Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer Oh Stewball was a racehorse, and I wish he were mine. The song apparently originated as a ballad about a high stakes race occurring in the Curragh in Kildare, Ireland in March, 1752, which Skewball won. My sister used to sing this to me when we were young. John and Ruby Lomax also recorded a version by a "Group of Convicts" in their 1939 Southern States Recording Trip, available online at the American Memory site.[8]. And the worth of his saddle has never been told. A notable recording is by American folk legend Woody Guthrie, who included an English and an American interpretation (both entitled Stewball) on tape, and recorded in Volume 4 of The Asch Recordings (1930–1940). You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. I’d be a … Stewball Lyrics: Oh Stewball was a racehorse, and I wish he were mine / He never drank water, he always drank wine / His bridle was silver, his mane it was gold / And the worth of his saddle has Fantastic read. Lead Belly's American chain-gang version of Stewball was covered in the 1950s by The Weavers, and then by British skiffle singer Lonnie Donegan. His name has been recorded as "Squball", "Sku-ball", or "Stewball". However, this song (written by Hugues Aufray and Pierre Delanoë) is unlike the English-language songs of the same name, although the adaption was created after Aufray met Peter, Paul, and Mary, along with others such as Bob Dylan in a trip the United States. The oldest broadside identified with the ballad is dated 1784 and is held by the Harding Collection of the Bodleian Library of the University of Oxford. [6][7] The American interpretation has Stewball as being born in California with the famed race against the grey mare taking place in Dallas, Texas. There are multiple variations within the two major divisions. The trio was composed of tenor Peter Yarrow, baritone Noel Paul Stookey and contralto Mary Travers.The group's repertoire included songs written by Yarrow and Stookey, early songs by Bob Dylan as well as covers of other folk musicians. And I wish he were mine, He never drank water, He always drank wine.” “Oh, the fairgrounds were crowded. I was thinking about it and looked it up which brought me here. British and Irish versions, when the setting is mentioned, usually place the race in Kildare, Ireland, leading some to believe that the song is actually Irish in origin. Beyond the work song version of “Stewball,” the original story-song continued to be recorded. The version many of us know as “Stewball” entered the folk-rock zone in the ’60s, delivered by Baez and Peter, Paul and Mary via the Greenbriars song, credited to John Herald, Ralph Rinzler, and Robert Yellin. His bridle was silver, his mane it was gold. Skewball, born in 1741, was a racehorse bred by Francis, Second Earl of Goldolphin. And the worth of his saddle Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web! Oh, Stewball was a racehorse, and I wish he were mine He never drank water, he always drank wine His bridle was silver, his mane it was gold And the worth of his saddle has never been told Oh, the fairgrounds were crowded, and Stewball was there But the betting was heavy on the bay and the mare And away up yonder, ahead of them all Came a-prancing and a-dancing my noble Stewball I bet on … Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer Oh Stewball was a racehorse, and I wish he were mine. And yeah, John (and Yoko, to whatever degree she was involved in the writing, listed as she is as a composer) lifted the melody and chord structure from the Greenbriar Boys’ version of “Stewball.” There were a few changes, notably a key change and the addition of the “War is over if you want it” chorus, but it was essentially the same song. Last Tuesday, I ran past Second Hand Songs while looking for an interesting cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s 1971 single “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)”, and when the results came up that put the Lennon/Ono tune in the adaptation tree for “Stewball,” I did a mild double-take. [1] He won many races in England and was sent to Ireland. Aufray's version takes the perspective of a man recalling an experience as a ten-year-old boy. 35 and is the only version to chart), from Joan Baez in 1964 and from the Hollies in 1966, according to Second Hand Songs. I didn’t go digging too deeply, though, because something else about the song grabbed my attention this week. And the worth of his saddle has never been told. Probably the most significant lyrical difference in the songs is the conversation Skewball has with his jockey, while Stewball behaves more like a typical horse and does not speak. Popular British versions include recordings by A. L. Lloyd, Martin Carthy, and Steeleye Span on the album Ten Man Mop, or Mr. Reservoir Butler Rides Again. First release Spanish, Låt julen förkunna Czech, God jul - krigen er slut The song Stewball was written by John Herald, Ralph Rinzler, Robert Yellin and [Traditional] and was first released by The Greenbriar Boys in 1961. Lyrics to 'Stewball' by Joan Baez. G G7 C F C He never drank water, he always drank wine. This entry was posted What else would you need in a Du Pre book? Stewball was a good horse, he wore his head high, and the mane on his foretop, was fine as silk thread. The horse, a gelding, was purportedly the top earning racer in Ireland in 1752, when he was 11. Lead Belly recorded several versions of this song, and the music and lyrics from his version appear in American Ballads and Folk Songs by Lomax and Lomax. He always drank water, But he never drank wine. / HERALD, JOHN Published by Universal Music Publishing Group Lyrics Provided By LyricFind Inc. Chat About Stewball by Peter, Paul and Mary [2] The Irish turf calendar states that he won six races worth £508 in 1752, when he was eleven years old, and was the top-earning runner of that year in Ireland. Skewball was a racehorse born in England in 1741 who went on to win many races in England and Ireland. On the bay and the mare.” “I bet on the grey mare. Written by RINZLER, RALPH C. / YELLIN, ROBERT A. Some time in New York City, 1971, John Lennon and Yoko Ono came up with a Christmas song for the ages, its subject peace on earth during wartime, its melody extraordinarily similar to âStewball,â a hoary folk song about a racehorse.
