Hoyt Axton, John Hartford - Yellow Rose of Texas

[bigwatto95]

Man I love country music. Forever and ever, Amen.

[WesterlyC]

Brings tears to my eyes....everytime.

[baslan28]

omg i love this music and its series. i dont believe how many years later still im listening this song :(

[jubbeful]

very touching.

[1954cableguy]

Hoyt was a real mans, man! I miss visiting he & the family @ X-mas & on my way to Idaho. He then lived on top of a mountain near Idylewild & Glide Oregon. R.I.P my friend. The Dobro Guy, Richard McEwen

[lesjack1]

Hoyt and John were such amazing talents and we are poorer for their passing. Rest well gentlemen and thank you for all you have left us!

[vulcan1429]

When I looked up the origin of this song!!! I was shocked!!! As a TExan I will never sing it again!!!

[a376361b]

@vulcan1429 Who cares, it's not like you're an American!

[nhojnesnej]

@a376361b Hee Hee... I think the term you were looking for was a NORTH American. Mexico and all points south are STILL part of the America's BTW I AM a North American born and bred in Idaho. Heritage is the same as most, mixture of English, Italian, danish, Scottish, etc (that's why it's called "the melting pot") The fellow you are mocking is probably 100% Spanish. White DON'T make right!!

[paperboy6501]

Grear video, thanks.

[The9munro9]

Wouldn't just send a chill up every red neck to know that this song was originally about a free black woman.

You can say it's not true but that won't make it so.

[hwlnwuf]

@The9munro9 Us rednecks are the hard working type that can be counted on. The proper term you are looking for is "white trash".

[MrJohanasBilderberg]

@The9munro9

All Texans know it.

[exbonjobob]

The other people in this video are from a great band called The Cluster Pluckers.

[bajoma123]

Oh my goodness this is beautiful!! What a delight to have found it.

[idgit2442]

Does anybody know if those two gals are among the four that used to appear with Hoyt pretty regular. One on the piano, three standing to his left, one with a tambourine. I'd like to think they are.

[idgit2442]

Arbitrage, Is it legend? It is easier for me to believe accounts of the time, than to believe revisionist history. Why some historian, who by the way is being PAID to come up with something new, should be believed is beyond me. Those that were THERE, seems to me, would be more credible. Public schools are now teaching that the atomic bombs dropped on Japan were not required to stop the invasion that would have cost additional thousands of American soldiers. Those that were there disagree.

[AankerStoneshield]

It's interesting how the song mixes the elements of tenderness and love towards those waiting at home for the soldiers' return, while it ends as a testimony to the havoc wreaked by the war and how General Hood 'made hell in Tenessee'.

[HopeDreier]

I love the final chorus, The pugnacious John Bell Hood was appointed to command the army of Tennessee, during the Battle of Atlanta, unlike his predecessor he welcomed a stand up fight with Sherman's Army. After the battle (which he lost) he took his army North where he was soundly trounced and his arm was destroyed by General George ""Rock of Chickamauga" Thomas at the battle of Nashville.

[charlienanu]

Escric des de Barcelona, no sé el que diu la lletra pero la melodia és preciosa, la vaig sentir quan era petita em penso que en una película i sempre la he taralejat fins el dia que la vaig trobar al you tube.Aquesta és la versió més bonica segons el meu criteri

[powerdriller10]

@charlienanu

La melodía es muy bella, pero la historia es de una ironía superlativa. Además de una insensibilidad de los texanos que rebela su racismo ascendrado. No es posible que la heroína, la Rosa Amarilla de Texas, sea una esclava que contribuye a favor de sus esclavizadores y en contra de quién pudieran liberarla, pero así fue. La canción es de un soldado blanco que la ama, que quiere estar con ella, pero que jamas se casaría con ella porque es mulata.

[rockerbox1973]

Yay,Dixie!

[bestshowontheweb]

nice voice.

[MsBkbcee]

"Wow. This is the best version of this song I've ever heard." That's right Pinkshirt! I agree with you...

[TheDiarmaidable]

o aye oul Hood ran riot throw the foothills an oul fox...

[coolmamac]

My favorite version. Love you Hoyt.

[klabkebash]

I wonder if he sang this when he invented The Bathroom Buddy...

