“Banks of the Ohio”

Description

The singer takes his sweetheart walking, hoping to discuss marriage. She seemingly refuses him (because she is too young?). Rather than wait, he throws her into the river to drown. In most versions he is not caught, though in some texts she haunts him

Cross references

• cf. The Wexford Girl (The Oxford, Lexington, or Knoxville Girl; The Cruel Miller; etc.) [Laws P35]

Recordings

• Clarence Ashley, Doc Watson, Clint Howard & Jean Ritchie, "Banks of the Ohio" (on WatsonAshley01)
• The Blue Sky Boys, "Down On The Banks of The Ohio" (Bluebird 6480, 1933)
• Callahan Brothers, "Down on the Banks of the Ohio" (Banner 5-12-60/Conqueror 8588 [as "On the Banks of the Ohio"], 1935)
• [G. B.] Grayson & [Henry] Whitter, "I'll Never Be Yours" (Gennett 6373/Champion 15447 [as by Norman Gayle]/Silvertone 8160 [as by Dillard Sanders]/Supertone 9247 [as by Sanders]/Challenge 393 [as by David Foley], 1927; on GraysonWhitter01)
• Clarence Green, "On the Banks of the Ohio" (Columbia 15311-D, 1928)
• Bascom Lamar Lunsford, "On the Banks of the Ohio" (on BLLunsford02)
• Monroe Brothers, "Banks of the Ohio" (Bluebird B-7385, 1938)
• Glen & Jessie Neaves & band, "Banks of the Ohio" (on HalfCen1)
• New Lost City Ramblers, "Banks of the Ohio" (on NLCR02)
• Red Patterson's Piedmont Log Rollers, "Down on the Banks of the Ohio" (Victor 35874, 1928)
• Pete Seeger, "Banks of the Ohio" (on PeteSeeger31)
• Bill Shafer, "Broken Engagements" (Vocalion 5413, 1930, rec. 1929)
• Frank Stanton [pseud. for Walter Coon], "On the Banks of the Ohio" (Superior 2544, 1930)
• Ernest V. Stoneman, "Down on the Banks of the Ohio" (Edison 52312, 1928)
• Ruby Vass, "Banks of the Ohio" (on LomaxCD1702)

References

1. Laws F5, "On the Banks of the Ohio"
2. Randolph 160, "Down on the Banks of the Ohio" (2 texts plus an excerpt, 2 tunes)
3. Eddy 104, "The Murdered Girl" (7 texts, 2 tunes, but Laws considers only the B text -- "On the Banks of the Old Pedee" -- to belong with this ballad)
4. Gardner/Chickering 20, "The Banks of the River Dee" (1 text plus 2 excerpts and mention of 2 more, 2 tunes)
5. BrownII 66, "On the Banks of the Ohio" (1 text plus 2 excerpts and mention of 5 more)
6. MHenry-Appalachians, p. 76, "On the Banks of the Ohio" (1 text)
7. Asch/Dunson/Raim, p. 110, "Down on the Banks of the Ohio" (1 text, 1 tune)
8. Cohen/Seeger/Wood, pp. 138-139, "Banks of the Ohio" (1 text, 1 tune)
9. Botkin-MRFolklr, p. 577, "On the Banks of the Ohio" (1 text, 1 tune)
10. LPound-ABS, 45, p. 108, "The Old Shawnee"; p. 109, "On the Banks of the Old Pedee" (2 texts)
11. Darling-NAS, pp. 201-202, "On the Banks of the Ohio" (1 text)
12. Silber-FSWB, p. 180, "Banks Of The Ohio" (1 text)
13. DT 628, BNKSOHIO* BANOHIO2(*) (BANOHIO3)
14. Roud #157
15. BI, LF05