vrteach - Posted - 07/08/2016:  15:05:47

For this weeks tune I submit Hell Among (or Amongst) the Yearlings. I've known of the tune for many years but never took it up until a few months ago. It is a bit of a challenge for a TOTW because there are several distinct melodies that have been called this, but I'm focusing on the one that the Traditional Tune Archive (formerly the Fiddlers Companion) lists as Hell Amongst the Yearlings[1], played in the key of G or D (I play in D).

However, even this most-common version has a number of idiosyncratic variants. Many have extra beats or measures in the A (high) part, and even there that extra bit may only show up in the first repeat of that part. Some versions are completely square. The B (or low) part also a number of different variants showing up, and the Traditional Tune Archive lists a four-part version.

Hell Among the Yearlings came to my full attention a few months ago when I was included in a group to provide music for a new play based on the writings of Edgar Lee Masters (author of Spoon River Anthology). Masters wrote several works that harken back to his childhood in Central Illinois which include references to the fiddle music as well as hymns. I covered it a bit back in 2011 for the TOTW on Rocky Road to Jordan (banjohangout.org/archive/199327) and I'll talk more about that in a future TOTW I have in mind.

But in brief, in the book The Sangamon (isbn: 0252060385) Masters includes the following information about Hell Amongst the Yearlings from John Armstrong, a fiddler living in Oakford, IL 1916.

We asked for "Turkey in the Straw" again, and John played it with spirit. Then he played "Hell Amongst the Yearlings." "This here is called 'Hell Amongst the Yearlings.' I don't ricollect what it was furst called; but they had a dance over at Ben Sutton's oncet, and while they was a-dancin' the cattle broke into his corn. So ever since they have called it 'Hell Amongst the Yearlings.'" John furnished us with evidence of the manner in which tales and sayings grow up, and by that token how myths originate and flourish.

Link to the page in Google Books, assuming I did the link right.

The Traditional Tune Archive has a great write up on the tune:

tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:H...earlings_(1)

And now to some versions of the tune.

Bob Walters (fiddle) with R.P. Christeson (reed organ)

missourifiddling.bandcamp.com/...arlings-2

Clark Kessinger

1928: honkingduck.com/mc/content/hel...arlings-0

1966: folkways.si.edu/clark-kessinge...ithsonian and youtu.be/rIK6hdw_t2w

Arthur Smith

folkways.si.edu/arthur-smith/h...ithsonian

Fiddlin Van Kidwell with the Hot Mud Family

fieldrecorder.bandcamp.com/tra...arlings-2

A somewhat different version on electric guitar from the Ross County Farmers in 1948

fieldrecorder.bandcamp.com/tra...yearlings

Charlie Walden

charliewaldenmusic.bandcamp.co...yearlings

David Margolin (fiddle) Yigal Zan (banjo), Banjo Hangout

banjohangout.org/myhangout/med...archived=

Glenn Godsey (oldtimer) Fiddle Hangout

fiddlehangout.com/myhangout/me...archived=

And then there is the version that I play. I have learned it from one of our fine local fiddlers, Sharon Graf. I include a banjo version, and one from a practice session we had in which I was still pretty fumble-fingered. Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to put up a slowish video and a more recent version of Sharon.

Edit: added a video

Edited by - vrteach on 07/09/2016 10:03:37

Hell Among the Yearlings

Hell Among the Yearlings (practice version)

VIDEO: Hell Among the Yearlings (click to view)

Tamarack - Posted - 07/08/2016:  17:46:27

Great tune with some fascinating twists and tunes in the melody. Good writeup on the origins of the title as well. Rampaging cattle surely deserve to be commemorated in a fine tune.

LyleK - Posted - 07/08/2016:  18:00:24

Great write-up and tune.  My all time fav version is Ralph Blizard with Gordy Hinners on fretless:

youtube.com/watch?v=GVd3xI-d1JI and pick #19 from the menu, or:

youtube.com/watch?v=WSCPeP32Mzo

JanetB - Posted - 07/13/2016:  00:14:10

That's great picking,  Erich.  Adam had me working on the Texas fiddler Benny Thomasson's version of this tune a couple of months ago and it was similar to the Tennessee fiddler Arthur Smith one I had on my computer (till it crashed last week  ).  I haven't looked up the book The Sangamon yet, but it sounds to be interesting.  When you wrote that the title refers to cattle, I remembered trying to rope steers when my kids did team roping.  They're feisty, just like kids. 

The tune has sure moved through many states -- Illinois, Tennessee, Texas, and according to the Traditional Tune archive, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama Georgia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Missouri and Nebraska.  

Hell Among the Yearlings (TOTW)

vrteach - Posted - 07/13/2016:  13:48:11

Truly lovely, Janet.

We were playing last night, and I asked Sharon where she got her version (the one I play). She said she learned it in her first years on the fiddle, I think she started at age 12, from her first teacher in Wyoming. At that point she didn't read music, so she learned it by ear but has modified it a bit over the years of playing with some of the Central Missouri folks as well as attending the contest in Weiser, ID.

carlb - Posted - 07/14/2016:  05:01:31

A couple of other recordings:

Trouble Among the Yearlings - Ernie Carpenter

slippery-hill.com/recording/tr...yearlings

Trouble Amongst the Cattle - Melvin Wine

Sorry it's not on the internet but can be found in the DVD-CD=ROM set "One More Time", The Life and Music of Melvin Wine which can be found in the Augusta Heritage store.

augustaheritagecenter.org/store/

 

Yigal Zan - Posted - 07/14/2016:  14:14:54

There is also a Henry Reed's version - loc.gov/item/afcreed000242/ - a performance of it is track 16 on the Henry Reed Reunion CD. 

 

Edited by - Yigal Zan on 07/14/2016 14:22:33

Yigal Zan - Posted - 07/15/2016:  07:55:19

quote:

---

Originally posted by carlb



 

A couple of other recordings:

Trouble Among the Yearlings - Ernie Carpenter

slippery-hill.com/recording/tr...yearlings

Trouble Amongst the Cattle - Melvin Wine

Sorry it's not on the internet but can be found in the DVD-CD=ROM set "One More Time", The Life and Music of Melvin Wine which can be found in the Augusta Heritage store.

augustaheritagecenter.org/store/

 

---

To get to the Ernie Carpenter's rendition, from Windows XP, use direct.slippery-hill.com/recor...yearlings

 

Don Borchelt - Posted - 07/15/2016:  10:25:27

I learned this tune five years ago, mostly from the David Margolin/Yigal Zan BHO MP3 recording linked to in the OP.  I know because my "new tune" folder includes "hell among the yearlings-zan.mp3," and "hell among the yearlings-zan slow.mp3."  Now I don't actually remember exactly, seeing as how I'm now and old fart and can't remember s**t, but when I save a slowed down version of a tune recording, it means I was pretty serious.  They probably can't remember the tune now, because they're five years older too, but they were great back then!

Edited by - Don Borchelt on 07/15/2016 10:28:05