oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 06/10/2011:  12:46:35

I'll Rise When The Rooster Crows is yet another example of that evergreen song genre - "I wanna go back to Dixie". People were always leaving the south - there was no way to make any money in the agrarian south. A poor man couldn't pull himself up out of poverty without land before the northern mills started moving south. Moving south was a logical migration for Mill owners looking to pay low wages and work their people long hours but race relations and the still smoldering resentment from the Civil War tended to keep the mills in New England.

During World War One, In fact well before the United States joined into that war, those Northern Mills were swamped with orders for uniforms, just as the Philadelphia Munitions Factories were buried in orders for 75mm rounds. It was good economic times in America and a whole lot of young (and not so young) landless men from the south made the trip north to join the industrial boom.

Eventually The US was in the war and eventually the war was over. Young northern men began to come home and they wanted their jobs back. Times turned hard for the southern migrants, many of whom had even brought their families to the north during the "good" times. As the US drifted into a recession in 1919 the songs about that fabled "Sweet Sunny South"  multiplied rapidly. I'll Rise When The Rooster Crows was one of those songs.

So far as I know there were only two recordings of this song made in the 78 era. The first was by Uncle Dave Macon "The Dixie Dewdrop". I figure that all the following versions were based either upon his recording or a since lost recording that Macon also used as a pattern. Most of his verses seem to follow the usual yearning for the "lethargic" lifestyle in the south - Rising when the rooster crows was seen as extra time in bed to men who rose to an alarm clock before dawn, to work a 12 to 14 hour shift at the mill.

Many of these men did indeed return to the south, but while they had been gone, the northern mills had also begun moving south. The textile industry went south with them, bringing brown lung, smoke and a new king of urban poverty with it. It is no wonder that Uncle Dave has a verse about "Golden Slippers" in his version.

Uncle Dave Macon

youtube.com/watch?v=pRoYEZKmUo...e=related

Binkley Brothers

youtube.com/watch?v=QIn5SdZgW6I

This is the only other 78 rpm version of the tune I could find

Doc Watson performing “Rise” live

youtube.com/watch?v=rl623w2Go0s

Watson also goes into the history of the song, but I can't understand much he says in this coffeehouse appearance.

Perhaps you can do better.

The “Whippersnappers with a good reproduction of UDM's banjo style

youtube.com/watch?v=67OCr0ZdBRM

I included this version because of the banjo solo which should give you 3 finger boys an idea of how UD Macon's banjo solos worked

Art Rosenbaum

Art Of The Mountain Banjo – Mel Bay publications

This Book is still in print and available new or used in many places, including Amazon. It is practically a catalog of banjo styles and no banjo player should be without it.

I included this version because the banjo player does a pretty good version of Macon's three finger introduction to the tune

Art Rosenbaum

Art Of The Mountain Banjo – Mel Bay publications

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 06/10/2011:  13:06:26

quote:

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Originally posted by oldwoodchuckb

Many of these men did indeed return to the south, but while they had been gone, the northern mills had also begun moving south. The textile industry went south with them, bringing brown lung, smoke and a new king of urban poverty with it. It is no wonder that Uncle Dave has a verse about "Golden Slippers" in his version.

 

That should be "new kind of urban poverty."

 

 

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vrteach - Posted - 06/10/2011:  13:07:00

Cool, fun song. I used to play/sing this often, but never if anyone else was around. I learned it from the Art Rosenbaum version, on the Kicking Mule records edition.

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 06/10/2011:  13:08:57

Still avalable,

I should have pointed our that both of Art's Kicking Mule Records are included in the CD with the book - it is one heck ofa bargain.

derwood400 - Posted - 06/10/2011:  17:32:02

Yeah, Tony!  I love this song.  I gotta say I watched that Whippersnappers video, and that was pure genius.  That guy has the whole Uncle Dave routine right down.  Man, I wish I could play like that. 

majikgator - Posted - 06/11/2011:  11:15:41

Great song, nice to get a TOTW with cool lyrics and a lot of good finger picking as well, this is the first time i ever remember hearing this song, but then again i haven't got much of a memory since i have the Art Rosenbaum book. Anyhow thanks for bringing it to my attention.  .

