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Darling Corey
Composer: Traditional

Darling Corey was performed once by the Grateful Dead, with Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady and John Dawson, on November 20, 1970. The song was also played by Jerry Garcia, Marshall Leicester and Robert Hunter at the Carlos Bookstall in San Carlos in July 1961.

Darling Corey is a traditional song that exists with many variations in form. Constant elements in the song are the command for the girl of the title to wake up and lines about digging a hole in the ground. The title of the song also varies with all permutations of Darling and Darlin', and Corey, Cory and Cora. The titles Little Cora and Little Cory also occur.



Recordings

no info Single (Darling Cora / East Virginia), Buell Kazee, 1927
no info Single (Pretty Polly / Darling Cora), B. F. Shelton, 1927
no info Single (Six Months Ain't Long / Darling Corey), The Monroe Brothers, 1936
info Darling Corey, Pete Seeger, 1950
info Jean Ritchie Singing the Traditional Songs of Her Kentucky Mountain Family, Jean Ritchie, 1952
no info Single (The Gandy Dancer's Ball / Darling Corey), The Weavers, 1952
no info The Wayfaring Stranger, Burl Ives, 1955
no info Live At Carnegie Hall, The Weavers, 1956
info Blood, Booze 'n Bones, Ed McCurdy, 1956
no info Kentucky Folksongs and Ballads, Various Artists (Logan English), 1957
no info Buell Kazee Sings and Plays, Buell Kazee, 1958
info Belafonte At Carnegie Hall, Harry Belafonte, 1959
no info Single (Darlin' Cora / Turn Around), Harry Belafonte, 1959
no info Here Come, The Coachmen, 1959
no info Single (Battle Of New Orleans / Darling Corey), Lonnie Donegan and his Skiffle Group, 1959
no info Single (I Wish That You Were Mine / Darling Corey), Bob Ritterbush, 1959
no info Single (Darling Corey /Willowgreen), Johnny Western, 1960
no info Folk Scene U.S.A., Cumberland Three with John Stewart, 1960
no info Folksong Festival, Walter Forbes, 1961
info The Watson Family, Doc Watson, 1963
info The Big Folk Hits, The Brothers Four, 1963
no info Dick Farina and Eric Von Schmidt, Richard Farina and Eric Von Schmidt, 1963
info Pickin' and Grinnin', Bluegrass Hillbillies, 1963
info The Wayfarers At The hungry i, The Wayfarers, 1963
no info Hootenanny for Orchestra, Walter Raim, 1963
no info Les Baxter Balladeers, Les Baxter, 1963
no info Burl Ives, Burl Ives, 1963
no info Bluegrass Oldies But Goodies, Various Artists (Bill Clifton & Dixie Mountain Boys), 1963
no info Smokey Mountain Ballads, Monroe Brothers, 1964
no info Single (Darling Corey / Salt Creek), Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys, 1964
info Live! Big Ball in Monterey, The Stonemans, 1964
info The Folk Box, Various Artists (Pete Seeger), 1964
no info The Big Sky Singers, The Big Sky Singers, 1964
no info Great Folk Themes, Percy Faith & His Orchestra, 1964
no info Sing of Contemporary Life, Birch Grove Singers, 1965
no info Blue Grass Favorites, Earl Taylor & Jim McCall, 1967
no info Red Smiley and the Blue Grass Cutups, Red Smiley and the Blue Grass Cutups, 1967
no info The Weavers at Carnegie Hall, Weavers, 1970
no info Bluegrass from Virginia, Potomac Valley Boys, 1970
no info Greatest Hits, Weavers, 1971
no info Blue Grass: Where It All Began: "Virginia", McPeak Brothers, 1972
no info Single (Virginia / Darling Corey), IInd Generation, 1972
no info Act One, Seldom Scene, 1972
no info Blue Ridge Mountain Blues, Bill Clifton and the Dixie Mountain Boys, 1973
no info Bluegrass At Its Peak, McPeak Brothers, 1974
no info Bluegrass Favorites, Conner Brothers & the Floyd County Boys, 1974
no info Have I Told You Lately (That I Love You), Lulu Belle & Scotty, 1974
no info Sunny Side of the Street, Bryn Haworth, 1975
info Feast Here Tonight, Monroe Brothers, 1975
info Close To Home, Roscoe Holcomb, 1975
no info Pickin' Around the Cookstove, 1975
info Doc and the Boys, Doc Watson, 1976
no info Single (Small Exception Of Me / Darling Corey), Low Ground, 1976
