Jerry Nielsen interview with James Wayman Bowden

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In this recording James Bowden plays guitar and sings folk songs including Rosewood Casket, Mother, The Queen of My Heart, The Wreck of Number Nine, Empty Cot in the Bunkhouse Tonight, Give My Love to Nellie Jack, My Mother was a Lady, Rockin Alone (In an Old Rocking Chair), Blue Ridge Mountain Blues, and Little Amy. Themes of motherhood and the state of Texas are present in a number of songs.
James Wayman Bowden (1916-2001) lived in Shelby County, Alabama, and married Elizabeth Hayes Bowden (1920-2005) in 1942. Additional biographical information has not been determined.
James Wa~non Bowden Age, 50 Birthpl8.ce~ \'lilton, Alabama. Shelby County. PermarJ.ont address: Box 26, Wi1 ton, Alaba\:I18.. Date ef oe11ectien: Nevember 25, 1966. C : collection: Dono in ]>i1'. Bowden I s living rooUl .. Immediate fmnily and son-in-Lul \'!Bre presont .. Ohil elron I',tere pre sent duX' :tue; recording .. -* Done on 'I'banksgiving weekend .. fJource of' knoHlodge or Folklore; G-r[lndfe.ther, aooordin:2: to inf'<H'nlant .. Hj,ghest 1 evel of' edttcation: High Dehool. Profession: Television ropair 11]8.n .. Fmuily bacJ.<:ground: 6everal p:ener::ltions have lived in the 88S110 2;cnel'al area in Alnbarna. (i e.. Shelby Oounty). }!jusicCll Ability: PlayD the e:uitar and the banjo, though onl;y the guitar 'HaS recorded ,-}lone; \dth his Gongs in thi:-:: collection. }Jx;GSentnhB would not Bing them at the time this l"ecording; vmf:~ lLlade. " 1. There's a little rosewood casket Sitt.j.n I on a ",2rble st9nd There I 5 a package of love letters Vlrittcn by my true love's hand 2. Go and get them fnr me brother Come 2nd sit beside by bed Head them over to me brother For my heart is almost dead 3. Head them over to me bt'other Head them till I fall asleep Fa 11 asleep to Vfa ke in Heaven Dearest brother do not Vleep If" rrhere he comes novr up our p8 thvray Go and mee t him a t the door Tell f:im I'll fot'f,ive him bro the l' If he' 11 court tha t eirl no more 5. 111e1'e's this IHtle rosewood casket SHUn' on a we rble stand There IS a packe r,e of love letters V:ri t t..en by my true love's hand ,. , 1.. There vrere five of us bo~rs in our family We kissed our mot.hergooc1by We left our home down in Georgia Our luck in the city to try 2.. Vre E1grced 1,/re' d go back 8nd see her 1!fben three ye8rs had T'Bssed away 'l1leyl re a 11 going home to mother toni ght An going h0me today 3 TInt nne of her boys will be 1lliSSiI)fg) There's one she ,ltdll fEd.l to see rrhe;r'1'8 all going home to mother -t.onight All going home bu t me Lt. The others were steadfast find lOydl No tears Vlil1 they cause her to shed I was the one tha t disgraced her A criminal better off dead 5. Theylre all going home to mother tnnight A11 goine home but one And i,!other v!ill be so happy tonieht Froud of each fortuna te son 6. But one of her boys v,ilI be missing There's one she Yd,ll fail to see All going rlOme to mother tonight All going home but me Ie I once hEld a Lome down in Texas Down where the blue bonnets grov' I hod the ldndest old mother How happy we were just we tvm 2. One day the Angels they called her Our deB th debt we all have to pay She called me close to her bedside The se 19 s t words to saY' 3. Son don't start drinking and gambline Promise you'll always go straight Ten years have passed since that partine The promise all broken U'e same 4. I started gambli ng for pa s time Soon I was just like them all Bet all my clothes all my money Never c1reaming tha t I'd ever fall 5. One night I had bet all my money Not a penny VJB.S left to be seen One card I needed to beat them And thst carel was a qtJeen 6. The cards Ylere all dealt round the table Each m2.n tool.;: a card on the draw I drew one card tha t w0111d bea t them I turned it End here 's wha t I saw "(. I saw my mother's picture Somehow she seemed to say Son you have broken your promise And I threw the cards away 8. '111e winni ngs I gave to the newsb0y I knew I Y,a8 wrong from the start I '11 neve r forge t the t la s t promise To Lothcr the queen of my heart 1. On one cold win tel' niht Not 2. swr was jn sir;ht The north Ylind wa s whis tlin d oym the li ne 2. Wi th a swee thea rt so dea l' Stood a brave engineer Had his orders to pull number Nine 3. He ki.ssed her goodby Vii th a tea l' in hi s eye The joy in his heart he could not hide For tie whole YTorld Grew pdde When she told hi.m tha t night Tomorrow I 'll be your blushing bride L. From the rsi.ls C81ne a song As his train sped along The black smoke Vias rolling from her staclm I, \1~1!