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Sail Away Ladies
Old-Time and Bluegrass Breakdown; Southeast US. Widely known
ARTIST: Roger McGuinn; Sail Away Lady on McGuinn’s Folk Den-1999
CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes
DATE: 1920 African-American collector Thomas Talley, Negro Folk Rhymes p.20; First instrumental recording- Uncle Bunt Stephens, "Sail Away Ladies" Columbia 15071-D Recorded: March 29, 1926 Issued: May 1926; First lyric version by Uncle Dave Macon 1927;
RECORDING INFO: Henry L. Bandy, "Sail Away Ladies" (Gennett test pressing GEx14361, 1928; unissued); Logan English, "Old Doc Jones" (on LEnglish01); Uncle Dave Macon & his Fruit Jar Drinkers, "Sail Away Ladies" (Vocalion 5155, 1927; on TimesAint02); New Lost City Ramblers, "Sail Away, Ladies" (on NLCR05); Parker & Dodd "Sail Away Lady" (Romeo 5250, 1933); Uncle Bunt Stephens, "Sail Away Ladies" [instrumental version] (Columbia 15071-D, 1926; on AAFM2); Collins, W. S.. Thede, Marion (ed.) / The Fiddle Book, Oak, Bk (1967), p 95 [1930s] ; Davis, Luther. Old Time Way, Heritage (Galax) 070, LP (1986), trk# 16 [1984/06/14]; Fraley, J. P.. Titon, Jeff Todd / Old Time Kentucky Fiddle Tunes, Kentucky, Bk/ (2001), P167/#141 [1973]; Fraley, J. P. and Annadeene. Wild Rose of the Mountain, Rounder 0037, CD/ (2000), trk# 12 [1972-73] Jarrell, Tommy. Sail Away Ladies, County 756, LP (1976), trk# B.05; Jarrell, Tommy. Brody, David (ed.) / Fiddler's Fakebook, Oak, Sof (1983), p242; Mates, Tony. Silberberg, Gene (ed.) / Complete Fiddle Tunes I Either Did or Did Not.., Silberberg, Fol (2005), p169; Sail Away Ladies/Lady [Me IV-E 3a]; Ford, Ira W. / Traditional Music in America, Folklore Associates, Bk (1965/1940), p 35a; Brody, David (ed.) / Guitar Pickers Fakebook, Oak, Sof (1984), p124 ; Brody, David (ed.) / Guitar Pickers Fakebook, Oak, Sof (1984), p125; Baez, Joan. Folksingers 'Round Harvard Square, Veritas, LP (1959), trk# A.03; Baker, Kenny. Bakers Dozen. Country Fiddle Tunes, County 730, LP (1970), trk# A.06; Bandy, H. L.. Fiddle Band Music from Kentucky, Vol.2 Wish I Had My Time Again, MorningStar 45004, LP (1980), trk# B.05 [1928/10/17]; Baxter, Les;'s Balladeers. Les Baxter's Balladeers, Reprise R-6064, LP (196?), trk# B.06; Brody, David. Brody, David (ed.) / Fiddler's Fakebook, Oak, Sof (1983), p242; Burke, John. Burke, John / Book of Old Time Fiddle Tunes for Banjo, Amsco, sof (1968), p16; Burris, Otis; & the Mountain Ranblers. Virginia Breakdown, County 705, LP (1966), trk# B.05; Cahill, Susan. Southern Clawhammer, Kicking Mule KM 213, Cas (1978), trk# A.03; Carawan, Guy. Sing Out! Reprints, Sing Out, Sof (196?), 5, p62 Carawan, Guy. Cooney, Michael (ed.) / How Can We Keep From Singing, Sing Out, Sof (1974), p26; Connie & Babe