Goin' Up To Cripple Creek.
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(goin' up to) Cripple Creek is another song with roots that get lost in the fog of antiquity. Recorded versions of this song date to the early twenties, usually as a string band arrangement. Indeed its a staple of bluegrass music to this day. Here Buffy Sainte Marie sings it accompanied by what may be the second oldest known musical instrument. Across the world across the millenia various cultures have used their war bows as musical instruments. The Apache indians of the North American Southwest were said to be amazing musicians using their short but powerful war bows. With a sound like a slightly more tuneful Jaws harp it must have been amazing to hear a group of musicians playing...weaving intricate rhythms and patterns,,,,it had to have been mezmorizing.
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Comments (8)
I lived in Las Vegas for about a year and a half, took a promotion with the company I worked for and moved on their dime. I didn't like the vibe there so I moved back to Ohio, but when I was there I found a cool little dive bar that was a Head Hangout of sorts. I used to catch local and regional, So CA, acts there and everyone stood outside and openly engaged in extra-curriculars while getting to know each other. It is the one thing I miss about the city, but anyway to get to my point. At a few of the shows I saw at this little bar, a van would show up that had been modified to house a huge number of percussion instruments. This guy would show up, pass out drumsticks, or whatever was available, and encourage people to engage in a musical experiment similar to a Shakedown experience at a Dead show. Eventually people would learn to expel very unique sounds from various parts of the van itself - it is interesting to think of the boundless opportunities we all have daily to make an everyday object become musical in nature. It proves that music lives in the artist, not the instrument......an instrument without a player is just matter, nothing more.
I suspect that's a melody that was known to, and played by, legendary Scots fiddler James Scott Skinner (1843-1927), and that it was already traditional when he was a bairn. It's no doubt got a wholly different title over here, something like "Colonel McPherson's Reel".
Nice tune, anyway.
Yes, oh yes! The legendary and beloved Buffy! I can't lay my hands on this one right now, it's behind some other stuff in my record library. But as I recall, this is the one on which she ever so gently updates her originals. She kept more or less the same arrangements and made only the changes and additions that would enhance the songs, not to spoil anything by updating just to pander to new audiences. The original recording of this song was in the 60s and it appeared on her 1970 Vanguard double Best Of set. One of my favorite records at the time.
Buffy Saint-Marie is a national treasure. When I was a singer in those days, I used to sing her Universal Soldier, My Country 'Tis of Thy People You're Dying, and the traditional Ground Hog, which she recorded with mouth bow. Maybe some others I do not recall. She also wrote and sang Until It's Time For You to Go, Now That the Buffalo's Gone, Soldier Blue and many others.
I didn't know until I got this compilation that she had written Up Where We Belong. That song has been killed by certain other singers. Deadly Screaming Duets. But Buffy redeems it as only she could on this release.
As she sang, in the song she co-wrote with Leonard Cohen (Words: Leonard, Music: Buffy, "God Is Alive, Magic Is Afoot."
Thanks for posting this song.
As a young deadchilddeadchild I had such a crush on (a picture of ) Buffy. "My country......" is a long time favorite, I have the album of which you speak. (and quite a few others) I've only seen it once on cd & I didn't have the cash at the time.
Enjoyed the frogs.
One of you more endearing traits Mark, is your ability to spot the silver lining.
Just call me Mr. Positivity.
among other things.