“Jubilee is a Ritchie family gamesong, but I never did a copyright on it because it was collected from another source in the community—everyone around knew it. A lady named Marian Skein wrote it down at Ary, Kentucky and it was published by Lynn Rohrbough, Cooperative Recreation Service, Delaware, Ohio in 1939.” - Jean Ritchie
"Jubilee” is from the great Jean Ritchie’s family tradition. Her father probably sang it as more of a play-party type piece, or at least that’s what Art Rosenbaum tells me, but it’s taken on different forms since. I’m not sure where I first heard it, but it’s been making the rounds in old-time music circles for decades now, and I’ve always appreciated its basic insight: “Swing and turn, live and learn.” - Jake Xerxes Fussell
"Jubilee"is all around us in the mountains of North Carolina. We had the pleasure of opening for Jake Xerxes Fussell one night in Boone and that inspired our arrangement. - Tim Jones
lyrics
It's all out on the old railroad
All out on the sea
All out on the old railroad
Far as I can see
Swing and turn, jubilee
Live and learn, jubilee
I wish I had a new needle and thread
Fine as I could sew
I'd sew my true love to my side
Down the road I'd go
Swing and turn, jubilee
Live and learn, jubilee
My wife died on a Friday night
Saturday she was buried
Sunday was my courting day
Monday I got married
Swing and turn, jubilee
Live and learn, jubilee
It's all out on the old railroad
All out on the sea
All out on the old railroad
Far as I can see
Swing and turn, jubilee
Live and learn, jubilee
credits
from Loose Roosters,
released December 21, 2022
Traditional
Arranged by Tim Jones, Chris Capozzoli and Dirk Brown
Recorded at Johnson City Sessions
Mixed by Chris Capozzoli
Mastered by Scott Haynes
Tim Jones: vox and guitar
Chris Capozzoli: vox and guitar
Jimmy Thompson: bass
Dirk Brown: drums
Finer gentlemen, you’ll meet few
Writing songs that are all
brand new
Live in the mountains with a kangaroo
And boy who cries about the age of two
Many have tried to play as they do
But the soul of a rooster is required of you
Tell all you know to come from far and near
The roosters are loose so lend them your ear
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