The John Burrison Georgia Folklore Archive recordings contains unedited versions of all interviews. Some material may contain descriptions of violence, offensive language, or negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. There are instances of racist language and description, particularly in regards to African Americans. These items are presented as part of the historical record. This project is a repository for the stories, accounts, and memories of those who chose to share their experiences for educational purposes. The viewpoints expressed in this project do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Atlanta History Center or any of its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The Atlanta History Center makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interviews and expressly disclaims any liability therefore. If you believe you are the copyright holder of any of the content published in this collection and do not want it publicly available, please contact the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center at 404-814-4040 or reference@atlantahistorycenter.com.  The recording begins with side two of the tape, and the interview was recorded at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Roberson in Dillard, Georgia. Mrs. Roberson sings short selections from seventeen songs in the following order: Barbara Allen, Groundhog, Put My Little Shoes Away, In The Pines, Greenback Dollar, Little Rosewood Casket, Rovin Gambler, Short Life of Trouble, Free Little Birdie, Im Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes, Bonnie Blue Eyes, Weeping Willow Tree, London City (also known by its more popular title: Butcher Boy), Somebody Loves You Darling, Little Mohee, Blind Child, and Going Down That Road Feeling Bad. Mrs. Roberson learned most of these songs from family and her neighbors in Haywood County, North Carolina. The seventeen songs revolve around various themes, such as love, family, gambling, money, and nature. The recording switches to side one of the tape at 35:15 minutes. This part of the interview was recorded at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn Saxon in Cleveland, Georgia. Mr. Vaughn Saxon begins playing two fiddle tunes: Never A Long Walk and Leather Britches. Mrs. Bessie Saxon then sings two songs: Renfroe Valley and Rank Stranger. For the remainder of the interview, Mr. Vaughn Saxon tunes his violin and then dives into a lively performance of Katie Hill, Billy In The Lowground, Flop Earred Mule, Cackling Hen, Orange Blossom Special, Train 45, Maidens Prayer, How The Old Folks Are At Home, and Arkansas Traveler. Throughout the recording, Earnest Hodges, a professional fiddle player from Murrayville, Georgia, and Vaughn Saxon discuss various tunes and their respective origins and historical background. At 1:09:14 hours the recording of side one ends with Ed Carpenter, a relative of Mrs. Roberson from Franklin, North Carolina, playing Flop Earred Mule'' on an eight-stringed instrument called the mandolin-banjo.  Vaughn Saxon (1912-1987) was born in in Union County, Georgia, to William Bennett Saxon (1883-1925) and Ella Saxon (1888-1925). During World War II, he served as a Private First Class in the United States Army . He married Bessie Ruth Saxon (1911-2003), and the couple had one child, Mary Lou Ashton (1933-2009). They retired to Cleveland, Georgia, in the 1960s. Ed Carpenter (1903-1968) was born in Georgia to David L. Carpenter (1881-1964) and Caroline Carpenter (1886-1969). He lived in Milan, Georgia, married Betsy Carpenter (1905-1988), and had two children, David Jackson Carpenter (1924-1955) and Maude Vaughn (1922-1988). Ernest Hodges (1907-1984) was born in North Carolina and grew up near Lexington, Kentucky. He served in the armed forces during World War II. He married Beatrice G. Hodges (1907-1978), and the couple had no children. He later married Darlene Collins Hodges (1932-2008); they moved to North Carolina and had no children.  