Old Rosin the Beau explained

Old Rosin the Beau
Published:1838
Genre:Traditional folk

"Old Rosin the Beau" (or "Rosin the Bow") is a traditional folk song popular in America, England, Ireland, and Canada, first published in Philadelphia in 1838 though possibly dating back to the 1700s. It is listed in the Roud Folk Song Index as number 1192.[1]

An earlier version, "Rosin the Bow" (not "Beau") refers to rosin with the bow of a violin, but both cover the same general subject (see below: Full lyrics). There are many variations of the song(s), and the tune has been re-used in other songs for political campaign jingles, slave songs, comedy songs, or other folk songs.

Early versions of "Old Rosin the Beau" relate the story of a man who was popular in his youth, then in late life, the ladies refer to him as "Old Rosin, the beau", as he prepares for the grave.As a drinking song, the chorus chimes, "Take a drink for Old Rosin the Beau" and uses dark comedy, with jests about his grave or tombstone, taken in stride while repeating the sing-song melody. As with many folk songs, the song is structured where soloists can sing a verse, and then the group can join the chorus/refrain portion after each verse.

Prominent recorded versions include versions by A.L. Lloyd, Lou Killen, The Clancy Brothers, and Gordon Bok.

Partial lyrics

The lyrics depend on which version of the song is considered. The 1838 version of "Old Rosin the Beau" begins with the following verse:[2] The lyrics, as arranged by J. C. Beckell in 1838, are as follows:

The original folk song, "Rosin the Bow" begins as follows:[2]

Early history

The melody commonly referred to in the United States as "Old Rosin the Bow" was originally written under the title of "Eoghan Coir" by Irish poet and songwriter Riocard Bairéad sometime in the late 18th Century.[3] Following the Irish Rebellion of 1798, William Rooney adapted the melody into an Irish rebel song called "The Men of the West" for the centenary celebrations of the event.[4]

Other texts

Several US presidential campaign songs were set to the tune of "Old Rosin the Beau",[5] including for Abraham Lincoln ("Lincoln and Liberty").[6] William Henry Harrison was the subject of three separate songs set to the tune: "The Hero of Tippecanoe",[7] "Tyler and Tippecanoe", [8] and another, similar, song by the same name.[9] Henry Clay, Whig candidate in 1824, 1832, and 1844, was the subject of many more, in keeping with the Whig tradition of the time to glorify their candidates in song. George Hood's Henry Clay Minstrel, compiled in 1843, lists six: Harry, The Honest And True; The Ladies' Whig Song; The Whig Rifle Tune; The Saint Louis Clay Club Song; How Many Clay Men Are There, and Come All Ye Good Men Of The Nation.[10]

A 19th-century American hymn by Seymour Boughton Sawyer, "How bright is the day when the Christian", was set to the tune and published as "Sawyer's Exit" in the Sacred Harp edition of 1850, in a three-part arrangement attributed to John Massengale.[11] [12]

The tune has been used in "Acres of Clams" (aka "Old Settler's Song"). It is also the melody to "Down in the Willow Garden" (aka "Rose Connolly").[13] Randy Sparks later used it for the song "Denver", performed by The New Christy Minstrels on their 1963 live album, The New Christy Minstrels – In Person.

The melody was also used in several Irish rebel songs including "The Boys of Kilmichael" " and "The Soldiers of Cumann na mBan".

On his album The Irish-American's Song, David Kincaid used the tune as the setting for a Confederate version of "Kelly's Irish Brigade",[14] a song from the American Civil War, earlier set to "Columbia, Gem of the Ocean".[15]

Full lyrics

The full lyrics for one version of "Rosin the Bow" develop into dark comedy.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rosin the Beau / Rosin the Bow (Roud 1192; G/D 3:698; Henry H698) . 2024-03-14 . mainlynorfolk.info.
  2. "anonymous - Public Domain Music", pdmusic.org, 2010, web: PDM-38or.
  3. Web site: Eoghan Coir, Songs from Co. Mayo in the West of Ireland. . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220704120145/https://www.mayo-ireland.ie/en/about-mayo/arts-culture/songs/eoghan-coir.html . July 4, 2022 . October 18, 2022 . Mayo, Ireland.
  4. Book: Various . The Ninety-Eight Songbook . The Irish Book Bureau . 2010 . Dublin, Ireland . 7–11 . English.
  5. Book: Ray Broadus Browne. The Alabama Folk Lyric: A Study in Origins and Media of Dissemination. January 1979. Popular Press. 978-0-87972-129-9. 404.
  6. Book: George Washington Bungay. Hutchinson's Republican songster, for the campaign of 1860. 1860. O. Hutchinson, Publisher, 67 Nassau Street. 71.
  7. Book: Anthony Banning Norton. Tippecanoe Songs of the Log Cabin Boys and Girls of 1840. 1888. A. B. Norton & Company. 51.
  8. Book: Charles Adams. Log Cabin and Hard Cider Melodies. 1840. 17.
  9. Web site: Oscar Brand. Tyler and Tippecanoe.
  10. Book: George Hood. The National Clay Minstrel: And True Whig's Pocket Companion, for the Presidential Canvass of 1844. 1843. O. Hood, Publisher, 15 North Sixth Street.
  11. http://digital.lib.msu.edu/projects/ssb/display.cfm?TitleID=610&Format=jpg&PageNum=337 Shaping the Values of Youth: Sunday School Books in 19th Century America (UMiss website)
  12. Web site: Rosin the Beau . Steel . David Warren.
  13. Wilgus. D.K.. Apr–Jun 1979. 'Rose Connoley': An Irish Ballad. The Journal of American Folklore. American Folklore Society. 92. 364. 173. 10.2307/539387. 539387.
  14. Web site: The Stories Behind the Songs: 'Kelly's Irish Brigade' . David . Kincaid . January 19, 2013 . The Wild Geese Today . GAR Media.
  15. Web site: Kelly's Irish Brigade . Big Canoe Records . 1995 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120617175421/http://www.bartonpara.com/civilwar/rebel/kelly.htm . 2012-06-17.