ROLL-io...

[Danny]

Galvanized with banjo for about 20 minutes with a Reb campaigner mess this past weekend; they given to song (to great effect) and one period song in particular with the refrain, something to the effect "We'll ROLL-io, and olli, olli- o..."

Can anybody here recognize and give me a name for that song? Thx ahead.

Dan Wykes

[Mudslinger]

Re: ROLL-io...

Sounds similar to the old sea chanty "Nelson's Blood" which in chorus goes:

"We'll roll the old, chariot along,
we'll roll the old, chariot along,
we'll roll the old, chariot along,'
and we'll all hang on behind."

The song progressively gets faster in tempo with every verse.

[Danny]

Re: ROLL-io...

Sounds similar to the old sea chanty "Nelson's Blood" ...The song progressively gets faster in tempo with every verse.

Nick -

Why yes, thanks, certainly that's the one*

(Enunciation is key, gentlemen...)

Dan Wykes

*aka "A Drop Of Nelson's Blood" (refers to a kind of sailor's alcoholic drink), or "Roll the Old Chariot Along", or "Roll The Golden Chariot Along" as a spiritual with more heavenly words

[Bagman]

Re: ROLL-io...

"Nelson's Blood" is /was a term used in the Royal Navy to refer to the daily spirit (Rum ration) ration. The origin of the expression is, as you might expect, interesting in its own right.

When Admiral Lord Nelson was killed at the Battle of Trafalgar, on the quarterdeck of his flagship HMS VICTORY, his body was placed in a large cask of brandy in order to preserve it during the journey from Gibraltar to England and internment. As the story goes, a couple gallant tars were in the habit of sneaking into the darkened hold for the purpose of supplementing their rum ration. On this occasion, and unbeknownst to them, they selected in the dark hold, the very cask that contained Nelson's body. They then bored a small hole in the brandy cask and drained a small amount of the contents. Their foray was so successful, they repeated it on subsequent nights. Finally, when they were apprehended and brought before the VICTORY's Captain for discipline, they were horrified to discover that they had tapped the cask containing Nelson's body. If you've ever had occasion to see a lab specimine in a preservation beaker, you can imagine the effect the decomposing body would have on the brandy. :confused_

As a result of this incident, which was known to all hands aboard VICTORY, and soon throughout the fleet, the term "Nelson's Blood" became synonymous with the daily rum ration. The words of the song harken back to the origin of the phrase" ....a drop of Nelson's blood wouldn't do us any harm; ....."

References for this story include "Nelson's Blood, A History of Rum in the Royal Navy". This small pamphlet was published by Pusser's Rum, who at one time, were the official suppliers of Barbados Rum for the Royal Navy. I got my copy at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich UK. Alternatively, as it is a part of the lore of the Royal Navy, you can ask any British sailor.....


Jeff Christman
Liberty Hall Fifes & Drums

[David Dalton]

Re: ROLL-io...

Is this the same federal banjo player? I seen at Boscobel?

I am Chris I believe this is the same person correct?

[OldKingCrow]

Re: ROLL-io...

Jeff great stuff !!!!

What are your thoughts on "Nelson's Blood" being a standby in the CS ranks ? I have done a fair amount of research into the music of our period, in particular that of the Southern popular culture and this is not a tune, outside of the Dropkick Murphy's modern bootleg of course, I have run across in period music collections or something referenced in mid-19th century periodicals.

[cprljohnivey]

Re: ROLL-io...

It was always my understanding that Nelson was pickeled in Port and not Brandy.

It is also my understanding that the song was popular amongst the Navy, not necessarily the Army during the Civil War. Not that they are the most authentic group out there (or even close) but the 97th regimental string band has a cd of Civil War sea chantys and this song appears on that disc.

[Bagman]

Re: ROLL-io...

True........"Nelson's Blood" is properly classified as a Sea Chanty. I doubt that it would be commonly heard or sung in the Army, even in units that had close ties to regions of the country with a maritime heritage.....such as Tidewater / Hampton Roads region Virginia or the fishing / trade and whaling centers in New England. Still, like "The Mermaid Song" it is a nice tune and always fun to sing in a group.

Jeff Christman
Liberty Hall Fifes & Drums

[Danny]

Re: ROLL-io...

True........"Nelson's Blood" is properly classified as a Sea Chanty.Jeff Christman
Liberty Hall Fifes & Drums[/FONT]

But Jeff, check me on this; at the time of the Civil War there wasn't that extent of classification yet, only occasional accounts of "crude" or "elevated" or something to that effect.

In the absence of specific period accounts that the common soldier/sailor population felt compelled to stick to the venue "proper" to their situation* our impressions shouldn't be particularly restricted in that regard, imho. At least one soldier's song book published during the war bears that out.

In other words, on the field or on the ship, you sang what you sang when and where you sang it. ["Badges? ...we don't need no stinkin' badges" :)]

Dan Wykes

* Not to mention that in the river/coast campaigns it was not unusual for crews to be recruited from the ground forces and vice-versa as the need arose

[OldKingCrow]

Re: ROLL-io...

