RED RIVER VALLEY

Having been born on an island ie Britain, I have always held a romantasied view of early life in the vast prairies and the difficulties and determination it took to colonise the vast expanse of land. This song just happens to be a representation that I remember from very early on. I am sure it comes from a film.. if anyone has a clue?

(reply) Hey Mike, From what I'm able to find online, Red River Valley was written in 1896 by songwriter James J. Kerrigan. It no doubt must have been in a John Wayne (or similar) film as well. Another one of those songs I have known most of my life. Thank you again for your wonderful performances! Joe

anecdotal evidence suggests that the song was known in at least five Canadian provinces before 1896. The song appears in sheet music, titled "In the Bright Mohawk Valley", printed in New York in 1896 with James J. Kerrigan as the writer.

This is the beginning—from "I" to "we". If you who own the things people must have could understand this, you might preserve yourself. If you could separate causes from results, if you could know that Paine, Marx, Jefferson, Lenin were results, not causes, you might survive. But that you cannot know. For the quality of owning freezes you forever into "I", and cuts you off forever from the "we".

Category:

Music

Tags:

• RED
• RIVER
• VALLEY:
• The
• Grapes
• of
• Wrath:
• folk
• acoustic
• love
• song
• guitar
• playing
• fingerstyle:

[nodnoc52]

Agreed- folk music is a fascinating study - Ask people who wrote Hey Joe and many will tell you Jimi Hendrix. The roots of Hey joe go back to several different folk songs from Scottland; the real writer of this song is unknown. I can't tell you how many versions of Hey Joe and the House of the Rising sun I have come across over the years- Keep on playing and singing-keep the tradition alive.

[ichingiching]

I didn't know that although it all makes sense.. cheers.. and until my last breath..!!! have a great day.

[nodnoc52]

The original tune was written by Barry Taylor and Called - Bright Mohawk Valley, a very popular tune in New York at that time. it spread through out the South and the cowboys in the Red River Valley localized it and it became the tune we know as the Red River Valley today.

Folk music travels like this and goes throug some changes to adpat to the regions it is being sung in, while maintianing it's basic roots. I believe Pete seger called this Folking it up.

[ichingiching]

another great addition to this song and its history.. all traditional music, especially before songs were ever recorded always adapted to the changing times, dialects and country mores.. that was the oral tradition.. its a organic process that gives rise to rich variations .. I think PS was celebrating that with his 'folking it up' observation

[JohnnyPaton]

There's a version of this song adapted by Dominic Behan called "take it down from the mast" and it's about the Irish Civil War.

[ichingiching]

interesting link.. yes I’ve listened to it.. time is for reconciliation I hope..

[privatesmallz042]

after watching this video, i learned it in a couple mins. Great job performing this, amazing song!!

[SuperDabei]

Klasse.,....

[ichingiching]

thats kind.. thank you for listening..

[ichingiching]

lovely story.. rivers were so fundamental to early settlers here and there.. everywhere in fact.. its a sad indictment that so much blood has courses through so many rivers

[jerlan23]

I've watched this many times, and there will be many more to come. I haven't developed an immunity to the amazement I experience watching and hearing the guitar playing.

[carollizc]

Thanks for this Mike. When my family first came to Canada, they settled in Manitoba, in what is now Winnipeg, and not far from the river that lends its name to the song. I love that such a lasting and lovely song could come out of a place that even in 1896 must have borne the scars of the Riel rebellion and its attendant bloodshed. Nicely done.