Kell Carol interview with Bill Holder, Willard Holder, Clifford Helton, Eddie Garrison, and Carmen Hyde

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. This audio contains folk songs played by Bill Holder, Willard Holder, Helton, and Eddie Garrison. The songs are as follows: 0:07: Down Yonder, 1:58: Cumberland Gap, 3:49: Soldiers Joy, 5:10: Old Joe Clark, 6:44: Goin Down the Road Feelin Bad, 8:13: Shoddy, 9:50: Sourwood Mountain, 10:55: Shout Lulu Shout, 11:56: Wreck of the Old 97, 12:48: Billy in the Low Ground, 14:03: Waltz You Saved For Me, 15:44: Band Box, 17:20: John Henry, 19:00: Cacklin Hen, 20:48: Dont Let Your Deal Go Down, 22:10: Mockin Bird, 23:16: Chicken Reel, 24.32: Lop-Eared Mule, 25:24: The Girl I Left Behind, (two renditions) 27:41: Horseshoe Bend, 28:59: Rock Road to Dublin. The last songs are at 31:00: Sweet Bunch of Daisies, also known as Big Bunch of Onion Tops, and at 32:51: Tennessee Waltz. Next Carmen Hyde performs the following songs: 34:16: The Knoxville Girl, 38:29: Put my Little Shoes Away, and at 42:08: Theres a Vine-Covered Shack in the Mountains, also known as Silver Haired Daddy of Mine. He next plays: 44:55: Knoxville Blues, 46:17: Barbara Allen, 49:55: The Rovin Gambler, 52:25: John Henry, 54:57: Adam and Eve, 57:02: The Eastbound Train, 58:57: The Lonesome Road, 1:00:33: The Orphan Girl, 1:02:22: Keep Walking, 1:05:00: Cripple Creek, and 1:06:32: Sure-fired Cure. Wilburn Bill Holder (1900-1973) was born in Robbinsville, North Carolina. In 1925, he moved to Postelle, Tennessee. He and his wife, Carrie Holder (1902-1977), had eleven children, including Paul Holder (1923-1993), Opal Holder (1925-1999), Floyd Holder (1927-1990), Willard Holder (1930-2002), Kenneth Holder (1932-2021), Luadise Holder (1935- ), Barbara Jo Holder (1937-2003), and George Holder (1940-). Bill Holder worked as a copper miner. Willard Holder (1930-2002) married Deloras Jeanette Davis (1933- ). Clifford Helton (1919-1978) was born and raised in Postelle, Tennessee. In 1940, he was drafted to serve in World War II. In 1963, he married Betty Brown (1929-2001). Eddie Garrison (1949-) was born in Washington, and as a child moved to Fannin County, Georgia. Carmen Hyde (1918-1997) was born and raised in McCaysville, Georgia, where he worked for the city maintenance department. He married Helen Smith (1922-1997) and had two children, Winston and Wendell Hyde. AHC Oral History Cataloging Worksheet File Information Catalogue number (\)~) ') loa'"::.');' Oc1, \~ Source Field' (ContentDM) Release form Yesor\~ Transcript Yes orNo scanned: From Yes~No ) Default text: Contributed by an OR: Donated by individual: individual through <your org. name> Georgia Folklore Collection through <your org. name> Object Information Enter .InformafIon about the pnhvsl'caI obll'ect here: Title n(ianmteerviaenwdedeate re .I \ lIOICl!?! nevi ,~ I . \ . .... ..... \ of interview) !1 Ctr,.I;,j\L (\ \1II Description (bio on interviewee) N t~\ 1 Creator (Enter either an individuai's Burrison Folklore Class name or an organization) Collection Name (within the Georgia Folklore Archives organization) Creation Date Exact Date (yyyy-mm-dd) (use only one) J Year (if only the year is known) l~L/t Circa (4 digit year) Year Span From To Object Type Image_ Text - Text and image_ Video and sound Sound only----jOMedia Format Reel-reel (VHS, reel to reel, etc) Recording Hours: \ extent Minutes: c:::iCf 'iit~1 O(@ ': '6 \ Derivatives Access copy(Yes~r No Access copy format: Recording clip (?e~/ar No Clip extent: ----" g'liZ) Time code for Beginning: '! '. \,1';\ End: lU :; clip (h:m:s) Notes qY\i(> Ii i it 0 Id(( v\O\I" HI' Fol bJ'f'JiN) 0'1"" ()f) (interview ;-'Ni- <;\ dd \~ ~ "~n ~ 01\c!Q{ " ) '\~O Idill ~~ D\;" I avvA summary) Old iCt., i ~ \"1')'(, Cel{ .\ r \1, \'1\V:~,.''I{!I\L('\l\\ C1t,.