[johnnyrocket35]

Sure wish Hoyt was still with us!

[smrt1111111111111]

@johnnyrocket35 Amen

[MacTheWolf56]

Good job, Hoyt :)

[bestshowontheweb]

huh, I always pictured hoyt as a young thin black haired guy wearing a cowboy hat cuz cowboy hats are cool.

[agatematt]

The last verse is one of the great soldier composed "add ons" to popular songs during the Civil War in which he is lamenting the tragic folly that was Gen. John Bell Hood's Tennessee Campaign in late 1864 which saw his army slaughtered at Franklin and effectively destroyed at Nashville. The "Uncle Joe" is Gen Joe Johnson whom Hood had replaced in July 1864 at Atlanta.

[PinkShirtVL]

Wow. This is the best version of this song I've ever heard.

[PinkShirtVL]

I'm an atheist and this song is absolutely beautiful!

[McGrenzer]

Going back to Georgia, my heart is full of woe/ Going back to Georgia to fight for Uncle Joe/ You may talk about your Beauregard and sing of Bobby Lee/ But the gallant Hood of Texas played hell in Tennessee

[jeanette3654]

Best version I've ever heard of this song. It's from a special highlighting the music from the Civil War series by Ken Burns.

[MrDeCorey]

Grate song Outstanding Performance!!!!!!!

[tazedbrothree]

The Cluster Pluckers are a well known famous group with several albums, Grand Ol Opry, played with Chet Atkins, Johnny Cash, etc. Looks like they enjoyed singing with Hoyt Axton and John Hartford. If you like the Cluster Pluckers, buy their albums. ;)

[Radio2Folk]

Nice version

[autismhangout]

That's the Cluster Pluckers with Hoyt and John!

[ourdolly2002]

my mom is best friend s with krises aunt we beento ckrises in crossville tenessee ddale isa nice man he had topick up hisson frim a activity andirode along indales car it was neat

[robinbernardmusic]

we all miss you john. i just know you're pickin and waiting for us.

[wieset22]

Responding to earlier post which asserts there is only one

"true" history. Nonsense.  The poster confuses chronology with history. There may be one "true" chronology (although even this is open to revision as new evidence comes to light) but since history is the interpretation of the chronology, there can be no one "truth." Moreover, everyone has a bias. "I have no bias" is a bias.

[57classic1]

This song brings back the sweetest of memories for me. My grandfather used to hum this song as it was his favorite. I loved him dearly; he died when I was just a little girl some 40 years ago. I remember my dad and mother singing it for him often. Hoyt Axton does a beautiful job with a beautiful song

[RodRim101]

if I am not mistaken the origin of this song is in the 1800, still a beautiful song

[ChristyFisty]

Love that Hoyt.

[conlaoch2011]

Be jasas Hood an his men kicked up the dust alrioght!

[vindicari]

the simplicity is the best, the song is heartfelt by everyone. no need for orchestras or fanfare. simple and brilliant.

[cottonwood1234]

Hoyt was a fine fellow. I put him up in may apt. on North Beach SF CA in the early sixtys. He came out from Texas and was geting in to the folk music scen. I belive he had al lready wrote Green Back Dollar. A coupel of years later he took off with a close friends wife and child for LA. Next thing we heard he was doing movies and tv comercials. He had a great voice, sad he went befor his time.

[worldrimroamer]

Holy.  Sublime.

[conlaoch2011]

aye a laked the bit about hood in tennasee

[gamoonbat]

I think that Kris Ballinger is to his left but who are Margaret and Dale?

[ourdolly2002]

@gamoonbat dale is krises husband aND MARAGRET ISA FRIEN OFTHEIRS  MYMOM IS KRISES AUNT BEST FRIEND

[efpdept]

@gamoonbat

Left to right are Dale Ballinger, John Hartford, Margaret Archer Bailey, Hoyt Axton, Kris Ballinger and Mark Howard on guitar. Dale, Margaret, Kris and Mark are in a blue grass band called the Cluster Pluckers.

[mrhulot101]

Hoyt was a good actor too, I loved hiis character in the movie Black Beauty.

[srvinfinity]

@mrhulot101 Totally agree! The man was a scene stealer in every apperance of tv, movies, and music.

[Buddy000Morrison]

I miss ole Hoyt, I really do.