~i Bu t his brave hea rt stood still when he wen t & round the hi.ll The headlight V!8 S Shin/ing in his eye 6 fl Then he vft:ispered 8 r,rayer As he threw on the 2ir He knew it ,'onld be his fi na 1 ride In the wreck he wa~) found Lyi ng the re on thE) gr'llmd He asked them to raise him with care I ' 7. As his brea th slowly went A message he sent To a naiden who thought shE) would be Vied e. There's a little ",hite home I had hnilt for her own I thought we'd be happy there someday 9. P,ut I'll leave it to you P'or I know you I ] 1. be true 0, Till we meo tat the Golden Ga tes up 'hi,f,h 1,_ 0 At evening when shadmllrs 81'e f8JJ.in l At the close of r,i long weary day I fa ney I hea l' 8 va" ee ceIIinI ~i'y ole pal of yesterd2Y ? Ole pal I'm So blue since you left me Life's been B burden to bear I wonder' ole pAl if you miss me I 'wonde r if you s t.ill C3 re Pic ture 1),lro hearts tha tare light and g.sy tr!on't you come back for I still J.O'J8 you Ii. V'hen the Vlhi ppoonrill ea lIs from the wi ldvrood To his ma te "'ho if; drj I'ted away I fancy" I hear thB t voice c211in' My' ole pAl of ;resterc)ay s. Ole raI 1m so blue since )"lU left me Life I S been e burden to beer I wonder ole pal if you miss me I worder if you stJ 11 enre And picture tyro hearts thc1t Bro liGht Bnd gay l[:on t t you come back for I stlll love you My ole paloI' yesterday 1 + H8 vr,s s rid in I the ra nge In the saddle toni[ht (?) When a northener started to bloYI 2. Vii th his head on his ehes t Herdin' in to the wes t He vias stopped by " moan soft and low 3 \) There <9 crazy young calf lJa d s trayod from his maYI And was lost i, the snovr and thE' storm J_i e He 18)/ in a heap At the end of the draw Cuddled up in a ball to keep wann ;;. Then he hobbled his fee t ~ehrovmd hj.m over his horn And he sthrtecl again for the shack (,. But the wind got cold And the snow piled up Poor ole Lippy (?) strayed from the tra ck 7. lIe arrived at the raneh in the morrdng And he placed his maverick to bed He fell in his bunk umable to move And this morning ole Lippy (?) was dead 10 [).. There I s a range for every cowboy Vihere the foreman t2kes care of his ovm There will be an empty saddle tonight But he's happy up there I know 1. 1'hree years ago when Jack and Joe set sail across the foam Each vO'lfed a fortune he Y(Quld make before returning horne In one short yea l' Jack gained his weB 1 th And sailed for home the t day And when the friends shook hands to pa rt Joe could only say 2. Give my love to Nellie, Jack Kiss her once for me The fairest g; 1'1 in all the "lOrld I blOW you I 11 say tis she Trea t her kindloT Jack ole boo' 'rLe parting vmrcls novr doni t forget To givo my love to Noll 3. In one marc year Joe gained his wealth and sailed across the tide Across the ocean deep and blue To rna 1:e swee t Nell his brj~de But when he found that Jack and Nell a year 8[,0 had wed With sobs and threats he still regrets Tho t he ever sai$d h. Give my love to Nellie, Jack Kiss her once for me The fairest girl in a11. the world I J:noVi you' 11 say tis she 'l'rea t her k-j nell;).' J[lck ole boy Tell her I am Viell The partirtg words now don I t forget To give my love to Nell 1. Little Amy: LiUle Amy Le 1.' S 1.8 ke a bOB 1. ride Where tf18 Vr.! ter is deeper and swifter and "ride 2 & One morning one morning One morning in May They came and they took her L-;ttle Amy .;rway 3. They C8 'Tied hoI' to the city In a silk dress so fine They took my li1. tIe Amy Broke Ud.s heart of mine h. LittIe Amy, Little Amy Le 1.8 ta ke a b'J8 t ride