\,(:-;'\kQ/I I) '",)i'SJ,,I'<~) ltl,y~,r' )(V\; (\\\~1I \(i(-xtd+.lse Sp,UO', etS /luo ~ V\f.:' O'i''{'\ oI- l,) ,l. ())".)(Lyt )' ,.J, i051nJ ( 11)(' .c'" o'H', :') ,,'0i)'S: TJIc\.\~ Hill > \0){ (YDS(- Dr' \1' ':'VJ~ <, . . 2 Recording issues (background noise, echo, static, etc.) Subject Information Enter .InformafIon about the content 0 f the ObJ'lect here: Subject Date Exact Date (yyyy-mm-dd) ) (use only one) Year (if only the year is known) \9Lo~ Circa (4 digit year) Year Span From To Subject Who Last Name First Name MI +b\clk:I '6\ 1\ \ CJ:J-.(nWI\ lrn (,') \-\\.!(\~. Subject Country .State County Town Local Name Location \..l~)U,\ lQX''''( ; U'(~~ \hsbL\ \C US /"1 (;1.'0/,\1(:\ McCo..l.hv \ l (~ (C'Pi)::J.A 1(, "\,,1 Subject What AHC Cataloger will complete this for you. "- & (LOC subject headinas onlv) Keywords Burrison, John Personal names See subject who for additional names 3 Corporate names Geographic locations f'f\cCJ1~ 31\ \~ Q )G{'t lUsty,\\,L , Topics 4 A COLLECTION OF FOLK MUSIC A Project Presented to Mr. John Burrison Georgia State College In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Folklore 307 by Carole Kell December 1968 PREFACE There was no problem for me in finding informants. My Father has always played the guitar and for as long as I can remember, Saturday night has been the ni&1t he and his friends got together and "made music ll as they call it. Therefore, I simply told my Father (David Ballew) what I wanted and he asked his friends for me. I must tell you that my Father owns an auto parts store in McCaysville, Georgia and keeps a guitar laying on the counter all the time. Rarely do you go into the store that you do not find someone playing it. This is just an example of what a music loving community this is. There are very few people who can't play one or several instrmuents. The area is sort of isolated and music has served a binding function in the people's lives. The area is called the Copper Basin (due to the fact that the copper mines are there) and is made up of a tristate area including Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina. It is located about one hundred and twenty miles north of Atlanta. Copperhill, Tennessee is the fooal point of the Basin, but there are several very small towns (Ducktown, Turtletown, Postelle, Isabella which are all in Tennessee; and McCaysville and Mineral BlUff, Georgia). In addition to the tOl~S there are many communities (Buzzard's Roost, Hell'S Holler, Hawkinstown, Grassy Creek, Coaltown, Panterto.~, Dog Town, Williamstown), and when you ask someone where he is from he will always refer to his community, not the towns. There are still people liVing up. in those hills who never come down. Needless to say, the moonshine tradition is very strong there, especially in Hell's Holler. I donlt ID10W of any feuds as such, but there have been many unsolved murders in that area. The saying,. "They I d just as soon kill you as look at you," oertainly applies to the Copper Basin. I was very at ease with both my informants, since they had known me all my life. This was one of the most enjoyable things I've ever done. TABLE OF OONTENTS SEOTION PAGE I. Biographical Sketch of l~. Bill Holder 1 List of Songs Played 3-4 II. Biographical Sketch of Mr. Oarmen Hyde 5 "Put My Little Shoes Away" "The Knoxville Girl" 6 8 "There's A Vine-Oovered Shack in the Mountains" 8 "Barbra Allen" 10 "The Hovin' Gambler 11 II John Henry tI . 