and the Backwoods Boys. Basic Bluegrass, Rounder 0042, LP (1973), trk# B.05; Cooney, Michael. Songs & Sounds of the Sea, National Geographic Soc. 705, LP (1973), trk# 12; Creed, Kyle. Liberty, Heritage (Galax) 028 (XXVIII), LP (1977), trk# A.04; Cutler, Marty. Brody, David (ed.) / Banjo Picker's Fakebook, Oak, Fol (1985), p138; Darling, Erik. Erik Darling, Elektra EKL-154, LP (1958), trk# 9c (Banjo Medley); Diller, Dwight. Banjo Legacy, Augusta Heritage AHR 006, LP (1989), trk# A.08; English, Logan. American Folk Ballads, Monitor MF 388, LP (196?), trk# B.01c; Erbsen, Wayne. Erbsen, Wayne / Manual on How to Play the 5-String Banjo for the com...., Erbsen, sof (1974), p52; Fahey, John. John Fahey Guitar, Vol. 4, Takoma C-1008, LP (196?), trk# 6 Feldmann, Peter; & the Pea Patch Quintet. Grey Cat on the Tennessee Farm, Hen Cackle HC 504, CD (2004), trk# 18; Gateway Singers. On the Lot, Warner Bros WS 1296, LP (1959), trk# B.01 (Don't You Lie Daddy-O); Gibson, Bob. Carnegie Concert, Riverside RLP 12-816, LP (1957), trk# A.01; Goforth, Gene. Now That's a Good Tune. Masters of Missouri Traditional Fiddling, Grey Eagle 101, LP (1989), trk# 10 [1987/11/20] ; Haas, Brittany. Brittany Haas, Ook CD 001, CD (2004), trk# 5; Haley, Susan Boyer. Hearthside Music, Hearthside TS 83, LP (1983), trk# B.02; Hartford, John. John Hartford Catalogue, Flying Fish FF-259, LP (1981), trk# A.01; Highwoods String Band. No. 3 Special, Rounder 0074, LP (1978), trk# 14 ; Highwoods String Band. Brody, David (ed.) / Fiddler's Fakebook, Oak, Sof (1983), p241; Holt, David. Reel and Rock, Flying Fish FF 372, LP (1985), trk# B.02 (Sail Away); Holy Modal Rounders. Holy Modal Rounders, Fantasy 24711, LP (1972/1964), trk# 1.03 Iron Mountain String Band (Galax). Music from the Mountain, Heritage (Galax) 101C, Cas (1992), trk# 4 Koerner, John ("Spider" John). River of Song. A Musical Journey Down the Mississippi, Smithsonian SF 40086, CD (1998), trk# 1.03 [1996/03/27]; Lieberson, Richard. Lieberson, Richard / Old Time Fiddle Tunes for Guitar, Amsco, Sof (1974), p104; Livewood. Second Annual Willamette Valley Folk Festival, Cultural Forum, LP (1972), trk# A.05; Lundy Family. Back in Galax Again, Heritage (Galax) 105, Cas (1992), trk# A.04; Macon, Uncle Dave. Uncle Dave Macon. Early Recordings, County 521, LP (197?), trk# 1 [1927/05/07]; Mallett, Carol. Old & New From the Mountains, Folkroots CDFE 95, CD (1995), trk# 5 ; Michels, Amy. Fowl Farmer, Michels, CD (2002), trk# 10 (Sail Away); Miller, Rodney. Airplang, Rounder 0193, LP (1985), trk# 1a ; Molsky, Bruce. Lost Boy, Rounder 0361, CD (1996), trk# 6; Morrison, Van;, Lonnie Donegan, and Chris Barber. Skiffle Sessions, Virgin 8 48307 2 4, CD (2000), trk# 6 (Don't You Rock Me Daddio); Munde, Alan. Banjo Sandwich, Ridge