Annotation:Let Me Fall

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LET ME FALL. AKA - "Old Hard Road (The)," "Tie My Shoes." Old-Time, Breakdown and Song. USA; Galax, Va./Mt. Airy, N.C. A Major. AEae tuning (fiddle). A favorite local Galax/ Mt. Airy tune that has been often recorded. Jarrell, Cockerham & Jenkins, the source for most "revival" recordings, sang the following lyric (which contains the alternate titles):

If I get drunk, if I get drunk,
Just let me fall, little darlin', on the ground.

Oh me, oh my,
Let me fall, let me fall, let me fall.

Weep and moan, weep and moan,
Carry me home little darlin', take me home.

On the ground, on the ground,
Just let me fall, little darlin', on the ground.

Lay me down, lay me down,
Just lay me down little darling on the ground.

Old hard road, old hard road,
Kill me dead, kill me dead, kill me dead.

Tie my shoes, tie my shoes,
If I get drunk, little darlin; tie my shoes.

Let me fall, on my knees,
Let me fall little darlin' on my knees.

Source for notated version: Tommy Jarrell (Mt. Airy, N.C.) [Milliner & Koken].

Printed sources: Milliner & Koken (Milliner-Koken Collection of American Fiddle Tunes), 2011; p. 381.

Recorded sources: Chubby Dragon CD1008, Brad Leftwich, Bruce Molsky et al - "Mountairy.usa" (2001). County 723, Tommy Jarrell, Fred Cockerham & Oscar Jenkins - "Back Home in the Blue Ridge."

See also listing at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Hear Jarrell, Cockerham and Jenkins' recording at Slippery Hill [2]

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