~~~Earlier this winter there were two British guys who came to America when their fellow Englishmen said they should not, that America was a horrible and unsafe place. Well, they came anyway. And do you know they had the time of their lives! They fell in love with our great country. They posted daily on their TikTok page, and those wonderful videos made it to You Tube. They fell in love with every state and area they visited, and people lined up to meet them. All the while they unwittingly became a part of contemporary American folklore.
So, in that same spirit, I am now posting about another of my American vacations - Harper's Ferry, West Virginia.
I hope you enjoy it~~~
I've Gone To Look For America indeed
......
Compared to many I know, I certainly am not much of an out-of-state traveler.
Heck! I'm not even much of an in-state traveler.
But over the course of time I've seen some very cool historical locations, such as Boston's Freedom Trail, Lexington & Concord, and Plymouth, Massachusetts, Colonial Williamsburg , Virginia, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Well, I've also been to Antietam in Maryland and Harper's Ferry in West Virginia.
My Antietam visit will be posted sometime a couple months from now, so this week I'll concentrate on Harper's Ferry.
It was the week following Easter, in 2006, and with the kids off for Easter break, we went on this wonderful holiday, which included meeting up with some of our reenacting friends upon arriving - all members of the 21st Michigan Civil War reenacting group I've reenacted with.
Originally starting in Gettysburg, we did plenty of touring there...and you can check that out by clicking HERE.
For this week's post, let's mostly remain in the 19th century - - and I would like to point out that on the way to Harper's Ferry we crossed The Potomac River! I had absolutely no idea we were going to do that!
Crossing the Potomac See the bird?
"The Potomac River is famous for its deep ties to American history, particularly with George Washington (who lived on its banks and envisioned it as a trade route), its role as the backdrop for the nation's capital, and pivotal Civil War moments." Everyone of us in the van were awestruck that we were crossing this historical river with a George Washington connection. George Washington's connection to the Potomac River spanned his life from surveying it in his youth to managing his estate, Mount Vernon, along its banks.
Plus...didn't he throw a silver dollar clear across? Well...okay...the legend that George Washington threw a silver dollar across the Potomac River is a myth; if he threw anything at all (like most boys would at least try), he would have likely thrown a piece of slate or stone across the much narrower Rappahannock River near his childhood home. The story, popularized to highlight his strength, is more than likely simply not true, for the first U.S. silver dollar was minted in 1794 when he was 62.
But I wanted to include this famous piece of American lore...just because. The story, from what I read, was popularized by Washington's adopted grandson, George Washington Parke Custis, as a display of his strength. Just lore, like wooden teeth and chopping down the cherry tree.
But we still crossed the Potomac!
Okay, so we were quite aways away from Mount Vernon, but it didn't matter to any of us.
Crossing the Potomac - not the same picture as above. There are slight differences. Okay, so we were nowhere near George Washington's Mount Vernon, but still...
Harpers Ferry is located at the junction of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, which was a key area of interest for Washington's projects to improve navigation, and, from what I've read, in 1785 he took the Potomac, of which his Mount Vernon sits upon the banks, to Harper's Ferry.
We didn't take the same route - we took Highway 15 instead.
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
"Filled with history, natural beauty, and plenty of Appalachian charm, Harpers Ferry is a Mountain State gem."
The town of Harpers Ferry witnessed the arrival of the first successful American railroad, John Brown's attack on slavery, the largest surrender of Federal troops during the Civil War, and the education of former slaves. Harpers Ferry was used by freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad. African Americans fought with John Brown to end American slavery. Colonel Tubman, as Brown called Harriet Tubman, helped to recruit and raise funds for the attack.
So much history here...and yet, I don't think I've ever heard anyone ever say, "Hey - let's take a vacation to Haper's Ferry!" Including us.
Back around April 2006 we were in Gettysburg and a friend mentioned about going to Harper's Ferry, which was not a long drive - an easy day trip. I'm certainly glad we went, for I honestly did not realize the history here.
Well, here are three presidents who have visited (two before they were president): Thomas Jefferson
George Washington (as mentioned earlier)
and Abraham Lincoln.
How about a few famous Americans who were not presidents: Lewis & Clark
John Brown
Robert E. Lee
Frederick Douglas
Stonewall Jackson
Now that's American History!
And I'm happy to say that, though I am not famous, I was there, too, as were my wife and kids!
I took a number of "town shots" while there.
Some of the scenes in the movie, Gods & Generals, were filmed here in Harpers Ferry.
Do you see the Dry Goods store?
That's where we're headed next~
"Step through the doors of this exhibit and be taken back in time
to an 1860s store where you could buy anything from cloth and
hats to spices and household items."
Although Harpers Ferry was in a slave state, whites and African-Americans, slave and free, patronized these stores together.