Fiddling  JAMES R. HUNTER, JR. COLLECTOR 938 Myrtle Street, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30309 PERFORMERS Side I Mr. Earnest Hodges, Informant Route #1 Murryville, Georgia Mr. & Mrs. V. Saxon Cleveland, Georgia Side II Mr. & Mrs. Roberson Dillard, Georgia Mr. Ed Carpenter Franklin, North Carolina Side one of this tape was recorded in Cleveland, Georgia at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn Saxon. Mr. Saxon, a tall greying man of sixty, was born in Blairsville, Georgia. He has been playing the fiddle for about thirty years, most of which has been self taught. He has recently been taking lessons from a Mr. Earnest Hodges and as a result can now read some musical notations. His wife, Bessie Saxon who backs up his fiddle playing with her guitar, is also from Blairsville. Bessie sings two songs on side one. She says that as a rule she prefers to back up Mr. Saxon on the guitar rather than sing. The Saxons feel very strongly about their music and consider it an important part of their lives. They use it not only to entertain their neighbors and themselves but as a means of expressing emotion and feelings. They are very proud of their mountain heritage and it shO\o/s in the way they perform and what they say about their songs. My informant is Mr. Earnest Hodges from Murryville, Georgia. He has been a professional fiddle player for about forty years. I met Mr. Hodges through a friend of my fauher. He took an immediate interest in the project. After visiting and talking to him for several weeks, he arranged for me to meet the Saxons and record their music. Mr. Hodges is also an excellent fiddle maker. While visiting him, I had the chance to see hi.s \wrk shop. It's a small shed behind his house where he can have privacy. The fiddle that Mr. Saxon plays on this tape is one that Hodges made for him. Present at this recording besides myself and the Saxons were my wife, some friends and Mr. Hodges. The Saxons seemed nervous about the recorder and as a result I left it mostly unattended throughout the performance. This is the reason for the -1- noises and conversation in the background,between the songs, Several times on the tape Mr, Hodges and Mr. Saxon commented on the nature of the songs providing some historical background. For the most part they heard the tunes from older people and learned what they knew about them from the older people, also, -2- SIDE ONE~ Jay: Vaughn Saxon playing "Never A Long \Ta1k." NEVER A LONG HALK Jay: \{hat's the name of that song Mr. Saxon? Saxon: "Never A Long WalkH , nearly likellQver The Haves!t. Don I t lack much, I believe it's a t"in sister to it. Jay: You "anna hear what it sounds like, let's hear "hat "e got. LEATHER BRITCHES Hodges: Do you know "hat that tune "as? Jay: No. Hodges: Leatherbritches t Do you knml, uh, ,{hat that means? Jay: Navl. Hodges: Leather britches are mountain dried beans. Picked beans and dry them in the sun until they're dry. You might say dehydrated. And, uh, then cook them up, soak em' overnight and cook em' "ith some pork next day all day long and you've got leather britches. And that's ho" that tune originated. JEW: Bessie Saxon singJ.ng : "Renfroe Valley." I ,;as born in Renfroe Valley but I drifted far avlaY I ,{ent back to see the old home and my friend my brother there. Long I vialked to see thar faces, all the friends I used to Jmo" I came in to Renfroe Valley to that place of long ago. Mother left the old plantation I can't call it home no more Others "alk around the court ground and other chJ.ldren swing on the trees. Mother used to sing the old songs when we lingered around the door Of our home in Renfroe Valley there I never more will roam. Mrs. Saxon: You try it and see if it ,{as, I don't thJ.nk so. -3- Jay: Sure, I lmoH it "as. Hodges: Sing a song about d..olm home. Jay: Can you do, uh, "Put My Little Shoes AHay?" Mrs. Saxon: Not much, I fergit. Jay: Yeah, Has it Charlotte? Young Charlotte, a religious song. Mrs. Saxon: Charlotte? Jay: Old timey love songs? Mrs. Saxon: I just can't think of none. HANK S'l'HANGEH My heart is in that hon~ in the mountains A stranger beyond I sadly Hill be. 'lp..,J.\-, 0/1.. I called for my friends in the (Leonard) Wood mountains. I found they Here all rank strangers to me. Everybody I met seemed to be a rank stranger No mother or Dad not..a friend could I see They kne" not nlY name and I kneH not thaI' faces. I found they Here all rank strangers to me. They all moved aHay said a voice of a stranger they moved to thaI' homes in that bright land up thaI' Some day if I'm dead I'll meet them in heaven Whar no one ,1111 be a rank stranger to me. Everybody I met seemed to be a rank stranger No mother or dad not a friend did I see They lme" not my name and I knelr not thaI' faces I found they "ere all rank strangers to me. Jay: Mrs. Saxon that Iras beautiful. Hhere did you learn that? Mrs. Saxon: Off of a record on the radio. Jay: You did? Mrs. Saxon: Stanley Brothers sung it,. Jay: Okay, "hat else you gonna do? Ha,ha,ha. Mrs, Saxon: That's enough. Jay: No. Hodges: Hmr about him fiddlin' you another tune? An old hoe do"n. You "ant this fiddle? -4- Mr. Saxon: No, this one's all right. You can chunk in for me a little. Hodges: Got it tuned to too t A up thar. Oh boy. Mr. Saxon: You I'lanna play "Katie Hill?" KATIE HILL audience noise Hodges: That puts Christmas in your feet. audience noise. Jay: vlhat was that? 