Web. Skewball was the name of a British racehorse. Oh, Stewball was a racehorse Oh the fairgrounds were crowded, and Stewball was there But the betting was heavy on the bay and the mare. Stewball written by John Herald, Ralph Rinzler, Robert Yellin English November 1961 Happy Xmas (War Is Over) written by John Lennon, Yoko Ono English December 1, 1971 — new lyrics and a new counter-melody Hodně štěstí written by Eduard Krečmar Czech God jul - krigen er slut written by Claus Christensen Danish October 2009 Oh the fairgrounds were crowded, and Stewball was there But the betting was heavy on the bay and the mare. It was covered by The Chad Mitchell Trio, Mascots [SE], The Hollies, Joan Baez and other artists. The song has also been recorded by Irish musicians Andy Irvine and Paul Brady as "The Plains of Kildare" on their duo album Andy Irvine/Paul Brady, in 1976. The melody was also the basis for the song "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" by John Lennon, Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono Band, which has become a Christmas standard since its release in 1971. Find out more with our Thoroughbred Horse Profile Directory and Horse Racing Results. Oh Stewball was a racehorse, and I wish he were mine. But I’d never noticed or thought about the tune’s similarity to another famous song until this week. This is the first time that the narrator witnesses his father cry. Entries (RSS) Skewball was the name of an 18th-century British racehorse, most famous as the subject of a broadsheet ballad and folk-song. He never drank water, he always drank wine. Echoes In The Wind is proudly powered by “Old Stewball was a racehorse. The American interpretation is a chain-gang song sung by Lead Belly and Guthrie with an African American 'call and response' style, while the English interpretation is derived from the traditional British broadside ballad, and sung to a cowboy waltz tune. The song is in the Roud Folk Song Index, #456. "Molly and Tenbrooks," also known as "The Racehorse Song," is a traditional song of the late 19th century. And the worth of his saddle Has never been told. I rode him in England, I rode him in Spain, and I never did lose, boys, I always did gain. Versions date at least as far back as the 18th century, appearing on numerous broadsides. Toward the end of the race, Stewball tragically falls. . Other versions of this version of Stewball include Mason Proffit on Wanted (1969), which differs in a number of lyrical changes (including the grey mare stumbling) from Peter, Paul, and Mary's version, Joan Baez's on Joan Baez/5 (1964), The Hollies on Would You Believe (1966), The Four Pennies on their Mixed Bag LP (1966), and the Chad Mitchell Trio on Reflecting (1964). Now, I’ve heard the version of “Stewball” using the Greenbriar Boys’ melody several times over the years, notably the versions by Mason Proffit and Peter, Paul & Mary. Then came along the Greenbriar Boys. and Comments (RSS). Their version, however, has lyrics from a different perspective, where the singer wishes he had bet on Stewball, as opposed to Johnny Herald, who encourages others to do so, because he "never did lose." A trio made up by 1960 of John Herald, Ralph Rinzler, and Bob Yellin, the group, says All Music Guide, was “[o]ne of the first urban bands to play bluegrass” and was “instrumental in transforming the sounds of the hill country from a Southern music to an international phenomenon.” The Greenbriar Boys released their first two albums of bluegrass tunes in 1962 and 1964, but of more import for us today is a tune that showed up on New Folks, a 1961 sampler on the Vanguard label. The song apparently originated as a ballad about a high stakes race occurring in the Curragh in Kildare, Ireland, in March 1752, which Skewball won.” The website gives a date of 1784 for the song, noting that the date “is for the oldest broadside identified of the ballad . Learn how and when to remove this template message, Ten Man Mop, or Mr. Reservoir Butler Rides Again, "The book of the horse : thorough-bred, half-bred, cart-bred, saddle and harness, British and foreign, with hints on horsemanship; the management of the stable; breeding, breaking and training for the road, the park, and the field", "Jazz catalogue vol. 9 & 10 1970 : Cherrington, George", "Wake up dead man; Afro-American worksongs from Texas prisons : Jackson, Bruce, comp", "1939 Southern Recording Trip Fieldnotes", Old Town School of Folk Music on Skewball, Thoroughbred Heritage on Skewball: the horse, Thoroughbred Heritage on Skewball: The Ballads, The Best of Peter, Paul and Mary: Ten Years Together, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Skewball&oldid=994058222, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from July 2016, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 13 December 2020, at 22:17. A