Raise a Ruckus

DESCRIPTION: A slave is told by his mistress that he would be freed when she died. The promise is long in coming true, and at last the singer takes things in his own hand. Having set off (down?)river, he intends to "raise a ruckus tonight."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1919 (Brown)
KEYWORDS: slave freedom escape party
FOUND IN: US(SE,So)
REFERENCES (5 citations):
Brown/Belden/Hudson-FrankCBrownCollectionNCFolklore3 499, "Raise a Ruckus Tonight" (2 texts plus 2 fragments; the "A" text, however, is "I'll Build Me a Boat")
Brown/Schinhan-FrankCBrownCollectionNCFolklore5 499, "Raise a Ruckus Tonight" (1 tune plus a text excerpt)
Lomax/Lomax-FolkSongUSA 26, "Raise a Rukus" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lomax/Lomax-AmericanBalladsAndFolkSongs, pp. 253-254, "Raise a Rukus Tonight" (1 text, 1 tune)
Silber/Silber-FolksingersWordbook, p. 299, "Raise A Ruckus Tonight" (1 text)
Roud #10054
RECORDINGS:
Charlie Bowman & his Brothers, "Gonna Raise the Ruckus Tonight" (Columbia 15357-D, 1929; rec. 1928)
Warren Caplinger's Cumberland Mountain Entertainers, "G'wine to Raise a Rucas Tonight" (Vocalion 5222, 1928)
Carlisle Brothers (Cliff and Bill), "Gonna Raise a Ruckus Tonight" (Decca 5774, 1939/Minerva M-14158, c. 1941)
Bill Chitwood & his Georgia Mountaineers, "Raise Rough House Tonight" (OKeh 45236, 1928)
Hugh Cross & Riley Puckett, "Gonna Raise Ruckus Tonight" (Columbia 15455-D, 1929; rec. 1928)
Folkmasters, "Raise a Rukus Tonight" (on Fmst01)
The Georgia Yellow Hammers, "Going To Raise A Ruckus Tonight" (Victor 20928, 1927)
Georgia Serenaders [pseud. for Caplinger's Cumberland Mountain Entertainers], "Gonna Raise a Ruckus Tonight" (Supertone 9473, 1929) [this is probably the same as the Warren Caplinger recording listed above]
Mobile Strugglers, "Raise a Ruckus Tonight" (on AmSkBa)
Norfolk Jubilee Quartet, "Raise Rukus Tonight" (Paramount 12032, 1923)
Patterson, Caplinger & The Dixie Harmonizers, "Gonna Raise a Ruckus Tonight" (Gennett 6872/Champion 15770 [as The Kentucky Serenaders]/Supertone 9473 [as The Georgia Serenaders], 1929)
Pete Seeger, "Raise a Ruckus Tonight" (on PeteSeeger05)
Southern Quartet, "Gonna Raise Rukus Tonight" (Columbia 14048-D, 1924)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Old Marse John" (lyrics)
cf. "My Ole Mistus Promised Me" (lyrics)
cf. "Mourner, You Shall Be Free (Moanish Lady)" (floating lyrics)
cf. "Hard Time in Old Virginnie" (floating lyrics)
cf. "I'll Build Me a Boat" (lyrics)
File: LxU026

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