'l'hat vias "Katie Dear?" Mr. Saxon: "Katie Hilltll Mr. Hodges: "Hill! " Jay: "Katie Hill?" Hodges: An old time, yeah an old time fiddle tune I remember from Bass Orner. Play "Billy in the Lovlground". You knOl'I that one? Mr. Saxon: You play it. Hodges: I can tell you something about it. Navl, I don't Imnt to play i.t. Saxon: I'll play it. Hodges: I'll tell you somethi.ng about the hi.story of that one mi.ght be of i.nterest to you. Jay: Yeah. Hodges: "Bi.lly in the Lowground", uh, was Hi.lli.am the Conquerer who I'lent to Holland whi.ch is the lowland so i.t became Billy in the Lowground so i.t dates back to that. Go ahead and play i.t. Saxon: I can play it but I don't play 1.t lUte you do, I can't get that little part in thar. Hodges: Play i.t as you've known it. Saxon: Okay. Hodges: In the mountai.n way of playi.ng it. -5- Saxon: C BILLY IN THE LOHGROUND Saxon: Its pretty good'n. You can play that go ahead and play it. Mrs. Saxon: You play it. Hodges: No, I don't wanna play, you go ahead. FLOP EARRED MULE audience noise Jay: "F'lop Earred Mule" , where did you hear that? Saxon: Oh, it's been around for a long time, hee,hee. Jay: Just hearing other people play it? Saxon: Yeah. Hodges: Many of these old time tunes have thaI' origins in old English, and Irish reels, hornpipes and tunes and jigs. And, uh, you J might say they've become Americanized. Fiddlers have, that didn't know how to read music would hear them, get one version often couldn't remember one part, and make themselves up a new part and they'd call it one thing in one community and one thing in another and I lmow a lot of tunes that are called or have a different title in different secU.ons of the south. And so local tdeas creep in. They don't knQl-T the notes so they make up what they don't know and make something sound good and if you have to listen pretty close to it, to recognize its origin or base in one of the old reels or jigs or hornpipes. And that's how most of these came about. I don't lmQl-T ,.,here this "F'lop Earred Mule" or "Big Earred Mule" came from but its similiar to several of the old ones. "Leather britches" really came from McDonald's Reel. One part -6- of its almost identical. Then they have one that I'm pretty sure must be purely American though, that's the "Cacklin' Hen." You can play that can't you? Saxon: Um, yeah. Hodges: That's probably really American. I don't guess, it doesn't have its roots anYl-There that I lm01'T of. "Cackling Hen" is sort of an imitation of a hen cackling and there's another railroad locomotIve he imItates. You knOl, he imItates a locomotIve and, uh, ,That's that, "Orange Blossom Special" he calls that. audIence noIse Hodges: Old time tune, and those tyro would certainly be AmerIcan. Saxon: You wanna get "Cacld.ln' Hen" fIrst? Jay: Yeah, sure, please. audIence noIse Jay: How long have you been p~aylng fiddle nOl,? Saxon: Pretty good ,Thile, heh, heh. Jay: Just off and on, huh? Mrs. Saxon: He's been playIng long. CACKLING rm:N Jay: Did someone just shOl, you that one or just picl{ it up. Saxon: Yeah, I just learned it I guess. Find E. ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL audience noise Saxon: We lUlow another train tune in D. Jay: What's this one? Hodges: What do you call thIs one Mr. Saxon? -'7 - Saxon: Train lj'5 is \olhat \ole call it. Jay.& Hodges: Train 45? Saxon: Some people call it Lee's High~ray Blues. TRAIN 45 audience noise Jay: I r11 bet that's hot \olork idn' t it? Ha,ha. HoYT about you singing another one? Mrs. Saxon: That's alL Jay: Do you knmr any old timey love songs? Mrs. Saxon: No. Jay: Hmr about "Banks of the Ohi.o." Mrs. Saxon: I don' kno\ol them. Hodges: Did you ever sing "Barbara Allen?" Mrs. Saxon: No, I never learned it. Hodges: Do you lmoYT "S\oleet Betsy from Pike?" "S."eet Betsy from Pike?" Jay: Or "Banks of BO\;ers?" Mrs. Saxon: \Vbat? Jay: "Joe Bmler's", you knmr "Joe BO\olers?" Mrs. Saxon: No I don't kno\ol them. I don't kno.,r no songs much really. Saxon: Get in A and let's play the "Maiden's Prayer." MAIDEN'S PRAYER Jay: No.,r, the name of that tune? "Maiden's Prayer?" Hodges & Saxon: "Maiden I