10 12 tlAdam and Eve 11 ltThe Orphan Girl lt ItKeep Walkinu "The East Bound Train" til 13 14 15 15 "0rJ'.pp1 e 0reekIt 16 III. List of Cures 17 IV. Pictures 18 Side One of my tape is a recording of ~~. Bill Holder, his son, ~~. Willard Holder, and two friends, Mr. Clifford Helton and Mr. Eddie Garrison. This session was done in natural context. Mr. Holder (the elder) called my Father and said he and his friends were going to make music that night and would we like to come over. We went and enjoyed it thoroughly. This was on November 9, 1968 in a little town called Postelle, Tennessee (the only reason you could call it a town is that they have a post office). However, Mr. Holder lives quite a way "back up in the holler" and not in Postelle itself. He and his wife now live in a trailer but until recently lived in a quite dilapidated house. They had eleven children and raised them all in this two-bedroom house. He is a retired copper miner. He was born November 12, 1900 in Robinsville, North Carolina, but has lived in Postelle since 1925. Mr. Holder plays totally by ear. He does not read music -" at all. He said," 'You hear a tune and want to play it. You go home, get your fiddle and you can't think of a single note. Then you'll be out in the field ploughing and all at once, it comes to you; right out of the blue. II He taught himself tQ play the fiddle and banjo (except he doesn't call it a fiddle, he calls it a violin). He learned to play the banjo first, and in 1924 taught himself to play the fiddle. r must tell you about his fiddle. He tQld me that in 1924 he swapped a Stradivarius copy for the one he has now. 2 This was when he was traveling through Texas. He had to pay a. little "boot" for the one he has now though because it was made by Carlo Bergonzi in 1733 (This man's name and the date are inside the fiddle). I could tell he was aWfully proud of it. AlSO, he had snake rattlers inside the fiddle and he said that some people will tell you this is for sound, but it isn't; it's to keep the cob webs out. His son, Willard Holder, was there and he backed up his Father with the guitar. He was born and raised in Postelle and his Father taught him to play the guitar. He played an electric guitar my Father took along on some of the tunes. He is thirty-eight years old. Mr. Cliffor Helton is a friend and neighbor of the Holders as is Mr. Garrison. Both these men play several instruments and taught themselves. Mr. Helton too, was born and raised in Postelle, is forty-nine years old and he is the one \vho provides all the "sound effects" on the recording. Mr. Garrison is only nineteen and was born in the state of Washington but moved to Fro,nin County, Georgia as a child. He played the harmonica. Mr. Bill Holder has a vast repertoire of fiddle tunes and these "music-making" sessions are a regular thing for them. His knOWledge of fiddle tunes comes, I am sure, from the fact that he had a band which played for square dances from 1928 through 1931. I had nothing to do with the songs they played. The riend who ran the tape recorder or me simply turned it on when they began each song and turned it o when they inished. All I did was ask Mr. Holder to say the name o the tune beore be began to play it (which he did) and I just sat back and enjoyed it. There were eleven people in that little liVing room o that trailer who had' gathered that night just to listen and have a good time. Mr. Holder did not know where he learned any of these songs. He just heard them, went home and picked them out on his fiddle. The following is a list of the songs as they are found on the tape: 1.IIDown Yonder ll 2. IICumberland Gapll 3. IISoldier' s Joyll 4. II Old Joe Clarkll 5. IIGoin ' Down the Road Feelin' BadII Oh, I'm goin' down the road feelin' bad. Oh, I'm goin' down the road eelin' bad. Oh, I'm goin ' down the road eelin' bad, oh Lord. And I ain't gonna be treated this-a-way. Oh, I went down in jail on my knees. Oh, I went down in jail on my knees. Oh, I went down in jail on my knees, oh Lord. And I ain't gonna be treated this-a-way. (These words were sung by Mr. Helton). 