Goin' Across The Mountain / 'Simmon Tree

Is it irresponsible to do day hikes with a 131 year old banjo?

Anyway,
I learned this tune from listening to a recording of Frank Proffitt. Frank was born on New Years day of 1913 in Johnson County, Tennessee, not all too far from the tri-border of Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. His grandfather wrote this song when he left his home to fight in the Civil War. Although the Proffitts lived in Tennessee at the time, his grandfather fought for the Union, as many places in the Appalachian Mountains were mixed up as to where they stood in the war. I myself have a third great grandfather who fought in the 8th Virginia Infantry for the Confederacy - his own brother however joined up to fight later on in the war and fought for the Union. The first line of this song is actually written on Frank Proffitt's gravestone.

The ending is a little improvised bit I'm calling 'Simmon Tree. Its just a couple "floating verses" that appear in lots of different Appalachian folk songs.

"Goin' across the mountain, o' fare the well.
Goin' across the mountain, hear my banjo tell.

Got my rations on my back, my powder it is dry,
goin' across the mountain, Sandy don't you cry.

Way before it's good daylight, if nothin' happens to me,
I'll be way down yonder in ol' Tennessee.

Goin' across the mountain, if I have to crawl,
to give ol' Jeff's men a little of my rifle ball.

Goin' across the mountain, o' fare the well.
Goin' across the mountain, hear my banjo tell.

Wish I was a 'simmon tree planted in the ground,
every time you walk on by, shake a 'simmon down.
Wish I had a big fine horse and corn to feed 'em on,
pretty little lady to stay at home and feed 'em when I'm gone."


#mountains #oldtimemusic #clawhammerbanjo #clawhammer #oldtimebanjo #banjo #appalachianmusic #folkmusic #folksong #civilwar #bluegrass #onlyitaintbluegrass