“Davy Crockett”

Description

Davy and/or the singer engage in various improbable activities such as hunting coons without a gun. The singer and Davy have a fight and agree to a draw: "I was hard enough for him, and so was he for me."

Notes

Obviously not to be confused with the pop song "The Ballad of Davy Crockett."

Randolph says that this piece is derived from the minstrel piece "Pompey Squash," (called "Pompey Smash" by Cox). This is clearly true of Randolph's "B" text and less obviously so in the case of the Lomax text; I am not certain in the case of the other versions. I might theorize that Randolph's text is a hybrid. - RBW

Cross references

Recordings

  • Chubby Parker, "Dav[e]y Crockett" (Conqueror 7895, 1931; on StuffDreams1)

References

  1. Belden, p. 339, "Davy Crockett" (1 stanza)
  2. Randolph 423, "Davy Crockett" (2 texts, 1 tune)
  3. Randolph/Cohen, pp. 338-340, "Davy Crockett" (1 text, 1 tune -- Randolph's 423A)
  4. Combs/Wilgus 168, pp. 182-183, "Davy Crockett" (1 text)
  5. JHCox 177, "Davy Crockett" (1 text)
  6. Lomax-ABFS, pp. 251-253, "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" (1 text, 1 tune)
  7. DT, DAVCROCK
  8. Roud #3589
  9. BI, R423

About

Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1906 (Belden); "Pompey Smash" appeared 1847 in Lloyd's Ethiopian Song Book
Found in: US(Ap,So)