info 20 Years: Concert Performances, The New Lost City Ramblers, 1978
no info Mother Jones' Will, Nimrod Workman, 1978
no info At It Again, Hocking Valley Boys, 1978
no info Timepiece, Mailpouch Express, 1979
no info Collection, Bill Keith & Jim Rooney, 1980
no info Farmer Man, Jesse Travis (with the High Canyon Ramblers), 1980
no info Singles Collection. Vol. 3, Bill Monroe & his Blue Grass Boys, 1981
no info I Like That Kinda Carryin' On, Helen Hoskins & Home Grown Grass, 1981
no info Cowbell Hollow String Band, Cowbell Hollow String Band, 1981
info Family & Friends, Red Allen, 1981
no info Rare Belafonte, Harry Belafonte, 1981
no info America's Bluegrass Band, Country Gazette, 1982
no info Folk Jazz USA, John Benson Brooks, 1983
no info My Privelege, Mike Fenton, 1985
info Down Home, Volume 1, Various Artists (Mike Seeger), 1986
info The Best of Seldom Scene, Vol. 1, The Seldom Scene, 1987
no info Home in West Virginia: West Virginia Project, Vol. 2, Dick Justice, 1987
no info Greatest Hits, Pete Seeger, 1990
info The Watson Family, Doc Watson, 1990
no info Willow Springs, Ed Ferris, Mike Gorrell & Northwest Territory, 1990
info Bluegrass 1959-1969, Bill Monroe, 1991
info The Early Years 1957-1958, Bill Clifton, 1992
no info Can't Stop Myself, Larry Stephenson, 1992
no info The Grass Section, Billy & Terry Smith, 1992
no info The Legends Of Bluegrass. Vol. 6, Various Artists (Bluegrass Cardinals), 1992
no info The World's Greatest Bluegrass Bands 2, Various Artists (Bluegrass Cardinals), 1992
info Folk Songs and Ballads, Vol 4, Various Artists (William May), 1992
no info Darling Corey/Goofing Off Suite, Pete Seeger, 1993
no info Wasn't That A Time!, The Weavers, 1993
no info Clawhammer, Joe Mabus, 1993
no info Heroes and Cowboys, Johnny Western, 1993
info The Music Of Bill Monroe: 1936 to 1994, Bill Monroe, 1994
no info More Than "Pye in the Sky", Lonnie Donegan, 1994
info Rhythm of the Mountains, Various Artists (Bluegrass Cardinals), 1994
info Mountain Music Collection, Vol. 1: Wild and Reckless Men, Various Artists (Bluegrass Cardinals), 1994
no info Family Songs and Stories From The North Carolina Mountains, Doug and Jack Wallin, 1995
no info Live at Newport, Pete Seeger, 1995
no info On WCYB Bristol, The Sauceman Brothers, 1995
no info Clearwater Classics, Pete Seeger, 1995
no info The Music of Kentucky: Early American Rural Classics 1927-1937, Various Artists (B.F. Shelton), 1995
no info Old-Time Mountain Ballads, Various Artists (B.F. Shelton), 1995
no info That High Lonesome Sound, Various Artists (Bill Clifton featuring Ralph Stanley), 1995
info Old-Time Mountain Ballads, Various Artists (B.F. Shelton), 1995
no info Tennessee Mountain Bluegrass Festival, Various Artists (Bluegrass Cardinals), 1996
no info 20 Bluegrass Favorites, Earl Taylor & Jim McCall, 1997
no info Old School, Golden Delicious, 1997
no info Folk Songs from the World, Harry Belafonte, 1997
no info Cool & Unusual, Martin Simpson, 1997
no info For the Record, JSD Band, 1997
no info City of Tribes, Deidre Cunningham, 1997
no info Dancing in the Parlor, Stephen Wade, 1997
no info Vanguard Collector's Edition, Various Artists (The Weavers), 1997
info Vanguard Collector's Edition, Various Artists (The Weavers), 1997
info High Lonesome Sound, Roscoe Holcomb, 1998
info Southern Banjo Sounds, Mike Seeger, 1998
no info On Top of Old Smoky, Burl Ives, 1998
info The Harry Smith Connection: A Live Tribute, Various Artists (Greg Hooven String Band), 1998
info Mule To Ride, Tara Nevins, 1999
no info John Stewart & Darwin's Army, John Stewart & Darwin's Army, 1999
no info Song of the Hills: Instrumental Impressions of America's Heartland, Various Artists, 1999
info This Is Your Land: The Story of American Folk Music, Various Artists (Mike Seeger), 1999
info Big Mon: The Songs Of Bill Monroe, Ricky Skaggs and Friends, 2000
info Spread Your Wings, The Gibson Brothers, 2000
info The Brothers Four Songbook / The Big Folk Hits, The Brothers Four, 2000
