Music and Texts of GARY BACHLUND
Vocal Music | Piano | Organ | Chamber Music | Orchestral | Articles and Commentary | Poems and Stories | Miscellany | FAQs
On "Ole Turkey-Buzzard" - (2024)
The tune, noted as "from East Tennessee," 1906, is found in Songs and Rhymes for the South by E. C. Perrow, and in this case, "the old gray mare" is titled by the first line of the rhyme. It is treated to simple repetitions and some dalliance in a second harmonic domain, but meant for fun including licks and hopefully 'tasteless' slides. Yes, please.
The rhyme in its entirety is: Ole Turkey-Buzzard come a-flyin a-by, / Says, "Ole man, yore mare's gon die." / Ef she dies, I'll tan her skin; /Ef she don't, by doggies! I'll ride 'r agin. / She got so pore I couldn't ride; / Bones stuck up right thoo her hide. / Then I hooked 'r to the plough; / Swore by doggies! she didn't know how. / Then I skinned some pop-paw lines; / Swore by doggies! she'd take her time. / Then I turned 'r daown the creek, / For her to hunt some grass to eat. / Then I follerd daown the track; / Found 'r in a mud-hole flat uv'r back. / Then I felt so dev'lish stout, / Grabbed 'r by the tail en' pulled 'r out. / Then I thought it weren't no sin; / Took out my knife en' begun to skin."
3 pages, circa 2' 45 - an MP3 demo is here:
The score is available as a free PDF download, though any major commercial performance or recording of the work is prohibited without prior arrangement with the composer. Click on the graphic below for this score and parts.
