Thursday, October 14, 2004
Legend of the Rebel Soldier
My oldest friend in the world introduced me to this tune during the stump burnin' last Saturday night (see Sunday's post). I know this gentleman to be a blog "lurker" -- someone who visits a blog but never leaves a comment. That's OK.
Sir, I thank you. It is the most touching song I have ever heard from the War Between the States.
The words alone are all I can put here. But even they are both spare and soulful, somehow, at the same time:
Legend of the Rebel Soldier
In a dreary Yankee prison where a rebel soldier lay
By his side there stood a preacher ere his soul should pass away
And he faintly whispered Parson, as he clutched him by the hand
Oh parson, tell me quickly, will my soul pass through the Southland?"
Will my soul pass through the Southland, through Old Virginia grand?
Will I see the hills of Georgia, and the green fields of Alabam?
Will I see the little churchhouse, where I pledged my heart and hand?
Oh parson, tell me quickly, will my soul pass through the Southland?
Was for loving dear old Dixie, in this dreary cell I lie
Was for loving dear old Dixie, in this Northern state I die
Will you see my little daughter, will you make her understand?
Oh parson, tell me quickly, will my soul pass through the Southland?
Then the Rebel Soldier died.
END
Sir, I thank you. It is the most touching song I have ever heard from the War Between the States.
The words alone are all I can put here. But even they are both spare and soulful, somehow, at the same time:
Legend of the Rebel Soldier
In a dreary Yankee prison where a rebel soldier lay
By his side there stood a preacher ere his soul should pass away
And he faintly whispered Parson, as he clutched him by the hand
Oh parson, tell me quickly, will my soul pass through the Southland?"
Will my soul pass through the Southland, through Old Virginia grand?
Will I see the hills of Georgia, and the green fields of Alabam?
Will I see the little churchhouse, where I pledged my heart and hand?
Oh parson, tell me quickly, will my soul pass through the Southland?
Was for loving dear old Dixie, in this dreary cell I lie
Was for loving dear old Dixie, in this Northern state I die
Will you see my little daughter, will you make her understand?
Oh parson, tell me quickly, will my soul pass through the Southland?
Then the Rebel Soldier died.
END
Comments:
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To be southern, I cannot imagine anything else.
as for the TRUE SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN, I thank him
also. For I have called him friend for some 24
yrs. Long live the South.
mamabear
as for the TRUE SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN, I thank him
also. For I have called him friend for some 24
yrs. Long live the South.
mamabear
# posted by 
: 10:20 PM
: 10:20 PM
It was a war. It was a long time ago. It's over. Y'all lost. Lots of rebel soldiers died. Lots of rebel soldiers died in northern cells.
It was a war. The Confederacy was defeated. All them Southern states are as much of the north as Pennsylvania. Even Oregon, for gosh sakes.
(snicker, snicker, snicker) Bet that'll get the Ol' ER riled up. :-)
It was a war. The Confederacy was defeated. All them Southern states are as much of the north as Pennsylvania. Even Oregon, for gosh sakes.
(snicker, snicker, snicker) Bet that'll get the Ol' ER riled up. :-)
About 140 years from now, the great-great-grandson of one of the Sunnis on TV gettin' bombed by our planes right now will be waxin' poetic over how viciously he and his'n were treated in 2003-2004. THAT'S the lesson of the Civil War. Not 1861-1865. But every damned year since. The Confederacy wanted to be left alone. The Union had to meddle. The Union is STILL meddling.
I prefer "The Night They drove Ole Dixie Down". The Band's version with Levonn Helms on vocals (not that abomination by Joan Baez). Levonn Helms rules!!!
# posted by : 1:20 PM
: 1:20 PM
That IS a great, great song, Anon. And I'm with you on the Joan Baez version. The Band seems to have sung it straight. Baez had an agenda, and it sure as heck wadn't mine.
What a cool song. When I heard the song, "The Last Rebel" by Lynrd Skynrd for the first time, I immediately thought of your "oldest friend." And, if y'all finish burnin' that stump before I get back to Oklahoma, I'm going to be upset. :)
I've never heard this song, but I have heard about it. I cannot seem to find it or The night they drove ole dixie down- Does anyone know where I might could listen to them? I was born and raised in Missouri and I'm proud to say my family fought for the south.
Semper Fi!
"I wish there were 3 million, instead of what we got"
Semper Fi!
"I wish there were 3 million, instead of what we got"
# posted by : 4:08 PM
: 4:08 PM
My dear old dad, a WWII vet who flew P-47s in Europe, died 11-01-06. I took him a few years ago to see the Country Gentleman and they performed this song. I happened to turn to see tears rolling down his cheek and he looked at me and said "That's a song about a confederate soldier dying in a Yankee prison and all he wants is to buried back home" Well, this week I brought him back to Georgia and buried him here in a place he waited 35 years to be back by Momma. He said that to me in a way that he always said things, like he had to teach me something, but I said "Daddy, I know". He was a Wisconsin farm boy whose great great grandfather was a prisoner at Point Lookout in Maryland after being captured at Vicksburg. He really liked this song.
# posted by : 10:30 PM
: 10:30 PM
I'm from Wisconsin and moved to Tennessee 25 years ago. This song is so moving that the first time I heard it I had to pull the old semi over till I could drive again. I am constantly moved by the many places around the country that recall that sad and awful time.
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# posted by : 10:49 AM
: 10:49 AM << Home