sPrayer." audience noise Jay: \Vbat' s this going to be? Mrs. Saxon: "Old Follm at Home." -8- Saxon: Tell, tell the recorder \fhat it Is. audIence noIse Jay: What's It gonna be? Mrs. Saxon: "Hml 'rhe Old ~'oll<s Are At Home." HOW THE OLD FOLKS ARE AT HOME Hodges: That I s one you probably never heard on record anYl'There. Jay: "'rhe Old Foll,s at Home'I" I: don't thInk I've seen It before. We've got about enough for one more song on this. audIence noise Mr. Saxon: Let's do the "Arkansas 'rraveler." ARKANSAS TRAVELER There was some room left on sIde one as a result of a mistake I made wIth the recorder. \fulle I lfaS tapIng Mrs. Roberson on sIde t,TO, a relatIve of theIrs, a Mr. Ed Carpenter from FranklIn, North CarolIna, dropped by. He had a small mInstrel Instrument wIth hIm that he had picked up from a frIend. It's called a Banjo MandolIn. It has eIght strIngs tuned the same as a mandolIn \.,1th a banjo base. Jay: ThIs Is, ah, Ed Carpenter playIng "Flop Earred Mule" on the Banjo, Banjo MandolIn. FLOP EARRED MULE -9- Side t",o of this tape "laS recorded in Dillard, Georgia at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Roberson. Mrs. Roberson has been singing for about forty years. She can also play the guitar and fiddle some. r met her through my informant, Mr. Earnest Hodges. She learned most of the songs she sings at an early age 1'fhile she ",as grmling up in HaY"'ood County, North Carolina. -10- SIDE 'fWO Jay: The first singer is Mrs. ,uh, Roberson from DUlard, Georgia. The first song is gonna be "Barbara Allen." Jay: Where did you, uh, learn this, uh, ballad? Mrs. Roberson: I learned if from my mother and nlY cousins and people that it had been handed do,nl to them. I learned different verses at different times. I didn't get all the verses at one time; I had to go to different people to get my verses and I put them all together for my song. Jay: About hmr long have you been playing this song? Mrs. Roberson: About 40 years. Jay: Does it have any special, uh, meaning to you, this song? Mrs. Roberson: Yes, it's because I have often sung it for public audiences and they all lilted it and I once ,-Ion a priz,e for singing it ,;hen I ,/as 15. Jay: All right, "Barbara Allen." C7 It fell about the month of May when all things were a-bloomin' that William on his death bed lay for the love of Barbry Allen. He sent his servant through the town to the place ,rhar she \>Tas stayin I Haste and come my master said and it I S for Barbry Allen. SlO\;ly, slowly she got up Slowly she drew nigh him and all she said \>Then she got thar young man, I think you're dyin'  Oh yes, I'm sick and very sick death is on me d,rellin I No bett~r, no better I never \>Till be if I can't have Barbry Allen. Oh yes you're sick and very sick death is on you d\>Tellin' No better, no better you never ,rill be for you can't have Barbry Allen. -11- (continued) Don't you remember in yonder town when we were at the tavern You gave a drink to the ladies all around and slighted Barbry Allen. Oh yes, I remember in yonder town when we were at the tavern I gave a toast to the ladies all around but my heart to Barbry Allen. As she was on the highway home she heard the death bell tolling and every toll her seemed to say hard-hearted Barbry Allen. Mother, mother make my bed make it long and narrml sweet William died from true, true love and I will die from sorrow. He was buried in the old church yard She was buried a nigh him on William's grave there gre"1 a red rose on Barbry's grew a green briar They gre"l to the top of the old church wall til they couldn't grow any higher They lept and they tied in a true lover's knot the rose gre"1 aroun' the briar. Jay: All right, the next song Mrs. Roberson is going to sing is "Groundhog." Where did you learn this one? Mrs. Roberson: Well, I learned it back in my mountain home in Haywood County, North Carolina and it was the first song that I ever learned and I must have been six or seven years old and I learned it from a about a 75 year old won~n and it has been revised since then but this is the original. Jay: The one that she, uh, taught you? Mrs. Roberson: Yes, she taught me cause she didn't knm; a note of music. There wasn't even any phonographs then at that time. Jay: "Groundhog. " Shoulder up my gun and callout my dog, Shoulder up my gun and callout my dog, going to thc woods to catch a big groundhog, groundhog. Catch a groundhog and you tan i.ts hide, Catch a groundhog and you tan its hide, makes the best shoe strings that ever "las tied, groundhog. -12- (continued) Put em' in my shoes and I wore em' a day, Put em' in my shoes and I wore em' a day, and they got so slick I throwed em' away, groundhog. Here comes Sal with a snigger and a grin, Here comes Sal with a snigger and a grin, groundhog grease allover her chin, groundhog. Come here Sal bring a forty foot pole, Come here Sal bring a forty foot pole, Twist this groundhog right out of his hole, groundhog. Meats in the cupboard and the hide's in the churn, Meats in the cupboard and the hide's in the churn, if that ain't groundhog I'll be durned, groundhog. Jay: This next song vTill be "Put.My Little Shoes A1vay." 