Old Smoky

Album: Old Smoky (1951)
Charted: 2
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • According to The 111 Best American Ballads: Folk Song USA, "Old Smoky" is "a lonesome love ditty with its roots in England and its trail winding across all the 48 states." Like all the songs in the Sixth Printing of this book, which was published in 1960, it was collected by the father and son team of John and Alan Lomax. The version published therein was adapted by Lomax and Lomax, and arranged for piano by the husband and wife team of Charles and Ruth Seeger.
  • "Old Smoky" is also sometimes spelled "Old Smokey" - both spellings are used in the book - and its title rendered as "On Top Of Old Smokey" or "On Top Of Old Smoky."
  • Unlike the even more famous "Go Tell Aunt Nancy," this song has been fairly widely recorded. An arrangement by Pete Seeger (the son of Charles Seeger and his first wife Constance Edson) was recorded by The Weavers in 1951, and reached #2 on the Billboard Chart. The song has also been much parodied, some of the versions being unprintable! >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 3

Comments: 1

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyRonnie Gilbert of the Weavers died on June 6th, 2015 at age 88.
    May she R.I.P.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Chris Fehn of Slipknot

Chris Fehn of SlipknotSongwriter Interviews

A drummer for one of the most successful metal bands of the last decade, Chris talks about what it's like writing and performing with Slipknot. Metal-neck is a factor.

Todd Rundgren

Todd RundgrenSongwriter Interviews

Todd Rundgren explains why he avoids "Hello It's Me," and what it was like producing Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell album.

Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's, Blues Brothers)

Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's, Blues Brothers)Songwriter Interviews

Steve Cropper on the making of "In the Midnight Hour," the chicken-wire scene in The Blues Brothers, and his 2021 album, Fire It Up.

Corey Hart

Corey HartSongwriter Interviews

The Canadian superstar talks about his sudden rise to fame, and tells the stories behind his hits "Sunglasses At Night," "Boy In The Box" and "Never Surrender."

Have Mercy! It's Wolfman Jack

Have Mercy! It's Wolfman JackSong Writing

The story of the legendary lupine DJ through the songs he inspired.

Producer Ron Nevison

Producer Ron NevisonSong Writing

Ron Nevison explains in very clear terms the Quadrophenia concept and how Heart staged their resurgence after being dropped by their record company.