Jimmie Driftwood - He Had A Long Chain On

[Jm01394]

Great song of the greatest songs. I'll add it to my to perform list. Can't spell that other word.

[Eliza524]

To the person who asked, Jimmie was from Timbo, Arkansas and was one of my grandmother's teachers in school. He and Cleta, his wife, were some of the nicest people I've ever met.

[KIFsmoke]

one of the best songs ive heard

[okirby2]

I was born in the 70s in Roakoke Va. and I'm just making the connection to my roots.....Thanks you Jimmie

[orchidbirds]

What a miracle we have here in the internet days, when anything and everything we remember just might be found. Something as simple as the sound of a train tonight jostled my memory of this song, dunno why. Thank you, every one of you who upload and share these treasures for the rest of us.

[ivycompton]

wonderful. i only knew the odetta and peter paul & mary versions. it's great to hear what must be the original, by the guy who wrote it. thanks much for posting this.

[Tamaro06]

Aaaaahhh!! Thanks for posting!! :)

[18hopkins]

fabulous

great great great

thanks

[Rogermiler]

Have you all read Jimmy Driftwood's sleeve notes about how he came up with this song?

[ArkRed1]

This is the "real" version. Thanks for writing it Jimmie. Supposedly the late folksinger Odetta was brought to tears the first time she heard this song sung. The line about, "..fetched him a bowl full of meat. A drink and a pan of cold biscuits", takes me back to when that's all I had for a meal. A bite or two of meat and some cold biscuits. RIP Mr. Jimmie.

[lymphoid]

I thought this was peter, paul, and mary.

[librarianeric]

The Knitters do an incredible version of this.

[briankofke]

@librarianeric  I am sorry, but I did not like the Knitters version. I found Jimmie Driftwoods better.

[grannydyess]

just discovered this singer. awesome. he can really play that mandolin where is he from? and is he still performimg?

[killere56]

@grannydyess erm he's dead just leting u kno..

[grannydyess]

just discovered this singer. awesome. he can really play that mandolin

[grannydyess]

just discovered this singer. awesome.

[TheArkansasboy]

I was furtunate to grow up in Mountain View in the late 60's through the 70's. Cleta was our 5th grade teacher. Jimmie and Cleta were great people. I was featured in a life magazine with Jimmie that featured the music and dance of Mountain View. What great memories....

[localbrewz]

this is really very nice, i'd never heard this before. Wow, i thought i knew something........

[goptwothemax]

Ah the native

Jimmy Driftwoond

a kin Arkansan

[thpaine1950]

I had never heard Jimmy Driftwood's original of this song. Loved the version recorded by Peter Paul and Mary, and Odetta's version is classic. Robert Earl Keen recently recorded a good cover as well.

A great song......whoever sings it!

[ncbloom]

what a tune.

[johnyLaba]

great piece of american culture, very nice, post more :)

[m3HEH]

I love this song. I grew up on Jimmy's songs thanks to my mom and grandpa.

[mmpresti]

Someone should put up Odetta's version. I would myself, but my HD imovie is virus struck. Struck by lightning, struck by congress, struck by friends and kinfolks...