On Red River Shore- Drake (TX) 1952 Owens
[From William A. Owens, (ed.), Texas Folk Songs. 2nd edition, SMU Press, Bk (1976/1950), p 56. Owens took the title from Dobie's version published in 1926.
R. Matteson 2014]
ON THE RED RIVER SHORE- Sung by Rod Drake, Silsbee, Texas, 1952. There is considerable rhythmic flexibility.
On the foot of yonders mountain where the cannons do roar,
Sweet music enterticed me while the south wind doth blow,
I spied a fair damsel a-walking alone,
A-walking all alone on the Red River Shore.
Her stout-hearted father, those words he did hear;
He says, "I will advise you of the dearest, oh, dear."
He drew a large army, some twenty or more,
To fight her own true love on the Red River Shore.
He drew a long sword around and around;
Some of them was wounded, and some of them was slain,
"Hold up," says the old man, "Don't fight so brave,
You have courted for my army to be carried to the grave."
(Line 1 and 2 missing.)
"Hold up," says the old man, "don't fight no more,
You can have your own true love on the Red River Shore."