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Screensize: 640 x 480 800 x 600 1024 x 768 1280 x 1024 UserName: Password: Format Mode: Basic  Help  Prompt  Format: Font Andale Mono Arial Arial Black Book Antiqua Century Gothic Comic Sans MS Courier New Georgia Impact Lucida Console Script MT Bold Stencil Tahoma Times New Roman Trebuchet MS Verdana   Size 1 2 3 4 5 6   Color Black Red Yellow Pink Green Orange Purple Blue Beige Brown Teal Navy Maroon LimeGreen Message: * HTML is OFF * Forum Code is ON Smilies [quote][i]Originally posted by fbforever[/i] [br]Long but interesting post I've got. It seems like All Around the World is similar in history to Man of Constant Sorrow which at least 20 artists have covered from Dylan to Rod Stewart. I emailed a reporter who wrote in her Newport concert review: ''Been All Around the World," a galumphing tune about shooting up. I told her I thought it was about a guy on death row and she replied: hi john, i believe you're right about the tune being done during the honeycomb sessions. black told me after the newport set that it's an old folk tune, a traditional so old the composer isn't even known, and the one new (old) song the band learned for newport. Got the following from http://www3.clearlight.com/~acsa/introjs.htm?/~acsa/songfile/I2VEBEEN.HTM History The origins of this song are uncertain, and I'm not sure where Jerry learnt it from. I am grateful for Matt Schofield's help in putting this history together. It includes a version titled Dixon and Johnson, and versions by Justus Begley, Dave Van Ronk and Joe Val. The 'Hang Me' verse is thought to derive from "My Father Was A Gambler", a US ballad, which is thought to be about a murderer who was hanged in 1870. The chorus given in Ozark Folksongs from a 1929 field recording is: Hang me, oh hang me, an' I'll be dead an' gone Hang me, oh hang me, an' I'll be dead an' gone I wouldn't mind the hangin', but to lay in my grave so long To lay in my grave so long One possible source for the song is `Dixon and Johnson' which seems to have been a later introduction into the States from UK - collected in 1890s in UK but only later in the US, sometimes as The Three Butchers - again from Ozark Folksongs a field recording from 1941 (the tune given is fairly similar to that we know for I've been All Around This World): Dixon and Johnson went riding out one day Dixon and Johnson went riding out one day They rode up on a mountain ten thousand miles away Oh Lord, I've been all around this world They rode up on a woman, as cold as cold or more They rode up on a woman, as cold as cold or more He wrapped her in his coat and set up behind him Oh Lord, I've been all around this world and another 6 or so verses. The 'story' doesn't match "I've Been All Around The World" though. George Milburn's The Hobo's Handbook 1930 reportedly has a song called I've Been All Around This World - but copies of that are rare (and expensive!). There's a song called The Horse Trader's Song in which each stanza ends: I've been around the world But there's no real similarity in any other way. The oldest version that seems to have quite a bit in common with the one sung by Garcia is that sung by Justus Begley, vocal/banjo, Hazard, KY, for the Archive of Folk Song, Library of Congress, 17 Oct 1937: I started out from Memphis with two dollars and a dime I started out from Memphis, boys, with two dollars and a dime But I landed in old Hazard, boys, I did not have a shine Lord, I've been all around this world I went to work on the railroad, boys, the mud up to my knees I went to work on the railroad, boys, the mud up to my knees The boss come round to boss me, boys, I done just as I pleased God knows, I been all round this world I went up to the Midway Inn with money to shoot some dice I went up to the Midway Inn with money to shoot some dice They took from me my money, boys, I begged them for my life God knows, I've been all around this world The new railroad is finished, boys, the cars are on the track The new railroad is finished, boys, the cars are on the track My doney girl has left me, boys, I know that she won't come back God knows, I've been all around this world I went to the Blue Ridge Mountains and there'll I'll take my stand I went to the Blue Ridge Mountains, boys, and there I'll take my stand With a rifle on my shoulder, boys, and a six-shooter in my hands God knows, I've been all around this world The officers came and arrested me and they take me down to jail The officers came and arrested me and they take me down to jail They said to me, old fellow, now you know you're allowed no bail God knows, I've been all around this world They take me to the court house, boys, and there I had a crowd They take me to the court house, boys, and there I had a crowd The sentence was to hang me and leave my wife and child God knows, I've been all around this world The sentence was to hang me, well I don't care if you do The sentence was to hang me, well I don't care if you do But look out boys, when you hang me, it's liable to injure you God knows, I've been all around this world Father and mother, boys, and little sister make three Father and mother, boys, and little sister make three Came weeping to the gallows, boys, and see the last of me God knows, I've been all around this world You all can sing this song, boys, when I am dead and gone You all can sing this song, boys, when I am dead and gone Just think about old Justus, boys, they sung it 'fore he was gone God knows, but he went all around this world Dave Van Ronk sings a version called "Hang Me, Oh Hang Me": Chorus Hang me, oh hang me, I'll be dead and gone Hang me, oh hang me, I'll be dead and gone Wouldn't mind mind the hanging, but the laying in the grave's so long Poor boy, I've been all around this