Journal & Recent News

It Still Lives: Season 1, Episode 2

May 6, 2019

Hosts Kami Ahrens and TJ Smith share more content from the “It Still Lives” album off the Foxfire record. This episode explores mountain folk music, the origins of bluegrass instruments, the influence of Jean Ritchie on the popularity of the dulcimer, and more!  Featuring music from Tedra Harmon and Stanley Hicks, we cover murder ballads, dance tunes, and cante fables!

Click here to listen to this episode.

Tedra Harmon and Foxfire student with hide for banjo drumhead.

 

Stanley Hicks building a mountain banjo.

Stanley Hicks finishing a dulcimer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hand-carved banjo pieces by Tedra Harmon.

 

Pretty Polly Lyrics

Oh Polly, Pretty Polly, would you take me unkind
Polly, Pretty Polly, would you take me unkind
Let me set beside you and tell you my mind

Well my mind is to marry and never to part
My mind is to marry and never to part
The first time I saw you it wounded my heart

Oh Polly Pretty Polly come go along with me
Polly Pretty Polly come go along with me
Before we get married some pleasures to see

Oh he led her over mountains and valleys so deep
He led her over hills and valleys so deep
Pretty Polly mistrusted and then began to weep

Oh Willie, Little Willie, I’m afraid to of your ways
Willie, Little Willie, I’m afraid of your ways
The way you’ve been rambling you’ll lead me astray

Oh Polly, Pretty Polly, your guess is about right
Polly, Pretty Polly, your guess is about right
I dug on your grave the biggest part of last night

Oh she knelt down before him a pleading for her life
She knelt down before him a pleading for her life
Let me be a single girl if I can’t be your wife

Oh Polly, Pretty Polly that never can be
Polly, Pretty Polly that never can be
Your past recitation’s been trouble to me

Oh went down to the jailhouse and what did he say
He went down to the jailhouse and what did he say
I’ve killed Pretty Polly and trying to get away

 

Sourwood Mountain Lyrics

Chickens a-crowin’ on Sourwood Mountain,
Hey, ho, saddle dig-y-day.
Chickens a-crowin’ on Sourwood Mountain,
Hey, ho, diddle lum-y-day.
Big dog’ll bark; a little dog’ll bite you,
Hey, ho, saddle dig-y-day.
Big girl’ll court; a little girl’ll fight you,
Hey, ho, diddle lum-y-day.
My true love’s a blue-eyed daisy,
Hey, ho, saddle dig-y-day.
She won’t come and I won’t foller,
Hey, ho, diddle lum-y-day.
Fox Chase Lyrics
If you’re out in the woods or anywhere’s and you’re afeared, you know, camping out and you’re afeaerd, you sleep with one eye open and the other shut, sleep with one eye open, the other’n shut. Well, I’ll warm it up a little bit on this one and then I’ll take off. I’ll call’em up and see if I can get ’em going:
That’s old Blue.
Here’s Crip.
Going up Stone Mountain now. You see my hat move on my head?
Who-o-o!
Boy, that old jip can really run!
Coming back off Stone Mountain now.
I’m afeared you run’em through my ‘baccer patch…do, just tear it all to hell. Ha, who-o-o!
Boys, they’re a’movin’ on down there now.
That’s old Butch – he’s getting mad.
Now there’s a feller down the road here, one of my neighbors. He’s getting out of the bed to hear the race. He’s just in his night clothes going around his house.
Now he’s going around the Red Bank down there. Y’all don’t know where it’s at, but I do. Who-o-o! Ha!
Get’im boys. Who-o-o! Ha!
That old fox is moving on down now.
Now his tail’s hanging down, tongue’s a’hangin’ out, and he’s oging to have to go to the hole directly. Old Blue’ll put him in.
Who-o-o!
Come on old Butch and let’s go.
Ah! Who-o-o!
Now old Blue’s gonna put him in the hole.
Goin’ up Horse Ridge.
Boy that jip can really run.
Who-o-o!
Goin’ in the hole now!
Went in the hole.
*Recordings are property of The Foxfire Fund, Inc.

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