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52 Youth's Golden Gleam |
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was background material for the song, "Away-Down South/' which he sent on to his brother Morrison in the summer of 1847 for a prize competition at Pittsburgh; and also for four songs of "Foster's Plantation Melodies/' later sung by Christy's Minstrels: "Oh Lemuel/' "Dolly Day/' "Gwine to Run All Night/' and "Angelina Baker."
Where did Stephen get his idea for the third melody of this series, the hilarious "Gwine to Run All Night or De Camptown Races" ? Cincinnati had a "Queen City Course" where later were advertised "one-mile heats in harness—best three in five, $50 a side."5 The great event of the section, however, to which racing enthusiasts flocked, were the races of the Louisville Jockey Club.* For the last day of the 1847 season, Saturday, October 9, there was an excursion for Cincinnatians, advertised as follows:6
FOR THE LOUISVILLE RACES.
—The steamer Pike No. 7 leaves Friday 8th inst. at 5 p.m. and returns from Louisville on Saturday evening, 9th inst. after the races. . , . Those who go on her will lose but one day.
So, to Louisville may be due the suggestion for "de long tail filly and de big black horse"
* In his song, "Away Down South," Stephen wrote: "We'll put for de souf Ah! dat's the place For the steeple chase and de bully hoss race." |
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