world I've been all around Cape Giradeau, parts of Arkansas All around Cape Girardeau, parts of Arkansas Got so goddam hungry, I could hide behing a straw Poor boy, I've been all around this world Went up on the mountain, there I made my stand Went up on the mountain, there I made my stand Rifle on my shoulder, and a dagger in my hand Poor boy, I've been all around this world [chorus] Put the rope around my neck, hung me up so high Put the rope around my neck, hung me up so high Last words I heard him say, won't be long now before you die Poor boy, I've been all around this world [chorus] Joe Val sang a version that was much closer to Garcia's: Up on the Blue Ridge mountains, oh there I'll take my stand Up on the Blue Ridge mountains, oh there I'll take my stand With a rifle on my shoulder, six shooter in my hand Lord knows, I've been all around this world Oh Lulu, my Lulu come and open the door Oh Lulu, my Lulu come and open the door Before I have to open it with my old forty-four Lord knows, I've been all around this world She took me to her parlor and cooled me with her fan She took me to her parlor and cooled me with her fan She whispered low and and [her mamie's heard?], just a luckless travelling man Lord knows, I've been all around this world Hang me oh hang me, so I'll be dead and gone Hang me oh hang me, so I'll be dead and gone I wouldn't mind your hanging boys, but your staying in jail so long Lord knows, I've been all around this world Now papa and mama and little sister makes three Now papa and mama and little sister makes three They'll walk me down to the gallows boys, that's the last you'll see of me Lord knows I've been all around this world Grandpa Jones recorded a version in around 1943-44 for the King label, with almost identical lyrics to those Garcia sang. This may be the earliest commercial recording (and Joe Val credits the song to Grandpa Jones). [Thanks to Jim Nelson for this information]. Another twist on the origins of this song is the liner notes for Drew Reid's album "The American War": "I Been All Around This World (Traditional) - This is part of a fine body of old tunes written along the same theme. I hadn't heard this song for years until I attended a Pat McCune concert, and thanks to Pat for doing some research on it for me. This one is a partisan song of Kentucky. Sometimes the actions of the "unofficial" troops outdid the Regulars in savagery and intensity." Been all around this world Artist/Band: Garcia Jerry I started out from Memphis with two dollars and a dime, I started out from Memphis, boys, with two dollars and a dime, But I landed in old Hazard, boys, I did not have a shine -- Lord, I've been all around this world. I went to work on the railroad, boys, the mud up to my knees, I went to work on the railroad, boys, the mud up to my knees. The boss come round to boss me, boys, I done just as I pleased -- God knows, I been all round this world. I went up to the Midway Inn with money to shoot some dice, I went up to the Midway Inn with money to shoot some dice. They took from me my money, boys, I begged them for my life -- God knows, I've been all around this world. The new railroad is finished, boys, the cars are on the track, The new railroad is finished, boys, the cars are on the track. My doney girl has left me, boys, I know that she won't come back -- God knows, I've been all around this world. I went to the Blue Ridge Mountains and there'll I'll take my stand, I went to the Blue Ridge Mountains, boys, and there I'll take my stand, With a rifle on my shoulder, boys, and a six-shooter in my hands -- God knows, I've been all around this world. The officers came and arrested me and they take me down to jail, The officers came and arrested me and they take me down to jail. They said to me, "Old fellow, now you know you're allowed no bail." -- God knows, I've been all around this world. They take me to the court house, boys, and there I had a crowd, They take me to the court house, boys, and there I had a crowd. The sentence was to hang me and leave my wife and child -- God knows, I've been all around this world. The sentence was to hang me, well I don't care if you do, The sentence was to hang me, well I don't care if you do. But look out boys, when you hang me, it's liable to injure you -- God knows, I've been all around this world. Father and mother, boys, and little sister make three, Father and mother, boys, and little sister make three, Came weeping to the gallows, boys, and see the last of me -- God knows, I've been all around this world. You all can sing this song, boys, when I am dead and gone, You all can sing this song, boys, when I am dead and gone. Just think about old Justus, boys, they sung it 'fore he was gone -- God knows, but he went all around this world. Up on the Blue Ridge mountain, there I'll take my stand Up on the Blue Ridge mountain, there I'll take my stand A rifle on my shoulder, six-shooter in my hand Lord, Lord, I've been all around this world Lulu, my Lulu, come and open the door Lulu, my Lulu, come and open the door Before I have to walk on in with my old forty-four Lord, I've been all around this world Mama and papa, little sister makes three Mama and papa, little sister makes three They're coming in the morning, that's the last you'll see of me Lord, lord, I've been all around this world Hang me, oh hang me, so I'll be dead and gone Hang me, oh hang me, so I'll be dead and gone I wouldn't mind your hanging boys, but you wait in jail so long Lord, I've been all around this world Up on the Blue Ridge mountain, there I'll take my stand Up on the Blue Ridge mountain, there I'll take my stand A rifle on my shoulder, six-shooter in my hand Lord, Lord, I've been all around this world [/quote]   Check here to include your profile signature.