The merchandise shown in the pictures here includes typical items of the 1850's including fabrics, decanters, patent medicines, writing implements, hardware, and general notions.
As I've heard said at another historic general store: "the Amazon.com of its time."
Then there's Jefferson Rock:
Thomas Jefferson stood on the rock on October 25th, 1783, enjoying the view so much that he wrote about its beauty in his famous work, 'Notes on the State of Virginia.' According to Jefferson, the view alone was “worth a voyage across the Atlantic."
Yes, that is the Potomac River there.
The structure now known as John Brown’s Fort was erected in 1848. It was in this building that John Brown and several of his followers barricaded themselves during the final hours of their ill-fated raid of October 16, 17, and 18, 1859.
On July 3, 1859, Brown arrived in Harpers Ferry, accompanied by his sons. In the preceding months, Brown raised money from other abolitionists and ordered weapons — pikes and guns — to be used in his war against slavery.
John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry was an ultimately failed effort by the abolitionist; from October 16 to 18, 1859, Brown tried to initiate a slave revolt in Southern states by taking over the United States arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. His goal was to instigate a major slave rebellion in the South.
The main reason John Brown's raid at Harpers Ferry failed was because the armory that he attacked was surrounded by a regiment. As a result, he was easily discovered by the soldiers patrolling the area. He was arrested and later executed.
During the Civil War, the John Brown Fort was used as a prison, a powder magazine, and perhaps a quartermaster supply house. Union troops admired the fort as they passed while Confederate troops cursed it. Many troops broke pieces of brick and wood off the fort as souvenirs. It was the only Armory building to escape destruction during the Civil War.
Early in 1803, Meriwether Lewis traveled to Harpers Ferry for supplies needed for his journey. He relied on the U.S. Armory and Arsenal at Harpers Ferry for guns and hardware - among other things - that would meet his unique requirements. In addition to procuring supplies, Lewis also attended to the construction of a collapsible iron boat frame.
Lewis had only expected to stay in Harpers Ferry for a week, but instead
was forced to stay over a month as the boat frame was built.
On April 20, 1803, Lewis wrote President Jefferson:
“My detention at Harper's Ferry was unavoidable for one month, a period much greater than could reasonably have been calculated on; my greatest difficulty was the frame of the canoe, which could not be completed without my personal attention to such portions of it as would enable the workmen to understand the design perfectly. -My Rifles, Tomahawks & knives are already in a state of forwardness that leaves me little doubt of their being in readiness in due time.”
By April 18, 1803, when the boat frame was finished, Lewis left Harpers Ferry for Lancaster and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Eleven weeks later, on July 7, Lewis returned to Harpers Ferry to pick up his supplies.
Here is a representative listing of Meriwether Lewis's Harper's Ferry Acquisitions (taken from a placard at the site):
1) 40 Fish Gigs with a single Barb point
2) 36 pipe tomahawks "for Indian presents"
3) 24 pipe tomahawks
4) 24 large knives
5) 15 rifles
6) 15 powder horns and pouches
7) 15 pairs of bullet molds
8) 15 wiper or gun worms
9) 15 ball screws
10) 15 gun slings
11) 1 small grindstone
12) 1 collapsible iron frame boat
13) Extra parts of locks
14) Tools for repairing arms
On July 7, Lewis returned to Harpers Ferry to pick up his supplies. The following day he wrote President Jefferson:
"Yesterday, I shot my guns and examined the several articles which had been manufactured for me at this place; they appear to be well executed."
He secured a driver, team, and wagon to haul the supplies to Pittsburgh, and Lewis finally left for the last time on July 8, 1803.
Thank you to Pearl & Bill Jones for convincing us to go to Harper's Ferry, for this was quite an unexpected pleasurable stop while vacationing at Gettysburg.
Coming up in the not too distant future here on Passion For the Past I will highlight our adventures at the Antietam Battlefield in Sharpsburg, Maryland.
Looking for America indeed!
Until next time, see you in time.
Here is a listing of our other American History vacation visits: You just read about Harper's Ferry, West Virginia
I've written on my birth city of Detroit multiple times. What makes today's post different is I am focusing on Detroit during the Revolutionary War years. Another Semiquincentennial commemoration~~~
~Hello Detroit!~ The "Hollywood-style" Detroit sign was installed along eastbound I-94 back in April 2024. Though I know there are those who don't really care for it, I still love the Detroit letter sign ("Detroit Gateway Sign") and I give a great big smile everytime I see it.
~~ . ~~
And before we get into the "guts" of this post, a little background here on how Detroit celebrated the Revolutionary War and our Nation's 200th birthday back in 1976:
The Sunday Detroit News.
It's the full paper, so as I glanced through it,
I took only a few snaps of the many articles packed inside:
The date - - so cool!
A look at how our President at the time celebrated.
this shows how many radio stations were celebrating that day.