In the absence of specific period accounts that the common soldier/sailor population felt compelled to stick to the venue "proper" to their situation* our impressions shouldn't be particularly restricted in that regard, imho.
Dan Wykes

You're suggesting absence of a period account of a particular action is justification to do another action which lacks any period justification ?

[Danny]

Re: ROLL-io...

You're suggesting absence of a period account of a particular action is justification to do another action which lacks any period justification ?

Chris -

Not particularly, yet we feel justified in the action of wiping our bums without specific account of that action being done at the time, eh? ;). Just kidding.

There is some evidence soldiers knew and sang sea fare. Surviving soldier's songbooks published during the war included sailor's songs (some shantys by our modern retrospect), which indicates they were at least an expected part of a soldier's repertoire. i.e. in the 1864 "Trumpet of Freedom" songbook you've got "Banner of The Sea", "Columbia Gem of the Ocean", and "Boatman's Song." Such song books were more available to soldiers than, say, the banjo tutors we justify our instrumentations by.

Then there's the case of such folk fare as "Shenendoah" or "Mrs. McGrath", or other published period fare like "Cumberland Crew", "Roll, Alabama, Roll" etc... what to do about those? Can't prove they were accepted for field use either. Please don't take them away from us, Mr. Rideout :(.

What we do know; it was not uncommon for sailors to transfer to the US and CS armies. They most certainly brought their pastimes with them, no?

Dan Wykes

[Hank Trent]

Re: ROLL-io...

Surviving soldier's songbooks published during the war included sailor's songs (some shantys by our modern retrospect), which indicates they were at least an expected part of a soldier's repertoire. i.e. in the 1864 "Trumpet of Freedom" songbook you've got "Banner of The Sea", "Columbia Gem of the Ocean", and "Boatman's Song."

I dunno if I'd count those in the same category as Nelson's Blood or as sea shanties.

Columbia the Gem of the Ocean came from the stage, and uses the metaphor of the nation being like a ship. It's not what I'd call a sailor's song or sea shanty by any means, more a general patriotic song about our national defense: "The Army and Navy forever...."

Boatman's Song--Do you mean The Negro Boatman's Song or The Boatman's Dance? The first is about slaves looking forward to freedom, and the second is from the minstrel stage and about boatmen on inland waters. Both have a minstrel style and origin, not a British sailing folk origin, and I don't think are close enough to the British sailor's background of Nelson's Blood to show much.

Banner of the Sea wasn't a song I was familiar with before now, but it looks like a song specifically written as a tribute to the US Navy, again not a folk-like homegrown song among sailors.

I don't think the fact that those songs were sung by soldiers or the general public necessarily indicates one way or the other about sea chanties and/or Nelson's Blood. Something like Mrs. McGrath strikes me as more of a close parallel to Nelson's Blood--any evidence of it being sung by soldiers and/or inland civilians?

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: ROLL-io...

Just three observations:

First, regarding Danny's statement above, there actually is some evidence of the use of "bumfodder" and "water-closet paper" during the war.

Second, FWIW, a search of Google Books for the years 1800 to 1880 failed to turn up any reference to either "drop of Nelson's blood" or "roll the old chariot." This leads me to suspect that "traditional" may not in and of itself document a song to the civil war.

Third, while I know of no order encouraging transfers from the Navy to the Army, there was a specific provision made for transfers in the other direction: G.O. 91 of March, 1864 followed an Act of Congress of February, 1864 and allowed up to ten thousand soldiers who were by vocation mariners or seamen to transfer to the Navy. The incentive would include keeping one's bounty money, getting higher pay, getting a shot at prize money, and not getting shot by rebels. There doesn't seem to have been any equivalent incentive to transfer to the land services from the Navy.

There are plenty of songs out there documented to the civil war, not excluding airs from La Traviata, and I wish folks would explore those before they settle on something else whose provenance may be no better than an ersatz Irish pub on St. Patrick's Day.

And if you're going to do the latter anyway, just do it to have fun. Don't make up specious excuses 'cause it kind of grates on those of us who spend time in books and take this stuff seriously. Thanks.

[OldKingCrow]

Re: ROLL-io...

Chris -

Not particularly, yet we feel justified in the action of wiping our bums without specific account of that action being done at the time, eh? ;). Just kidding.

Dan Wykes

Danny this is a becoming a pattern of you taking a shot at this community for a research supported approach to Living History across the internets at every opportunity. Now you do it in our own clubhouse. In this same vein, you are noted for stating in forums that there is no such thing as a history heavy community or approach.

Old Cremona who is the kindest, most supportive musical soul you could meet has had issues with you on banjo boards too.

You can sure play any unsupported thing you want on your banjo. But to come in here and respond like you have, yet again, really is not warranted or appreciated here. I have seen your impression and unit. Please.

[Danny]

Re: ROLL-io...

Thank you for the insights gentlemen, your evidence is also compelling, but not more so. Still, strong opinions should count for something - so let's have it that no US/CS soldier in the field would be singing "Drop of Nelson's Blood."

Dan Wykes

Fat Neck Mess