Zeb Turney's Girl

Rimsky-Korsakov and Wagner are my favorite composers, and if there is a more beautiful sound anywhere on the face of this Earth, than Adele Addison singing 'He Shall Feed His Flock', I haven't heard it. I do in fact, love music from all over the world.

I will not limit my taste in music. I have heard street singers with beautiful and very professional voices. I have no idea why they weren't affiliated with a major recording label.

When I was a small child, we had a floor model radio. It had a very large, cloth covered speaker (probably 14in diameter). I almost hugged that radio so as to make sure I heard every sound. Years later, my Mama told me I wore a hole in that cloth with my knees.

In the early 60s, I bought a beautiful wind up Victrola, just like the one pictured in this video. I spent many hours cranking up that talking machine and listening to old 78s. I grew to love the sound coming from it. As any audiophile will tell you, digitized music cannot begin to approach the sound derived from a needle in a groove. Winding the spring, putting the tone arm on the record, watching the record spin around and listening to that tinny sound, gives you a wonderful sensation you will never get from an mp3.

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A favorite record I played on that Victrola was 'Zeb Turney's Girl' sung by Marion Try Slaughter. Marion used over 100 different pseudonyms while recording over 5000 records. He used the more popular name 'Vernon Dalhart' while recording Zeb Turney's Girl, on the Okeh label in 1925.

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Slowly, (very slowly) my video making is improving. I'm afraid though, I will never be good enough to do justice to the colorful lyrics of this old song (I have included a couple of pictures). So, if you will; please read the lyrics below and just let your mind paint the pictures of this 'hot blooded youngster' claiming his love from a rival mountain clan.

Note:

This is not typical country music. It is pure D mountain music, all the way. Bet a lot of you didn't know there was a difference!

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Zeb Turney's Girl
Vernon Dalhart
Okeh Label 1925

Down in the Tennessee mountains,
Away from the sins of the world,
Old Dan Kelly's son there he leaned on his gun,
A-thinking of Zeb Turney's gal.

Dan was a hot-blooded youngster,
His pap raised him sturdy and right.
And he had him sworn from the day he was born
To shoot every Turney on sight.

"Powder and shot for the Turneys,
Don't save a hair on their heads!"
Old Dan Kelly cried as he laid down and died
With young Danny there by his bed.

Dan took the vow to his pappy
And swore he would kill every one.
His heart in a whirl with his love for the girl,
He loaded his double-barrelled gun.

The moon shining down on the mountains,
The moon shining down on the still,
Young Dan took a sip, swung his gun to his hip,
And set out to slaughter and kill.

Over the mountains he wandered,
This son of a Tennessee man,
With fire in his eye and his gun on his thigh,
A-looking for Zeb Turney's clan.

Shots ringing out through the mountains,
Shots ringing out through the breeze.
Old Dan Kelly's son with the smoke in his gun,
The Turneys all down on their knees.

The story of Dan Kelly's moonshine
Has spread far and wide o 'er the world,
How Dan killed the clan, shot 'em down to a man
And brought back old Zeb Turney's girl.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Zeb
• Turney's
• Girl

[magbrown1]

I loved this one Great tune, I must say what a beautiful piece if furniture too. Thanks Doug

[likekinds]

@magbrown1

Thanks Margaret

I hate that I no longer have that Victrola.

[justmusicandme]

I listened twice, first reading the lyrics, then just listening. I enjoyed all six minutes and 30 seconds - and I have a short attention span! LOL! I can imagine the delight a young child would find in playing a real Victrola,

[likekinds]

@justmusicandme

Yes they would! Remember the 60s? All the little girls were pulling Chatty Cathy's string. Little did they know that in 1890, Edison was manufacturing dolls with a little wind up phonograph inside!!!

[MsBones1950]

i think i heard this song 45 years ago and if i am right i think Jean Outery was singing it liked it then liked it now

[likekinds]

@MsBones1950

Yeah. It's a great song. Thanks for listening.

[likekinds]

@MsBones1950

I don't know if Gene Autry ever recorded this song. You may be thinking of Hank Snow. He did a version of it. I love Hank's singing better 'n a hog loves slop, but this song is best by Vernon Dalhart.

[appapo3]

I always know where to find the most beautiful people in the world.OK, not the music I remember .The rich full tones coming from an old hand crafted wooden radio with those beautiful glowing vacuum tubes.How much is that doggy in the window ..arf arf.Street musicians.... If I only had a recording studio or a radio station broadcasting live.

[RubyCrimson]

I learned a lot about the beginnings of Music likekinds,

very fascinating sounds Thanks for sharing!

Have a good week.

[SpringtimeSkies129]

What a great song!

[soulsupremeful]

Many thanks for sharing :)

[beachfrontal]

No one is ever going to accuse your channel of being boring, loved the lyrics, loved the whole concept, groove winder scratch needle cloth covered speakers and all, lol 66666 Can you really be that ancient?? just kidding. 555555, loved it. LIKED too (but it is disabled.) but I did try. David.

[A297MAN104]

Thanks for sending....very nice....regards....Dave

[BARRYKATE1]

Thanks for this great old song. The lyrics added to the enjoyment.