Root hog, or die

Anonymous Pre-Civil War broadside titled "Root Hog or Die".

"Root, hog, or die" is a common American catch-phrase dating from well before 1834.^[1] Coming from the early colonial practice of turning pigs loose in the woods to fend for themselves, the term is an idiomatic expression for self-reliance.

Songs

The term resulted in several songs with the same theme.

"Root Hog Or Die" (c. 1854)

Several songs of unknown authorship were published before the Civil War, including patriotic and minstrel songs. A patriotic version opens with:^[2]

I'll tell you a story that happened long ago,

When the English came to America, I s'pose you all know,

They could'nt [sic] whip the Yankees, I'll tell you the reason why,'

Uncle Sam made 'em sing Root Hog or Die.

"Root, Hog, or Die" (1856)

The most popular song of the era was a minstrel song variously titled "Root, Hog, Or Die" or "Do Jog Along", sometimes credited to George W.H. Griffin, which was first copyrighted in 1856.^[3] Many variations exist—a common first verse is:

I'm right from old Virginny wid my pocket full ob news,

I'm worth twenty shillings right square in my shoes.

It doesn't make a bit of difference to neither you nor I

Big pig or little pig, Root, hog, or die.

"Root Hog Or Die" (1858)

For the album, see Root Hog or Die

A song from the gold field camps on the front range of the Rockies written by A. O. McGrew in 1858 addressed the hardships of gold miners. It was first sung at a Christmas party near present-day Denver. The first verse:^[4]

Way out upon the Platte near Pike's Peak we were told

There by a little digging we could get a pile of gold,

So we bundled up our clothing, resolved at least to try

And tempt old Madam Fortune, root hog or die.

Civil War songs

Both sides in the Civil War had root, hog, or die songs. A verse from "Flight of Doodles", a Confederate song, is typical:^[5]

I saw Texas go in with a smile,

But I tell you what it is, she made the Yankees bile;

Oh! it don't make a nif-a-stifference to neither you nor I,

Texas is the devil, boys; root, hog, or die.

"A Philosophical Cowboy"

A folk song collected in 1911 tells of the hard life of the cowboy. The last verse is:^[6]

Sometimes it's dreadful stormy and sometimes it's pretty clear

You may work a month and you might work a year

But you can make a winning if you'll come alive and try

For the whole world over, boys, it's root hog or die.

This version, and variations of it, are still recorded.

Newer versions have also been recorded.

Woody Guthrie recorded a version "Root, Hog & Die" about the trial of Sacco & Vanzetti, changing the narrative to that of a man racing to get to Boston before their scheduled execution in 1927.

Root, hog and die friend, Root, hog & die

Gotta get to Boston, Root, hog & die

Sacco & Vanzetti die at sundown tonight

So I gotta get to Boston, Root, hog & die

June Carter Cash had a minor hit in the 1950s with her version, now available on Youtube with guitar by Chet Atkins. The first verse is as follows:

When I was young and pretty

With a twinkling in my eye

I met a traveling man one day

And I guess he told a lie

When we was a courting

He called me sugar pie

Now he calls me other names

It's root, hog, or die

Root, hog, or die

Tell you the reason why

I met a traveling man one day

And I guess he told a lie

^[7]

References

Bibliography

• —. "Root Hog or Die" (broadside). Philadelphia: J.H. Johnson (c. 1854).
• Crockett, David. A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett of the State of Tennessee. Philadelphia: E.L. Carey and A. Hart (1834).
• Davidson, Levette Jay. Poems of the Old West: A Rocky Mountain Anthology. Manchester, NH: Ayer Company Publishers (Facsimile edition, 1951).
• Fife, Austin E., and Alta S. Fife. Cowboy and Western Songs: A Comprehensive Anthology. New York: C. N. Potter (1969).
• Griffin, G.W.H. "Do Jog Along" (Sheet music). New York: E.A. Daggett (1856).
• Moore, Frank (ed.). Rebel Rhymes and Rhapsodies. New York: George P. Putnam (1864).