'ilhere did you learn this one? Mrs. Roberson: Well, I learned it from my mother. Jay: Your mother? Mrs. Roberson: I've known it for about 45 years or something like that. Jay: Is there any special reason you sing this song? Mrs. Roberson: Vlell out of sentiment, I guess. Jay: Vlhat's the sentiment behind it? Mrs. Roberson: Because, I've always lt's appealed to me as a child. Jay: I see, ol,ay - "Put My Little Shoes AvTaY." Mother come and bathe my forehead for I'm grmling very 1<fane 1 Let one drop of Hater, mother, fall upon my burning cheek. TQ~; All my lovin' little playmates that I'm going far aHay. Give them all my toys but mother put my little shoes aHay. Santy Claus he brought them to me with a lot of other things. And I think he brought me an angel with a pair of golden Hings. You Hill do this Hon't you mother put my lIttle shoes aYmy. Give them all my toys but mother put my little shoes a1'IaY. Jay: The next selection is "In The Pines." Vlhere di.d you learn, um, "In 'I'he Pines?" Is this from just this area, or, uh -13- .... Mrs. Roberson: Uh, Hell it's probably allover the south but I learned it in my courtin' days back 1'Ihen I Has courtin'. It Has very fashionable to sing to your boyfriend. I got up a bunch of songs to sing to my boyfriend~. So this is one of the songs I liked to sing to him. In the pines, in the pines 1'Ihere the sun never shines gonna shiver 1'Ihen the cold Hind blo1'ls. The longest train I ever smr "rent do"m the Georgy lilleJc.h The engine passed at 6: 661l.nd the cab 1'Ient by at nine. In the pines, in the pines 1'Ihere the sun never shines shiver 1'Ihen the cold Hind blo1'ls. Vie used to sit and talk over love in the pines 1'Ihere the sun never shines but she has flOlm lUte a dear little dove to the pines, to the pines, to the pines. And 1-rhen I see her grave on the hill I kno1'l she is cold up thaI' I still 10'1e her I al1'lays 1-rill for there never Has one so fair. In the pines, in the pines 1'Ihar the sun never shines gonna shiver "hen the cold ,rind bloHS. Jay: "Greenback Dollar." Mrs-, Roberson l-rhere did you, uh, hear this song first? Mrs. Roberson: Well, I just heard, uh, some old foll<cs singin' it and it's supposed to be older than most of the songs that I 1m01" , "Greenback Dollar." Jay: Is there any, uh, particular reason "hy you sing this song? Mrs. Roberson: Vlell, it just appealed to me. Most of all because ;re, uh, no longer have silver dollars and something about it appealed to me. There's no reason for it. Oh, I don't 1-rant your greenback dollar I don't ;rant your silver change All I ;rant is your love darlin' Won't you take me back again. Momma told me not to marry Poppa said it ;rouldn't do but if you ever learn to love me I ;rnl run mray ;rith you. I don't 1'Iant your greenback dollar I don't want your si~~~~ change All I ;rant is your ~~darlin' Vlon't you take me back again. -14- Jay: "Little Rosevlood Casket." vlhere did you learn this one? Mrs. Roberson: Well I just picked it up, uh, hearing different people sing it. Jay: Any special meaning in it? Mrs. Roberson: Well, no, not particularly. Jay: Just appealed to you? Okay, fine - "Little Rose'lood Casket," then. There's a little rose'lood casket sittin' on a marble stand. There's a package of love letters '1ritten by my true love's hand. Go and bring them to me sister gently read them o'er and o'er til I fall asleep. in Jesus Go asleep to '1ait'no more. Well, I sa'l a n~n last Sunday riding by a lady's side and I thought I heard him tell her she could never be his bride. I see himcomihg up the pathway run and meet him at the door tell him that I '1ill forgive him if he'll court that girl no more. 