“Ox Driving Song”
Description
The singer tells of the hardships of ox-driving in the winter -- an occupation he intends to quit. "It would make any tender-hearted person weep To see my oxen pull and slip." "When I get home I'll have my revenge, I'll land my family among my friends."
Notes
Perhaps it's hearing the Burl Ives version too many times, but this sounds recently composed to me. - PJS
Every version I've seen seems to go back to the same Lomax field recording. Possibly the informant had worked on it?
Roud for some reason lumps this with Belden's piece "The Waggoners." The only thing they have in common that I can see is that both involve travel. - RBW
Cross references
- cf. "I Whipped My Horse" (floating lyrics)
Recordings
- Pete Seeger, "Ox Driver's Song" (on PeteSeeger07, PeteSeeger07a)
References
- Fife-Cowboy/West 13, "Ox Driving Song" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Silber-FSWB, p. 125, "The Ox-Driver" (1 text)
- DT, OXDRIVE
- Roud #3584
- BI, FCW013