The Yellow Rose Of Texas

[Hans-Joerg]

Does somebody by chance know (and could post ) the B part of this (Oldtime) tune?

[MTGuru]

You can find three 1858 editions of the original sheet music at the Lester S. Levy collection:

http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/levy-search.html

Search for "Yellow Rose" in the titles. I'm not sure there *is* a B part, since the verse and chorus are identical.

[Hans-Joerg]

Thanks a lot, MTGuru. I feared too that there is no B part. Anyway - it seems to be a reel-version of the Irish jig "Patsy Geary´s".
In the early sixties there was this pop radio hit to the melody of "Yellow Rose ..." over here:
"Wenn die Sonne scheint in Texas
und die gelben Rosen blühn
..."
howwwwl

Then (many years ago) I heard by chance Oldtime fiddlers (Matt and David Haney) on a tour over here play the tune.

[Ceann Cromtha]

This is intriguing. Might someone link an audio link of the Old Time version under discussion?

[MTGuru]

Thanks a lot, MTGuru. I feared too that there is no B part. Anyway - it seems to be a reel-version of the Irish jig "Patsy Geary´s".

Yes, the A part of Patsy Geary's is certainly closely related.

You know, as I think about it ... It seems to me that on the rare occasions when we've played The Yellow Rose at sessions, just for fun, there is a sort of B part that goes with it. Something like this:

X:1
M:4/4
K:G
d2|B6 AB|c6 Bc|d2f2 f2ef|g2d2 B2A2|
B6 AB|c6 Bc|d2f2 f2ef|g2 g2 g2:|

That's assuming that the A part is played in D, with a key change (modulation) to G in the B part. But I could be remembering this wrong, or confusing it with another tune.

[MTGuru]

This is intriguing. Might someone link an audio link of the Old Time version under discussion?

I've heard several Old Time settings called "The Yellow Rose of Texas". They've morphed pretty far from the original song, and they differ from each other. One is a waltz, IIRC.

The Fiddler's Companion gives one setting that looks like it's supposed to be played as a breakdown, with the A and B parts reversed:

http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/YEL_YM. ... E_OF_TEXAS

There's also a very nice mp3 here with fiddle/banjo/guitar, a slower setting with a unique B part. Look almost at the bottom of the page, under "Spring '04":

http://stringband.mossyroof.com/

[Ceann Cromtha]

Thanks, MTGuru!