Season 279 - Red rum (sort of)

Very happy for you and your family, Linda.

Here's my second...

 
This is my second and probably last for this season, but I'll check in anyway to see everyone's videos. I was going for a fairly subdued light, maybe I went a bit too far. Anyway, from that master of mirth here's....
 
I first heard this song on a Peter, Paul and Mary album in the 1960s. In this form it's almost certainly American (ie US) Trad. Cecil Sharpe collected a version in the Appalachians in 1916 and many think it dates back to the US Civil War era, though it's likely older and may have originated in the British Isles. Who knows? The origins of folk songs are often obscure and oral transmission makes tracking down the true origins almost impossible in some cases.

PP&M didn't include the last verse in their recording. I found it later but I like the addition as it rounds the story off - albeit sadly. Anyway here is my interpretation of The Cruel War.


I have a proper murder ballad for my third but it will need time for me to work on it.
 
Here is my video:
 
A friend of mine introduced me to Ronnie Lane's cover of this song. Both Ronnie and I have missed out an additional verse which is probably the only point of contact between the two versions.
 
I heard this song on the radio last summer, the version by the all female bluegrass group, Red Molly, (which is also the name of the woman in the song.) I knew that I had to learn it sometime! So here is my rendition of 1952 Vincent Black Lightning, written by Richard Thompson. Hope you enjoy. :)
 
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I hadn't realized this song is based on the true story of Tom Dula pronounced "Dooley". The Doc Watson version is a close account of the story. Apparently Tom Dula was in a love triangle with Laurie Foster and her cousin Anne Foster.

Tom Dula grew up and attended school with the Foster family. As the children grew up, Tom and Anne apparently became intimate. Anne's mother found Anne and Tom in bed together when Anne was 14 years old and Tom was just 12. Later Tom (18) enlisted and when he returned Anne had already married another. He started a love relationship with Laurie Foster and again with Anne. Anne and Laurie were cousins. The story has been passed down through the generations and there have been several documentary accounts of the story. One comes from the BBC documentary of the Doc Watson family https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H0QqBcOwDY. Their account is that the true murder was committed by the jealous cousin Anne and that Tom took the wrap for Anne.

The better known song version of this song comes from the Kingston Trio. I told my dad the theme and he said well you have to do Tom Dooley! The version Ive done is not the version that he was referring too. I planned to do the Kingston Trio version with a sadder tone but Ive had another song drop in my lap. I don't know what Ill chose to do for my third song now???? I may have to take a flight to the Island.

Here is my version of the Doc Watson version.


 
RAB11 said:
I know it's a three-song limit but I couldn't not do this one. The most morbidly-beautiful love song ever written. Perversely it sounds much better on my little Dolphin than on my Korala but I like the juxtaposition.

Right at the edge (some might say beyond) of my vocal range too but please enjoy.


Click to expand...


If it's number 4, it goes on the island. I'm struggling to keep up as it is...
 
I forgot to specify that this was a Season 279 video, but since I'm beating the Thornton Rule to death here, what's another rule broken?

I do mention, in my Thornton Rule excuses, the "death" angle.



P.S. I really sped up in this video. Not sure why.
 
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