Where the W8 wr j s deeper [lnd 8vrifter and vride S Lit tJe Amy! LittIe Amy 1'11 ton you my mind My rlind is to drovm. you And leave you behind 6", Oil no, Oh no, Ii ttle AmJ" did cry In tho deep blue water My body must lie * 1" It vras one dey last Juvember As well as I remember Walking down 8. street in Merriview 2. With my heart all jr, 2. flutter Well; I ley dovm in 8 gutter A pig came up and he lay down by my side 3. As I lay there in the gutter With my heart all in a flutter 1\'10 l~dies passing by I heard one say h. Y011 can tell the men tha t boo?,es By the company he chooses Ar'd the pi,g got up and slov,ly walked aVla~l ;f To the tune of On Top of Old Smokey 1. On the walls of the spacious art gallery Are pictures pa inted from life Pictures of love and of beauty Pict.ures of ba ttlo and strife ~f} Pictures of youth and "beauty Old age a,nd the blushing youne bride !Jut the naddest of all that t,angs on tbe wall Are the pic tureD from life's at,her side 2. First are seen are two br'others One was rolLing invlealth While the other one worked for bis bread One nieht they me t on life I s highway l'he thief cried your money or life He then whipped his knife Took his own bl'other's life A picture from life's other side 3. The next was the scene of tVrQ gamblers V'ho'd lost their money in play All one had W2S his dead Rother' ,s ring She I d worn on t!er weddi ng day When from hin finger he took it Wa s then tha t the sheme I'm shard (?) One lifted ],i" head/they found he was dead Just a pic ture from life's other side L A plcture from Hfes other slde Somebody Ie s fell by tbe vray Our life j s going au t wi th the tide Now it mlr;ht have been happy someday Some dear old mother a thorne Is ',"" teh; ng, vwl ti ng "lone Waitir'g to hear from loved ones so dear A picture from life's other side 1.. Tvro drwnmers tbey vrere sea ted In a grand hotel one day 1J'hEe dlning they VfOre chnttfJring In a jokine sort of v,'ay 2 0 In came a pretty waitress To bring theh' tray of food They spoke to her familiarly In 8 rn8 nne r r8 the r rude 30 First she did not notice Nor rna ke the lea s t reply Bu tone remD rk ma de to her Brought teardrops to her eyes 40 She turned on her tormen tors Her dheeks Vlere flushed and red Approaching('i) as a picture And this is wha t she 82 id 5.. My mother was a lad;)' And ~rours you v,rill allovr And you rn2J' have a sistel' Viho needs protection now 6, I've come to this gre8 t city To find my brot.her dear You 'wouldn't dare jnsult, me, sir If brother J"ck Vias here 7 1~18Y both sa t there in sHence Thei r he2,ds hung down i~n sh21ne Excuse me Pliss, I fll8Bn t 110 hR nn Pray tell me wha t' s your r'ame 8. She told him ;end he cried aloud I knoVi your bY'other too V,fhy we Ive been friends for many C1 year He often speaks of you 9. If you'll Co v'ith me vlhen I go b8Ck Alod if you' 11 only wed It 1J. ta k8 tlj.rn to JTou a E; 8 bride -);.- I' 11 love you till he's' clElacl (0 / , 10. I.\y mother was a lady And your's you vIiIl P 110Yl And ;\:r011 mAy hElve a sister V{ho n:c:'eds protec tion now ~:~- The "yay the infol'1lIEnt sang it" 11. I've corne to this grea t city To find a brother dear You Vlouldn I t da re inoult me, sir If brother Jack was here 1. Our's a ~;other who is growi~ng 01c1 and ,;rey And her form is bent I clearly 8ee Though I'd give her all the world It Would not repay All the many th' ngs she did for me 2. But I lmo'li it ,"m' t be long 'fill you shall join the throng Who have beer, f2 i thfnl to their Lord fjnd true Eu t if I shouldreach Heaven before J'ou do I will wa ita t the On te 8 of Heaven for you 3~ She }:8S always been so "[:fltient, so kind, so Food But her ,'houghtless boy so often Iv' e been I will love her more and more though her d2YS a re feW' For I want to meet h,'!' in Heaven again L;. But I know it won't be long Till you shall join the throng Who hove been faithful to the Lord and true Bu t :Lf I should reach Heaven bofore you do I will wait at the Gate of Heaven for )'ou Just to smooth for me a thorny road V!ha t if I should CRuse her pa in or don't forEive I just want to bear J,er heavy load 6. Mother I know j 10 ",em' t be lnng 'Tnl you should ;i oin tha t throng Who have been fa i thful to ttle Lord and true But if I should reach Heaven before you do I will wa ita 10 the [;8 te of Heaven for you (,." 