Oh, Susannah Lyrics
With my banjo on my knee
And I'm bound for Louisiana
My own true love for to see
The weather was bone dry
The sun was so hot I froze myself
Susanne, don't you go on and cry
Now, don't you cry for me
As I come from Alabama
With this banjo on my knee
When everything was still
I dreamed that I saw my girl, Susanne
She was comin' around the hill
The tear was in her eye
Susanne, don't you break down and cry
Now don't you cry for me
Cause I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee
James should have switched the lyrics in this song; he should have said Carolina instead of Alabama. After all, he was born in South Carolina. And do you think the name Susannah could be a connection to his girlfriend Susanne who died in a plane crash?
she didn't die in a plane crash, she killed herself. and he didn't write the song, so the name susannah couldn't have been a reference to suzanne.
it could have been a reference in his choice to do the song
James Taylor did NOT write this song. He is just singing it, and quite well. Shouldn't have changed anything. James Taylor was born in Boston and grew up in NORTH CAROLINA. And NO Susannah did NOT die in a plane crash! Fire and Rain's "Sweet Dreams and Flying Machines in pieces on the ground" refers to his unsuccessful band, "James Taylor and the Original Flying Machine". Their one album is great, Danny Kootchmar is in the band and they remained good friends. Kootchmar is also a great songwriter. You guys should get your facts straight, yall have NO clue.
This is an old folk song, one of those that nobody knows who wrote.
Danny's last name is spelled "Kortchmar". Nicknamed "Kootch". And the song was written by Stephen Foster - the first songwriter in the US to make a living off of his compositions. He wrote this song in 1849. He, of course, died in a great amount of debt thanks to the dubious financing practices of his publishing company. He also wrote "Swannee River," "Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair," "Camptown Races," "My Old Kentucky Home" and others. Ironically, he was a northerner, and only crossed the Mason-Dixon line once, when he and his wife went to New Orleans for their honeymoon.
FYI, stoolhardy, 'Oh, Susannah' was originally written by Stephen Foster.
Yes. Stephen Foster. "a banjo on my knee" means to have a desire to be a performer in a minstrel show. Today we would say 'stagestruck' but at the time a minstrel show was the only option. "buckwheat cake" was symbolic of a Southern marriage. The song is that of a black man seeking fame in a minstrel show who is aware that his Suzzanah will not be waiting for him.