“The Dreary Black Hills”

Description

The singer arrives in the Black Hills to find "loafers and bummers" filling the streets of Cheyenne -- but there is no gold to be found. He misses his home, and warns others against going there; all they are doing is making the railroad speculators rich

Historical references

• 1875 - Announcement that gold has been found in the Black Hills

Same tune

• Captain Old Blue (File: PrivCOBl)

Cross references

• cf. "Captain Old Blue" (tune)

Recordings

• Harry Stephens, "The Dreary Black Hills" (AFS, 1940s; on LC28)

References

1. Belden, pp. 249-350, "The Dreary Black Hills" (1 text plus mention of 1 more)
2. Sandburg, pp. 264-265, "The Dreary Black Hills" (1 text, 1 tune)
3. Lomax-FSNA 176, "The Dreary Black Hills" (1 text, 1 tune)
4. Lomax-ABFS, pp. 438-440, "The Dreary Black Hills" (1 text, 1 tune)
5. Fife-Cowboy/West 24, "The Dreary Black Hills" (1 text, 1 tune)
6. LPound-ABS, 87, pp. 185-186, "The Dreary Black Hills" (1 text)
7. Larkin, pp. 95-97, "Dreary Black Hills" (1 text, 1 tune)
8. Silber-FSWB, p. 59, "The Dreary Black Hills" (1 text)
9. cf. Gardner/Chickering, p. 478, "The Dreary Black Hills" (source notes only)
10. DT, DREARBLK*
11. Roud #3604
12. BI, San264