“Cripple Creek (I)”
Description
Often found as a fiddle tune with words: "I got a gal at the head of the creek, Goin' up to see her 'bout the middle of the week...." "Goin' up to Cripple Creek, Goin' at a run, Goin' up to Cripple Creek to have a little fun." Most verses involve courting
Notes
The notes in Brown say that there was a gold rush at Cripple Creek, producing this song. But it's worth noting that the sources can't agree on the state in which Cripple Creek is located (Colorado, Virginia). - RBW
Cross references
- cf. "Sally Goodin" (floating lyrics)
- cf. "Ida Red (I)" (floating verses)
Recordings
- Fiddlin' John Carson, "Going Down to Cripple Creek" (OKeh 45214, 1928)
- Charlie Higgins, Wade Ward & Dale Poe, "Cripple Creek" [instrumental] (on LomaxCD1701)
- The Hillbillies, "Cripple Creek" (OKeh 40336, 1925) (Vocalion 15367, 1926/Vocalion 5115, c. 1927)
- Roscoe Holcomb, "Cripple Creek" (on MMOKCD)
- Doc Hopkins, "Cripple Creek" (Radio 1410B, n.d., prob. late 1940s - early 1950s)
- Land Norris, "Red Creek" (OKeh 40433, 1925)
- Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers, "Shootin' Creek" (composite with "Ida Red (I)"; Columbia15286-D, 1928; on CPoole01, CPoole05)
- Fiddlin' Doc Roberts, "Cripple Creek" (Gennett 6336, 1927)
- Ernest Stoneman, "Going Up Cripple Creek" (Victor 20294, 1926)
- Stove Pipe No. 1 [pseud. for Sam Jones], "Cripple Creek & Sourwood Mountain" (Columbia 201-D, 1924)
- Tweedy Brothers, "Cripple Creek" (Silvertone 4008, c. 1925)
References
- BrownIII 299, "Cripple Creek" (1 short text plus mention of 1 more)
- SharpAp 247, "Gone to Cripple Creek" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Lomax-FSNA 118, "Cripple Creek" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Botkin-AmFolklr, pp. 898-899, "Cripple Creek" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Rorrer, p. 83, "Shootin' Creek" (1 text, with recitation and verses partly derived from "Ida Red (I)")
- Silber-FSWB, p. 37, "Cripple Creek" (1 text)
- BrownIII 43, "Old Corn Licker" (a 2-line fragment, unclassifiable but with similarities to some texts of this song)
- DT, CRIPLCRK
- Roud #3434
- BI, San320