“Joe Bowers”

Description

Joe Bowers leaves for California to raise money to marry Sally. Returning home, he is irritated to find that she has married another, a red-haired man, and has a red-haired baby

Notes

Various suggestions have been put forward regarding the author of this song; Laws quotes Louise Pound's attribution to John A. Stone (Old Put). Friedman advocates John Woodward. The Lomaxes mention the Johnson of "Johnson's Original Comic Songs." Belden alludes to Merwin's attribution to Frank Swift. I suspect the matter can no longer be settled. - RBW

Same tune

• The Ghost of the Peanut Stand (File: CrSNB070)

Cross references

• cf. "The State of Arkansas (The Arkansas Traveler II)" [Laws H1] (tune)

Recordings

• Loman D. Cansler, "Joe Bowers" (on Cansler1)
• Logan English, "Joe Bowers" (on LEnglish02)
• Jean Ritchie, "Joe Bowers" (on Ritchie03)
• Pete Seeger, "Joe Bowers" (on PeteSeeger07, PeteSeeger07a)

References

1. Laws B14, "Joe Bowers"
2. Dean, pp. 98-99, "Joe Bowers" (1 text)
3. Belden, pp. 341-343, "Joe Bowers" (1 text, apparently a collation of four versions, 1 tune)
4. Randolph 187, "Joe Bowers" (3 texts plus an excerpt, 2 tunes)
5. Randolph/Cohen, pp. 190-193, "Joe Bowers" (1 text, 1 tune -- Randolph's 187D with the tune re-transcribed)
6. BrownII 258, "Joe Bowers" (1 text)
7. Hudson 70, pp. 197-198, "Joe Bowers" (1 text)
8. Shellans, p. 23, "The Disappointment of Joe Bowers" (1 text, 1 tune)
9. Leach, pp. 751-752, "Joe Bowers" (1 text)
10. Friedman, p. 431, "Joe Bowers" (1 text)
11. Warner 63, "Joe Bowers" (1 text, 1 tune)
12. Lomax-ABFS, pp. 421-423, "Joe Bowers" (1 text, 1 tune)
13. Lomax-FSNA 174, "Joe Bowers" (1 text, 1 tune)
14. Fife-Cowboy/West 12, "Joe Bowers" (1 text, 1 tune)
15. LPound-ABS, 88, pp. 186-188, "Joe Bowers" (1 text)
16. JHCox 50, "Joe Bowers" (1 text, 1 tune)
17. JHCoxIIB, #24A-B, pp. 186-187, "Joe Bowers" (1 text plus a fragment, 1 tune)
18. Ritchie-Southern, p. 63, "Joe Bowers" (1 text, 1 tune)
19. Darling-NAS, pp. 171-172, "Joe Bowers" (1 text)
20. Silber-FSWB, p. 207, "Joe Bowers" (1 text)
21. cf. Gardner/Chickering, p. 480, "Joe Bowers" (source notes only)
22. DT 381, JOBOWERS*
23. Roud #2806
24. BI, LB14