“I Love the Blue Mountains”

Description

Halyard shanty: "I love the blue mountains of Tennessee, that's the place for you and me." Singer is a former slave who was set free (in 1863), he's going back to Tennessee to get his wife and child (pickanniny) and then will quit sailing.

Notes

Harlow apparently attributed this to Black sailors. It strikes me as a little too "still longing for the old plantation"-ish for me to trust that claim without more data. - RBW

References

  1. Harlow, pp. 143-144, "I Love the Blue Mountains" (1 text, 1 tune)
  2. Roud #9147
  3. BI, Harl143

About

Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1945 (Harlow)
Found in: US