1 .. You ha 1t8)\read the beauti.ful stories Of countries far over tlJe sea From whence came our forefa thers To estahlish this land of the free 2. Tl'ere' s some folks who still like to travel To see 1.~ha t they have over there Bu 10 when they [',0 look i 1;' s not IH:e a hook They find there's none can compa re :>. Beautiful, Beautiful 'Texas Where the beautiful blue bonnets grovl 1ITd~'.~e frmd of our forefa thers Who four,ht a t the A1Enno 18 You can live on the flanks (7) of a mountain Or down where the seabreezes blow And youtre still in beautiful Texas Most beautiful state that I know 4. You can travel on heautiful highways Through the village, the city, the farm You can sail above on the skyways The beauty below you ,will charm 5. Green rivers, white mountain, freeD forest The wheatfields and fruit trees abound You can oearch till doomsday, and then you will say Our Texas has beauty to spare 6. Beautiful, beautiful Texas Where the beautiful blue bonnets grow We're fond of our forefathejs Who fought at the Alamo You can live on the flanks (?) of a mountain Or down where the seabreez8s blow And you're still in beautiful Texas Most beautiful state that I know 7. In the story of beautiful Texas There's one thing I'll just have to say About two million people are happy to be here today It's good to be bealthy and happy And this should be our good faith Let us all smile for life is worthwhile To live in the beautiful state 8. Reoutiful, beautiful Texas Where the beautiful blue bonnets grow We're fond of our forefathers Who fought at the Alamo You can live on the flanks (?) of a mountain Or down where the seabreezes blow And yo,,'re still in beautiful Texas Most beautiful state that I know 1. Rookin' a,long in an old rackin' chair I saw an old lady with silvery hair She seemed so neglected by those who should care Rackin' along in an old rackin' chair 2. It wouldn't take much to gladden her heart k small remembrance on somebodies part A letter would gladden her empty life there Rock.in' along in an old rackin' chair 3. Now, I know some children in an orphan hOlne Who would think they're in Heaven if she were their own They'd never be williu' to see her sit there Rackin" along, in an old rackin' chair . Rackin' alonr; in an old rackin' chair Saw an old lady with silvery hair She seemed so neglected as I saw her there Rackin' along in an old rackin' chair 1. They gave him his orders at Monroe, Virginia Sayin', Pete, you're way behind time This is not Thirty-eight, but it's old Ninety-seven Must put her in Center on time 2. Well, he looked back at his old Said, Shovel in a little more coal When we reach the top of ole White Oak Mountain Watch ole Ninety-seven roll 3. He was goin t downgrade makin' ninety miles an hour r His whistle beg#,n to scream He was found in the wreck Had his hand on the throttle Was scalded to death bv the steam 4. Now all you ladies take a warning from this And don't never speak hard words to your true-lavin' hvsband He may leave home, never to return 1. I see the window and the light (7) I see two heads of snowy white I hear them both they recite Where is my wanderin' boy tonir,ht 2. I've got those Blue Ridge Mountain Blues And I'm gain' to board the train I long for grass and gravel, and I'm gonna travel To that Blue Ridge far away 3. I know thl) dt.ty that I' return;, There'll be a Shindig in the barn I know friends from miles around will comB No sad#noss, no sorrow,anyone 4. I I VB got those Rlue Ridg;e Mountain Blues And 1 1 m woin' to bORrd a train I long for grass and gravel, and I'm gonua travel To my Blue Tlidg;e far away* * Not definitly sure that the word "Blue Tlidp;e" or is correct. "mounts.in"
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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.
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