“Down in Alabam'” / “The Old Gray Mare”
‘Something to warm us up,’ Laura asked, and the fiddle, gay and bright, began to warm them up. Pa played and sang, ‘Little Annie Rooney Is My Sweetheart!’ and ‘The Old Gray Mare, She Ain’t What She Used to Be,’ till even Ma’s toes were keeping time to it… — The Long Winter, Chapter 12, “Alone”
Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “The Old Gray Mare” is a variation on “Down in Alabam’,” published as an Ethiopian melody in 1858 by J. Warner, a member of Bryant’s Minstrels. The music was used for “Old Abe Lincoln Came Out of the Wilderness” during the Lincoln-Douglas campaign of 1860. There was a popular version of “The Old Gray Mare” published in 1914 – again, using “Down in Alabam’.” It was also the official song of the Democratic national convention of 1928.
There are a number of stories about the origin of “The Old Gray Mare” lyrics. One is connected to Civil War bandmaster Gus Bailey, a spy for General John Bell Hood. His lyrics were supposedly based on the story of a horse who almost died after eating green corn. It was played as a marching song. Another legend is that “The Old Gray Mare” was Lady Suffolk, who was foaled on Long Island, New York, in 1833. She was the first trotter to run a mile in less than two and a half minutes.
Still another legend is connected to the Texas Brigade, who served in General John Bell Hood’s Army of Northern Virginia. The Brigade led Lt. Gen. James Longstreet’s command to the east slopes of the Bull Run Mountains in August 1862. The Texans had bedded down for the night when someone accidentally kicked over a barrel, which rolled down the hill toward them. Frightened by the noise, a gray mare used as a kitchen pack horse ran up the hill, still laden with kitchen utensils. The Texans were startled awake and (fearing a surprise attack) panicked, running several hundred yards downhill, tearing down a fence in the process. The Texans laughed off their mistake and put the story to song. “The Old Gray Mare Came Tearing Out of the Wilderness” became their marching song.
“The Old Gray Mare” was included in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Hard Winter manuscript. In addition to the songs mentioned in the published The Long Winter, Wilder wrote that Pa also played and sang “Cheer Boys Cheer,” “Life Let Us Cherish” and “Uncle Sam’s Farm.”
(Ain’t I Glad I Got Out De Wilderness)
Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!
[solo] My old massa he’s got the dropser, um,
He’s got the dropser, um,
He’s got the dropser, um.
He am sure to die ‘kase he’s got no doctor, um,
Down in Alabam’.
[chorus] Ain’t I glad I got out de wilderness,
Got out de wilderness,
Got out de wilderness,
Ain’t I glad I got out de wilderness
Down in Alabam’.
1. Old blind horse come from Jerusalum,
Come from Jerusalum,
Come from Jerusalum,
He kicks so high dey put him in de museum,
Down in Alabam’.
2. Dis am a holiday, we hab assembled, um,
We hab assembled, um,
We hab assembled, um,
To dance and sing for de ladies and genbleum,
Down in Alabam’.
3. Far you well to de wild goose nation,
Wild goose nation,
Wild goose nation,
I neber will leab de old plantation,
Down in Alabam’.
1. Oh, the old gray mare, she ain’t what she used to be,
Ain’t what she used to be, ain’t what she used to be.
The old gray mare, she ain’t what she used to be,
Many long years ago.
[chorus] Many long years ago,
Many long years ago.
The old gray mare ain’t what she used to be,
Many long years ago.
2. The old gray mare she kicked on the whiffletree,
Kicked on the whiffletree, kicked on the whiffletree.
The old gray mare she kicked on the whiffletree,
Many long years ago.
THE OLD GRAY MARE
(from The Long Winter)
The old gray mare, she ain’t what she used to be
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Click on the above images o view a copy of 1850s sheet music of “Down in Alabam’.”
“The Old Gray Mare” (TLW 12)
“The old gray mare she ain’t what she used to be”