CD Liner Notes

Liner Notes for our CD
"Just Peachy"

1. Buffalo Girls / Sandy Boys / Liza Jane

A medley of three favorite old-time dance tunes. (Key of A)

2. Year of Jubilo

Originally a minstrel song, this was a hit in 1862 - at least in the Northern United States and sympathetic areas further south. Written by Henry Clay Work, it is also known as "Kingdom Coming." It pokes fun at a slave-holder who runs away at the first sign of approaching Union trouble while the slaves, who until then must have dreamed of escape, stay put.

Lead vocals: Jennifer and Keith, with support and a hearty “Ho ho!” from Doug.

3. Girl I Left Behind / Girl I Left Behind (modal)

These two versions of the same tune are so distinctive that they seem like different tunes. The original “Girl I Left Behind,” the first version we play, goes back to Elizabethan times. The “modal” version, which some local Denver musicians picked up from fiddler Rayna Gellert, has darker, minor-key hues.

4. Maggots in the Sheephide / Sarah Armstrong

Both of these tunes came from a 1940's Southwestern Pennsylvania fiddler named Mrs. Sarah (Gray) Armstrong.

5. Colorado Aristocracy / Y. Z. Hamilton Special

Colorado Aristocracy is our name for a great old-time "cake walk" tune. Y. Z. Hamilton was a famous Alabama fiddler; as the story goes, he was the youngest of twelve children and was given the name “Y. Z.” to indicate the parents’ desire that he be the last of their offspring. In any case, they got a fine fiddler and this tune as a bonus.

6. The Storms Are on the Ocean

Recorded by The Carter Family on August 1, 1927 at their first session in Bristol, Tennessee, our version incorporates Bryan Bowers’ adaptation of the lyrics — he changed the words for the last verse from “I’ll never go back on the blue-eyed girl until she go back on me” to the more romantic, “though she go back on me.”

Lead vocals: Kate, Keith

7. Swallowtail Jig/ Green Mountain Petronella

An Irish jig and a New England contra dance tune.

8. Seneca Square Dance / Booth Shot Lincoln / John Brown's March

We call this three-tune medley the “Civil War set”; in the South, Seneca Square Dance is also called “Waiting for the Federals.”

9. This Land is Your Land

We sing this famous Woody Guthrie song with two of the original more “radical” verses, one protesting private property (“on the sign it said ‘No Trespassing,’ but on the other side, it didn’t say nothin’”) and another protesting inequality (“as they stood there hungry, I stood there asking, ‘Is this land made for you and me?’”).

Lead vocals: Jennifer, Keith

10. Dry and Dusty / Oklahoma Rooster

These old-time tunes have western names and a western feel. You can almost hear that rooster crow in the second tune.

11. Miss McLeod's Reel / Quarry Cross

We’ve attached some well-known nonsense lyrics to the first tune, which is also known as “Hop High Ladies.” Quarry Cross is a minor-key polka.

Lead vocals: Kate, Jennifer, Keith

12. Seamus O'Brien’s Waltz

One of our all-time favorite Irish waltzes.

13. Blackbeard’s Reel / Carmen's Reel

Two “modern” old-time tunes written by Joel Hayes, a well-known Colorado fiddler. Joel says, “I wrote them both while vacationing in Playa Del Carmen around Christmas 1999. Blackbeard's was inspired by the drive to and from the pirate Lafitte's hiding spot near present day Punta Allen. There was also a big black bird flying just ahead of us, in case we wrecked I guess. Carmen's popped right out the next day on the beach, with no effort at all.” Thanks for letting us play and record these, Joel.

14. Keep on the Sunny Side

Another favorite from The Carter Family, recorded May 9, 1928. Some consider this their “signature” song, and it certainly has some good practical advice.