Now these were not the local top 40 or rock stations, but, rather,
the local news and information stations.
But, in case you are interested,
these are the US Top 10 singles for the week ending July 3rd/4th, 1976:
1 SILLY LOVE SONGS –•– Wings (5 weeks at #1)
2 AFTERNOON DELIGHT –•– The Starland Vocal Band
3 MISTY BLUE –•– Dorothy Moore
4 SARA SMILE –•– Daryl Hall and John Oates
5 SHOP AROUND –•– The Captain and Tennille
6 MORE, MORE, MORE (Part 1) –•– The Andrea True Connection
7 GET UP AND BOOGIE (That’s Right) –•– Silver Convention
8 I’LL BE GOOD TO YOU –•– The Brothers Johnson
9 KISS AND SAY GOODBYE –•– The Manhattans
10 LOVE IS ALIVE –•– Gary Wright
And what albums were in the top ten?
Here they are, based on Billboard's weekly data for early July 1976:
1. Wings at the Speed of Sound – Wings
2. Frampton Comes Alive! – Peter Frampton
3. Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) – Eagles
4. Dreamboat Annie – Heart
5. A Night at the Opera – Queen
6. Misty Blue – Dorothy Moore (based on top songs of the week)
7. Run with the Pack – Bad Company
8. Presence – Led Zeppelin
9. Desire – Bob Dylan
10. Saddle Tramp – Charlie Daniels Band
"Crowley's Department Store was one of Detroit's Big Three of downtown retailers and Hudson’s fiercest rival in the department store business. Generations of Detroiters glided down its famous wooden escalator and suited themselves in the latest fashions."
And then---------
I found this to be very interesting.
Yes, Detroit was settled already in 1776 (founded in 1701) but had not played a major role in the Revolution. However, based on the spread of information from Philadelphia in July 1776, it likely took several weeks for news of the Declaration of Independence to reach the British-controlled outpost of Detroit, placing the arrival of the news around late July 1776. As you shall soon read, some very interesting occurences took place.
This illustration by John Gelsavage depicts the fort in the 1700s.
Courtesy of Detroit Historical Society
Detroit was not directly involved in the American Revolution; a fort, it was a strategic stronghold for the British in North America, housing American prisoners of war. It also served, as it had the French a generation earlier, as an important staging area for Indian raiding parties. Although the Indians had risen in revolt against the British in 1763, a decade later they understood that an independent thirteen colonies disposed to aggressively settle western lands was far more of a threat to them. Indeed, the British government since 1763 had made significant efforts to limit white settlement and mollify tribal sentiment.
Henry Hamilton "the hair buyer"~
During the war colonists felt particular animosity toward the British command at Detroit because of the activities of Henry Hamilton, the city's lieutenant governor and military commander. Hamilton not only supplied arms and ammunition for Indian raiding parties but also agreed to pay a bounty for scalps. Kentuckians, who were the particular victims of this policy, labeled him "the hair buyer" and loathed him. It seems to have mattered little that Hamilton did not actively encourage scalping, and was in fact following orders from his commanders. Other British officers in the region also implemented the same policy, but Kentuckians characterized Hamilton as a war criminal. George Rogers Clark, a Kentucky militia officer, eventually persuaded the Americans to undertake a daring plan to put an end to Hamilton's raiding parties by capturing various British outposts in the West. After Clark won several initial victories, Hamilton personally led an expedition from Detroit to stop the upstart Kentuckian. The British expedition failed, and in 1779 Clark captured Hamilton at Vincennes. Hamilton spent the rest of the war as a prisoner in Williamsburg, Virginia (now known as Colonial Williamsburg), while Clark's victory created a new military situation in the West. According to Hamilton's own account, a-waiting him in Williamsburg was "a considerable Mob (that had) gather'd about us." The governor of Williamsburg, Patrick Henry (yes, the 'give me liberty or give me death' Patrick Henry!) ordered that Hamilton be shackled in the gaol (jail).
As a result of Hamilton's defeat, several of the Indian tribes' loyalty to the British wavered. The Odawa and Ojibwe announced their neutrality in the war. The Wyandot, camped near Detroit, announced that they planned to seek a peace treaty with the Americans. The British garrison in Detroit, worried over losing their Indian allies and fearing attack by Clark, decided to abandon the old French fort. They built a new fortress on a hill located behind the town which they believed gave them superior military advantage. The new bastion was named Fort Lernoult, after Captain Richard Lernoult, who had succeeded Hamilton as commander in Detroit. It was designed to withstand an attack by an enemy equipped with cannon, a concern that Cadillac, who saw the fort's primary responsibility as resisting Indian warriors, had not taken into consideration when he placed the original fort along the river.
