if folk singers were ski bums....

mapadu · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 314

On an Autumn Day

No, it wasn’t May

Some scruffy bums came hiking

Down a shady lane through sugar cane

Looking for their liking

As they roamed along, they sang a song

Of the land of milk and honey

Where a bum can stay for many a day

And he won’t need any money

Oh the buzzin’ of the bees

In the jellybean trees

And the lemonade springs

Where the bluebird sings

On the Big Rock Candy Mountain

One evening as the sun went down

And his muscles were a burning

Down the track came a hobo hiking

He said: “Boys, I’m not turning

I’m heading for a land that’s far away

Beside the crystal fountain

I’ll see you all this coming Fall

On the Big Rock Candy Mountain.”

On the Big Rock Candy Mountain

It’s a land that’s fair and bright

The handouts grow on bushes

And the sun shines every day

We’re bound to go

Where there’s tons of snow

Where the rain don’t fall

And the winds don’t blow

On the Big Rock Candy Mountain

On the Big Rock Candy Mountain

You never change your socks

And little streams of alcohol

Come trickling down the rocks

There’s a lake of stew

And cold beer too

Oh, we’re bound to stay

Where you ski all day

Where they hung the jerk

Who invented work

On the Big Rock Candy Mountain

keithermadness · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 24792

Creative! The singin' ain't bad either Cool

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~km

"Everyday is a potential avalanche day."
-Missiongravity

The New Guy · Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 11:24 pm Post subject:

Your trip reports are always so awesome. Simple yet elegant, stylish. Great stuff

Steve
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"Those who look outward dream; those who look inward awaken..." - Carl Jung

Fat Boy Mountaineering Club. Take nothing but whippers, leave nothing but craters.

Kara · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 2163 Location: Denver....

*clap* *clap* *clap*

Standing Ovation Very Happy

Well done. I really like:

You never change your socks
And little streams of alcohol
Come trickling down the rocks
There’s a lake of stew
And cold beer too
Oh, we’re bound to stay
Where you ski all day
Where they hung the jerk
Who invented work

heather · Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 2787

jcpoczatek · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 1265 Location: It's a seekrit

Awesome, in the original meaning not the surfer-dude meaning.
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Ok, the second one too. Laughing

Look'n forward to more.

SCUTSKI · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 3965 Location: Couloirfornia

Great TR. I had a cassette of singalong folk songs when I was a kid and that song was on it.

Colin
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Woolbury · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 1227 Location: Front Ranger

Great TR. Thanks for serenading us! Very Happy

scharny · Joined: 19 Dec 2004 Posts: 618 Location: Montpelier, VT

That was wonderful. Where is this big rock candy mountain? I want to move there.

TeleMang · Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2006 3:07 pm Post subject:

Excellent! Cool

I love the lyrical TRs.
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Monkeys aren't donkeys! Quit messing with my head!

steven hatcher · Joined: 15 Dec 2004 Posts: 2003 Location: Idahome

Thanks for the report and thanks for the pictures. Excellent.

Thanks to this guy for writing the song you modified and, thus, further extending its life in the world of folklore.

Harry "Haywire Mac" McClintock

Scharny, there is now a place called the Big Rock Candy Mountain but it's located in Utah.

During one of his working stints as a brakeman for the Denver-Rio Grande Railroad Harry McClintock wrote the song Big Rock Candy Mountain. Later, in the early '30s, some of his friends passed through the town of Marysvale, Utah and noticed the colorful hills that resembled giant mounds of golden rock candy. They also noticed some natural springs that took on the color of yellow. They placed signs up in the area naming the Big Rock Candy Mountain, Lemonade Springs, etc.

The place still exists but it's not quite as interesting as the song would suggest. It's pretty, yes, but now the location is also home to an RV Park, ATV trails, a gift shop, restaurant, etc.

The song, however, is an American icon. Even though the time, place, and author are traceable and identifiable, the song has entered the folk process and, as is evidenced by mapadu's version, contains several variations.

Sorry about all the academic nonsense, I'm a folklorist and I need something to do to justify my years in graduate school.
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Home Is Where Your Skis Is

overtheocean · Joined: 11 Nov 2005 Posts: 315 Location: Innsbruck

fair and bright indeed.
as always, wonderful tr.

Benoit · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 687 Location: London

Love it! It works really well. Pics are suh-weet too.

Reminiscent of Golden Gate by Vikram Seth. It's at that level of great invention.
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Take two marmots into the shower?

Laura · Joined: 08 Apr 2005 Posts: 3998