[grainofsandfan]

Lovely.

[sleaponit21]

yheee, beautiful ain it ? kinda reminds you of XFACTOR  dont it lol

[procoi]

had to "update" the lyrics to PC standards....

[sayhey24man]

@procoi Sorry updated. There are so many versions and versas of the song. There is little doubt that the Yellow Rose was of mixed race. A very historical song.

[ma7799]

Hoyt Axton RIP

[papaof10]

beautiful.

[Arbitrage31]

Beautiful, I'd give anything for a woman standing to Hoyt's right to look at me the she looks at him. He was a rich man to have such admiration. The song was written most likely during the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836 by a slave about a mulatto slave girl hence the word yellow and legend she seduced Gen Santa Ana and this distraction led to victory by Sam Houston's army at San Jancinto. A popular song among the Johnny Reb's and a part of the heritage of the south. Legend always trumps truth.

[TheJacquewil]

So, what's your point?

[sayhey24man]

@Arbitrage31 you have to wonder how many verses there are of this song

[papaof10]

I love this! RIP Hoyt and John. I miss you guys,big time.

[TheWebbZee]

R.I.P. Hoyt....I'm sure you do not have the "rusty old halo" that you sang about years ago.

[charliekucharski]

I used to go around as a youngster singing along with the Mitch Miller version of this record. Never heard this version before. (Sounds original) It's beautiful, and what a lineup.

[pharmfarm59538]

This was near the end of his life...was it after his stroke?

[rosesredvioletsblue]

So beautiful! The depth of Hoyt's voice

is amazing. Thank you, for posting.

[fanchbrezoneg]

Fantastique interprétation par Hoyt Axton de Yellow Rose of Texas dans sa version originelle. Extraite de l'album "Songs of the Civil War" indispensable à tous ceux qui s'intéresse à la musique populaire américaine vous retrouverez John Artford, Judy Collins, Ritchie Havens, Ronnie Gilbert et la merveilleuse Kathy Mattea entre autres.

Vous apprenez dans cette version le nom d'un des adjoints de Robert E. Lee, le général de Beauregard .

[MrCklbkl]

Wow...Hoyt Man...Bony fingers man himself..so tender.

[doinmybest1]

Fell in love with him in The Black Stallion--he was the boy's dad, who died in the shipwreck... What a storyteller! (Alexander the Great and Bucephalus.)

[jpcfit]

I last listened to this video three months ago, and it got better!!

[howtocall]

very nice .... !

[Arbitrage31]

The last verse was added by the Texas Confederates and talks of going to Georgia and find Uncle Joe (Gen Joe Johston). Beauregard is Gen P.G.T. Beauregard, Gen Lee is Robert E. Lee and the final line "the Gallant Hood of Texas, played hell in Tennessee" is Lt. Gen John Bell Hood who commanded the Texas Brigade and the Army of Tennessee and was sang after the the defeat in the Nashville campaign.

[fanchbrezoneg]

I agree your good commentarie.

[Arbitrage31]

Beautiful, I'd give anything for a woman standing to Hoyt's right to look at me the she looks at him. He was a rich man to have such admiration. The song was written most likely during the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836 by a slave about a mulatto slave girl hence the word yellow and legend she seduced Gen Santa Ana and this distraction led to victory by Sam Houston's army at San Jancinto. A popular song among the Johnny Reb's and a part of the heritage of the south. Legend always trumps truth.

[GUBA287]

@Arbitrage31 I know exactly what you mean, Arbitrage31. I would love that girl forever if she looked at me one time like that. In fact, I love her anyway. She is precious.

[samael1702]

germany germany over it all..................

[1974Qball]

New fan...but lov him so much.

[schellter]

I have been a Hoyt fan since the early 60's, I prolly saw him live at small venues 50 times. This is not at all typical of his early work but it is a wonderful rendition of a classic.

[kurtzbob]

Just read the comments...now, I guess I'm what you call a damn Yankee...but let's show respect for this song. Doesn't matter this was a Billy Yank or a Johnny Reb song. It's beautiful, and knowing that it was sung during the Civil War makes it more special. God Bless America.

[Iamtexasproud]

songs like these that make me proud to be from TEXAS ! GOD BLESS TEXAS !