6. II ShoddyII ( ?elk" ') 7~ IISourwood Mountainll 3 4 8. "Shout Lulu Shout" (The above was played by l~. Bill Holder on the banjo instead of the fiddle.) 9. "Wreck of the Old 97" (The above was played (er) by Mr. Garrison on harmonica.) 10. "Billy in the Low Ground" 11. "Waltz You Saved for Me" 12. "Band Box" 13. "John Henry" (c/4,j K:Jtft (' Hi) & J 22. "Rocky Road to Dublin" 14. "Cacldin' Hen" (Sound effects courtesy of Mr. Helton.) 15. "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down" 16. "Mocldn' Bird" (He couldn't make the fiddle talk he said, because he broke his hand recently and can't do that anymore. ) 17. "Chicken Reel" 18. "Lop-Eared Mule" (Mr. Garrison just had to tryout Dad's electric guitar on this one:-J 19. "The Girl I Left Behind" (Mr. Holder says that this is the oldest tune he knows and as he explains on the tape, number 20 is the newer version or "the way they play i t now~') 20. "The Girl I Left Behind" .J 21. "Horseshoe Bend" J 23. "Sweet Bunch of Daisies" or "Big Bunch of Onion Tops" 24. "Tennessee Waltz" (The above by Mr. Garrison on harmonica.) Side Two of my tape is ballads and instrumentals done by Mr. Carmen Hyde of MoCaysville, Georgia. He is fifty years old and was born and raised on Grassy Creek, whioh is about ten miles from Copperhill, Tennessee. However, he now lives in to\~ (McCaysville and Copperhill are really one town. They are just on opposite sides of theriver.).I have known Mr. Hyde all my life, but never knew of his musical talents until I began this project. He is a handyman in town and takes care of my Mother's yard. He also works for the maintenance department of McCaysville. He has a wife and two sons - Wendell, who is twelve, and Winston, who is nine. The first time I went to see Mr. Hyde he was sitting in the filthiest puddle of water lIve ever seen, trying to get his drain unstopped. I just squatted down with him and we talked for a long while. I read him the list ot songs you had given us and he said if I'd come back that night he'd sing some for me. Now I've never seen Mr. Hyde that he wasn't wearing overallS and an old felt hat; in fact, I've ~ever seen him with the hat off. Anyhow, I knew I'd be making pictures and I wanted him dressed in his usual way so I said, "Now don't change clothes, or dress up or anything, just be- I cause we're coming tonight, Mr. Hyde." And he said,"loJhy, I ve got to ohange clothes. 1 111 have to put me on a clean pair of overhalls." Mr. Hyde wasn't very informative as to exactly where ." ... '" 6 he learned his songs. In fact, he was rather vague. He just couldn't see that that made =y difference. He taught himself to play the guitar and said that when he was a child, his Father wouldn't let him touch his guitar, so w. Hyde would sne~ it out to the corn crib and play it. I guess that's why he is so proud of his guitar he has now. He says he has had it thirty-two years; it's a Melody lling; and one time somebody offered him one hundred dollars for it, but he wouldn't take it. Since I had read him the list of sO+1gs, he had already decided when we got there that night (October 26, 1968) just what he was going to sing. He had only one specification and that was that he could sing one religious song. After he sang each song, I asked him vlhere he learned it. Both his sons play the banjo, guitar and mro1dolin, so they backed him up on most of the songs. The following is a text of this very interesting session: liThe Knoxville Girl" There's a little girl in Knoxville. A town we al1know well. There one Sunday evening, There in her home I dwelled. uc",t . We went to take a little walk, About one mile from to\~. I drew a stick up from the ground, And knocked that fair girl down. ~{!'i""\ 0>\ She fell upon her bended knee. For m?rc~ ~~\~ did cry. Oh, WJ.llJ.am;dear, don't murder me here. I'm not prepared to die. 7 She never spoke another word. I