The Preacher and the Bear explained

"The Preacher and the Bear" is an American popular song, originally a "coon song". The lyrics recount the story of a church pastor who appeals to God after being treed by a grizzly bear while out hunting on the Sabbath. He falls out of the tree and has to fight the bear.[1] Various versions have been recorded.[2]

George Fairman wrote the song.[3] Sheet music was published for it by Capitol Music House of Columbus, Ohio in 1904.[4] Publisher Arthur Longbrake composed the song using the pseudonym Joe Arzonia.[5] Ragtime artist Arthur Francis Collins recorded the song in 1905 and it became a huge hit, selling over a million records.[6] He continued performing and recording the song for various records over several decades. Sheet music for the song was also published in 1905 by Joseph Morris.[7] The song was later recorded by various artists including Phil Harris in 1947,[6] The Jubalaires, and Jerry Reed on his album Georgia Sunshine. It was also recorded by the Golden Gate Quartet.[8]

The University of Arkansas' Ozark Folksong Collection has a 1962 recording from Jasper, Arkansas, of an a capella version with racial slurs included in the lyrics.[9]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: William Howland Kenney. Recorded Music in American Life: The Phonograph and Popular Memory, 1890-1945. 8 July 1999. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-988014-0. 56.
  2. Web site: Song: The Preacher and the Bear written by George Fairman | SecondHandSongs. Secondhandsongs.com.
  3. Book: Jasen, David A.. A Century of American Popular Music. October 15, 2013. Routledge. 9781135352714. Google Books.
  4. Book: Performing Arts Encyclopedia. February 22, 1904. Memory.loc.gov.
  5. Book: Hardy, Phil. The Da Capo Companion to 20th-century Popular Music. 8 February 1995. Da Capo Press. 9780306806407. Google Books.
  6. Book: Murrells , Joseph . 1978. The Book of Golden Discs. 2nd. Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. London. 9. 0-214-20512-6. registration.
  7. Web site: The preacher and the bear. Duke Digital Collections.
  8. Web site: The Golden Gate Quartet - Jonah In The Whale / Preacher And The Bear. Discogs.
  9. Web site: Preacher and the bear :: Ozark Folksong Collection. Digitalcollections.uark.edu.