Old Pod Auger Days, The

DESCRIPTION: "Come and listen to my story Till I talk to you a while"; the poet will speak "Of the famous men and women Of the Old Pod Auger Days." People were more honest and capable. Animals were better. There were no automobiles. Shakespeare lived then
AUTHOR: Larry Gorman (1846-1917)
EARLIEST DATE: 1956 (Ives-LarryGorman)
KEYWORDS: nonballad
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Ives-LarryGorman, pp. 116-118, 198, "The Old Pod Auger Days" (1 text)
Roud #3739
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Good Old Days of Adam and Eve" (theme) and references there
cf. "In Old Pod-Auger Time" (pod auger theme)
cf. "The Old Chesuncook Road" (pod auger theme, plus thoughts about the old days)
NOTES [110 words]: We really need a keyword "Whining-about-the-end-of-the-good-old-days." See the cross-references for similar songs.
I have no reason whatsoever to think this is traditional, but I've included it as one of only two Larry Gorman pieces for which Ives could locate a broadside copy, the other being "The Workman." There was a broadside of "The Hoboes of Maine" also, according to Eckstorm/Smyth-MinstrelsyOfMaine's notes to that song.
Clearly Gorman was inspired by "In Old Pod-Auger Times." See that song for explanation of the title. Roud lumps the two, and certainly the ideas are very similar, but since the Gorman song is a clear rewrite, I've split them.- RBW
Last updated in version 6.1
File: LaGo)PAD

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