In October of 1779, Colonel Arent Schuyler de Peyster assumed command of Fort Detroit, after Lernoult was sent to Niagra. de Peyster continued the practice of sending raiding parties into Kentucky. He and his wife took an active part in the social life of Detroit during their stay. In dealing with the Indians, he expressed his displeasure at their tactics and urged them to bring in more prisoners and less scalps. During the coarse of the war, over 500 prisoners, including Daniel Boone, were held at Detroit. With the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia, on October 19, 1781, fighting on the east coast came to a halt. The war in the west continued, with skirmishes occurring throughout the Ohio Valley, while peace talks were held in Paris. (The above italicized print came from David Lee Poremba's book called "Detroit: A Motor City History," a fascinating and easy read that doesn't become over-wrought with minute political details to drag it down. I highly recommend it for the reader who would rather choose something a bit lighter rather than a more deeper serious tome.)
Daniel Boone
Painted from life in 1820
by Chester Harding
But we can speak a bit about Daniel Boone and his coming to Detroit during the Revolutionary War.
At the time the war broke out, Boone was living in Boonesborough, a town he’d founded in Kentucky west of the Appalachian Mountains. Relations between the white settlers and the Shawnee who lived in the area were tense, with frequent skirmishes breaking out between the two.
When the American Revolution began, the Shawnee weren’t sympathetic to the settlers’ cause. In 1778, Boonesborough, Kentucky, lay under constant attack from Indian allies of the British. Boone, a captain in the local militia, led the defense.
On Feb. 7, 1778, Shawnee warriors came across Boone and about 30 of his men, who were away from their settlement to gather salt and food. Boone quickly determined that he and his men would lose a fight against the Shawnee, and he ordered his men to surrender as prisoners of war.
Daniel Boone was a prisoner in Detroit for a short period, specifically from March 30th to April 10th. The men were put into the hands of Governor Hamilton, who, to his credit, treated them with kindness. Boone himself declared that he was, “treated by Governor Hamilton, the British commander at that post, with great humanity.” Boone did not forget this kindness and afterwards, when Hamilton was an execrated prisoner in the hands of the Americans, Boone befriended him to the best of his ability.
The men who had been brought to Detroit in company with their captain were readily ransomed by the British, but the Indians declined to dispose of Boone in the same manner. The Governor offered one hundred pounds sterling—an extraordinary sum—for his release, intending to liberate him on parole. The offer must have been an extremely tempting one, but the Shawnees resolutely refused it. Boone had created a deep impression on their chiefs, and it had been determined, although the fact was not then announced, to adopt him into the tribe. Some of the officers at Detroit pressed gifts of money and various useful articles upon Boone, but he declined them all, saying that so far as he could foresee, the opportunity to repay their proffered kindness would never occur and he could not allow himself to lie under a perpetual obligation to them. Their good wishes he thankfully acknowledged, and left them with feelings of respect and admiration for him. In fact, some of Boone’s men said that they heard Boone talking with Hamilton and believed he’d taken a loyalty oath to the British. After this brief stay, his captors took him to Ohio, where he later escaped. It was early in April that the Shawnees turned homeward with the prisoner upon whom they set so high a value. Their satisfaction in the possession of him prompted them to guard him with the utmost care, but he soon discovered that he had risen in their estimation and regard since the visit to Detroit.
Two make a long story short, after a total of four months in captivity, in June 1778, when Boone learned the British and Shawnee were about to attack Boonesborough again, he fled - escaped - and raced home. However, another man who had been captured along with Boone got there before him, and told the settlers that he believed Boone had turned traitor against the American cause. Boone was later brought up on charges of treason because some settlers believed Boone didn’t put up enough resistance against the Shawnee and the British. Though he was found not guilty, Daniel Boone was humiliated by the experience and rarely spoke of it.
Trading with the Adawa~
At the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783, Detroit was part of the territory ceded to the United States by Great Britain in the Treaty of Paris. However, the British maintained a military presence and control of Fort Detroit for another 13 years, until 1796, for it was the Jay Treaty of 1795, negotiated between the US and Britain, that finally resolved the issue of British occupation of Fort Detroit.
With the war ended, more settlers and farmers began entering the frontier.
It's also in David LeePoremba's book that I have found some contemporary descriptions of the citizens of Detroit as well as the surrounding land in an official report written by Captain Henry Hamilton on September 2, 1776, that is most likely apt to be the same after the war. Here are a few snippets from that letter: "The new settlers manage their farms to the last advantage." "The river is plentifully stocked with fish." "Hunting and fowling afford food to numbers who are nearly as lazy as the savage." "The soil is so good that the most ignorant farmers raise good crops." "There is no limit to the number of traders here."