'rhere's a little rosel-lood casket sitting on a marble stand There's a package of love letters Hritten by my true love's hand. Jay: The next song '-lill be "Rovin' Gambler." vlhere did you learn this song? Mrs. Roberson: Well I learned it from, uh, my uncle. He '-las a hobo and it 'las ;JJf. considered a hobo song at that time and my mother didn't think it 'las very nice to sing it but I learned it and I kep' it 'lith me through the years. Jay: Okay, fine - "Rovin' Gambler." )- Oh, I am a rovin I gambler, I gamble all around '1herever I meet 'lith a deck of cards, I lay my money dO'ln. I had not been in Washington many more 'leeks than three til I fell in love viith a prettly little girl she fell in love 'lith me. She took me in her parlor, she cooled me 'lith her fan she said oh, mother, I love this gamblin' man. Oh daughter, oh dear daughter, you lmOi'I I love you '1e11 but the love you have for this gamblin' man no human tongue can tell. -15- Mrs. Roberson: Oh, I'm lost at that one, I'm sorry. Mr. Roberson: Honey, you'd better write it. Jay: Well, that's okay. Jay: "Short Life and Trouble." ,/here did you learn this one? Mrs. Roberson: Hell I learned this off of a record, really, it's about 30 years old, I guess I ,1Ould say. Jay: Fine - "Short Life of Trouble." A short life of trouble,/ a few more words then part a short life and trouble, dear girl for a boy with a broken heart. You kno,,, just "That you promised, it's been some time ago You promised you would marry me standing in your morMoa's door. But now you've broke that promise, go marry whom ever you may This old world so big and so wide, I'll ranilile back some day. A short life of trouble, a few more words then part a short life and trouble, dear girl for a boy with a broken heart. Jay: 1'he next song Hill be "Free Little Birdie." Could you tell us something about the background of this song? Mrs. Roberson: Well that's real, real old. I doubt if it ,Tas ever on record I just heard it from the mountain people and learned it. I'm a free little bird as I can be I'm a free little bird as I can be I'll build my nest in my true lover's breast where the bad boys ,rill never bother me. Tal;:e me home little birdie, tal;:e me home Take me home little birdie, take me horne. Take me horne to my mother, she's dearer'n any other take me home little birdie take me home. I'm a free 1J.ttle bird as I can be I'm a free little bird as I can be I'll build my nest in my true lover's breast Hhere the bad boys Hill never bother me. Mrs. Roberson: Now that I s a real, real old one. I 'dish I lrneH some more of it. Jay: "r'm Thinking Tonight of my Blue Eyes" is the next song. Dh, Hhere dId you learn thIs one? Mrs. Roberson: Hell, this Is another one of those songs I used to sing to my feller. -16- Oh, I'm thinking tonight of my blue eyes who is sailing far over the sea Oh, I'm thinking tonight of my blue eyes and I wonder if she ever thinks of me. Oh, you told me once dear that you loved me Oh, you told me we never would part. But a link in my chain has been broken leaving with me with a sad, aching heart. So, I'm thinking tonight of my blue eyes who is sailing far over the sea Oh, I'm thinking tonight of rrw blue eyes And I wonder if she ever thinks of me. Jay: The next song will be "Bonnie Blue Eyes." Hhere did you, uh, pick this up? Mrs. Roberson: Just around. Goodbye little bonnie blue eyes Goodbye little bonnie blue eyes I'll see you again but Lord knows ,rhen Don't cry little bonnie blue eyes. I'm going to the west this fall I'm going to the west this fall I'm going to the west where times are best I'm going to the west this fall. You're mine little bonnie, you're mine You're mine little bonnie, you're mine You'l'e mine, yuu f re mine, you're mine til you die You're mine little bonnie blue eyes. Just lay your hand in mine just lay your hand in mine If you love n~ like I love you Just lay your hand in mine. Jay: Is this one of those Mrs. Roberson: Sir? Jay: Recording songs you were speaking of earlier? Mrs. Roberson: Off a record? I know that's never been on a record. That is an old songjYou better put a star by that one. Jay: Okay, yeah. Jay: This nex.t song will be the "Heeping Hil10w Tree." v/hat'do you know about the background on this one? Mr'". Roberson: Hell, it's one of the oldest songs. I've just kn01Vl1 it so long -17- I just have no idea. Jay: Did you hear it from older people? Mrs, Roberson: Yeah, I learned it from the older people because it isn't on record that I lmow of, Jay: Okay, fine - "Weeping vlillow Tree ," My heart is sad and T/b.rn lonelyjyearnin' for the one I love For I knew I never sh~ll See him til we meet in heaven above, So bury me beneath the willow, neath the weeping willow tree. When