Goin' Up Caney?

[BradKlein]

Anyone know what the 'Caney' in the title of that tune refers to?

I know the tune from the album, Bill Monroe's Uncle Pen. Having looked into a little, it seems it could refer to the Caney Fork river in TN? Or perhaps the town of Caneyville in KY?

And did Monroe make up the vocal line or does that go back before his time?

[Mike Bunting]

There seem to be Caney Creeks all over the south, from Texas to Tennessee. There is a Caney Creek Road in Pigeon Ford Tenn.
http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

[Jean Fugal]

Just a guess but ..........In "the Bill Monroe Reader", Ewing talks about goin up caney as leaving this life.
I'm on my way to Canaan's land, and Camping in Canaan's land. I don't believe it is a road or a creek.
You can figger' it as you please.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I think that Jean is right - it's colloquial name for Canaan. But it should be evident from the context within which it's used,unless folk who 'pass on' end up in Caneyville,KY or the Caney Fork River - now there's a thought !,:))
Ivan~:>

[swampstomper]

So the Caney Creek is the hillbilly version of the River Styx?

In Laurie Lewis' version of "Sleepy Eyed John" she sings about "Caney Creek", no state mentioned.

[Ivan Kelsall]

From Swampy - "So the Caney Creek is the hillbilly version of the River Styx ?" Or,as they spell it 'sticks' (your turn !),
Ivan

[Mandolin Mick]

Caney Creek is in Kentucky and what I thought the songs refers to, but others say it's Canaan Land. Maybe it's a double meaning thing.

I think that he heard the song from his Uncle Pen which is why it wound up on that album.

[BradKlein]

...it should be evident from the context within which it's used,unless folk who 'pass on' end up in Caneyville,KY or the Caney Fork River

What "context" are you referring to? As far as I know the complete lyric is "Hey, goin' up Caney. Hey, oh, goin' up Caney." Monroe is essentially singing the B part of the tune rather than playing it as Kenny Baker does.

[AlanN]

Monroe liked the 'places': Jerusalem Ridge, Caney, Stoney Point. His was a road life.

Big Mon story told to me by Mike Aldridge over the weekend: He would stop at drugstores whilst travelling and buy a bunch of gaudy, cheap watches. When the bus rolled into the festival ground, the ladies would line up at the door. He would greet them, as follows:

Lady: (knock) (knock) Hi, Bill. Do you remember me?
Bill: Of course I do, darling. Nice to see you again. He's a little gift I bought just for you.

:))

[Scotti Adams]

There is a road just outside Bean Blossom called Greasy Creek.....Mun never named a tune with that name as far as I know. I did..an instrumental

[kymandolin59]

caney creek up highway 62 from rosine. just a few miles. probaly what uncle pen named the song after.

[swampstomper]

River Sticks? Not bad. This goes into my hillbilly place name dictionary along with ParisFrance (one word, Paris is in KY), RomeItly (Rome is in GA), Bérlin (as in "it hangs so high in the city of Bérlin, that not long ago was a city of sin), Mexyco (where the shot rang over).

[BradKlein]

caney creek up highway 62 from rosine. just a few miles. probaly what uncle pen named the song after.

Well that seems about right. Thanks Eric. Google Maps is weak on labeling bodies of water so it took some searching to find Caney Creek on a map, but there it is, between Caneyville and Rosine.

[Ivan Kelsall]

The main reasons why folk in the US 'qualify' place names is that there are so many places of that same name in the US itself. You refer to Paris,& it could be one of several,but Paris FRANCE defines it. I know that there are a few Manchesters (where i live in the UK)in the US as well.The settlers lived in one place,some moved on & the next place they settled,they named after their old homeplace.
I find many US place names truly amazing.A really good book to read is the one by B.A.Botkin78358 ''A Treasury of American Folklore''.It's full of names such a 'Jerk 'em Tight Ridge' / ''Dog Hobble Ridge'' & such like,well worth searching out,
Ivan;)