Anthology of American Folk Music
Volume 3: Songs, Track 79

BUDDY WON'T YOU ROLL DOWN THE LINE
Uncle Dave Macon

Recorded Chicago: July 25, 1928
Uncle Dave Macon, vocal and banjo; Sam McGee, guitar
Originally released on Brunswick 292

For a biography and additional information on Macon see Track 78.

Macon's songs often dealt with Southern history and this song dates back to the Coal Creek Rebellion, which took place in Eastern Tennessee in the 1890s. The mining companies hired convict laborers in order to try to break the miner's union. An armed rebellion took place and the miners eventually freed all the convicts. The leaders of the rebellion were eventually sent to prison.

OTHER RECORDED VERSIONS include:
Folksong revival: as Buddy Won't You Roll Down the Line: Tom Paley (Global Village 309d); Nick Reynolds and John Stewart (TAK 7106a); as Roll Down the Line: The Gateway Singers (DEC 8671a); Pete Seeger (FW 2412c, SF 40058c).

Country/String Band: as Roll Down the Line: The Allen Brothers (VIC 23551b, RCA 8417c, OT 115a); James Dale Howie (Prairie Schooner 101a).