he comes where I'm sleeping then perhaps he'll vfait for me. Tomorrow \'las our wedding day though God only kno,Ts vThere he may be He's gone to see his other s\'leetheart, then he cares no more for me. So bury me beneath the willovT, neath the \'Ieeping willow tree vilien he knrn;s \'Ihar I am sleeping then perhaps he'll \'Iait for me. Jay: This next song is "London City." Mrs. Roberson, do you lmovl, uh, any other titles for this? Mrs. Roberson: Dh, no I don't but I think there's another one. I believe its "Butcher Boy." Jay: Where did you hear this? Mrs, Roberson: Well, ~y grandmother learned me this one, Jay: Okay, fine - "London City," In London City ,There I did dwell the butcher boy I loved so well He courted me my life a\'lay and no\'l \'lith me he \'Iill not stay. Ther~ls a strange house in the tovm. He goes right up, he sits right dovm. He takes another on his knee He tells her things he told to me. I have to grieve, I'll tell you why Because she has more gold than I Her gold \'IUl melt and silver fly In time of need, she'll be as poor as I. Jay: This song nrn; "Someone vilio Loves You Darlin' ," viliere did you hear this? Mrs. Roberson: Well, I just picked it up around. Jay: The old folks? -18- Mrs. Roberson: Yeah, the old folks. Jay: Okay, "Somebody Loves You Darlin' ." Somebody loves you darlin', somebody loves you I lmow Somebody loves you darlin', why did you let them go. Somebody called for momma, momma 'vent out to see. She came back a-cry'in' somebody's asked for me. Somebody came to see poppa, poppa went out to see He came back a-laffin' glad to be rid of me. There's going to be a wed.ding, it's going to be in the fall Boys and girls get ready I'm goIng to invite you alL Jay: 'rhis next song ",ill be "Little Mohee." NO'v where, uh, did you learn this one? Mrs. Roberson: Well, I just pIcked it up. eM '1 "laS a-strollin' for pleasure one day to vieH the creatIon, to pass time away. As I amused myself on the grass who chanced to step up but a young IndIan lass. She sat down beside me, took hold of my hand says you are a stranger and from a strange land. If you'll be contented and stay here with me I'll teach you the language of the little Mohee. Oh no dearest malden that never can be for I have a true love far ~ross the sea. I'll never forsake her and I know she Hon't me and I never can wed the little Mohee. The last time I saw her she's lQ1eeling in the sand and as my ship passed her she ,.,aved me her hand. ,/her'er I may Handel', wher'er I may be I'll never forget that little Mohee. Jay: This next song will be "Blind Child." Illio dJ.d you learn this partIcular ballad from? Mrs. Roberson: Well, my mother. Jay: "Blind Chi.ld." They tell me father that tonJ.ght you will Hed another brIIl.e. 'rhat you vlJ.ll ~Jasp her In your arms Hhere my poor mother dIed. '['hey say her name J.s Mary too the one my mother bore 0 But father is she kInd and true like the one you loved before. Her pi.cture' s hanging on the 'vall her books are lying there and there's the harp her fIngers touched and there's her vacant chair. -19- Mrs. Roberson: "Going DQIom That Road F'eeling Bad." Jay: Okay. Oh, I'm gain' dO\fn that road feelin' bad ah, I'm gain' dQlom that road feelin' bad Oh, I'm goin' dmm that road feelin' bad and I ain't gonna be treated this-a- way Oh, who'll be your honey \'lhen I'm gone ah, who'll be your honey when I'm gone Oh, who'll be your honey when I'm gone for I ain't gonna be tneated this-a-way. -20- 1. "Never a Long Walk'! Mr. Saxon seemed to think that this particular tune vTaS s imiliar to "Over the Waves." Both of these tvlO pieees "Tere thought to be very old by the performer. 2. "Leather Britches." Thj.s refers to a type of speeially prepared beans of the mountain culture. Mr. Hodges seemed to think it originated from McDonald I s Heel, an old tune with its origin in old English reels and hornpipes. 3. "Henfroe Valley." This can be found on several records. 'I'his is where Mrs. Saxon learned it. This could possibly be an example of the record being used as a modern broadside. 4. "Rank stranger." This song was also learned from a record by Mrs. Saxon. She says that she thinks it was one of the Stanley Brothers recordings. 5. "Katie Hill." This is another old time fiddle tune. Hodges picked this one up from a friend of his named Bass Orner. 6. "Billy in the LmTground." 'rhis dates back to the time "Then WHliam the Conquerer invaded Holland. It has since been changed by the foll,s to "Billy in the Lowground." 