Rye Whiskey

[nodehopper]

Rye Whiskey. This song is both old and considered traditional, yet it is very hard to find original historic versions on the net. Woody Guthrie does this song, but I can only find it in partial form from a recording with Alan Lomax...

 

I sorta made it up for myself and speed it up a bit....and I am sorry but I did use my 000-28EC....not a Gibby...

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNycmSJQnZg

[MissouriPicker]

I imagine your version is as good as most. Tex Ritter is often given credit for writing the song when he recorded it in the 1930's. However there are similar versions of Rhy Whiskey from 1905 and 1910 in plays at the time. Also versions of it in Vaudeville. The lyrics are very similar to Tex's. Incidentally, Tex Ritter never claimed that he wrote the song. He said he found it in a book, which is likely pretty close to the truth. Anyway, there are also lyrics to the song which are believed to be from The Civil War era, judging by the language used. Definitely written in the vernacular the 1850's-1860's. Interestingly, all these lyrics has pretty-much the same rhyming patterns and timing..........BTW, I like your rendition of the song. Guitar sounds real good too. Give us some more videos.

[duluthdan]

$2 a gallon? That is an old song ! Fun stuff - post some more !

[flatbaroque]

I too like these old folk tunes.Good to see you crank up the camera Hopper.Nice one.

[tpbiii]

I too like these old folk tunes.Good to see you crank up the camera Hopper.Nice one.

 

I don't know where it came from, but I learned it in 1955 (age 12) on the guitar. That was before the folk revival. It was just around.

 

Best,

 

-Tom

[j45nick]

Nice one, Nodehopper.

 

One of my favorite versions of the "Rye Whiskey" theme is this one from Jesse Colin Young's first album, "Soul of a City Boy". If you don't have this stunning debut album in your collection, your should. This was well before the Youngbloods, and he may not have even adopted the Jesse Colin Young moniker until this was ready for release. He was plain old Perry Miller, working at Gerde's Folk City, just a few weeks before this came out. Amazing how many of our folkie friends from those days--think of young Bobby Zimmerman--adopted stage names........

 

[cunningham26]

one of my favorite versions

 

[kidblast]

nice Hopper, these old folks songs never really get old.

 

I like the acoustic, nice and tight sounding. what is it anyway? looks something like a Martin EC Sig. body size.

[fortyearspickn]

Friends know if I'm lost and nowhere around

To put my picture on Rye Whiskey bottles

Not that stuff from the cow.

[nodehopper]

Thanks for all the compliments. That was sorta unplanned that I recorded that. It is a newer song for me and I was really just trying out using my Zoom h2n as an audio interface on my computer and webcam for the video. Still not totally happy with my recording set up, but that might be good setup for practice and quick recordings.