And the group of citizens who made up this growing village were, as Joseph Moore, a Quaker visitor from Philadelphia, quite diverse, as seen in his remarks from 1793, "The inhabitants of the town are as great a mixture, I think, as ever I knew in any one place. English, Scotts, Irish, Dutch (German), French, Americans from different states, with black and yellow, and seldom clear of Indians of different tribes in the daytime."
As Poremba writes: The town continued to be a center for commercial activity as the fur trade was still prospering. Detroit was well supplied with taverns and stores where travelers could lodge, quench their thirst, and trade their goods.
There were coopers, blacksmiths, and, as mentioned, storekeepers and tavern keepers.
Taverns were the pulse of 18th century urban life, and their importance to the local community cannot be overstated. The main difference from today to an 18th century tavern is that the colonial taverns were also usually a stage coach stop for travelers; a patron could spend the night and eat breakfast, dinner, and supper, should the need arise. Taverns were also the main source of information for the locals.
Alice Morse Earle wrote in her 1901 book, Stage Coach and Tavern Days: "Though today somewhat shadowed by a formless reputation of being frequently applied to hostelries of vulgar resort and coarse fare & ways, the word "tavern" is neverless a good one..."
These "publick houses" (or 'ordinaries,' as they were also known) have played an important part in social, political, and even military life, though we see them taking more of a back seat in their role in our Nation's history.
Detroit's first known taverns appeared right around 1760.
Typically, a large house known by sign and reputation was opened to the public by its owner, who, as mentioned, offered food, drink, and lodging for a fee. The owner's family usually lived on the premises and worked the business. The fact that taverns do not appear in the records until, nearer the end of the 18th century, should not lead to the assumption that Detroit did not have these 'publick houses.' Detroit founder Antoine Cadillac summoned a brewer from Montreal soon after his arrival in 1701, and wines were an important part of every cargo arriving on the frontier.
But it was William Forsyth's tavern, which opened in 1771, that was the first on record. It was located approximately at the southwest corner of today's Jefferson Avenue and Washington Boulevard.
No, this is not William Forsth's tavern. Nor is it a replication, for there are no images of any kind of that very first known 'publick house' in Detroit. However, we are inside a building - the only original-to-Michigan 18th century structure that still stands in the lower Peninsula. And to give it som realism, you'll note the men being served are of the military persuasion.
Detroit and Michigan played a large role in the forming of the United States. We were a part of the French & Indian War, the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812 - see links toward the bottom of this post.
It's here - America's 250th is finally here - and I've been looking forward to the commemorations and celebrations for quite a long time.
Until next time, see you in time.
Here is the Detroit sign all lit up on I-94 as we headed home late one evening from Greenfield Village - I absolutely LOVE this sign! Yes, it's that same Detroit sign at the top of this post at night...all lit up. Good night...
Much of the Daniel Boone information came directly - word for word - from THIS site.
For links to other posts that you may enjoy in connection with this one: Colonial Michigan: Mackinac, Detroit, and Monroe - There Are Stories to Tell (click HERE)
What I'm writing about for this post goes way beyond old songs~
These are not just old songs...they are very old songs made anew---and became popular again in our modern times.
~~~
I love music. Music has been a major part of my life as long as I can remember. My older siblings have told me I could "sing" the hit songs of the day early on before I could even properly talk ("Venus in Blue Jeans" - Jimmy Clanton). And even my life has a soundtrack...that is, when someone brings up the past - my past - there is always music to go with it. Oh, it may oftentimes be in my head, but it's there.
Being such a music fan, I also have numerous books on the subject, mostly centered on 20th century music.
Here and there I began to read snippets about some of my favorite songs, which gave me the realization that people like Paul McCartney, Robert Plant, Paul Simon, and others were actually quite brilliant in their musical works - more brilliant than I realized. This gave me a bit of a knock in the head upon listening to some of the more "modern music:"
To think that a song from the 1500s - Golden Slumbers (as performed by The Beatles) - is still being sung today…how cool! Led Zeppelin’s Gallows Pole is another song with an ancient history, and so is Simon & Garfunkel’s Parsley Sage Rosemary and Thyme/Scarborough Fair.
And a few others...you just might be surprised!
Most people today are unaware of the age of some of these well-known tunes.
As was I...
Golden Slumbers - The Beatles
A great song part of the collection of tunes on side 2 of the Abbey Road album by The Beatles.
The song’s lyrics were taken from a ballad by the Elizabethan poet and dramatist Thomas Dekker (1570-1632), originally known as "The Cradle Song" from 1603. Paul McCartney saw the sheet music on the piano at his father’s home in Heswall on the Wirral. The kicker is, Paul could not read sheet music. So he made up his own melody to go with the words.
Here are the original lyrics to "The Cradle Song":
Golden slumbers kiss your eyes,
Smiles awake you when you rise.
Sleep, pretty wantons; do not cry,
And I will sing a lullaby:
Rock them, rock them, lullaby.
