Pretty Polly Ann

fiddles; guitarsCollected by Merlin Mitchell Transcribed by Kyle Perrin Reel 9 Items 6-8 Jim Means (fiddle) Goshen, Ark. November 9, 1949 Biographical Material And Fiddle Pieces Pretty Polly Ann--Fiddle and guitar. Means•• That's about all you want, isn't it? M •••••• That's about enough. Means •• Did you ever hear the California Gold Digger? M•••••• No, let's have it. California Gold Digger--Fiddle and guitar. M •••••• Boy, you worked up a sweat on that one, didn't you? Means.•• I had two or three more pieces and I just tuk my old fiddle and I just rared back and I just done--I just--boy, listen, I just dor.e my very best. And he thought by hooping and hollerin g I really did it. But t.hey--I tell you what--they figgered over there, though, t hey figgered I' se showing out just because--agin a band, see. M• ••••• They had you up against the whole band. Means •• Yeah, they had meup against the whole band. Course, they'se playing me but they just figgered now that I'se going to show my bunch that that boy couldn 't lay the fid le. Well, I didn't mean it that way a-tall--! just got interested in my playing and I never thought nothing about it, because, heck, I played with him for twenty-five years. Awful good kid. He was my wife's uncle's son, Orville Feet And, boy, he's an awful good kid. But, then, he can't play the fiddle much. But, we played lots of dances together. I didn'tknock on him. He knew it, though. If people want to hear me play, I want to play. I 've played far people that didn't caremuch about it--they'd just talk all around among themselves and wouldn 't pay no attention to me. Directly, well, that t ere's fine. Well, they hadn't been paying any attentim-- wasn 't interested, see. And people that don't care anyth:ing about music--! don't care anything about playing for them. Are you that way? ou find them that way. They don't care anything about it. Now , her daddy and mother like to hear me play. Jim Dutton(?) wouldn't give a dime, my friend. Mrs. Means•• Nor Aunt Jenny wouldn't either. Means•• Or aunt Jenny. She didn't wantto hear it. Mrs. Means•• She's worse than Uncle Jim. Means•• Yeah. Mrs. Means•• That's the truth. Means •• And that kid there--her grand kid over there--was crazy about music. And they'd come over here and she'd beg me to play. Well, I didn't want to play. It hurt me to play, bee use Aunt Jenny just hated it, see. That's the reason I didn't play for that kid no more than I did. Because that old gal--she--she's an aunt of t'bis kid. No, let's see. Yeah, she's the aunt. Mrs. Means •• -rand aunt. Means.•• Grand aunt • •••• Biographical Material And Fiddle Pieces (Cont . ) eans •• If I hadn ' t got a fiddle then, see, I don't know whatthe heck it wculd cost now. M.• • • • • Now, how old are yo u , Jim? Means •• Fifty- three . M •••••• Fifty- three . When did you get that fiddle? Means •• Back when I was twelve years old . M•••••• Ben playing it ever since . Means •• rver since. M •••••• Mightygood instrument . Uh--where'dyo u learn that piece?--Eighth of January? Mea ns •• I learned it from my Dad--four years ago. M• •••••W ell, listen, can yru lunk it out on a banjo? Means.•• No, I have to play it on a fiddle . M •••••• Jell, get that fiddle and saw off on it, 'Will you? Means •• You know hat a ••• said to me? Said , would you play that piece for me? I said, Yes, I ' ll play it for you. I tore in and played it for him. He said , That shore was right. M. ••• • •• He'd forgotten the song. Means •• Yeah. :t-: •••••• What key do you play it in? Means •• "D" .Funding for digitization provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council and the Happy Hollow Foundation