As a banjo playing teenage in the 70’s, I wore the “Circle” albums out. Soldiers Joy was always my favorite. I would listen, pick up the needle & listen again…and again….
This tune does date back much farther than McEuen said, at least back to the middle of the 18th century. It was known in America by the time of the Revolution. There are extant manuscript versions of it in the Revolutionary War era notebook of one of Washington's junior officers, Captain George Bush of Delaware. The Colonial Music Institute sells tunebooks with Bush's notation backed up with excellent research, and while the tune has changed in some of the emphasis placed on certain parts of it, the basic elements that are particular to Soldier's Joy have more or less remained the same.
Not only back to the Revolutionary Era but even further back to Scotland, from where the melody originates. As with so many old time tunes, they were brought to the colonies by Ulster Scots (aka Scotch Irish).
Great to hear and see Earl and John on this superb song, which actually goes back to the American War of Independence. Jimmy Driftwood recorded a wonderful vocal version.
Absolutely love the picking and claw hammer trade off on this classic. Just like on the circle album. Also pretty cool how these 2 are playing a tune in D with no capos. So talented.
If it was all original and NOT Earls it would probably bring $300k. He's done a lot of alterations over the years. But being Earl's, it would bring over a million
right...the frailer was really pushing it....their duet on the album is perfect - of course they had Jr Huskey keeping 'em between the ditches back then
FWIW, it is unfair to compare this version, or almost any LIVE version for that matter, with a studio recording such as the one that appeared on the first 'Circle' album. The environment and the constraints are radically different from each other. In a live performance, the primary objective is usually entertainment and the player(s) get only one shot at it. In the studio recording environment, with any number of takes possible, flawless execution is the overriding consideration.
Great artists here, but their original recording of this tune sounds MUCH better. SEE: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Gn76byAtQ_g.html
