John Robertson

DESCRIPTION: When Joe comes to the camp to seek work to help his sick mother, John Robertson trains the boy to be a talented lumberjack. But one day Joe chops a tree with a bad core; Robertson is mortally hurt saving Joe.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1941 (Beck-SongsOfTheMichiganLumberjacks)
LONG DESCRIPTION: John Robertson is an experienced lumberjack. When a greenhorn comes to camp, seeking work to help his sick mother, Robertson persuades the foreman to take him on, then takes the greenhorn under his wing. The young man, Joe, becomes a talented lumberjack, but one day he chops a tree with a rotten core. The tree falls on him; Robertson pushes him out of the way, but is fatally injured. Dying, he tells Joe that he's "glad 'twas me, not you" because of the sick mother (who recovers)
KEYWORDS: lumbering logger work friend family mother death dying disease apprentice
FOUND IN: US(MW)
REFERENCES (4 citations):
Beck-SongsOfTheMichiganLumberjacks 57, "John Robertson" (1 text, 1 tune)
Beck-TheyKnewPaulBunyan, pp. 168-172, "John Robertson" (1 text, 1 tune)
Beck-LoreOfTheLumberCamps 72, "John Robertson" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lewis-FavoriteMichiganFolkSongs,p. 13, "John Robertson" (1 text, 1 tune, probably shortened to eliminate the unhappy ending)
Roud #4062
NOTES [8 words]: This song is item dC41 in Laws's Appendix II. - RBW
Last updated in version 5.2
File: Be057

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography