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Country Blues

from Heading For Home by Peggy Seeger

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COUNTRY BLUES

traditional USA

Peggy's version is based on that sung by Moran Lee "Dock" Boggs (Virginia). Boggs had learned it as "Hustling Gamblers" ca. 1914-18 from Homer Crawford, a traveling photographer, fiddler, banjo picker, and singer. The song is part of a family that includes "Darling Corey" and "Little Maggie."

Dock Boggs first recorded the re-named "Country Blues" in 1927 for Brunswick Records (Brunswick 131). This recording was re-released in 1952 on Folkways FA 2953 Anthology of American Folk Music, Volume 3: Songs (itself reissued on SFW 40090 in 1997), in 1983 on RBF 654 His Twelve Original Recordings, and in 1998 on Revenant RVN 205 Country Blues: Complete Early Recordings (1927-29). Transcriptions appear in Sing Out!, vol. 14, no. 3, July 1964; Reprints from Sing Out! vol. 12 (1973); and Anthology of American Folk Music edited by Josh Dunson, and Ethel Raim (New York, Oak Publications, 1973).

Boggs recorded the song again for Mike Seeger in 1963. This rendition was released on Folkways FA 2351 Dock Boggs (1964), Verve Folkways FV 9025 The Legendary Dock Boggs (1966), and Smithsonian Folkways SFW 40108 Dock Boggs: Complete Early Recordings (1927-29). (Joe Hickerson, August 2003).

Peggy comments: Most of the songs of this genre, like Dock Boggs' version. have a male anti-hero. As I have a precedent in Hally Wood's version of "The Streets of Laredo", in which the main character is not a dying cowboy but a dying whore, I have engineered a sex change in "Country Blues" and altered nomenclature and small details accordingly. Both genders can have country blues.

5-string BANJO TUNING: sung in the key of F-minor; tuning: high A, low F, low C, Eb, F

lyrics

Now come all you good kind people
While I've got money to spend;
Tomorrow may be Monday
And I'll neither have a dollar nor a friend.

Now when I had plenty of money, good people,
My friends were all standing around;
But as soon as my pocketbook is empty
Not a friend on earth could be found.

My papa told me a plenty, kind people,
My momma told me more.
Said 'Honey, if you don't quit your rambling ways
Find trouble at your door.'

O, if I had-a listened to my momma, good people,
I would not have been here today;
But drinking and a-ramblin' and gamblin'
At home I could not stay.

All around this old jailhouse you see me, good people,
Forty dollar won't pay my fine;
Those men have ruined my body
Corn liquor has ruined my mind.

Dig a hole, dig a hole in the meadow, kind people,
Dig it deep in the cold, cold ground.
Come gather around all you kind friends
And see your poor Honey go down.

And when I'm dead and buried
My pale face turned to the sun.
Will you stand around and mourn, little lover,
And think on the harm you have done?

credits

from Heading For Home, released October 7, 2003

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Peggy Seeger Oxford, UK

Peggy is one of the most influential folk singers on either side of the Atlantic. She is Pete Seeger’s half-sister and Ruth Crawford Seeger’s daughter; her first life partner was the English songwriter Ewan MacColl, who wrote First Time Ever I Saw Your Face for her. She has made more than 22 solo recordings to date. Please check ewanmaccoll.bandcamp.com for other albums featuring Peggy. ... more

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