[MatzeNuss]

We in Germany like Texas. You can be proud to live in Texas. It stands for never give up. Great. Texas is the soul of DIXIE !!

Greetings , Matze

[proudrebel69]

Greetings and thank you, I was born and raised in the Great State of Texas, and we are very proud of it.

[cabritorsss]

Yee Haww.

[proudrebel69]

It is something that Yahweh, God Almighty gives His people. We can be proud a a heretage or a Savior that chose them. I am proud that my God created me as I am and not like a Kenite/Edomite mamzer for instance. Pride can also manifest itself as a high opinion of one's nation (national pride) and ethnicity (ethnic pride).

[nichmars]

?...what?

[jpcfit]

Outstanding! Five stars, only because there are only five to give.

[JohnKoroly]

That was beautiful. Thank you.

[farmerbee46]

Ya know, since I have learned of his final years and listening to this song, I almost weep. I only regret that I never got to meet him. I guess that's what I get for procrastinating.

[duncandenny]

Years ago, early 60's, I realized that the guy I was sitting with in a pub in Vancouver was Hoyt Axton. That was when he was a 'folk singer' and he seemed to like his 'moon shine'.

[truegangsteroflove]

Most people probably don't know that Hoyt Axton wrote "The Pusher." He also wrote "Never Been to Spain," "Greenback Dollar," "Joy to the World," and Ringo Starr's "No-No Song." His mother wrote Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel." He was an actor on TV and in movies. I remember seeing him on "Bonanza," when the show was changing to deeper topics. He was a great guy, full of mirth, and a great musician and songwriter. My favorite of his songs is "Bony Fingers."

[cmcmillon]

He was also in Gremlins

[dwnhllr1959]

I laughed so hard coke spit out my nose! "There is only ONE true history of any event" - that's priceless. Hope that poster grows up someday (ps....born and raised in Jackson MS....so don't be thinkin' *I* am any sort of 'northern revisionist'....lol).

[x101st]

AWESOME! Thanks for posting this song. It always brings tears to my eyes, as I am a Texan. When will they make this the state song? God Bless Y'all, and Thanks again!

[dmacmurray]

What's a Northern Revisionist? The only revisionists I know are liberal democRATs and they live all over the country. My great grandpappy fought in the Civil War (or War of Northern Agression as y'all like to call it) in both the infantry and the cavalry. He was at Second Bull Run (or Manassas as y'all call it) with Custer and then he was at Appomattox for Lee's capitulation. But I love the South and Southern hospitality and would gladly live in Louisiana once again.

[rcasoundhmv]

I have listened to this posting of Hoyt for more than 30 times tonight. Hoyt's voice was a rich deep baritone or even bass. It is a very rare gift and talent for such full resonating bass rich effortless voice. Hard to find another with the ump solid voice. The recording is very natural and analog. If I put it in my large rca and Altec system, it is Hoyt Axton there. It will blow me down.

[rcasoundhmv]

Just the right voice for the yellow rose. Superb. I enjoy it. Thanks for putting up this video. Any more of Hoyt Axton low voice?

[antispamdinista]

I've never heard the full, authentic version of this song. Growing up, I only heard the first two verses and chorus. Hearing the full song is a pleasure.

[teenonator]

God, I miss John Hartford & Hoyt. Thanks for posting this

[duncandenny]

Had the opportunity of meeting Hoyt in the early 60's and I've never forgotten him. Areal gentelman.

[SGTRVN1]

Bravo to all of you!! You are being ladies and gentlemen. How civilized you are and what a pleasure to read your exchange. Bravo, bravo.

[golfeitor]

I am from the Canary islands, Spain. My forbears canarians founded the city of San Antonio in the year 1731, this way that some drop of my blood runs for the veins of many Texans. I will like some day to know your land. An embrace fondly to all the Texans from Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.

[VA24541]

Nice post. Was this from a television show?

[ParkerAllen2]

Wasn't this from a Ken Burns special on music from the Civil War? I think I remember it came out a year or two after his documentary on the Civil War played.

[VA24541]

NO wonder I missed it. I could only watch a few minutes of the show until I realized that Ken Burns was attempting to re-write history to suit PBS. Burns never allows the truth to stand between himself & a good story.

[ParkerAllen2]

I'm going to guess that you're from the South. The Civil War is a big, complicated topic that can be view legitimately from a lot of different angles - no single persepective can capture it all.