beat her more and more, Until the ground all round me, Was in her blood did flow. Then I taken her by her golden curls. I drug her round and ro~d. Throwed her in the river/that flows Through I\noxville Town. Go there, go there, you lfuoxville girl, With dark and rolJing eyes. Go there, go there, you Ifuoxville girl. You'll never be my bride. I started back to lfuoxville, Got there about ltonight (? to die17 Mowna she was worried, And woke up in h~r fright. Oh Son, oh Son, what have you done, To bloody YOU~A9)othes so? The answer I ~oId Momraa,!was Bleeding at the nose. I called for me a candle, To light myself to bed. I called for me a handkerchief, To bind my aching head. I rolled and tumbled, That whole ni~ht through, . What troubleS,l:!!here could be] iH'''~ The flames of hell around my bed, And in my eyes stood she. They carried me to that Ifuoxville jail. They locked me in a cell. My friends all tried to get me out, But none could go my bail. And now they,'re goin' to hang me, The death I hate to die. Because I killed that lfuoxville girl, The one that I loved best. !Jfr. Hyde was vel'y sure that he learned "The Ifuoxville Girl" when he was fourteen years old "down on Grassy Creekll but he didn't remember from whom. 8 ItPut My Little Shoes Awaylt Mother, dear, come bathe my rorehead. lam growing very weak. Let the clear and coolin' water, Fall upon my burning cheek. Tell my lovin' little playmates, That I nevermore will play. Give them all my toys, but Mother, Put my little shoes away. Refrain: You will do that won't you, Mother? Put my little shoes away. Give them all my toys, but Mother, Put my little shoes away. Sant~ CJ...aus he bv:ought them t,O me, With a L+'ight above his head~ fL,yl",{ And I think he brought an angel, With a pair of golden wings. Soon the baby will be olderJ They will fit his little feet. Won't he look so nice and tidy, As he strolls along the street? Refrain: You will do that, won't you, Mother? Put my little shoes away. Give them al+ my toys, but Mother, Put my little shoes away. Mr. Hyde doesn't remember where he learned ItPut My Little Shoes Al-tay. It He only knows that he has known it since he was Itknee high,1t but he thinks his mother used to sing it. ~_~J.!)-ti.,.'\." ~'f,Jf3tAJ~Jid-e "C\>.:,.j','(l:,.l D! /Nt" .f'U<' ItThere's a Vine-Covered Shack in the Mountains lt There's a vine-covered shack in the mountains. Bravely fighting the battle of time. 9 There's a dear one who's weathered . life's sorrows. Tis that silver-haired daddy of mine. If I could recall all the heartaches, Dear old daddy, I've caused you to bear. I,',("'~, If I could EY~~~ the life of your pains~~ And bring back the gold to your hair. If God would just grant me the power, Just to turn back the pages of time. I would give all I own, if I could but atone, To that silver-haired daddy of mine. But I know it's too late, dear.old Daddy, To repay for all heartaches and care. For dear Mother is waiting in Heaven, Just to cmnfort and solace you there. If I could recall ,all the heartaches, Dear old Daddy, I've caused you to bear. If I could erase the lines from your face, And bring back the gold to your hair. b'tt, If God would just grant me the power, Just to turn back all pages of time. I would give all I own, if I could but atone, To that silver-haired daddy of mine. The next song is an instrumental, liThe Knoxville Blues", which he learned when he was "just a kid" from Sam Kirk ~lcGee who was from Nashville, Tennessee. Mr. Hyde's sons backed him up on this one, with Wendell playing the guitar and Winston playing the mandolin. It was very interesting to me that while they were playing this, there was no expression Whatsoever on any of their faces, but they didn't miss a beat by patting their feet. 10 "Barbra Allen" In London city where I once dwelled. That's where I got my learnin'. I fell in love with a pretty little girl. Her name was Barbra Allen. I courted her for seven long years. She said she would not have me. Then straightway home,as I could go, And like unto I was dying.