Goodbye Girls

A traditional Old Time breakdown in A major/A mixolydian, played in AEae tuning and associated with Hindman, Knott County, Kentucky, where Cecil Sharp and Maud Karpeles collected a version in 1917. Jean Ritchie recorded a notable dulcimer version in the 1950s, describing it as a “play party” song. The second strain bears resemblance to “Drunken Sailor.” Art Stamper, who learned it from his father Hiram, recorded a version on Goodbye Girls I’m Going to Boston (County CO-CD-2729, 2000) and help spread the tune.