Runner RRR 0001, LP (1975), trk# 10; New Lost City Ramblers. New Lost City Ramblers, Vol. 5, Folkways FA 2395, LP (1963), trk# 8; New Lost City Ramblers. Cohen, John, Mike Seeger & Hally Wood / Old Time String Band Songbook, Oak, Sof (1976/1964), p203; Northern Valley Boys. Old-time Country and Fiddle Tunes, Quagmire 1, LP (198?), trk# B.01; Odetta. One Grain of Sand, Vanguard VSD 2153, LP (1963), trk# A.01; Odetta. Movin' It On, Rose Quartz RQ 101, LP (1987), trk# A.02; Odetta. Treasures from the Folk Den, Appleseed CD 1046, CD (2001), trk# 13; Piney Creek Weasels. Squirrel Heads and Gravy, Hay Holler HHH-1101, CD (1996), trk# 7; Rooftop Singers. Good Time!, Vanguard VRS-9134, LP (1964), trk# B.06; Russell Family. Old Time Dulcimer Sounds from the Mountains, County 734, LP (1972), trk# 2; Sapoznik, Hank (Henry). Brody, David (ed.) / Banjo Picker's Fakebook, Oak, Fol (1985), p137; Simos, Mark. Race the River Jordan, Yodel-Ay-Hee CD-017, CD (1995), trk# 1a Sisco, Carthy. Carthy Sisco, Sisco, Cas (199?), trk# A.08 (Sally Ann/Anne); Sisco, Carthy. Silberberg, Gene (ed.) / Complete Fiddle Tunes I Either Did or Did Not.., Silberberg, Fol (2005), p168; Slate Mountain Ramblers. 51st Annual Galax Old Fiddlers Convention, Heritage (Galax) 703, LP (1987), trk# 7; Smith, Arvid. Tribute to John Fahey, Kicking Mule KM 155, LP (1979), trk# 5; Stephens, Uncle Bunt. Anthology of American Folk Music, Smithsonian/Folkways SFW 40090, CD( (1997), trk# 28 [1926/03/29]; Womenfolk. Womenfolk, RCA (Victor) LPM-2832, LP (196?), trk# A.01 (Don't You Rock 'Em Daddy-O); Cottrell, Jenes. Elzics Farewell, Kanawha 301, LP (1978), trk# 8 (Sail Away Ladies, Sail Away)
RELATED TO: Down the River I Go; Sally Ann; Indian Killed A Woodcock ; Chinky Pin (Chinkapin Pie); Old Time Sally Ann ; Sally Ann/Anne ; Great Big Taters [in Sandy Land] ; Little Bitty Man
OTHER NAMES: Sail Away Lady; Don’t You Rock ‘em Daddy-O; Sail Away;
SOURCES: Cohen/Seeger/Wood, p. 203, "Sail Away Ladies" (1 text, 1 tune); Darling-NAS, pp. 250-251, "Old Doc Jones"; "Sail Away Ladies" (2 text, the former a two-verse fragment which is closer to this than anything else); Wheeler, p. 15-16, "Oh, When I Git My New House Done" (1 text, 1 tune -- a fragment with no chorus but verses similar to this); Silber-FSWB, p. 42, "Sail Away Ladies" (1 text)
NOTES: Dance tune with floating verses: "Ever I get my new house done/Sail away, ladies, sail away/Give the old one to my son/Sail away, ladies, sail away"; "Children, Don't You Grieve and Cry/You're gonna be angels by and by"; "Come along, girls and go with me/We'll go back to Tennessee". Chorus: "Don't ye rock 'em, di-dee-o (3-4x)". "Sail away, ladies, sail away" is the verse refrain. Other amusing titles include, “Don't You Lie Daddy-O.”