(?) I wrote her a letter on my deathbed. I wrote it slow and movin'. Go take this letter to my own true love, And tell her that I'm dying. She took the letter in her lily-white hand. She read it slow and movin'. Go take this letter back to him, And tell him I am coming. As she passed by his dying bed, She saw his pale lips quivering. No better, no better I'll ever be, If I can't get Barbra Allen. 5t1~H As she went downlthe long fine walk, She heard some ~on~birds singin'. And ever birdie seemed to say, "Hard-hearted Barbra Allen. II The next song on the tape is an instrumental and all three of them played it. He said he learned """ll.,!-I:9_qg~J"1Q~~:>'.~1 when he was just a kid and he taught it his sons, Wendell and Winston. "The Rovin' Gambler" I am arovin' ga:g:tbler, , I gambled all around.. liherever I meet with a deck ct. cards. I lie my money down. 11 I gam~ed down in Washington. I gambled over in Spain. I'm on my way to Georgie, To gamble my last game. "ilt. b~ev) I had (my bed)in Washington, Many more weeks than three. Til I fell in love with a pretty little girl, And she fell in love with me. he~'f' piJ\t,lotShe took me in (a corner~ She cooled me wi th her fan. She whispered low in her mother's ear, "I;tove, this gamblin' man." "0b daughter, oh dear daughter, . How could you treat me so? To leave your dear qld mother, And ~M~, ~teJ gambl~;! ~ go." "Oh mother:, oh dear mother, You know I love you well. But to ever hope for a gamblin' man, No human tongue can tell." "I would not marry a farmer, For he's. always in the rain. The man I want is a gamblin' man, Who wears a big ~(Wdq~:~I~l"~' "I would not marry a doctor, He's always gone from home. All I '''ant is a gamblin' man For he won't leave me alone." tvli s /s "1 WOUld/not marry a railroad man, And [here' s1 the reason why, I never seen a railroad man, That wouldn't tell a lie." "1 hear, the train a-comin " She's condn ' round the curve. A-whistlin' and a-blowin', And a-strainin' ever nerve." "Oh mother, oh dear mother, I'll tell you if I can. If you ever see me comin' back again, I'll be with a g~ablin' man. If you ever see me comin' back again, I'll be wi th a gamblin' man. 11 12 "John Henrylf John Henry was a little man,!settin' on his daddy's knee. Well, he picked up the hammer and a little piece of steel. This hammer '11 be the death of me. Lawd, thls'hromner'll be the death of me. htttde 7 John Henry'hromnered in the valley; Til his hammer caught on fire. And the very last WJ rd I heard him say, Was IfA cool ,drank a water fore I die.',> Lawd, 'Lawd,./oool drank a water fore I die. 1f "( John Henry worked'on the mountain, And down on the other side. Oh the mountain was so tall, John Henry was so small, Lawd. he l~d down his hammer, Ooh. Lawd,/he laid down his hammer,) And he oried. ~ John Henry had a little woman. And her name was Polly Ann. John Henry got siok. And he had to go home. And Polly drove the steel like a man. (k~jP<) And Polly drove the steel like a man. Oh, they oarried John Henry to the graveyard, ..And they lowered him in the sand. tJ.9.Q folf.l. they buried him down by the railroad, Sayin'. IfThere lays a steel-drivin' man. There lays a steel drivin' man. 1f Mr. Hyde says he learned "John Henry" from a man oalled Julius Hyde. Who was a relative. Julius Hyde picked it on a banjo and taught Mr. Hyde the words. 