“So Long, It's Been Good to Know Yuh”
Description
"I've sung this song, but I'll sing it again." The singer tells of the difficulties of life (in the dust bowl). At last he prepares to depart: "So long, it's been good to know you (x3)... And I've got to be drifting along."
Notes
There are actually two versions of this, Woody's original dustbowl text and the popularized Weavers version. Since Woody wrote both, however, I think we can list them under one entry. - RBW
Make that three versions. Woody also wrote one (recorded in 1944) with lyrics pertaining to World War II. - PJS
Incidentally, if it be questioned whether this is a folk song, I think it is, at least in Minnesota, where they used it as a theme for a popular children's television show. My generation learned it by non-folk means, but it's started to pass on to younger generations.
It appears that Guthrie's original version of this is based largely on actual events of the so-called 'Black Easter" of 1935. For details of this storm and how it affected Guthrie and others near him, see Ed Cray's _Ramblin' Man_, p. 69fff. - RBW
Recordings
- Pete Seeger, "So Long, It's Been Good to Know Yuh" (on PeteSeeger17) (on PeteSeeger41) (on PeteSeeger27); "So Long" (on PeteSeeger23)
References
- Arnett, pp. 164-165, "So Long, It's Been Good to Know Yuh" (1 text, 1 tune)
- PSeeger-AFB, p. 92, "So Long, It's Been Good To Know You" (1 text [dustbowl version], 1 tune)
- Greenway-AFP, pp. 205-206, "So Long, It's Been Good to Know You" (1 text [dustbowl version], 1 tune)
- DT, SOLONGIT
- Roud #15161
- BI, Arn165