Sail Away Ladies was an instrumental in Uncle Bunt Stevens repertoire that he played in fiddle contests. His 1926 instrumental recording resembles the other related versions of the that era, including Sally Ann by the Hill Billies and Fiddlin’ Sam Long’s “Sandy Land.” The rollicking first lyric version by Uncle Dave Macon 1927 featured floating lyrics as found in many subsequent versions. Sail Away Ladies should not be confused with the song sung by W.C. Handy: "Sail away, ladies, sail away; Sail away, ladies, sail away.” In the 1950’s the song became a pop/rock song entitled “Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O” and was covered by Van Morrison; Ivor & the Engines; Chas McDevitt; and in 1957 by Lonnie Donegan, Vipers Skiffle Group and Bill Sherrill. The rewrite has been attributed to Bill Varley / Wally Whyton.
The “Sail away” lyrics have floated over to many of the similar “Sally Ann” songs. The main songs of this family are: “Sally Ann/Anne;” "Sail Away Lady/Ladies;" and “Great Big Taters in Sandy Land/Sandy Land.” Sail Away Ladies is categorized by Meade under ‘Sally Ann” a. Sail Away Lady. Andrew Kuntz has extensive notes and includes lyrics on his site:
SAIL AWAY LADIES [1A] (Kuntz) Old-Time, Breakdown. USA; Kentucky, Tennessee. G Major. Standard. ABB (Brody, Ford): AABB (Spandaro): AABBCC (Phillips). The tune is related to the numerous versions of "Sally Ann" played in the keys of A and G Major. According to Guthrie Meade (1980), the tune is identified with the south central Kentucky and middle Tennessee locals. The title also appears in a list of the standard tunes in the square dance fiddler's repertoire, according to A.B. Moore in his 1934 book "History of Alabama." Southern Kentucky fiddler Henry L. Bandy recorded the tune for Gennett in 1928, though it was unissued, however, the earlest recordings were Uncle Bunt Stevens (1926-without words) and Uncle Dave Macon (1927-with words). Paul Wells (Middle Tennessee State University) states that the song was collected around the turn of the 20th century and seems to have been common to both black and white traditions. Tom Paley (former New Lost City Ramblers member) believes the verses of "Sail Away Ladies" to be typical floating verses, and go:
If ever I get my new house done,
(I'll) give my old one to my son.
Children, don't you grieve and cry.
You'll be angels, bye and bye.
Come along, girls, and go with me.
We'll go back to Tennessee.
(I) got the news from Shiloh ("Charlotte" or”) Town.
Big St. Louis is a-burning down.
I chew my tobacco and I spit my juice.
I love my own daughter but it ain't no use.
(Paul Mitchell and others believe the words in Macon's last line sometimes heard as own daughter is really Dona, pronounced Dough-nee in the American South, a Spanish/Italian word for a mature love object, a woman.).
Another version of this last couplet goes:
I chew my tobacker and I swaller my juice
Sail away, ladies, sail away.
I'd like to go to Heaven, but it ain't no use.
Sail away, ladies, sail away.
African-American collector Thomas Talley, writing in his book Negro Folk Rhymes (reprinted in 1991, edited by Charles Wolfe), printed a similar but different text:
***
Sail away, ladies! Sail away!
Sail away, ladies! Sail away!
Nev' min' what dem white folks say,
May de Mighty bless you. Sail away!
Nev' min' what you daddy say,
Shake yo liddle foot an' fly away,
Nev' min' if yo' mammy say:
"De Devil'll git you." Sail away!