[VA24541]

You are correct, however there is only ONE true history of any event. There are lots of ways to spin anything, but there is only one true set of events, and that is what history is. Burns simply told the story of the War Between the States the way he wanted to, historical facts be dammed.

[ParkerAllen2]

You'd probably be fun to talk to on this topic but this is my last comment so feel free to have the final word. There's no ONE true history on anything - the record is always incomplete and created by people who themselves were interpreting what happened to them. Historians have to choose and decipher. Your version is probably as biased as Burns' - you just don't happen to like the direction he approached it from. (And to think - you and I just came here to listen to a little good music).

[VA24541]

No, history is what REALLY happened. Ken Burns created stuff for this show. In many cases he did not report what really happened, he just reported what he wanted, no matter that it was not true. History is a very exact thing, and revisionist such as Burns should label their work as fiction.

[frostbitewinterwind]

You mean he changed the outcome of known history or do you mean he say's something was done a certain way because .....?? and then he makes up something to justify that story????

[jimraw1]

This is from a documentary called Songs of the Civil War - it came out about a year after Burns documentary series and appeared on PBS. There's no DVD yet, but you can still find it on VHS, and there's also an audio CD. NOTE - get the one called Songs of the Civil War, and not The Civil War- Traditional American Music and Instrumental music

[hielandmania]

That was very cool...what a lot of people don't realize is that he is the man who wrote the long running number one hit song for Three Dog Night, "joy to the World". Funny world, isn't it???

[MermaidlyMoon]

Thanks AmericanaExperience for posting this.

Great version of the song!

[hmsotey]

Beautiful......just beautiful

[brisansam66]

+Thanks for posting ,GREAT 5*******

[sturdle]

that was lovely, thanks......

[Jarrahnut]

What a lovely rendition.

We don't have to WIN the human race ... just SAVE it ...

Colin Hugh Abbott.

Western Australia.

[coolmamac]

My Australian friend, your fellow countryman

are much like your American cousins in many ways:

independent spirit and fun loving.

[TroubleJD]

I had the pleasure of meeting Hoyt years ago and he was one of the nicest people. He had such a nice voice. Such a loss.  We love you Hoyt!

[duncandenny]

In the mid 60's I was in a 'pub' spending an enjoyable evening with this nice fellow who turned out to be Hoyt Axton.

[sleaponit21]

top dollor thank you

[rickjolley]

John Hood was a good enuf general (CSA) that they named Fort Hood after him. FH is the home of the famous 1st Cav; perhaps the greatest cav unit. John's writeup on Wiki is worth reading.

[efpdept]

Hoyt Axton and John Hartford accompanied by four members of the Cluster Pluckers. Left to right, Dale Ballinger, Margaret Archer Bailey, John, Hoyt, Kris Ballinger and Mark Howard on guitar. This was recorded in 1990 for "Songs of the Civil War," a companion to Ken Burns' "Civil War" documentary on PBS.

[UISTMAN59]

"The gallant Hood of Texas played hell in Tennessee" - so was that a good thing or what?

[BenAliGtor]

"..so was that a good thing or what? "

He sent his army into an infantry attack at Franklin against an entrenched enemy without supporting artillery. Long story short: they were butchered, losing many including the South's finest division commander, Pat Cleburne. What was left was further decimated at Nashville. Hood was an extremely brave commander, but reckless with his men-what Lee called a "bull fighter".Yet, veterans of his of both the AOT and the ANV were proud to have served under Hood.

[114Pilot]

".....so was that a good thing or what?"....oh, yeaaaaaaahhhhhHHHHH!!!!!!!

[UISTMAN59]

That's hardly an answer 114pilot. Hood resigned his command on January 23, 1865, reverting back to his permanent rank of lieutenant general. He surrendered to Federal authorities in Natchez, Mississippi on May 31, 1865. THAT was a good thing!

[114Pilot]

My sincere apologies. That wasn't meant as an answer, it was a comment.

[deloufu]

Can you say "AWESOME."

[nllleonard]

God I miss Hoyt and John!

[jedediahliddell]

Wow... what a reachback.

[ChooseySuzie]

Thank you so much for sharing. This is a treasure. Hoyt was a balladeer till the end!