade on guitar and Keith McManus on banjo.  Other versions are on the Woodticks' album as well as Liv and Howl by Stewed Mulligan.   You can also download versions by Rachel Eddy and the Hotpoint Stringband on Amazon.com and other distributors.  

   
     In West Virginia,  mine accidents are part of life.  Miners are not some faraway faceless people to us, they are our friends and neighbors.  So whenever there is a mining accident, even in another part of the world, we feel it. 

    When this song is performed locally, it is not uncommon for people to shed tears.  This song really hits home for a lot of people. 

    Several versions have been recorded over the years, including versions by Stewed Mulligan, Rachel Eddy, the Hotpoint Stringband and most recently the Jakobs Ferry Stragglers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3GUmuuokws


Mannington #9 (key of D)



Way down in the cold mine,
Way down where the sun don't shine.
Seventy eight men lost their lives,
Way down in the cold mine.  

Brothers and Dads went down,
Uncles and cousins too,
Never again to see the sunshine

Daddy went down to work that day,
And never came home that night.  
The blast was heard for miles around,
And some folks say up to Morgantown.

Brothers and Dads went down,
Uncles and cousins too,
Never again to see the sunshine.

Mothers and sisters wept and moaned,
Fathers and brothers cried alone.  
Never again to see their loved ones,
Way down in the coal mine.

Brothers and Dads went down,
Uncles and cousins too,
Never again to see the sunshine


Way down in the cold mine,
Way down where the sun don't shine.
Seventy eight men lost their lives,
Way down in Number 9 coal mine.  

Their fate was sealed
Never again to see the sunshine.
Their fate was sealed
in the tomb that was the coal mine.

Brothers and Dads went down,
Uncles and cousins too,
Never again to see the sunshine.

Here is another version, also by the Woodticks, with the additon of bass player Joey Damiano.