French song called "Stewball" (or also known as "Il s'appelait Stewball") was recorded by Hugues Aufray in 1966, becoming one of Aufray's biggest hits. a duet version with her late son Terry Melcher released in 2014 on the CD-album Music, Movies & Memories. He won many races in England, and a famous one in Ireland, which is generally the subject of the song of the same name. Heck, I even sang it along with Peter Yarrow at a concert a year-and-a-half ago. I think a lot of folk songs had similar melodies and borrowed from each other in the old days. The horse was foaled in 1741 and originally owned by Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin, and later sold. Racing Horse Stewball was sired by and out of Hello Darl, Stewball is a 6 year old Bay Mare horse owned by J Yeates, Mrs S M Yeates & N J B Yeates and trained by P M Kalinowski. Lyrics.com. His most famous race in Kildare inspired a folk ballad. His father believes that Stewball will win a race, so he puts all his money and assets into this venture. The Irish turf calendar states that he won six races worth £508 in 1752, when he was eleven years old, and was the top-earning runner of that year in Ireland. Based on the horse's name, Skewball was likely a skewbald horse though he was listed in stud books as a bay.[4]. Oh Stewball was a racehorse, and I wish he were mine. American versions were sung and adapted by slaves in the Southern United States, and have Stewball racing in California, Texas, and Kentucky. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. . His bridle was silver, His mane it was gold. 4 on the Smithsonian Folkways label. Second Hand Songs notes: “Skewball, born in 1741, was a racehorse bred by Francis, Second Earl of Goldolphin. [3] His most famous race took place on the plains of Kildare, Ireland, which is generally the subject of the song of the same name. The Greenbriar Boys took the lyrics from a Cisco Houston version and added a new tune written by banjo player Bob Yellin. The horse, a gelding, was purportedly the top earning racer in Ireland in 1752, when he was 11. His name has been recorded as "Squball", "Sku-ball", or "Stewball". Horse racing, rich anti-government crazies, Bart finally talking to a lovely lady (with Madelaine's help), lots of Booger Tom, and the smartest/scariest kid in the world, Pallas. There are two major different versions of the sporting ballad, generally titled either "Skewball" or "Stewball"; the latter is more popular in America. on Friday, December 27th, 2013 at 10:01 am and is filed under 1944, 1945, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1971, Covers, Vintage Music. This one clipped along as fast as Stewball, the gorgeous racing horse ridden by Du Pre's granddaughter Lourdes. A 1953 recording by Cisco Houston is the earliest listed in the on-going project at Second Hand Songs, but Woody Guthrie recorded the tale of the horse race in 1944 or 1945. And I’m not at all sure why Herald, Rinzler and Yellin didn’t complain.
English, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Now, I’ve heard the version of “Stewball” using the Greenbriar Boys’ melody several times over the years, notably the versions by Mason Proffit and Peter, Paul & Mary. Most of those take on the Greenbriar’s Boys’ version (including one by Mason Proffit on its 1969 album Wanted), but there are other covers of the early folk version and the work song version as well. His most famous race took place on the plains of Kildare, Ireland, which is generally the subject of the song of the same name. And a-way up yonder, ahead … Now, about the song “Stewball.” We offered in this spot yesterday the version of the song recorded in 1940 by Lead Belly and the Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet for the Victor label. Was born All the Jockeys In the Country Said he blow there In a storm Now you bet on Stewball And you might win (win win) Bet on Stewball and you might win It was a big day In Dallas Don't you wish you Was there You can bet your Last dollar On that Iron Grey Mare Now you bet on Stewball And you might win (win win) Bet on Stewball and you might win When the horses Was saddled And … held by the Harding Collection of the Bodleian Library of the University of Oxford.”, The webpage continues, “According to John and Alan Lomax in American Ballads and Folk Songs, the ballad was converted into a work song by slaves – which is supported by the version of the lyrics published in their book. Th… Oh the fairgrounds were crowded, and Stewball was there But … And then I thought about it, running the two tunes through my head. The trio was composed of Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and Mary Travers. Skewball was the name of a British racehorse. It was extremely popular and got alot of radio play. And the worth of his saddle has never been told.