Kentucky fiddler H.L. Bandy sang the following lyric to "Sail Away Ladies", usually associated with the tune "Old Miss Sally":
I asked that girl to be my beau
She hacked at me with a garden hoe
I asked that girl to be my wife,
She took at me with a butcher knife
Uncle Dave Macon also included a chorus which went, "Don't she rock, Die-Dee-Oh?" but Paley notes that other old recordings have variants like "Don't she rock, Darneo?" and even "Don't she rock 'em, Daddy-O?" (which seems to harken to the beatnik era). Some unknown "revival" wag re-interpreted Macon's lines as:
Don't sheetrock the patio (x3)
Sail away, ladies, sail away
Wolfe (1991) finds the song in several older collections: Brown (1:153), Brewer (165) and a 1903 collection by William W. Newell, Games and Songs of American Children (170). It also appears in a modern collection of African-American songs and games, Jones and Hawes's Step It Down (174, as "Horse and Buggy"). Sources for notated versions: Highwoods String Band (N.Y.) [Brody]: Uncle Bunt Stevens (Tenn.) [Phillips, Spandaro]. See Journal of the Society for Ethnomusicology, #1, 1968; Linda Burman - "The Technique of Variation in an American Fiddle Tune (Sail Away Lady)." Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 241. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 35. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), Vol. 1, 1994; pg. 207. Spandaro (10 Cents a Dance), 1980; pg. 32. Columbia 15071-D (78 RPM), "Uncle Bunt Stevens" (Tenn.) {1926}. County 521, "Uncle Dave Macon: Original Recordings 1925-1935." Folkways FA 2395, New Lost City Ramblers- "Vol. 5." Folkways FA-2951, Uncle Bunt Stevens - "Anthology of American Folk Music, Vol. 2, Social Music" (1952). Gennet Records, Master #14361, Henry L. Bandy (1928. Not released). Kicking Mule 213, Susan Cahill- "Southern Clawhammer Banjo." Morning Star 45004, H.L. Bandy (southern Ky.) - "Wish I Had My Time Again." Rounder 0074, Highwoods String Band- "No. 3 Special" (1976. Learned from Uncle Dave Macon's recording). Rounder 0193, Rodney Miller - "Airplang" (1985). Vocalation 5155 (78 RPM), Uncle Dave Macon (1927).
SAIL AWAY LADIES [1B]. Old-Time, Bluegrass; Breakdown. USA. G Major. Standard. AAB (Phillips): AABB (Brody). See also the related tune "Sally Ann [1][3]." Source for notated version: Kenny Baker [Brody, Phillips]. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 242. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 1, 1994; pg. 207. County 730, Kenny Baker, "Baker's Dozen." County 705, Otis Burris, "Virginia Breakdown" (Brody's version '1C').
SAIL AWAY LADIES [1C]. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Oklahoma. G Major. Standard. AAB. Source for notated version: W.S. Collins (Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma) [Thede]. Thede (The Fiddle Book), 1967; pg. 95.
SAIL AWAY LADIES [2]. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Kentucky. G Major. Standard. AB (Silberberg): ABB (Titon): AABB (Brody, Phillips). No relation to “Sail Away Ladies [1]," the tune that usually goes by this title that is in the “Sally Ann” family. Some have suggested that the tune may be related to Ed Haley’s “Indian Ate/Eat the Woodchuck,” but others do not hear the resemblance. Gus Meade and Mark Wilson, however, point to a relation with Kenny Baker’s “Indian Killed a Woodcock.” Source for notated versions: J.P. Fraley (Rush, Boyd County, Ky.), learned from his father, Richard Fraley, also a fiddler, who called the tune by the “Sail Away” title. According to Betty Vornbrock, Fraley remembers hearing Arthur Smith’s version (“Sail Away Ladies [1]") on the radio long after he learned his father’s version [Brody, Phillips, Silberberg]. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 242. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), Vol. 1, 1994; pg. 207. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 137. Titon (Old Time Kentucky Fiddle Tunes), 2001; No. 141, pg. 167. Bee Balm 302, “The Corndrinkers.” Rounder 0037, J.P. and Annadeene Fraley, "Wild Rose of the Mountain” (1974).
