"Joe Bowers" tune

[Matthew Mickletz]

Hi all,

I have a copy of lyrics for the song "Fifty Cents a Day" (got it here:  http://www.njsekela.com/OSCommerce/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=3...), with a note of the "Tune-Joe Bowers".  Anyone have a recording of this song?  I pretty sure I know which one it is as after seeing "Joe Bowers" it struck some memory in the back of my head.  Here's one I found on Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajLQ5-oUdVg 

The LoC song sheet collection had a few other songs set to "Joe Bowers".  One of those tunes I suppose! 

 

Thanks,  Matt

[John Masciale]

It is the melody to which "I'm a Good Old Rebel" is set.  Here is a link:

http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/catalog/levy:093.168

[John Masciale]

Alright, I got interested in the song.  It was fairly well known, but I'm having a hard time finding an early printed copy of it on line.  There's lots of history to it.  When researching songs I may look at mudcat, but don't trust a lot of what they have because it's been modernized.  My biggest question is whether the tune played in a major or minor mode.  Here are some links on the tune:

http://web.lyon.edu/wolfcollection/songs/detherowjoe1236.html

http://www.folkways.si.edu/TrackDetails.aspx?itemid=12691

http://mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=3215

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/cowell:@FIELD(SOURCE+@b...

http://media.smithsonianfolkways.org/liner_notes/smithsonian_folkwa...

http://www.westcoastcampaigner.com/forums/archive/index.php?t-1186....

[Matthew Mickletz]

"I'm a Good Old Rebel" is exactly what I sang a few lines with and it worked perfectly!  Not that I sing well . . . :P  Thanks John for all the links! 

[Nicholas A Bechtel]

I do I'm a good O'l Rebel on the fiddle and Southern Soldier just to name a few.

Matthew why don't you do a video of "Fifty Cents a Day' so we can hear it done. I can't find anyone doing this song,...still looking. Help us out!

[Matthew Mickletz]

Nicholas, haven't learned it on the banjo just yet, but will!  When I get er down pat, a video will be close behind :)

Course, just singing it could work, if I can get through it, pretty long song . . . we shall see my friend! 

[Nicholas A Bechtel]

I hear ya...what about guitar?. Or do you know where I might hear it? Where did you hear it?

[Matthew Mickletz]

"I'm a good old rebel" I heard on a CD long ago, that I still have - it's one of three in a Civil War Music set.  "Fifty cents a day" I've never heard, but can imagine due to knowing how the other song goes.  Don't really play guitar.  

[Noah Cline]

There's a good version of "I'm a Good Old Rebel" by the 2nd South Carolina string band on one of their cd's.

[Nicholas A Bechtel]

Yep that's where I first heard that song. That and Southern Solider, and all the rest.

[Nicholas A Bechtel]

no worries Matthew. Based on your introduction of the materiel, I thought it was a song you had heard or played. I liked the lyrics.

Matthew Mickletz said:

"I'm a good old rebel" I heard on a CD long ago, that I still have - it's one of three in a Civil War Music set.  "Fifty cents a day" I've never heard, but can imagine due to knowing how the other song goes.  Don't really play guitar.  

[Wes Merchant]

This is from Alan Lomax's "Folksongs of North America"

[Wes Merchant]

The files