“Oleanna”
Description
The singer sings the praises of "Ole, Oleanna," where "land is free," the crops grow themselves, the livestock cooks itself, and "the poorest wretch... becomes a king in a year or so."
Notes
Ole Bull was a Norwegian fiddler who tried to found a colony in Pennsylvania. Despite his extravagant hopes for the settlement (satirized in this song), it was too poor and too far from transportation arteries, and eventually failed. - RBW
The town now calls itself "Oleona," and contains a museum celebrating the colony. - PJS
Cross references
- cf. "Darling Neddeen" (absurdist sorts of claims for the town)
Recordings
- Pete Seeger, "Oleanna" (on PeteSeeger10) (on PeteSeeger12)
References
- Lomax-FSNA 42, "Oleanna" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Silber-FSWB, p. 47, "Oleanna" (1 text)
- DT, OLEOLEAN*
- BI, LoF042