SAIL AWAY LADIES [3]. AKA and see "Chinquapin." Old-Time, Breakdown. USA; Round Peak, North Carolina. E Minor/G Major. Standard. AA'B. This melody, almost entirely played over an E minor chord (with a G major cadence in the 'B' part) is unrelated to the "Sally Ann" tune family, unlike so many other tunes with the title "Sail Away Ladies." The source for the tune, Mt. Airy, North Carolina, fiddler Tommy Jarrell, learned this single tune from Round Peak fiddler Preston 'Pet'/'Pat' McKinney, whom he chanced to meet in the road when Jarrell was age sixteen and on his way to a dance with his fiddle. McKinney, on his way to get some whiskey, hailed him and noting the instrument said "They say you fiddle, son." Jarrell handed him the fiddle which was in ADae tuning (the 'normal' tuning for Jarrell) and McKinney re-tuned it to standard tuning and played "Sail Away Ladies." Jarrell asked him the title and to play it again, and by the end had it fixed in his mind (see Peter Anick, "An Afternoon with Tommy Jarrell, 1982," Fiddler Magazine, Spring 1995, and notes on the tune appearing with Jarrell's recording on County 756). Source for notated version: Tommy Jarrell (Mt. Airy, N.C.) [Phillips]. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), 1994; pg. 207. County 756, Tommy Jarrell, "Sail Away Ladies" (1976). Heritage V, Roscoe Parish (Galax, Va., under the title "Chinquapin"). In the repertoire of Luther Davis, Galax, Va. (Above from Kuntz: A Fiddler’s Companion)
FINAL NOTES: The African-American influence is evident in not only the “Sail away, ladies! Sail away!” from Talley in 1920 but in other black folk songs from the early 1900’s. Here’s an example from Dorothy Scarborough "On The Trial of Negro Folk Songs" in 1925:
LEAD A MAN
Lead a man, di-dee-oe, lead a man, di-dee-o;
Lead a man, di-dee-oe, lead a man, di-dee-o;
You swing heads, di-dee-o, I swing feet, di-dee-o
Ain't dat nice, di-dee-o, walkin' on de ice, di-dee-o!
Ladies change, di-dee-o, ladies change, di-dee-o;
Ladies change, di-dee-o, ladies change, di-dee-o.
Ain't dat nice, di-dee-o, ain't dat nice, di-dee-o,
Ain't dat nice, di-dee-o, ain't dat nice, di-dee-o.
Oh my love, di-dee-o, oh my love, di-dee-o.
Oh my love, di-dee-o, oh my love, di-dee-o.
Ain't dat nice, di-dee-o, ain't dat nice, di-dee-o,
Ain't dat nice, di-dee-o, ain't dat nice, di-dee-o.
"Dance Song" in Dorothy Scarborough (assisted by Ola Lee Gulledge), "On The Trial of Negro Folk Songs" Folklore Associates edition 1963; pp.115, 116; originally published by Harvard University press, 1925.
Here are the lyrics to "Sail Away Lady" by Roger McGuinn :
SAIL AWAY LADY- 1999 Roger McGuinn
Sail Away Lady on McGuinn’s Folk Den
G D G
Ain't no use to sit and cry
G D G
Sail away lady sail away
G D G
You'll be an angel bye and bye
G D G
Sail away lady sail away
C
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
G
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
D
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
G
Don't you rock 'im die - de -O
Well I've got a home in Tennessee
Sail away lady sail away
That is where I'd rather be
Sail away lady sail away
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Now come along boys and go with me
Sail away lady sail away
We'll go down to Tennessee
Sail away lady sail away
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Whenever I get my new house done
Sail away lady sail away
Love you pretty girls one by one
Sail away lady sail away
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Hush little baby don't you cry
Sail away lady sail away
You'll be an angel bye and bye
Sail away lady sail away
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
'Sail Away Lady' is typical of the kind of dance music that was popular in America in the period between the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. By the 17th Century the banjo had been introduced to this continent from West Africa. The European settlers generally used the violin unaccompanied for dancing, and sang unaccompanied or with a violin only. Increased social contacts of various kinds during the middle 19th century popularized the violin - banjo combination. This tune can be found in almost every collection of fiddle music. I first heard 'Sail Away Lady' in the mid '50s at the Gate of Horn in Chicago, sung by Odetta. She had a big rolling style on this song with a huge crescendo on the choruses.
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