Evening star., 1953-08-02

tronclad "Merrimac," and it's
fun to hear a noted judge let
loose this way. There's some
other interesting Civil War
fare. too, along with a quaint
post Revolutionary grade
school song called "Washing-
ton the Great" sung by Mrs.
Minta Morgan. one of the few
women heard on these records.
The real champion of this
disc, though, is a fabulous
North Carolinian named Bas-
com Lamar LunSford, who
sings a quartet Of ballads
about the aSSasSinations of
Presidents. I had the good
fortune to interview Mr.. Luns-
ford when he was recording
these songs in a marathon
Seven-day visit here in l949,
when he did several hundred.
He plays his own accompani-
menr on a banjo sometimes,
and he is one of the most pic
turesque Americans I have
ever met. Mr.. Garfield" one
Of the pieces, is a remarkable
narrative which is partly con.
versational. Mr.. Lunsfords
spoken question. How are
you feeling Mr.. Garfleld?" and
the casual answer (Which is
sung), "Oh. I'm shot down
very low down low. Oh, I'm
shot down very low" is some
thing to hear. A song called
Charles Giteau," about Gar
fields slayer, and one titled
"Zolgotz," about the murderer
of Mckinley, are also interest,"
ing. There is also one called
Booth Killed Lincoln" and
Mr.. LunSford encoreS this with
a different version just for
fiddle, at which he's also ex-
pert. How he keeps up the
pace I'll never imagine.
Some crackerjack cowboy
material is on another disc.
The songs include THE Dy-
ing Cowboy" with its familiar
20 bury me not on the lone
prairie" and "Good-by Old
Paint" the original, appar-
emily, of a farewell immortal
lied in many a celluloid west
ern. There are also a rather
melancholy piece called "The
Buffalo SINNERS" and a
Maine lumberjack song on
which it was based, the latter
sung by a well-known local
personality named Pick Tenn
pie. Most interesting Of all,
though, are a slew OF Wild
west cattle calls which are
thrown in between some OF the
songs. They take you right
out on the range.
Westward Ho
The pioneer trek westward
is immortalized in another set
of selections. Half OF these are
songs of the Mormons. and
listening to the hardshipS
here recounted one marvels at
their courage and determine
ton. Joseph H. Watkins OF
Brigham City, Utah, sang
some of these when he was
IS, and he still had a fine.
firm voice. The do-or-die
challenge facing the pioneer is
even more vividly conveyed by
the frontier songs on the back.
MY name is Frank Taylor. a
bachelor 1 am, I'm keeping old
batch on an elegant plan.
You'll find me out West in
the county of Lane, A-starv-
ing to death on a Govern
ment claim" starts one
morosely, and it winds up with
Pioneer Taylor going back
east. Sam Bass tells how
a wild-west outlaw was be-
trayed, and concludes with this
baleful prediction for the be-
trayer: "Oh, what a scorching
Jim will get when Gabriel
blows his horn!" Clusters
Last Charge" is recounted in
blunt fashion. with plenty Of
gore. And there's one that
points a moral Of course
Now come, young fellers, and
take my advice, Don't go
shooting poker. or go playing
any dice, For If you do you'll
get too much of rye. and you
land in the calaboose to Root
hog or die"
Songs Of the SEQ
Finally there are two discs
devoted to the rich fare Of
Americas sailing days. Dun
can Enrich, director of the
folk song archives, who has SO
discerningly annotated all the
discs, points out that the men
who sang these songs on the
seas are rapidly disappearing
so that these are probably the
most precious recordings Of
all. BLOW the Man Down."
Whisky Johnny" THE Drum
ken Sailor" and lots Of others
are here. stepped in brine and
rolling with the swells. and
some Of them with four voices
joined in the refrain to suggest
the presence of a full crewl
It's rousing stuff. And there
are moments Of salty humor,
too, as in these lines of "A
rowing: This last six months
I've been to sea, and. boys. this
gal looked good to me-" There's
a threat in this song not to
rove any more. but you don't