Springfield Mountain
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Standard Notation
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Standard Notation
Mandolin Tablature
Song Sheet
American
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Transcription: by Darryl D. Bush
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Lyrics:
On Springfield Mountain there did dwell
A lovely youth, I knew him well-ell-ell.
Chorus:
Ray-goo-too day-noo-ay,
Ray-too-di-noo-ay,
Too-di-nay-hoo-i,
Too-di-noo.
Each morning early, he did go
Up to the mountain for to mow-ow-ow.
Chorus
He scarce had mowed half round the field
When an ug-lye serpent bit his hee-ee-eel.
Chorus
They took him home to Molly dear
Which made him feel so ve-rye quee-ee-eer.
Chorus
Now Molly had two ruby lips
With which the pizen she did si-i-ip.
Chorus
But Molly had a rotten tooth
And so the pizen killed them bo-o-oth.
Chorus
The moral: when in love don't pass
Too near to patches of high gra-a-ass.
Chorus
"Springfield Mountain" or "On Springfield Mountain" is an American ballad which<br> recounts the tragic death of a young man who is bitten by a rattlesnake while<br> mowing a field. Historically, the song refers to the death of Timothy Merrick,<br> who was recorded to have died on August 7, 1761 in Wilbraham, Massachusetts by<br> snakebite. It is commonly included in collections of American folksong and is<br> one of the earliest known American ballads. Due to its popularity, there exist<br> many variations of the ballad and its narrative. Although the song is now<br> accompanied by its own distinct melody, early performances of the ballad were<br> sung to other airs, including "Old Hundredth" (in the Hymns section) and<br> "Merrily Danced the Quaker's Wife" (also known as "Merrily Kiss the Quaker's Wife"<br> in the Celtic section).<br> As the story goes, at the age of 22, Timothy Merrick was engaged to be married<br> to his village sweetheart, Sarah Lamb. However, on August 7, 1761, prior to<br> their wedding day, Timothy Merrick set out to mow his father's field and was<br> bitten by a rattlesnake, dying shortly thereafter. The story was newsworthy at<br> the time due to the relative rarity of poisonous snakes in New England.<br> The original poem by Nathan Torrey entitled "Elegy on the Young Man Bitten<br> by a Rattlesnake" was a serious description of the incident. The version given<br> here is a later burlesque on the original.<br> It has been printed in The Burl Ives Song Book and Malcolm Laws' Native American Balladry (1964).<br> It was recorded by Burl Ives, Woody Guthrie and others.<br> I learned it from The Burl Ives Song Book.<br>
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