Seeing Nellie Home Explained

"Seeing Nellie Home" was an original American song written by Patrick S. Gilmore the 'Greatest American Bandleader'.^[1] first published in the 1850s under the name "When I Saw Sweet Nellie Home."^[2] It was composed and arranged by John Fletcher. Frances Kyle is said to have written the lyrics. In subsequent versions of this song, the lyrics have been changed somewhat.^[3] Sometimes the song has been referred to as "Aunt Dinah's Quilting Party."

A Civil War song, "Mother, I Am Going," was sung to the tune of "Seeing Nellie Home."

Performances and other versions

• Bing Crosby included the song in a medley on his album Join Bing and Sing Along (1959)
• Live in Japan, 1969, The Country Gentlemen
• "Old Likker in a New Jug", 2004, Mac Wiseman
• "Galax, Virginia Old Time Fiddlers Convention", 1964, Billy Edwards
  • • "Meet Me Down on Main Street", 1957, Mellomen Barber Shop Quartet "Memories of the Lucky U Ranch", 2002, Sons of the Pioneers "Bluegrass Instrumentals", 1962, Osborne Brothers
• "Four and a Half", 2009, The New North Carolina Ramblers
• "Reno and Smiley", 1959-1963, Don Reno and Red Smiley
• An unreleased recording of this song by Hank Williams exists http://www.hankwilliamsinternationalfanclub.com/unreleased.htm
• The Johnny Cash Show of 25 March 1970 featured Cash with the Statler Brothers and the Carter Family singing this song
• "The Waltons"- Season 4, Episode 22, 2/12/76, the entire cast singing this song at the end of the show
• "The Andy Griffith Show" - Season 1, Episode 22, 1961; Season 2, Episode 27, 1962
• Bare Bones as "Seeing Nellie Home (Aunt Dinah's Quilting Party) 2013.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Patrick Gilmore | AmericansAll.
2. Web site: Historic American Sheet Music / Digital Collections / Duke Digital Repository.
3. Web site: Tune Req: Seeing Nellie Home / When I Saw.