Oh Shenandoah
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"Oh Shenandoah" (also called simply "Shenandoah", or "Across the Wide Missouri") is an American folk song, dating to the early 19th century.
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[edit] Lyrics
The lyrics may tell the story of a roving trader in love with the daughter of an Indian chief; in this interpretation, the rover tells the chief of his intent to take the girl with him far to the west, across the Missouri River. Other interpretations tell of a pioneer's nostalgia for the Shenandoah River Valley in Virginia, and a young woman who is its daughter; or of a Union soldier in the American Civil War, dreaming of his country home to the west of the Missouri river, in Shenandoah, Iowa (though the town lies some 50 miles east of the river). The provenance of the song is unclear.
The song is also associated with escaped slaves. They were said to sing the song in gratitude because the river allowed their scent to be lost.
The Shenandoah area made many parts like wheels and seats for wagons going west. These parts were assembled in Conestoga Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and settlers set out in Conestoga wagons down the Ohio River, on the Mississippi and west up the Missouri River. Lyrics were undoubtedly added by rivermen, settlers, and the millions who went west.
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[edit] History
With possible origins in Virginia, noting that its title is also the name of a Virginia river, the song has been considered for Virginia's official state song.[citation needed]
In his 1931 book on sea and river chanteys entitled Capstan Bars, David Bone wrote that "Oh Shenandoah" originated as a river shanty and then became popular with sea-going crews in the early 1800s.[citation needed]
The Missouri Congressman Ike Skelton noted in 2005 that Missouri artist George Caleb Bingham immortalized the jolly flatboatmen who plied the Missouri River in the early 1800s; these same flatboatmen were known for their chanties, including the haunting "Oh Shenandoah". This boatmen's song found its way down the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers to the American clipper ships, and thus around the world.[citation needed]
[edit] Interim state song of Virginia
For a time in early 2006, it appeared that "Shenandoah" would become the "interim state song" for Virginia. While the authorizing legislation passed the Senate of Virginia, the measure died in committee on the Virginia House of Delegates side. It was a problematic choice because the song never specifically mentions Virginia and, in many versions of the song, the name "Shenandoah" refers to an Indian chief, not the Shenandoah Valley or Shenandoah River. However, an early rendition of the song, as related in 1931 by David Bone in Capstan Bars, includes verses that appear to allude to the Shenandoah River, which is partly in Virginia:
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It is possible that, as the song's popularity spread, flatboatmen of the Missouri might have evolved different lyrics than the bargemen of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal along the Potomac or sailors of the American clipper fleet out of New Orleans.
[edit] Recordings
- Chanticleer on Out of This World
- Paul Robeson on multiple recordings including Ballads for Americans, The Essential Paul Robeson, Spirituals, Folksongs & Hymns
- Mickey Newbury on multiple recordings including Live in England,
- Mormon Tabernacle Choir on multiple recordings including America's Choir, Choral Adagios, Essential Choral Classics.
- Jo Stafford on American Folk Songs (Corinthian, 1950)
- Bing Crosby on How the West Was Won (Bing Crosby album) (RCA Records, 1959)
- Harry Belafonte on Belafonte at Carnegie Hall (RCA Records, 1959)
- Michael Holliday on "Hi!" (EMI Columbia, 1957)
- Michael Landon on Bonanza: Ponderosa Party Time (RCA, 1962)
- The Statler Brothers on Big Country Hits (Columbia, 1967)
- The King's Singers on The King's Singers: Original Debut Recording (1971)
- Tennessee Ernie Ford on The Folk Album (Capitol, 1971)
- Hannes Wader on Hannes Wader Singt Shanties (1978)
- Thin Lizzy as a part of the title medley on Black Rose: A Rock Legend (1979)
- Bob Dylan on Down in the Groove (1988)
- Connie Dover on "Somebody" (Taylor Park Music, 1991)
- Small Potatoes on RAW (1993)
- Arlo Guthrie on Son of the Wind (Rising Son, 1994)
- Glen Campbell on The Artistry of Glen Campbell (Capitol, 1972) or The Essential Glen Campbell Volume One (Capitol CDP-33288, 1994)
- Bill Frisell on Good Dog, Happy Man (Nonesuch, 1999)
- Keith Jarrett on The Melody At Night, With You (ECM, 1999)
- Nathan Gunn on American Anthem (EMI, 1999)
- Dave Alvin on Public Domain: Songs From the Wild Land (Hightone Records, 2000)
- Shusha on Shusha / This is the day (Bgocd531, 2001)
- Sissel Kyrkjebø with The Chieftains on Sissel (Decca, 2002)
- David Daniels on A quiet thing (Virgin Classics 724354560025, 2003)
- Richard Thompson on 1000 Years of Popular Music (Beeswing, 2003)
- Roger McGuinn on Limited Edition (April First Productions, 2004)
- Archibald Asparagus on VeggieTales: Bob and Larry's Campfire Songs (Big Idea, 2004)
- Judy Garland on That Old Feeling - Classic Ballads from the Judy Garland Show (Savoy Jazz label, 2005)
- Allan Holdsworth on Against The Clock - The Essential (2005)
- The Corries on Flower of Scotland (Moidart, 2006)
- Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions Band on We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (Columbia, 2006)
- Land of Lakes Choirboys on The Voice of the Children (2007)
- Van Morrison with The Chieftains on The Best of Van Morrison Volume 3 (Manhattan/EMI, 2007)
- Hayley Westenra on Celtic Treasure (Decca B000MTDRJA, 2007)
- Bryn Terfel on A Song in my Heart (UCJ, 2007)
- Bread and Roses, an American Folk Punk band, on Deep River Day (Fistolo, 2007)
- Michigan State University Children's Choir, the Grammy Award-winning youth choir associated with Michigan State University, on "America the Beautiful: Songs of Our Heritage"
- Tyler James on Sweet Relief (Son of Geert Music, 2007)
- Jim McGrath on Red Right Returning (Wepecket Island Records, 2007)
- Charlie Haden on Rambling Boy (DECCA, 2008)
- Trampled By Turtles Feat. Rich Mattson on Duluth (Banjodad, 2008)
- Youn Sun Nah on Voyage (ACT,2009)