no info Goodnight Irene: 1949-1953, The Weavers, 2000
no info I'm Goin Away, Burl Ives, 2000
no info Best Of The Vanguard Years, Weavers, 2001
no info Flatpick & Clawhammer, Joe Mabus, 2001
info 40 Years of Concert Performances, New Lost City Ramblers, 2001
no info Legendary, Harry Belafonte, 2001
no info The Monroe Brothers, Vol. 2: Just a Song of Old Kentucky, The Monroe Brothers, 2001
no info Haunted By A Memory, Sam Hill, 2001
no info Calypso Night, Harry Belafonte, 2001
no info The Collection, Burl Ives, 2001
info Washington Square Memoirs: The Great Urban Folk Boom, 1950-1970, Various Artists (Ed McCurdy), 2001
info Blue Moon of Kentucky 1936-1949, Bill Monroe, 2002
info Sing the Songs of Bill Monroe, Ricky Skaggs & Friends, 2002
info Legacy, Doc Watson and David Holt, 2002
no info Rock Island Line: The Singles Anthology 1955-1967, Lonnie Donegan, 2002
no info Bluegrass, The Little Grasscals, Nashville's Superpickers, 2002
no info Somebody Told the Truth, Cephas & Wiggins, 2002
no info Great Folk Themes/American Serenade, Percy Faith, 2002
no info The Complete, Vol. 2, Percy Faith, 2002
no info The Further Adventures of Darling Cory, Lehto and Wright, 2002
no info Gig, Big Smith, 2002
no info Man of Constant Sorrow and Other Timeless Mountain Ballads, Various Artists (B.F. Shelton), 2002
no info The World's Greatest Bluegrass Banjos, Various Artists (Bluegrass Cardinals), 2002
no info The Roots of Lonnie Donegan, Various Artists (The Weavers),2002
info Rhythm of the Mountains: Bluegrass Explores Its Roots, Various Artists (Bluegrass Cardinals), 2002
info Songs from the Heart: The History Of American Folk Music, Various Artists (Mike Seeger), 2002
info All the Classic Releases 1937-1949, Bill Monroe, 2003
info Doc and the Boys/Live and Pickin', Doc Watson, 2003
info An Untamed Sense of Control, Roscoe Holcomb, 2003
info Ballads and Bluegrass / Folksong Festival, Walter Forbes, 2003
no info Songs Of A Freeborn Man, Jimmy Martin, 2003
no info Tennessee Stud, Doc Watson, 2003
no info Eileen Ivers and Immigrant Soul, Eileen Ivers and Immigrant Soul, 2003
no info Roadhouses & Automobiles, Chris Jones, 2003
no info Roots Of Bluegrass, Various Artists (Bill Monroe), 2003
no info Bluegrass For Beginners, Various Artists (Jimmy Martin), 2003
no info American Gothic: Bluegrass Songs Of Death And Sorrow, Various Artists (Bluegrass Cardinals), 2003
no info The World's Greatest Bluegrass Live, Various Artists (Bluegrass Cardinals), 2003
no info The World's Greatest Bluegrass Singers, Various Artists (Bluegrass Cardinals), 2003
no info Mountain Hearth & Home, Jean Ritchie, 2004
no info Let the Days Go By/Sunny Side of the Street, Bryn Haworth, 2004
no info The Primitive and the Passionate/Les Baxter Balladeers, Les Baxter, 2004
no info Outlaws, Renegades and Rogues: Songs Of The Badman: 25 Classics, Various Artists (Earl Taylor & the Stoney Mountain Boys), 2004
info All-Star Bluegrass Celebration, Various Artists (Bruce Hornsby/Ricky Skaggs), 2004
info Bee Speed, Bee Speed, 2005
info Almond Daze, Crafty Foxes, 2005
no info Red Molly, Red Molly, 2005
no info Deadwood Revival, Deadwood Revival, 2005
no info Blasting Caps, Quickdraw String Band, 2005
no info Running Free, Tom Doughty, 2005
info Bruce Hornsby Live: July 24, 2002, Westbury, NY, Bruce Hornsby, 2005
info Bruce Hornsby Live: December 12, 2004, Grand Rapids, MI, Bruce Hornsby, 2005
no info Bluegrass 101, Various Artists (Jimmy Martin & Ricky Skaggs), 2005
no info History of Country & Western, Various Artists (B.F. Shelton), 2005
info Long Live Bluegrass! CMH Records 30th Anniversary, Various Artists (Jimmy Martin & Ricky Skaggs), 2005
info Bluegrass Heritage, Vol. 2: Roots and Branches: 25 More Bluegrass Classics, Various Artists (Red Smiley), 2005
no info The Best Of: Essential Original Masters, Red Smiley, 2006
no info Stone Fences, immy Bowen & Santa Fe, 2006
no info Skiffle King, Lonnie Donegan, 2006
info Bruce Hornsby Live: February 16, 2005, Montgomery, AL, Bruce Hornsby, 2006