(A wanton is an unruly child)~
~Dekker-McCartney~ According to the page I nicked the McCartney photo from, this was taken the same day he recorded Golden Slumbers.
Paul McCartney - "I was playing the piano in Liverpool in my dad’s house, and my stepsister Ruth’s piano book was up on the stand. I was flicking through it and I came to ‘Golden Slumbers’. I can’t read music and I couldn’t remember the old tune, so I just started playing my own tune to it. I liked the words so I kept them, and it fitted with another bit of song I had.
I didn't know at the time it was four hundred years old."
On the Abby Road album, Golden Slumbers is credited to Lennon–McCartney, though it's mainly Paul McCartney. The song needn't give writing credit to Thomas Dekker because the original poem it is based on is in the public domain.
So this is McCartney's version:
Golden slumbers fill your eyes
Smiles awake you when you rise
Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry
And I will sing a lullaby
Since its release on the Abby Road album in 1969, these words written over 400 years ago are now still sung nearly every day. I'm sure Thomas Dekker would be quite surprised (and hopefully pleased) that this simple little tune he wrote with (most likely) a quill pen would still be sung and most well known.
Next up~~~~~~~:
The Byrds
Turn Turn Turn - The Byrds
The lyrics are taken almost verbatim from the book of Ecclesiastes, as found in the King James Version of the Bible---(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)---though the sequence of the words were rearranged for the song. Ecclesiastes is traditionally ascribed to King Solomon, who would have written it in the 10th century BC.
This is the text and a scan of the actual, original, first printing of the 1611 King James Version for Ecclesiastes Chapter 3. The King James Version does not get more original or authentic than this.
From the modern King James bible we have:
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Pete Seger
So, folk artist, Pete Seeger, rewrote these biblical words and turned them into a song in 1959.
The Limelighters were the first group to record and release the song in 1962 under the title "To Everything There Is a Season". The Byrds did their version in 1965, and this is the one most are familiar with.
And here are the lyrics in the way The Byrds recorded it back in 1965:
To everything, turn, turn, turn
There is a season, turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
To everything, turn, turn, turn
There is a season, turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose, under heaven
A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together
To everything, turn, turn, turn
There is a season, turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven
A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace
A time to refrain from embracing
To everything, turn, turn, turn
There is a season, turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven
A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time for love, a time for hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late
Then, in 1966, when first recorded and released, then 1968 when released as a single - - - -
Scarborough Fair/Parsley Sage Rosemary and Thyme
"Scarborough Fair" is a traditional English folk song from the Middle Ages, referring to an old fair in Scarborough, Yorkshire. It is a market fair, comprising of traders, merchants, and other vendors that started sometime in the 14th century and continued until the 18th century.
The tune has been around in some form or another throughout that time, and over that time numerous changes had been made, in its melody and lyically.
To hear what this very old song may have sounded like through time - through the centuries - please click the link below:
The True Story of “Scarborough Fair” | 30 historic recordings and 400 years of untold history
Simon & Garfunkel's version reached number 11 on the national Billboard Hot 100 listing in 1968.
It's their version of this song that they made into a canticle, where one singer sings the main verse, while the other sings another, interwoven in the main verse, in counterpoint (if that makes sense). It is a medieval form of polyphony (polyphony, according to definition, is a musical texture with two or more independent, simultaneous melodic lines).
Got that? Whew!
As far as this particular song as performed by Simon & Garfunkel goes, well, I have it written out below to where the main original verse is sung in normal text, side verse (canticle) I have in italics and brackets. The side verse lyrics are from their own song “The Side of a Hill”, an anti-war song Paul Simon wrote, though he reworked the lyrics for "Scarborough Fair":
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine
Tell her to make me a cambric shirt
(On the side of a hill, in the deep forest green)
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
(Tracing of sparrow on snow-crested ground)
Without no seams nor needle work
(Blankets and bedclothes the child of the mountain)
Then she'll be a true love of mine
(Sleeps unaware of the clarion call)
Tell her to find me an acre of land
(On the side of a hill, a sprinkling of leaves)
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
(Washes the grave with silvery tears)
Between the salt water and the sea strands
(A soldier cleans and polishes a gun)
Then she'll be a true love of mine
Tell her to reap it with a sickle of leather
(War bellows blazing in scarlet battalions)
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
(Generals order their soldiers to kill)
And gather it all in a bunch of heather
(And to fight for a cause they've long ago forgotten)
Then she'll be a true love of mine
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine
(Songwriters: Arthur Garfunkel / Paul Simon. Like McCartney's Golden Slumbers, the original is in the public domain). Only a distinct arrangement, such as Martin Carthy's, can be copywrited.
The original 1966 Simon & Garfunkel album that included Scarborough Fair. The song was featured in the movie The Graduate in 1968, and that brought out the immense popularity of the tune.