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 06/11/2011:  15:22:10

derwood

I have to admit that it was running across the whippersnappers youtube that decided me on the tune. I was juggling about 3 tunes that I reaally never have gotten into and listening to versions of them. That stood out as a real "AH HA!" video for anyone looking to reproduce Uncle Dave's style.

majikgator - Posted - 06/11/2011:  15:32:15

Yeah that Whippersnappers was my favorite other than Uncle DM's, once i went back and listened to Art Rosenbaum's i can kind of see why i forgot it, his vocal which i normally like kind of threw me off and i didn't pay attention to what was good banjo, i also wasn't crazy about the timbre of his banjo on that one. Let a little treasure slip by me until now due to little stuff.

Jeremiah - Posted - 06/22/2011:  05:28:11

Doc says in that video:

I'll start it off with a kind of a song about an ole boy that goes up north.  You all know what this meant by the Industrial Revolution when they started putting up all the factories and making cars, and all that kind of thing, and new fangled sewing machines and all that stuff.  This ole boy went up there and got him a job and he was alright until he got enough money ahead til he thought he could build that nice cabin for that little sweet woman that was back home and he was going to get married when he got back and all that good stuff.  And when he got into his song he wrote about it, he wrote about a lot of other things to go with it, but he winds up talking about what he's going to do at the very end.  And the last verse of this, I'll dedicate to all the single fellas that's out there in the audience. It's called "I'll Rise When the Rooster Crows."

I'll get up in the morning, shine up my shoes

Go down to the station and lose my blues

I'm gonna get me a ticket on the southbound train

I'm a going home again

I'll rise when the rooster crows

In the morning when the rooster crows

I'm a going back South where the sun shines hot

Oh, down where the sugar cane grows

No louder now, that's loud enough for the guitar right there

They say when Gabriel blows his horn

Man you can't pull back, Lord, you're gonna go on

So you better get ready for the Judgment Day

Cause you can’t take money and buy your way

Gonna rise when the rooster crows

In the morning when the rooster crows

I'm a going back South where the sun shines hot

Oh, down where the sugar cane grows

Gallagher, you’re doing pretty good tonight

If the golden slippers that we hear so much about

Was wore down here, they’d soon wear out

When we get up there, we can try on the robes

And try on the golden shoes

I’ll take my honey right down to the ball

We’ll drink good cider all the fall

Where the ducks chew tobacco and the geese drink wine

The old hen cackles while the rooster gives the time

I'll rise when the rooster crows

In the morning when the rooster crows

I'm a going back South where the sun shines hot

Oh, down where the sugar cane grows

Now you fellas listen to this last verse

Well, what would you do if the girls was all dead?

I’d sit in the corner with a hung down head

And if I marry at all, it won’t be for riches

I’ll get me a fat gal that can’t wear my britches

I'll rise when the rooster crows

In the morning when the rooster crows

I'm a going back South where the sun shines hot

Oh, down where the sugar cane grows

Edited by - Jeremiah on 06/22/2011 05:32:03

Banjowik - Posted - 06/22/2011:  06:04:33

Any tab for this or a chord progression at least great song would be good to play thanks in advance

carlb - Posted - 06/22/2011:  08:31:16

quote:

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Originally posted by Banjowik



Any tab for this or a chord progression at least great song would be good to play thanks in advance

---

 I'm afraid that my answer to this has to do with my response to the topic:

banjohangout.org/topic/209255/#2653708 

Listen to the recordings and figure out your own setting. If you've never done it before, it'll be quite an education.

ZEPP - Posted - 06/22/2011:  16:47:46

OK, this is a song I've known forever, but I don't think I've ever played it.  But listening brought it all to mind.

Thanks for the ear worm! 

Cheers,

ZEPP

TOTW - Posted - 06/22/2011:  21:12:49

Robin Williamson & Clive Palmer - youtube.com/watch?v=x-QXYJuYq8Y

Rick Lee - youtube.com/watch?v=g7IkyZYzGtI

Norman and Nancy Blake - youtube.com/watch?v=PQMDPcaJMIY

Bill Keith & Russ Barenberg - youtube.com/watch?v=ynwhy1w4Lgs

Jay & Lyn - youtube.com/watch?v=BEmlH-4iE-c

J.E. Mainer & His Mountaineers -youtube.com/watch?v=obenWRTjOec

Art Rosenbuam - youtube.com/watch?v=cPW6c2Jj_uU

mojo_monk - Posted - 06/23/2011:  05:15:45

quote:

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Originally posted by TOTW

Robin Williamson & Clive Palmer - youtube.com/watch?v=x-QXYJuYq8Y

Rick Lee - youtube.com/watch?v=g7IkyZYzGtI

Norman and Nancy Blake - youtube.com/watch?v=PQMDPcaJMIY

Bill Keith & Russ Barenberg - youtube.com/watch?v=ynwhy1w4Lgs

Jay & Lyn - youtube.com/watch?v=BEmlH-4iE-c

J.E. Mainer & His Mountaineers -youtube.com/watch?v=obenWRTjOec

Art Rosenbuam - youtube.com/watch?v=cPW6c2Jj_uU

---

Who was that masked man (or woman)???!