'rhis song too. he has known since he was a little boy. He said, IfWe sung all them old songs over on Grassy Creek when I'S a-growin' Up.1f 13 "Adam and Eve" Adam was the first man:h:~er was invented. Lived all alone and never was contented. Made out 0' mud and tl),e days gone by, Hung on the fence [posi;J for the sun to dry. Along came Eve and Adam had a battle. Pushed her up the tree fer to git himself an apple. She take two and he take one. Ever since then all the troubles begun. Next come Noah, he stumbled in the dark. Hot and a-hammerin' 'nails to build himself an ark. Then come the-animals, two by two. A hip-hippopotamus, t~~ great kangaroo. First come a camel, then come a bear. Then come the elephant without any hair. Forty days and forty nights the rain begin to drop_ And made the old ship go f'lippity, flippi ty flop. (lZ,;c-F'd) Next came Jonah, he sailed on the water. Ship got to rockin' and they tossed him in the water. Along come a whale, you bet he was a snorter, [S~;?~~~I~~,:~p]Jonah up out 0' the water. Forty days and forty nights the whale swum around. And on the inside Jonah he cOlmnenced to pound. Old hale I s stomach it go'b kinda rank, And he spitvJonah out on the sandy bank. /VI ~. Next come Henry with an old tin can. He tuk a tin can and made himself a Ford. So the Ford got old and Henry got dizzy. SO He tuk another can and made a lady out 0' Lizzie. It was obvious that Mr. Hyde was proud of this song, especially since none of us had ever heard it. He thought it a very' funny song, but doesn1 t know where he learned it. Atter he finished singing it, he told me that he "messed up" the first line of the last stanza. It should be "a hammer and a boardll instead of "an old tin can." "The East Bound Train" The east bound train was crowded. One oold Deoember day. Conduotor shouted, "Tickets," In his old-rashioned way. , The little girl in sadness, ;;[All Sat with [a] bowed-down head. She said,"I have no tioket." And thentA~~~i(~'~~~' told) h,e.t,4.' ~ "My rather a;s in prison, He lost his sight, they say. lIm goin l ror his pardon, This cold December day." Conduotor did not answer. He did not make reply. 6vA: JI'-hen taken his right hand wipin I, The tear drops rrom his eye. He said,"God bless you little one. Just stay l'ight where you are. youlll never need a tioket, While I am on this oar." Mr. Hyde remembers hearing his father sing "The East Bound Train" 'Then he was a ohild so he guesses he learned it from him. "The Lonesome Road" Look uP. look down that Hang do'Tn your head and Look up, look down that Hang down your head and lonesome road. I ,; cry. fll'ui. lonelf;lom~J road. ory. In the pines, in the pines where the Sun never shines, I shiver when the oold wind blows. Little girl, little girl don't tell me no lie. Where did you stay last night? I walked this long lonesome railroad, And oounted the rails at a time. Look up, look down that lonesome road. Hang down your head and cry. Look up, look dOlffi that lonely road. Hang dOlm your head and cry. Ell.'. Hyde made no comment on "The Lonesome Road at all. "The Orphan Girl ll IINo home, no home," cried an orphan At the door of a princely hall. As she tremblin' stood on a marble And leaned on a marble wall. girl. step, Her clothes were torn and her head was bare, And she tried to cover her feet, With'"j{'-dress that was tattered and covel'ed with snow. ~Q"i Wa-s covel'ed with snow and sleet. Her dress was thin and her feet were bare, And the snow had covered her head. "Oh, give me a home," she feebly cried, IIA home and a piece of bread. 