info Bruce Hornsby Live: February 19, 2005, Austin, TX, Bruce Hornsby, 2006
info Intersections, Bruce Hornsby, 2006
info Best Of Red Smiley & The Bluegrass Cut-Ups, Vol. 2, Red Smiley & The Bluegrass Cut-Ups, 2006
no info Two Timin', Dead Men's Hollow, 2006
no info Down on the Delta, Delta Reign, 2006
no info Pickin' & Singin': The Ultimate Bluegrass Collection, Various Artists (Bluegrass Cardinals), 2006
info Rain And Snow, Elizabeth LaPrelle, 2007
no info Cotton Eyed Joe, Karen Dalton, 2007
no info Hop High, Crooked Still, 2007
no info Log Cabin Songs, Wayne Erbsen & Laura Boosinger, 2007
no info Radio Hill, Detour, 2007
no info Ragged but Right, Homegrown String Band, 2007
no info Songs from the Big Rock Candy Mountain, Burl Ives, 2007
no info Jaded Mandolin, Jaded Mandolin, 2007
no info Shepherd's Pie, David Lafleur, 2007
no info Light of the Moon, Dan Levenson, 2007
no info Live in Germany, Joe Brown, 2007
no info Only The Best Of, Vol. 2, Percy Faith, 2007
info Classic Bluegrass Collection, Vols. 1-4, Various Artists (Bill Clifton), 2007
info Classic Old-Time Fiddle from Smithsonian Folkways, Various Artists (Greg Hooven), 2007
info People Take Warning! Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs 1913-1938, Various Artists (B.F. Shenton), 2007
no info Appalachian Mountain Bluegrass : 30 Vintage Classics, Various Artists (Earl Taylor & Jim McCall), 2007
no info Art of Field Recording, Vol. 1, Various Artists (Shorty Ralph Reynolds), 2007
no info Sings Murder Ballads and Disaster Songs, Charlie Louvin, 2008
no info Delta Berimbau Blues, Chuck Bernstein, 2008
no info Dust Bowl Cavaliers, Volume Two: Flowers and Gasoline, Dust Bowl Cavaliers, 2008
no info Rockridge Hollerin', Rockridge Brothers, 2008
no info Best Loved Bluegrass : 20 All-time Favorites, Various Artists (Seldom Scene), 2008
no info Classic Mountain Bluegrass : 25 Appalachian Favorites, Various artists (Red Smiley), 2008
info Mountain Frolic: Rare Old Timey Classics 1924-37, Various Artists (Buell Kazee), 2008
no info Plays the Music of Newport, Rosebud, 2009
no info Vintage Bluegrass Essentials: 40 Bluegrass Classics, Various Artists (Jim McCall), 2009
no info Meet on the Ledge: An Island Records Folk-Rock Anthology, Various Artists (Bryn Haworth), 2009
no info American Murder Ballads, Various Artists (Burl Ives), 2009
no info Columbus Stockade Blues: The Best Of The '70s, Doc & Merle Watson, 2010
no info The King of Skiffle, Lonnie Donegan, 2010
no info Ravenwood, Michael Johnathon, 2010
no info Outside Lookin' In, Squash Blossom, 2010
no info Schoonertime: Bluegrass Music On a Bluenose Schooner, Schoonin', 2010
no info Big Green Mountain, Craig S. Heath, 2011
no info My Halo at Half-Light, Snakefarm, 2011
no info The Best of, Harry Belafonte, 2011
no info Easy Rider, Alexis Korner, 2011
no info Appalachian Barn Orchestra, Appalachian Barn Orchestra, 2011
no info Bob Dylan's Greenwich Village: Sounds From The Scene In 1961, Various Artists (The Weavers),2011
no info The Bristol Sessions: The Big Bang of Country Music 1927-1928, Various Artists (B.F. Shelton), 2011
info Cluck Ol' Hen, Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby, 2013
info The Essential, Bruce Hornsby, 2015


Lyrics

The lyrics of the version performed by the Dead on 11/20/70 are barely audible, only a verse and chorus are sung.

The version performed by Garcia, Hunter and Leicester in 1961 is clearer, the lyrics are;

Wake up, wake up, darling Corey
What makes you sleep so sound
The revenue officers are coming
Gonna tear your still house down

Dig a hole, dig a hole in the meadow
Dig a hole in the cold, cold ground
Dig a hole, dig a hole in the meadow
Gonna lay darling Corey down

Wake up, wake up, darling Corey
Quit hanging around my bed
Bad liquor has ruined my body
Pretty women gone to my head

Wake up, wake up, darling Corey
What makes you sleep so sound
The revenue officers are coming
Gonna tear your still house down

 
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