Man Of Constant Sorrows

Stereo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8QyUKe1Dos&fmt=18
Buck Norris sing "Man Of Constant Sorrows"
"Man of Constant Sorrow" is a traditional American folk song first performed by Dick Burnett, a partially blind fiddler from Kentucky. The song was originally recorded by Burnett as "Farewell Song" printed in a Richard Burnett songbook, c. 1913. An early version was recorded by Emry Arthur in 1928.

There is some uncertainty whether Dick Burnett himself wrote the song. In an interview he gave toward the end of his life Burnett himself indicated that he could not remember:
CHARLES WOLFE: What about this "Farewell Song" -- "I am a man of constant sorrow" -- did you write it?'
RICHARD BURNETT: No, I think I got the ballet [sic (ballad)] from somebody -- I dunno. It may be my song...[1]

If Burnett wrote the song, we can date the writing of the song, or perhaps the editing of certain lyrics by Burnett, to about 1913. Since we know Burnett was born in 1883, married in 1905, and blinded in 1907, we can date two of these texts on the basis of internal evidence. The second stanza of "Farewell Song" mentions the singer has been blind six years, which would date it at 1913.

According to the Country Music Annual, Burnett "probably tailored a prexisting song to fit his blindness" and may have adapted a hymn. Charles Wolfe argues that "Burnett probably based his melody on an old baptist hymn called Wandering Boy"[2]
During 1918, Cecil Sharp collected the song and published it as "In Old Virginny" (Sharp II, 233).
Sarah Ogan Gunning's recomposition of the traditional "Man" into a more personal "Girl" took place about 1936 in New York, where her first husband, Andrew Ogan, was fatally ill. The text was descriptive of loneliness away from home and anticipated her bereavement; the melody she remembered from a 78 rpm hillbilly record (Emry Arthur, probably Vocalion Vo 5208, 1928) she had heard some years before in the mountains.

Recordings and cover versions * The song was first made famous by the Stanley Brothers. * It appears on Bob Dylan's 1962 eponymous debut album and Dylan performed the song during his first national television appearance in 1963. * Recorded by Waylon Jennings on his 1966 major-label debut Folk-Country. * In their 1962 self-titled debut album Peter, Paul and Mary recorded another version as "Sorrow." * Judy Collins's 1961 debut album, Maid of Constant Sorrow, took its name from a variant of the song that was performed on the album. * Rod Stewart performed the song on his debut solo album in 1969. * It was also recorded by Ginger Baker's Air Force on their eponymous debut album in 1970, sung by Air Force guitarist and vocalist (and former Moody Blues, future Wings member) Denny Laine. The band used the same melody, and for the most part the same lyrics (but substituted 'Birmingham' for 'Colorado'). The arrangement differed, though, as this was a loosely improvised live version, with violin and saxophones, that stays very much in the major scales of A, D and E, unlike its future bluesier brethren. It was the only band single; it charted #36 on the U.S. country charts and #86 in UK. * "Man of Constant Sorrow" was one of many songs recorded by Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, and Tony Rice one weekend in February of 1993. Jerry's taped copy of the session was later stolen by his pizza delivery man, eventually became an underground classic, and finally edited and released in 2000.[3] Jerry Garcia also sang an a cappella version on June 11, 1962, at the Jewish Community Center.

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Music

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• Buck
• Norris
• Classic
• Country

[coltrivers]

great performance of my favorite song ever! :)

[bucknorrismusic]

Thanks very much.

[streetlegal70]

just great!

[bucknorrismusic]

Thanks very much.

[Bflatblues55]

Wonderful rendition... love it!

[bucknorrismusic]

Thank you very much my friend.

[saeta]

good job!!!

[TonyValleMusic]

Great video Buck. Very fun! 

[CTS1905]

Rendered well, fantastic notes.

[bucknorrismusic]

Thanks, greetings to a fellow Okie. I'm in Oklahoma City.