7. "The Big Earred Mule." This ,'TaS another tune that both men regarded as being an old English tune that had become Americanized. 8. "Caelding Hen." The fiddler in this one imitates the hen's eaclk1e. 9. "orange Blossom Special." This is a fine old tune "Thich imitates the sound of a traJ.n. It J.s probably one of the best of Its kind. It and "CaekLJ.ng Hen" were considered AmerJ.can J.n origJ.n by Mr. Saxon and Hodges. 10. "TraJ.n 45". 'I'his J.s another train tune. It J.s also known as "Lee's High1'Tay Blues." This calling the same tune by different titles J.s faJ.rly common and the title usually depends on the local area J.t is from. -21- text and tune ,laS the one sung by Rudie Ledbetter. 18. "Greenback Dollar." This ballad uses the I don't Hant your Health I Hant you theme. 19. "Little ROSel'iOod Casket." Variants of this one can be found in Belden's text on page 220. The song is classified by Malcolm Ia,rs in the same category as "Put My Little Shoes AHay." Its origin dates back to the same time. 20. "Rovin' Gambler." This is found in LaH' s book, number R-4. It has i.ts roots in the old English broadside, "The Roving Journeyman," printed by catnach in the Seven Di.als area". It can be found in the repertoire of almost any singer.": 21. "Short Life of Trouble." Mrs. Roberson learned it off a record about 30 years ago. It I-las about this time that the record companies "ere recording the older folk songs and foll< singers and the fol){ ,lere buying them in the south. 22. "Free Li.ttle Birdie." The theme to this song is fairly Hidespread. The lovers thoughts connected ,lith the apparent freedom of the bird. 23. "I'm Thinki.ng Tonight of my Blue Eyes." This song deals Hith the departing lover theme. 24. "Bonnie Blue Eyes." This is again in the same vein as "II m Thinking Toni.ght of my Blue Eyes." Both songs the lover is departing for a far a\olay place. 25. "Weeping Willmr Tree." 'rhis also deals I-lith love I s problems. It is probably a shortened form of an older ballad that had the stanza "bury me beneath the HilloH." The HilloH tree seems to have speci.al meaning to the folks. It is found in numerous ballads Hhere the dying person gives instructions for his burial. -23- 26. "London City." This ballad is better known as the "Butcher Boy." It is very \fidespread in the Britj.sh isles and America. Another version of this broadside can be found in Al Freidman's book, Folk Ballads of the English Speaking Horld. 27. "Somebody Loves You Darling." This is probably another sentimental song dating back to the late 1800's. 28. "Little Mohee." This ballad can be found in Lmr's bool<. The number is H-8. It started out as English broadside the "Indian Lass." It \-ras shortened in America and became the "Little Mohee." 29. "Blind Child." It falls in Law's category 4;' Sentimental with little content. It can be found in Belden's text, page 275. It plays heavily on the pathos HUh the poor blind child asking about her new mother Hho \,rill replace the one recently passed mvay. 30. "Going DmTn That Road Feeling Dad." This is a tune Hith no narrative content. It could be a shortened form of a longer piece or the chorus to such a piece.  A PDF transcript exists for this recording. Please contact an archivist for access.  Professor John Burrison founded the Atlanta Folklore Archive Project in 1967 at Georgia State University. He trained undergraduates and graduate students enrolled in his folklore curriculum to conduct oral history interviews. Students interviewed men, women, and children of various demographics in Georgia and across the southeast on crafts, storytelling, music, religion, rural life, and traditions.  As archivists, we acknowledge our role as stewards of information, which places us inaposition to choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, andbias isreflected in our descriptions, whichmay not convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materialsaccurately.Archivists make mistakes and might use poor judgment.We often re-use language used by the former owners and creators, which provides context but also includes bias and prejudices of the time it was created.Additionally,our work to use reparative languagewhereLibrary of Congress subject termsareinaccurate and obsolete isongoing. Kenan Research Center welcomes feedback and questions regarding our archival descriptions. If you encounter harmful, offensive, or insensitive terminology or description please let us know by emailingreference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.