Clifton Hicks - Going Up North (No Letter From Home)

Banjo Heritage 👉 https://patreon.com/CliftonHicks
I learned this song from the recording of John Jackson on the album, "Black Banjo Songsters of North Carolina and Virginia" (Smithsonian Folkways Recordings). Jackson said he learned it from his father, and offered the alternate title, "Can't Get No Letter From My Home." It is likely that his version represents two songs which were combined into one.

The traditional banjo style I've used here can be described as up-picking, up-stroke, or, erroneously, Pete Seeger style. I learned to pick like this from watching master banjoist, George R. Gibson, of Knott County, Kentucky. My 1888 Luscomb banjo is tuned to gDGBD relative (fCFAC, A=440 Hz, actual).

I'm going up north gonna throw my breeches off
And dance in my long shirt tail all night, honey
Dance in my long shirt tail!

O me O my I can't get no letter from my home, poor boy
What's gonna become of me?

My woman she won't write to me
My babe won't write to me,
She won't write me no letter she won't send me no word
She knows how to make a man feel bad!

High sheriff and the deputy
Riding down the road after me, poor boy
What's gonna become of me?

Honey if they catch me they'll hang me if they can
But they'll hang them an innocent man, poor boy
They'll hang them an innocent man!

Dogs on my track sweet potatoes on my back
Got to make it to my shanty if I can, poor boy
Gotta make it to my shanty if I can!

This piece is closely-related to "Keep My Skillet Good and Greasy" and "Georgie Buck" (Georgia Buck).

Bandcamp
http://cliftonhicks.bandcamp.com

Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7fQxc3ZY6LTVWkfxvsEPUV

iTunes
https://music.apple.com/us/album/clifton-hicks/1437321454

Venmo
https://venmo.com/cliftonhicksbanjo

PayPal
https://paypal.me/cliftonhicksbanjo

SubscribeStar
https://www.subscribestar.com/cliftonhicks

#banjo #folkmusic #CliftonHicks #BanjoHeritage #history #Americana #countrymusic #oldtimemusic #oldtimebanjo