The jam on Gerry's Rock 6 25 09

[Mongo1940]

You can find the original words on the book "Wisconsin Folklore" by James P. Leary. Google Shanty Boy Song and you will get to it.

This melody has somewhat like the Irish song, Wearing of the green. These words probably originated from the loggers in Michigan along the Saginaw River. That's a pretty big river but a small rock can still cause a jam. After the trees were all cut, there was a business that lasted for many years pulling deadlogs from the river bottom.

[DustinFLeer]

No one is looking for the words. As it happens I have half a dozen books with the lyrics.

The history is also available in a number of the books, many printed as early as the 1930's.

One of which, is the Ballad Book, by Leach, printed 1955, although I have others printed much earlier.

But thanks for the comment. If you read the other comments you would see that the discussion was more about the history, and in particular that of Rickaby.

[gretchendykstra]

thanks...I am pleased to know of this book....I can't find he essay; only her book which was published in 1927.. although I gather she first heard the song in 1903....Rickaby agrees with her characterization of its possible origins... I am not being competitive; I am just trying to be accurate about dates...

[DustinFLeer]

Me neither. I was just adding what information I had about the tune. I knew nothing of Ricaby until you mentioned him.

As is common with many of the early folk tunes, collection by whom and when is always a foggy area.

If, although it is unlikely, I come across any more data, I'll let you know.

No harm, no foul. Sorry I could not be of more help.

[gretchendykstra]

I am writing a biography of Franz Rickaby who first "collected" this song and published it in his Ballads and Songs of Shantyboy...do you know anything about Rickaby?

[DustinFLeer]

I know naught of Rickaby. 

However, the Jam on Gerry's Rock is in two versions, an Eastern and a Western.

The Eastern version originating in Maine, is the "crueler" of the two and more violent.

An essay on the collecting of myths and ballads "The portrait of a ballad", in Minstrelry of Maine pp.176-198 tells of a search for authorship and origin. No definitive answer was found by the author Mrs. Eckstorm. This article was published in 1904, before Rickaby's book after his death in 32.