746. Acres of Clams (Francis D. Henry)

[@raymondcrooke]

No one seems to sing it these days. Thanks for dropping by, Rocket.

[@titanramfan]

This is exactly the one we had in our 3rd grade music book in Tacoma PSD in 1972! I can still hear the 29 of us giggling over the "jumpin' off place" and "covered in timber thick as hair on the back of a dog"!

[@rhylee90]

this song has a great story behind it... great job

[@Ottawarocket]

Never heard this one before, Great song Raymond ***** Rocket

[@raymondcrooke]

Thanks, Rhyan.

[@RobMacKendrick]

Old Settler here. Raised on this song. Your version is one of the few that closely follows the one I learned as a small child. Miss that old Washington.

[@raymondcrooke]

Thanks. Great to hear that my version is reasonably authentic.

[@raymondcrooke]

No, that song is new to me. Thanks for putting it here, and I hope you work out how to do the video response.

[@hultonclint]

"Undignified" or not, I love this kind of down-and-out roving rambler song! I often sing to myself a related song (same tune) to this one, that I learned off a Logan English album: "He's the Man For Me." It's presumably earlier (?), since it relates from the days of the 1849 California Gold Rush.

[@raymondcrooke]

@SidarCrand Thanks. I usually aim to do the complete version of a song.

[@raymondcrooke]

Of course I don't mind. Your video response is very welcome. I was planning to put it up myself tomorrow, so I'll make it a video response to yours.

[@raymondcrooke]

I think I learnt it from one of his songbooks.

[@jayrbee60]

Great song... I hope you don't mind me responding with my version of Rosin the Beau!!! you did a wonderful rendition of Acres of Clams!

[@SirCoughsalot]

Never heard this one before.

[@Cyallaire]

I've lived all my life in this country I love every flower and tree I expect to live here til I'm ninety It's the nukes that must go and not me. I've swallowed enough radiation It's time I was standing my ground I'm joining that great occupation We're shutting that power plant down. Well, Seabrook, New Hampshire's a swell town It's there that we're making our stand Why stay home and wait for a meltdown? Come and fight for your freedom and land.

[@sethmountain]

Ps. You covered my take on Peg and Awl (Shock and Awe) a few years back... Thanks for that!

[@raymondcrooke]

You're welcome. It's a great song.

[@raymondcrooke]

I suppose it's also based on the earlier song, "Rosin the Beau". I'm sure there would have been a number of songs to this tune.

[@raymondcrooke]

Please ignore my earlier reply to this. I was confusing it with another song I'll be putting up in a few days. I guess poor farmers were looked down on by the Washington elite.

[@Cyallaire]

Hi, Raymond. I wondered if you knew Pete Seeger had words for the melody you'll see on the adjacent post, though I left off the repetitions that form the chorus. I sing his version. If I can figure out how to post a video response, I'll sing it for you. I like your performance.

[@raymondcrooke]

I think you're probably right. I've taken the word "Irish" out of the description - at the risk of offending some of our Irish friends, who think every good song must be an Irish song!

[@raymondcrooke]

I don't think I've ever heard it either. Obviously not a song that's sung very often these days.

[@raymondcrooke]

Interesting comment. : -)

[@SidarCrand]

Nice. There are plenty of versions of this song on KZbin, but yours has a huge advantage: to my knowledge, it's the only one with all the verses. The story being told just doesn't make sense if you don't use all the verses!

[@kristeneast6740]

Hi! I've been researching Washington Folk Songs and I was very happy to find your version of this song! Have you recorded any other folk songs from the Pacific Northwest?

[@raymondcrooke]

+Kristen East Not sure. Perhaps If you can name some examples. Would Woody Guthrie's "Roll On Columbia" fit the description?

[@JBurdoo]

I only ever heard this from Tom Glazer before. You're a better singer than he was. Good job on this one -- your voice is almost mournful.

[@taragolden]

interesting

[@UncleVRoy]

what is undignified about it??

[@sethmountain]

Great job again, Raymond! Fellow Irish Indian Washingtonian here so this song carries a lot of meaning for me. Your version is one of my favorites! Here's my take on it when you get a minute: m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIqXo4drrapjp6c

[@raymondcrooke]

Thanks for the link, Seth. I look forward to more of your songs.