Oh Shenandoah

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the American folk song. For other uses, see Shenandoah.

"Oh Shenandoah" (also called simply "Shenandoah") is an American folk song, dating to the early 19th century.

With possible origins in Virginia, noting that its title is also the name of a Virginia river, the song has been considered for that state's official state song. In his 1931 book on sea and river chanteys entitled Capstan Bars, David Bone wrote that "Oh Shenandoah" originated as a river chanty and then became popular with sea-going crews in the early 1800s. The Missouri Congressman Ike Skelton noted in 2005 that Missouri artist George Caleb Bingham immortalized the jolly flatboatmen who plied the Missouri River in the early 1800s; these same flatboatmen were known for their chanties, including the haunting "Oh Shenandoah". This boatmen’s song found its way down the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers to the American clipper ships, and thus around the world.

The lyrics tell the story of a roving trader in love with the daughter of an Indian chief; the rover tells the chief of his intent to take the girl with him far to the west, across the Missouri River.

Oh Shenandoah,

I long to hear you,

Away you rolling river,

Oh Shenandoah,

I long to hear you,

Away, I'm bound away

'Cross the wide Missouri.

Oh Shenandoah,

I love your daughter,

Away you rolling river,

I'll take her

'cross your rollin' water,

Away, I'm bound away

'Cross the wide Missouri.

'Tis seven years

since last I saw you.

Away you rolling river,

'Tis seven years

since last I saw you.

Away, I'm bound away

'Cross the wide Missouri.

Oh Shenandoah,

I love your daughter,

Away you rolling river,

Oh Shenandoah,

I'll come to claim her.

Away, I'm bound away

'Cross the wide Missouri.

In all these years,

Whene'er I saw her,

We have kept

Our love a secret,

Oh! Shenandoah,

I do adore her,

Away, I'm bound away

'Cross the wide Missouri.

Oh Shenandoah,

She's bound to leave you.

Away you rolling river,

Oh Shenandoah,

I'll not deceive you.

Away, I'm bound away

'Cross the wide Missouri.

[edit] Interim state song of Virginia

For a time in early 2006 it appeared that "Shenandoah" would become the "interim state song" for Virginia. While the authorizing legislation passed the Virginia Senate, the measure died in committee on the House side. It was a problematic choice because the song never specifically mentions Virginia and, in many versions of the song, the name "Shenandoah" refers to an Indian chief, not the valley or river named "Shenandoah". However, an early rendition of the song, as related in 1931 by David Bone in Capstan Bars, includes verses that appear to allude to the Shenandoah River, which is partly in Virginia:

Oh, Shenandoah's my native valley.

Aa-way, you rolling river!

Shenandoah is my native valley.

Ah-way, we're bound to go, 'cross th' wide Missouri!

Oh, Shenandoah, it's far I wander.

Aa-way, you rolling river!

Shenandoah, it's far I wander.

Ah-way, we're bound to go, 'cross th' wide Missouri!

Oh, Shenandoah has rushing waters.

Aa-way, you rolling river!

Shenandoah has rushing waters.

Ah-way, we're bound to go, 'cross th' wide Missouri!

It is possible that, as the song's popularity spread, flatboatmen of the Missouri might have evolved different lyrics than the bargemen of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal along the Potomac or sailors of the American clipper fleet out of New Orleans.