Now, how about the song's history?
According to various sites I visited on line, English folk singer Martin Carthy arranged it in the form in which it is best known today. Carthy was not the first person to sing “Scarborough Fair,” not by a long shot, due to the age of the tune. But Paul Simon heard Carthy's version and, well, nicked it for he and his singing partner, Art Garfunkel. Martin Carthy was not pleased and held a decades long grudge against Simon.
"It turned out that Carthy's own publisher had, without his knowledge, copyrighted his arrangement and had been receiving royalties from Simon all along (Carthy had somehow managed to sign away his own claim in the small print of a contract). Carthy and Simon, reconciled, joined forces to sing the song in London in 1998, closing that circle."
I believe Carthy and Simon & Garfunkel had created the definitive and most likely final version of this ancient tune.
Here it is:
Wow---just beautiful...
Gallows Pole - Led Zeppelin
A distinct artist's rendition for a distinct verion.
Of all the tunes Led Zeppelin have recorded on their eight studio albums, "Gallows Pole" has always remained at or near the top of the list for me. Even back in the day (the 70s), this song just "did something" for me.
Led Zeppelin 1970
And it was in the early 2000s when I found out that it is actually a centuries old English folk song; "The Maid Freed from the Gallows" is one of its many early titles about a condemned maiden pleading for someone to buy her freedom from the executioner.
There are many recorded versions, dating back to the 1930s, all of which recount a similar story: a maiden or a man is about to be hanged (for unknown reasons) pleads with the hangman, or judge, to wait for the arrival of someone who may bribe him. Typically, the first person (or people) to arrive, who may include the condemned person's parent or sibling, has brought nothing and often has come to see them hanged. The last person to arrive, often their true love, has brought the gold, silver, or some other valuable to save them.
Believe it or not, Zeppelin kept it as traditional as a modern rock band could, in style and (mostly) in lyrics (though Zeppelin's ending is a bit different, the snarky lads they are).
This song has always been one of my very favorites, from my first time hearing it. A hint of my love of the old old folk songs of long past, even in my youth.
A very early version - definitely pre-Led Zeppelin
As for what Robert Plant sang on Led Zeppelin's third album (for comparison):
Hangman, hangman, hold it a little while
I think I see my friends comin', ridin' many a mile
Friends, you get some silver?
Did you get a little gold?
What did you bring me, my dear friends
To keep me from the gallows pole?
I couldn't get no silver
I couldn't get no gold
You know that we're too damn poor
To keep you from the gallows pole
Over The Hills and Far Away
The phrase "Over the Hills and Far Away" refers to two distinct entities: a traditional English folk song dating back to the 18th century and a Led Zeppelin song released in 1973. While both share the same title, their musical styles and contexts are vastly different. The 18th-century version is a folk tune, whereas Led Zeppelin's rendition is a hard rock composition with elements of folk and acoustic textures. In essence, Led Zeppelin's "Over the Hills and Far Away" is a rock adaptation of a traditional folk tune, taking inspiration from the title and some of its pastoral themes, but translating it into their own unique hard rock sound. Hence, the reason why it is included.
I am also including a version of the folk tune done very near to its original 18th century style:
And, yet, here's still another more contemporary tune with ancient lyrics:
Traffic - -
John Barleycorn Must Die - Traffic
This song as performed by the group, Traffic, is another with ancient roots.
"John Barleycorn is an English and Scottish folk song. The song's protagonist is John Barleycorn, a personification of barley and of the beer made from it. In the song, he suffers indignities, attacks, and death that correspond to the various stages of barley cultivation, such as reaping and malting.
The song may have its origins in ancient English or Scottish folklore, with written evidence of the song dating it at least as far back as the Elizabethan era (Queen Elizabeth - 1500s)."
Many versions of the song have been recorded, including popular versions by the rock groups Traffic (appearing on their 1970 album John Barleycorn Must Die) and Jethro Tull (appearing first on their 1992 album A Little Light Music).
Similar to many old British Isles songs, folk artists have recorded it through the years. But Traffic was the most popularized of these artists and brought it to the masses. And they turned it into somewhat a progressive psychedelic tune to boot.
Amazing Grace is not an ancient tune, as when compared to the other songs here, but it is still over 250 years old and is probably the most familiar hymn in the world.
John Newton (1725-1807) was a sea captain involved in the slave trade who experienced a profound spiritual conversion after surviving a violent storm at sea, which he attributed to God's grace. Newton penned the lyrics in 1772, describing his own transformation from a "wretch" to a saved soul.
This would be beautiful framed.
An original 18th century print of Amazing Grace.
The hymn gained immense popularity in the U.S. during early 19th-century religious revivals, offered as a powerful message of hope. It was composer, William Walker, who set it to the familiar, folk-like melody in 1835, solidifying its place in American tradition.
