I look forward to hearing what you found, Emily, and how you are analyzing it. What I don't know about all this actually DOES fill volumes! I have specialized very narrowly on a certain region and time period for blues, so the area of African American banjo players is still pretty uncharted for me.
I did read the definitive book on the link of the banjo to Africa by Dena Epstein: Sinful Tunes and Spirituals: Black Folk Music to the Civil War. She collected every reference from slave captains referring to the instruments brought over on ships. If you ever decide to go nuts over this topic that is the book to read. Check out this collection: http://www.folkways.si.edu/black-banjo-songsters-of-north-carolina-and-virginia/african-american-music-old-time/album/smithsonian Especially Dink Roberts who I suspect is very Josh Thomas-esque As I play my gourd banjo more, I realize that I am approaching it more like the black performers did, from blues rather than the Appalachian pre-bluegrass old time style. It uses the same claw and hammer technique, but the approach and feel is different to my ears. That is why I have to hear Josh's original if I am going to perform this song. My version has already evolved away from Mike's in exactly the direction I hear in these black banjo players. As I incorporate more songs using this instrument, it is becoming more personalized and has much more in common with how blues influenced players approach the instrument. Most old time banjo guys focus on the pre-blues era minstrel show songs. Despite our view of that entertainment now, it was tremendously popular for blacks and whites till around the turn of the century. But the guys I am interested in were later and were influenced by the blues from 1910 to 1940. It seems to be a sub niche that I am most interested in for influencing my music. Thanks for keeping the party rolling. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Emily Reyn <emilymae.reyn@...> wrote: > > Curtis, you have inspired me to spit out what I learned.  I'm half way > through the post - have to leave this AM and have several appt's today but > will work  on it in-between time.  My guess is you know it all and more, > but I'll send it anyway, so you can inform me.   > > Wonderful that you get to hear what is at the Smithsonian - that is one thing > I learned.  Josh Thomas recordings were not released and were archived there > after Mike's death.  What did he die of?  Sounds like it was a sudden > thing.  > > Yes, I learned something about the lyrics in terms of how folk songs evolve - > you are hip to that.  And I will augment what you say below.  > > Talk later, Emily > > > > > > >________________________________ > > From: curtisdeltablues <curtisdeltablues@...> > >To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > >Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 8:25 AM > >Subject: [FairfieldLife] And the winner is... > > > > > > > > > >Judy. She nailed the interpretation of the Roustabout song that is most > >consistent with the rest of the verses. > > > >Emily in particular might be interested. I am in contact with the guy at > >the Smithsonian who has the original recording of Josh Thomas' interview > >that Mike Seeger got the song from, and he has offered to let me come hear > >it. That way I will find out what verses are original and what come from > >Mike since he plays a few different versions. I am most interested in the > >more authentic African American banjo style since Mike is a virtuoso, and I > >suspect he has added a lot of his own style to the song. > > > >So here are a few verses from the song found in an earlier version I believe: > > > >Roustabout, oh roustabout Where have you been so long? Oh I been and I been > >with a forty dollar man Honey, I'm goin' back again Hop high, hop high, hop > >high Oooo, baby, oh hop high you Lulu girl > > > >Where did you get those brand new shoes Shoes that you wear so fine? Well, I > >got my shoes from a railroad man My dress from a driver in the mine Hop > >high, hop high, hop high Oooo, baby, oh hop high you Lulu girl > > > >Who's gonna shoe your pretty little feet? Who's gonna glove your hand? Mama > >will shoe my pretty little feet Papa will glove my hand Hop high, hop high, > >hop high > > > >ME: > > > >A Lulu Girl is a tramp. This tramp seems to have turned it into a business. > > > >So in the context of the song, the meaning of the last verse seems clear. > >He found out the kind of woman she was and it was the kind his Mama had > >warned him about. > > > >So all that stuff about my interpretation being self serving and saying a > >lot about ME can...well you know... > > > >Next question for me is what was Josh Thomas's actual version and what did > >Mike add. Is the last verse even in the original song? > > > >I don't know. But I found a yahoo group of people interested in African > >American banjo so I may ask there. Some of them have already heard the > >interview and the original. > > > >So Emily, what is your take? Did you find anything else? > > > > > > > > > > >
