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schlange - Posted - 06/02/2015: 13:40:19
Del Wood This week's featured tune "Down Yonder" was first published in 1921. Written with words and music by L. Wolfe Gilbert, it became a #1 hit for Ernest Hare and Billy Jones who recorded it that same year.
The song gained a lot of popularity 30 years later when Polly Adelaide Hendricks Hazelwood (known as Del Wood) recorded it. That version spent 25 weeks on the Billboard charts, rising to #4. That same year, after Del's recording, 6 other versions charted from different artists.
The lyrics seem to have been lost over the years (at least I couldn't find them)--I've always heard this as an instrumental anyway, usually in the key of G. Judging by the number of versions available on YouTube from various bluegrass bands, this is a very popular tune.
What about you? Do you play it? Let's hear it!
Learn the Tune:
- We have a lesson video from Casey Henry teaching her arrangement of this tune. Only $6 thru 6/9! Get it here >
- Backing Tracks: I've including backing tracks at various speeds with the banjo removed from the mix.
- Tabs: several versions in the tab archive
Share!
I (and others) would love to hear (and see!) you play your version of this tune--post it in a reply below!
Texasbanjo - Posted - 06/02/2015: 15:29:44
Great song, love to pick it! Hope everyone enjoys it as much as I do.
hendrid - Posted - 06/03/2015: 04:15:09
A popular tune Eric. Some lyrics ibiblio.org/fiddlers/DOW_DOY.htm
Railroad train, railroad train, hurry some more,
Put a little steam on just like never before;
Hustle on, bustle on, I’ve got the blues,
Yearning for my Swanee shore,
Brother if you only knew
You’d want to hurry up too.
***
Summer night, fields of white, bright cotton moon,
My, but I feel glad, I’m gonna’ see you all soon.
‘Lasses’ cakes, mammy bakes, I taste them now.
I can hear the darkies croon,
I’ll see my sweetie once more,
There’s lots of kissing in store.
***
Chorus:
Down yonder someone beckons to me,
I seem to see a race in memory,
Between the Natchez and the Robert E. Lee,
Swanee shore I miss you more and more
Ev’ry day, my mammy land, you’re simply grand.
Down yonder when the folks get the news,
Don’t wonder at the hullabaloos.
There’s daddy and mammy, there’s Ephraim and Sammy,
Waitin’ down yonder for me.
Doconc - Posted - 06/03/2015: 07:51:25
There's a really nice tab to this by Tom Adams in this months Banjo Newsletter. Great timing!
Rbuhrman - Posted - 06/03/2015: 12:48:02
great song! I think I have Doc Watson's version of it on CD....I used to hear my mother humming this one....she played piano...I wonder if she had heard a recording of Del Woods playing it....great to learn that it's included in Banjo Newsletter by Tom Adams......did you guys coordinate this?
RJWMitchell - Posted - 06/03/2015: 15:48:58
Railroad train, railroad train, hurry some more
Put a little steam on just like never before
Hustle on, bustle on, I've got the blues
Yearning for my Swanee shore, brother if you only knew
You'd want to hurry up too
Down yonder someone beckons to me
Down yonder somone reckons on me
I seem to see a race in memory
Between the Natchez and the Robert E. Lee
Swanee shore, I miss you more and more
Every day, my mammy land, you're simply grand
Down yonder when the folks get the news
Don't wonder at the hullabaloos
There's daddy and mammy, there's Ephraim and Sammy
Waiting down yonder for me
Summer night, fields of white, bright cotton moon
My, but I feel glad, I'm gonna see you all soon
'Lasses cakes, mammy bakes, I taste them now
I can hear the darkies croon
I'll see my sweetie once more
There's lots of kissing in store
Down yonder someone beckons to me
Down yonder somone reckons on me
I seem to see a race in memory
Between the Natchez and the Robert E. Lee
Swanee shore, I miss you more and more
Every day, my mammy land, you're simply grand
Down yonder when the folks get the news
Don't wonder at the hullabaloos
There's daddy and mammy, there's Ephraim and Sammy
Waiting down yonder for me
Texasbanjo - Posted - 06/04/2015: 05:22:09
If anyone has their copy of this month's Banjo Newsletter, there's a tab of Down Yonder in it. It's amazing sometimes when things like that happen. Good tab, check it out.
Beardog - Posted - 06/05/2015: 10:53:38
Great one. I used to play it on the piano, so I need to arrange it for my banjo. Thanks for posting this tune!
Edited by - Beardog on 06/05/2015 10:53:55
NYCJazz - Posted - 06/05/2015: 21:10:13
Written by the same composer as "Waitin' for the Robert E. Lee"
Tom Hanway - Posted - 06/09/2015: 17:51:29
Great stuff!