Judy Collins' 1970 recording of "Amazing Grace" was a major charted single, becoming a surprise pop hit that reached #15 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #5 in the UK, and had a very long chart run, especially in the UK. It was notable for being an a cappella version of the hymn, which made its chart success even more unusual.
Can you imagine such a song that is so religious and Christian in content, being played on the radio today?
I mean, I remember when this was all over the radio back in 1970. It's still my favorite version.
This last bit somewhat fits. Kinda fun, too.
Paperback Writer - The Beatles (written mainly by Paul McCartney) from 1966.
Beginning with the third verse, as depicted below, and including the 4th, John and George sing background. Until recently, I had no idea what the two were singing. I thought they were simply harmonizing sounds to fit in. Then I learned they were singing a French nursery rhyme that dates back to around 1780: Frère Jacques!
Below here I have the third verse - I then included John and George's background vocals in italics:
According to Google, ‘Frère Jacques’ is about a lazy Catholic monk who has overslept and is being urged to wake up and sound the bell for early morning Matins prayers. It is commonly sung in harmony as a round when different phrases in the melody will coincide.
So, in typical Beatles fashion, they (subtley) snatched it as a part of their own music.
This is the sort of thing I find interesting.
And fun.
I'm sure there are numerous other tunes that would fit this mold of contemporary tunes with ancient lyrics. Maybe I'm being biased but I can't see contemporary pop/rock artists doing something like this, though I'm ready and willing to be proven wrong. Just please keep the "contemporary" song being sung at least 200+ years old - and a bonafide recorded modern hit (album or single).
All of this because my interest in etymology...and history...
Music has always played such a major role in my life. If I had a soundtrack to my memories, you can bet the tunes here in this post would be a part of it, as would a number of others. I can't imagine going back in time to tell the writers of these ancient tunes that their music - their lyrics - would still be popular...well known, in fact...centuries later.
This is our time - what of the music in our lifetime will survive and be heard long after we're gone? What of our music will be heard 200+ years from now? The Beatles, for certain. At least, some of their tunes. Maybe a song or two by Led Zeppelin---Stairway to Heaven and/or Kashmir. Simon and Garfunkel? Perhaps their verion of Scarborough Fair, but probably more as a historical curiosity. Maybe Bridge Over Troubled Water. The same with the Byrds and Turn, Turn, Turn. I also believe that albums such as Days of Future Passed by The Moody Blues will be around in 2276, as will The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, though, again, possibly as historical curiosities.
Of course, none of us know for certain (though some claim to know based on their own biases---lol).
Lyre (u-shaped stringed instrument, like a small harp, used to accompany singing and poetry), lute (a pear-shaped, plucked string instrument with a rounded back and fretted neck), bowed viol (a fretted string instrument popular during the Renaissance and Baroque eras, played with a bow and typically held between the legs), violin, vihuela (similar to a small guitar with a rounded "Ovation-style" back), cittern (similar to a lute), harp, the recorder, and early keyboard instruments like the clavichord.
Since the majority of people during the time this music was written were not rich, the musical instruments they may have had, if any, would have been simple, homemade, or inexpensive instruments, with a focus on woodwinds, rustic strings, and percussion.
And a capella vocals.
"Rustic string instruments would have been traditional, often folk-oriented, stringed instruments with origins in rural or medieval settings, characterized by their historical use in folk dances, storytelling, and village life. They are generally distinguished by their simple construction, often crafted from locally sourced wood, and include plucked, bowed, and hammered instruments that frequently feature drones for accompaniment." (from Google)
Various string instruments; mostly from the lute family
The Lyres of Ur (Oldest Physical Artifacts)
The Lyres of Ur are a group of four of the world's oldest surviving stringed instruments, dating from around 2550–2450 BC in ancient Mesopotamia. Discovered in the Royal Cemetery at Ur in the 1920s, they provide significant insight into the music, art, and rituals of the Sumerian civilization.
The Lyres of Ur are widely considered the oldest surviving stringed instruments found to date.
Sumer is the earliest known civilization, located in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia (now south-central Iraq). Ur was a major Sumerian city-state in ancient Mesopotamia.
Mesopotamia was known as the "land between the rivers" (Tigris and Euphrates), and was an ancient region in the Middle East, primarily modern-day Iraq, recognized as the "cradle of civilization". Flourishing from roughly 4000 BC to 331 BC, it saw the rise of the Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, and Assyrian empires. Key contributions included the first cities (Uruk, Ur), cuneiform writing, and advanced law codes.
If you are interested in reading about my own personal music history CD collection of sounds past - Music Through Time: From the Collection of Ken - click HERE
To learn more about Ancient Farming & Daily Life Practices from the B.C. Era Through the Early A.D. Period, including the period I've written about in today's post, click HERE.
