Lorrie Newman Keating

12. Shenandoah (4:08) (Traditional)

‘Shenandoah’ is said to have originated with French voyageurs traveling down the Missouri River. The lyrics tell the story of a trader who fell in love with the daughter of an Algonquian chief, Shenandoah. American sailors heading down the Mississippi River picked up the song and made it a capstan shanty that they sang while hauling in the anchor. I learned this song back in grade school (when we had music classes twice weekly as part of the normal curriculum - unheard of today!). I have always done this song as a solo guitar/vocal piece, because I feel the lyric needs to be as prominent as possible. But in my head, I’ve also heard a fiddle on this, sweet and plaintive. Danny Ellison came in and gave me exactly what I heard (and made me cry in the studio!). I’m incredibly pleased with the result…