1I "My father left. I never kneW/his empty eyes so bright. My mother sleeps in a new-made grave. It's an orphan who begs tonight." H\Ii.t He learned "The Orphan Girl" from his father and was upset that he couldn't remember all of it. "Keep Walking II I searched and I searched for the road that leads to glory. I wondered if I'd ever find the way. Then I set down to rest, I was so weary. And then I heard a voice within me say, lIyou gotta keep walking, keep on walking. Walkin' in the light of the Lord. You'll get to Heaven some day, Better get in the right way. Walkin l in the light of the Lord. ],6 Well, I prayed and I prayed for the Lord to give me mercy. I prayed for him to brighten up the way. I walked and I prayed for the road that leads the long way. And then I heard a voice within me say, "You gotta keep walkin', keep "alkin I Walkin' in the light of the Lord. You'll get to Heaven someday, better get in the right way." Walkin' in the light of the Lord. "You gotta keep on walkin', keep walkin'. Walkin' in the light of the Lord. You'll get to Heaven someday, better get in the right way." Walkin' in the light of the Lord. IIKeep Walking" was the religious song he insisted on singing. His sons played and sang it with him. "Cripple Creek" Goin' up to Cripple Creek, goin' at a run. Goin' up to Cripple Greek, have a little fun. Goin' up to Cripple Creek, goin' at a run. Goin' up to Cripple Creek, have a little fun. Rolled my britches legs to my knees, '. I{. I Waded old Cripple Creek {up to my knees} (? )/}1,{/ .\.Cl,j ", Di','''.",{ Goin' up to Cripple Greek, goin' at a run. Goin' up to Cripple Creek, have a little fun. For "Cripple Creek" Mr. Hyde tuned his guitar like a banjo, and his sons played with him. After they had finished, my husband said,"I've been to Cripple Creek," and Ivlrs. Hyde said, "You have?" Ivly husband tllen said, "Yes, it's out in Colorado." To this she replyed,"Sure enoughl Why I allays thought it Ul!' down here about Hawkinstown." The last Bong on the tape is "Cumberland Gap" and ,--------._.__ ,_,_._._,,_._.. ." ~.~_._h. , he lert his gUital' tuned like a banjo to play it too. On a subsequent visit to the Hydes, they told me three cures which I have listed below. The rirst two are cures ror asthma, and the last one is a "Sure-rired cure" ror warts. Back the child u~ to a sourwood tree. Take a brace and bit; pull up a lock or the child's hair and place the brace and bit on it. Grind the hair into the tree as rar as you can,~ and then cut orr the lock or hair. Stop up the hole with a peg and the astluna will go away. Back the child up to a sweet gum tree and mark his height on the tree. When the child grows taller than the mark, his astluna vdll go away. Cut a small limb orr a persimmon tree and cut as many knotches in the limb as you have warts. Stick the limb in the bank or a branch and when the branch gets up, and washes the limb away, your warts will go mlay. In all three instances you must use the correct type or tree. Also, Mr. Hyde claims to be a "water witch" and says any type of tree will do but he likes White Oak. He says the limb will twist so hard toward the ground, it'll twist the bark right ofr. He knows at what depth to dig by how many steps he has to walk bacIDvards to make the limb stop twisting. Sometimes he lays a dime on the "V" or the limb and where the dime falls off, that's Where the water is. I1R. CAm1AN HYDE 18 1 . i I . .; During Thanksgiving holidays my husband and I decided that we would hike to the top of funburn Mountain (which is just over the Tennessee line in North Carolina). We had b~en there about two years ago and found an old log cabin and wanted to see if it was still there. It was, and the following page has pictures of it. The cabin was built around the turn of the century by Sam Allen and he raised his family there. It has two rooms which are sixteen feet by twelve feet each. There is a fireplace at the end of one room. He had begun to build two more rooms, but for some reason abandoned the cabin and didn't finish them. There is no road to the top of the mountain and one must hike to get there. It seems almost impossible that someone lived there for over fifty years. I . I 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. 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