Thanks for the great links. I particularly like the J.E. Mainer & Co. recording. Good way to start the day.

-Sean

gailg64 - Posted - 06/23/2011:  09:20:11

I love that Mainer version too. Banjo content: I'm pretty sure that's not Wade playing the banjo, possibly J.

E.'s son in law who also had a pretty

old-tme

sound.

Gail

quote:

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Originally posted by mojo_monk

quote:

---

Originally posted by TOTW

Robin Williamson & Clive Palmer - youtube.com/watch?v=x-QXYJuYq8Y

Rick Lee - youtube.com/watch?v=g7IkyZYzGtI

Norman and Nancy Blake - youtube.com/watch?v=PQMDPcaJMIY

Bill Keith & Russ Barenberg - youtube.com/watch?v=ynwhy1w4Lgs

Jay & Lyn - youtube.com/watch?v=BEmlH-4iE-c

J.E. Mainer & His Mountaineers -youtube.com/watch?v=obenWRTjOec

Art Rosenbuam - youtube.com/watch?v=cPW6c2Jj_uU

---

Who was that masked man (or woman)???!

Thanks for the great links. I particularly like the J.E. Mainer & Co. recording. Good way to start the day.

 

-Sean

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banjo_brad - Posted - 06/23/2011:  09:21:59

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banjowik



Any tab for this or a chord progression at least great song would be good to play thanks in advance

---

It's in the Rosenbaum book, "Art of the Mountain Banjo," referenced in the OP.

kevinwholmes - Posted - 07/01/2011:  04:25:45

Bill Mansfield from a 1988 interview at Mt. Airy.

gailg64 - Posted - 07/01/2011:  11:52:56

Great stuff! Bill is a very fine all-around banjo player. In addition to his wonderful clawhammer, has been fingerpicking for quite some time. I remember hearing him play tunes in the Oscar Jenkins or Dave Macon style at parties when I moved to central NC 26 years ago.

G

quote:

Originally posted by kevinwholmes

Bill Mansfield from a 1988 interview at Mt. Airy.

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majikgator - Posted - 07/02/2011:  08:59:01

"I should have pointed our that both of Art's Kicking Mule Records are included in the CD with the book - it is one heck ofa bargain."

OWC refering to Art Rosenbaum's Art of the Mountain Banjo, it's worth pointing out a third time.

Loved the non banjo Norman and Nancy recording, Norman Blake besides being one of the best instrumentalists on the planet is also one of my favorite singers.

once again congrats on your selection.

robotandroid74 - Posted - 07/02/2011:  09:21:10

Love this tune!  I learned it from jamming with these guys:

youtube.com/watch?v=hBG6khgzuk...E0BB695E4

Sound quality isn't so great, but who cares.

Edited by - robotandroid74 on 07/02/2011 09:23:24

gailg64 - Posted - 07/02/2011:  11:42:54

Nice--sure enjoyed this version with my old pals Buz, Buddy, Faith, & Edwin!

quote:

---

Originally posted by phototropic1

Love this tune!  I learned it from jamming with these guys:

youtube.com/watch?v=hBG6khgzuk...E0BB695E4

Sound quality isn't so great, but who cares.

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Dock Jekel - Posted - 07/02/2011:  17:12:21

Interesting tune, especially the lyrics. Thought about including it in my repetoire for years, but have'nt yet. Rosenbaum sure has done a lot to keep this tune alive....Dock

Dock Jekel - Posted - 07/02/2011:  17:15:16

Speaking of the genre, about longing to return to the south, my favorite tune by far was sung by Dock Boggs himself,... youtube.com/watch?v=jr4xhVkrZEE  "Down South Blues"....  Dock

Edited by - Dock Jekel on 07/02/2011 17:22:01