New River Shore- Tillett (North Carolina) 1922 (Two versions /music)
[From the Brown Collection, 1952- I'm leaving the first version (Meekins) to show the text for Tillett's version. This is a variant of "The Bold Soldier" related to Earl Brand and listed under 7A. Lady and the Dragoon (Bronson) which has been found in broadsides dating to 1673 (Cazden). The first extant version of "New River Shore" was collected in 1864 during the Civil War. A variant named Red River Shore (Lomax) is a cowboy song. Jean Ritchie says she recalls hearing a song called "New River Shore" sung to something like the tune of "Slane" (Be Thou My Vision).
Tillett also knew a version of "The Bold Soldier" which was collected by Brown in 1922 and Chappell in 1924.
R. Matteson 2011, 2014]
85. New River Shore
The story here is similar to that of 'Locks and Bolts,' but it is a quite different ballad. For its relation to older English songs, see Mackenzie's headnote, BSSNS 137. It is known in America in Nova Scotia (BSSNS 137-8), Maine (BFSSNE 11 8), Kentucky (SharpK 11 188), Tennessee (BTFLS vi 158-9), Texas (PFLST VI 158-9), and very likely elsewhere. It is sometimes called 'The Greenbrier Shore' or 'The Red River Shore.'
'New River Shore.' Reported by L. W. Anderson as collected by Delma Haywood from Mrs. Sallie Meekins of Colington, Albemarle Sound.
1 At the foot of yonders mountain
Where the tide ebbs and flows.
Where the red roses are budding
And the pleasant winds blow,
2 'Tis there I spied the girl
That I do adore
As she was a-walking
On the New River shore.
3 I stept [1] away to her;
I says, 'Will you marry me?'
'My portion is too small, sir.'
'No matter,' said he.
4 'Your beauty does please me
And I ask nothing more.
And will you go with me
From the New River shore?'
5 So when her old father
These words came to hear
He said, 'I will deprive you
Of your dearest dear.
6 'I will send him away
Where the loud cannon roar,
And will leave you lamenting
On the New River shore.'
7 He raised for him an army
Of sixty and four
To fight her old father
On the New River shore.
8 He drew out his sword
And he waved it around
Till twenty and four
Lay dead on the ground
9 And the rest of the number
Lay bleeding in gore,
And he gained his own true love
On the New River shore.
10 Now Pollie is married;
She lives at her ease.
She goes when she wants to,
Comes back when she pleases.
11 Now Pollie is married,
She lives in renown;
She is the grandest lady
In Baltimore town.
--------
85. New River Shore (Music Section; Brown Vol. 4)
'New River Shore.' Sung by C. K. Tillett. Recorded at Wanchese, Roanoke Island, probably on December 29, 1922. G. Malcolm Laws, Jr. mentions this among a number of songs "many of which have been traced to British broadsides." Cf. NAB. The tune to this version requires two stanzas as printed in II 286.
Scale: Heptachordal, plagal. Tonal Center: g. Structure: abb1c (2,2,2,2; Circular Tune (V).