In the Best Loved American Folk Songs collection, John Lomax says he collected this song in 1904 from a woman identified only as "Dink", whom he met in a levee builders' camp on the Brazos river in Texas. He describes it as a variant of another song, "Careless Love", with which it shares several verses, and he writes,
The one-line refrain, as Dink sang it in her soft lovely voice, gave the effect of a sobbing woman, deserted by her man. Dink's tune is really lost; what is left is only a shadow of the tender, tragic beauty of what she sang in the sordid, bleak surroundings of a Brazos Bottom levee camp.[1]
Though the the song shares floating verses and some common tropes with other pieces of the period, many collectors classify it as a separate song rather than a derived variation.
The Johns' version was released as track 5 on C-Sides.
Lyrics[]
These lyrics are based on the version performed by the Longest Johns in their livestreams, the original lyrics can be found here.
If I had wings like Noah's dove
I'd fly up the river to the one I love
{Chorus}
Fare thee well, oh honey
Fare thee well
I had a man who was long and tall
He moved his body like a cannon ball
{Chorus}
I remember one evening, in the pouring rain,
In my heart was an aching pain
{Chorus}
So sure as a bird, flying high above
Life ain't worth living without the one you love
{Chorus}
Fare thee well
Recordings[]
Streaming/Purchase[]
YouTube Videos[]
Full Band Streams[]
- The Longest Johns Impromptu Singing Stream! (17 Nov 2018)
- The Longest Johns and Friends, February Edition (New donation system) (27 Feb 2019)
- The Longest Johns and Friends, March. w/Sam Brookes (22 Mar 2019)
- The Longest Johns Early Octobermas (2 Oct 2019)
- Spooktober Spectacular and Farewell to Anna Livestream (30 Oct 2019)
- Welcome to a New Decade with The Longest Johns (22 Jan 2020)
- The Longest Johns Save the Day! Or maybe just sing and chat... (29 Apr 2020)
- Welcome to the Live Stream, We've got Fun and Sings! (22 Jul 2020)
- 100k Subscriber Thank You Stream (19 Aug 2020)
- We Built This Stream(y) on Shant and Folk (11 Nov 2020)
- We're Going to Wellermania! (14 Apr 2021)
- Nice Stream Sundae (Wednesday) (1 Sep 2021)
- Be Stream And Not Heard (6 Oct 2021)
- Cadbury Stream Egg (13 Apr 2022)
- Strème de Menthe (27 Jul 2022)
- In Space No One Can Hear You Stream (19 Oct 2022)
- Sega Streamcast (15 Feb 20223)
- Stream Girls (27 Apr 2023)
- Stream (6 Mar 2024)
Chill Streams[]
- The Longest Johns - Andy and JD sing some folk songs and shanties! (2 Jun 2018)
- Roll on up to Chilltown with Andy and JD (30 Mar 2020)
- JD & Andy Chilltime - 13/01/2020
- Welcome to the Chilldome! With Andy - 15/03/2020
- Welcome to the Chilldome! Playing mostly folk music... - 20/04/2020
- Roll on down to Chillbury Town with Andy & JD - 04/05/2020
Gaming Streams[]
- Sea of Thieves Tall Tales Marathon for Charity: Part 1 (24 Jun 2020)
- GHOST SHIP! And some singing I guess... - 19/06/2020
- Sea of Sings. Tonight we hit the high C's... - 10/07/2020
- Sea of Sings! Let's get boaty! - 20/07/2020
- Sea of Sings, Arena edition! w/ KHARITES_ & xSHUMBAx - 24/08/2020
- Sea of Sings! with Captain_Falcore! SHANT! - 2/11/2020
- A Stream! Ho! Stream away, we'll Sea of Thieves together, with Kharites - 04/06/2021
- Sloop, Sloop, a tasty Sloop, Sloop... Singing and Sailing Monday Style - 28/06/2021
- Ah For Just One Time, I would Sing and Sail in Sea of Thieves! - 23/08/2021