RG - Posted - 02/25/2022:  20:05:05

I apologize for the lateness of this posting, had a last minute job with a deadline and just now got around to recording it on the iphone.

I've played this song a long time, always has been one of my favorites, and fiddler  J.E. Mainer and his banjo playing brother Wade some of my favorite old-time musicians. Bridging the gap between old-time and bluegrass, with Zeke Morris on guitar, they created some of the best string band music ever recorded.

"Run Mountain" was first recorded by the Mainers in 1949, and Wayne Erbsen wrote a great breakdown of the tune for Native Ground a couple years back, so it would be a lot better to read his article than read mine. "Run Mountain" is a simple "G" tune, but odd in that it starts in "A".  It's a one finger tune that Wade played in his revolutionary index lead style, but I play it in 2 finger thumb lead here. Standard "G" tuning, tuned a little low.

A great video of Wade describing his playing style to David Holt here, where he plays little bit of "Run Mountain" at the end. Wade sings two verses of the song which aren't in the original, but since they're moonshiner's lyrics, i always sing them (as I have a liking for good moonshine whiskey). There is no know precedent for the song, but I think it's probably an original Mainer Brothers composition with some new and "floater" verses added. A lot of conjecture of what J.E. actually sang in the original version chorus, so make it up as you go.

Here's the original1949 recording, here's the later Arhoolie recording from 1963 with Glenn Mainer on banjo. New Lost City Ramblers recorded in in 1962 and the Carolina Chocolate Drops recorded it in 2016 with Dom on banjo (and quills!). It's a great old mountain song, simple to play and sing. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Edited by - RG on 02/25/2022 20:50:14

Run Mountain

 

carolynf - Posted - 02/26/2022:  07:56:09

Thanks! This is interesting.

ipik5 - Posted - 02/26/2022:  08:05:13

Sounds a lot like Hot corn Cold corn

carolynf - Posted - 02/26/2022:  08:29:24

Hot corn cold corn has the more traditional chord changes, and in the expected places. Also, the lyrics make more sense. :-)

Here, Having the A at the beginning of a G tune, and just hanging out there, puts a tension there that begs for release, to come back around to the tonic.

Even though they are nothing alike, it kind of reminds me of old Jimmy Sutton, playing around with the chord expectations.

Edited by - carolynf on 02/26/2022 08:30:18

JanetB - Posted - 02/26/2022:  11:35:20

Thanks, RG.  You never let us down and your own banjo playing gave me the learning inspiration to try it this morning with your 2-finger thumb-lead picking.  I'm also finally opening the book I've had quite a while, Banjo on the Mountain, Wade Mainer's First Hundred Years by Dick Spottswood with an essay by Stephen Wade.  Of course, I jumped right away to Stephen's essay, appreciating his closing quote of Wade telling Stephen that he had lived so long that the music had even changed its name, "turning from mountain to hillbilly to old-time," yet just being "true country music." 

Run Mountain (TOTW)

Run Mountain (2-finger tab)

RG - Posted - 02/26/2022:  14:24:32

Thanks all! Janet, loved that version, what banjo are you playing? Dick's book is great, you'll enjoy the read Janet...