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Banks Of The Ohio
Composer: Traditional

Banks Of The Ohio was performed only once by the Grateful Dead, with Joan Baez, on 31st Dec 1981.

The song was played by the Hart Valley Drifters (including Jerry Garcia) at the College of San Mateo in San Mateo on November 10th 1962. Also performed by Robert Hunter in the 1990's.

On earlier recordings the song is often called On The Banks Of The Ohio or Down On The Banks Of The Ohio.



Recordings

no info Single (Down On The Banks Of The Ohio / Poor Little Joe), Red Patterson's Piedmont Log Rollers, 1927
no info Single (Down On The Banks Of The Ohio / We Parted At The Riverside), Ernest Stoneman, 1928
no info Single (I'll Never Be Yours / Shout Lula), Grayson & Whitter, 1928
no info Single (Fond Affection / On the Banks of the Ohio), Clarence Green, 1928
no info Single (On The Banks Of The Ohio / Poor Old Dad), Frank Stanton, 1930
no info Single (On The Banks Of The Old Ohio / Back To My Georgia Home), Johnny and Slim, 1931?
no info Single (On The Banks Of The Ohio / Going To Heaven On My Own Expense), Callahan Brothers, 1935
no info Single (Down On The Banks Of The Ohio / Midnight On The Stormy Sea), Blue Sky Boys, 1936
no info Single (On The Banks Of The Ohio / Fame Apart From God's Approval), Monroe Brothers/Uncle Dave Macon, 1937
no info Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, 1949
info Smoky Mt. Ballads, Bascam Lamar Lunsford, 1953
info Bowling Green, Kossoy Sisters with Erik Darling, 1956
no info Smokey Mountain Ballads, Bascam Lamar Lunsford, 1953
info Bloody Ballads, Paul Clayton, 1956
info Blood, Booze 'n Bones, Ed McCurdy, 1956
info New Lost City Ramblers, Vol. 2, New Lost City Ramblers, 1959
no info Folksingers 'Round Harvard Square, Joan Baez, Ted Alevizos, Bill Wood, 1959
no info Country Music in Bluegrass Style, Harry & Jeannie West, 1960
no info Single, Bluegrass Playboys, 1961
no info Folk Songs from Southern Mountains, The Lilly Brothers, 1961
info American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 4, Pete Seeger, 1961
no info Single, Wade Mainer and the Sons of the Mountaineers, 1961
info Joan Baez, Vol. 2, Joan Baez, 1961
no info Single (My Sally Ann / Banks of the Ohio), Bluegrass Playboys, 1961
no info Single (On The Banks Of The Ohio / My Home Is Down In Dixie), Wade Mainer & the Sons of the Mountaineers, 1961
info Lilly Brothers and Don Stover, Lilly Brothers and Don Stover, 1962
info Bluegrass Gentlemen, Bluegrass Gentlemen, 1962
no info Dave Guard and the Whiskeyhill Singers, Dave Guard and the Whiskeyhill Singers, 1962
no info Folk & Bluegrass Favorites, Mac Martin & the Dixie Travelers, 1962
info Watermelon Hangin' On The Vine, The Hodges Brothers, 1962
no info Jack Linkletter Presents A Folk Festival, Various Artists (Les Baxter Balladeers), 1963
info Way Out West With, Alex Campbell, 1963
info Early Bluegrass Music, The Monroe Brothers, 1963
no info Original and Great: Early Authentic Country Recordings, Blue Sky Boys, 1964
no info Keep on the Sunny Side, The Carter Family, 1964
no info Good Time Singers, Good Time Singers, 1964
no info Beginning Folk Guitar: An Instruction Record for Beginners, Jerry Silverman, 1964
no info Bluegrass in Ohio, Jim Greer & the Mac-O-Chee Valley Boys, 1964
no info Single (Ruby, Are You Mad? / Banks Of The Ohio), Jack Clement, 1965
info Bringing Mary Home, Country Gentlemen, 1966
info Red Smiley and the Blue Grass Cutups, Vol. 2, Red Smiley and the Blue Grass Cutups, 1967
no info Single (Little Darling Pal Of Mine / On The Banks Of The Ohio), The Kentuckians, 1967
no info Old Traditions, Jean Schilling, 1967
no info Native American Ballads, Various Artists (Red Patterson's Piedmont Log Rollers), 1967
info Bluegrass From the Blue Ridge: Country Band Music of Virginia, Various Artists (Glen Neaves, Jessie Neaves and Ted Lundy), 1967
no info Make Mine Country, Charley Pride, 1968
info The Carroll County Accident, Porter Wagoner & The Wagonmasters, 1969
no info Old Traditions, Bill and Jean Davis, 196?
info Legendary Stanley Brothers Recorded Live, Stanley Brothers, 1970
no info The Best of Porter Wagoner, Vol. 2, Porter Wagoner & The Wagonmasters, 1970
no info Single (Roanoke / On The Banks Of The Ohio), Howard & Gerald & the Starlite Mountain Boys, 1970
info Doc Watson On Stage, Doc Watson & Merle Watson, 1971
info Sounds of the Smokies, Bill Davis and his Singing Dulcimer, 1971
no info Watermelon Hangin' on the Vine, Hodges Brothers, 1971
info If Not For You, Olivia Newton-John, 1971
no info Old Time Ballads from the Southern Mountains, Various Artists (Grayson and Whitter), 1971
info I Saw the Light with Some Help from My Friends, Earl Scruggs, 1972
no info Music of the Ozarks, Dean Hinsley and Tommy Simmons, 1972
no info Love Is Like a Spinning Wheel, Jan Howard, 1972
no info EP (Swinging Doors / Old Country Church / Married To A Stranger / On The Banks Of The Ohio), J. T. Crowe and the Midnight Ramblers, 1972
info Sunny Side of Life, The Blue Sky Boys, 1973
info Father & Son, Bill Monroe & James Monroe, 1973
info Texas Bluegrass, Earl Garner & the Bluegrass Mountaineers, 1973
no info Memories Of Home, John Miracle, Virgil Joseph & the Tennessee Boys, 1973
no info Walkin' Home to Pittsburg, Leon Morris & the Bluegrass Associates, 1973
no info Paper Moon Soundtrack, Various Artists (Blue Sky Boys), 1973
no info Bluegrass Country, Danny Davis & The Nashville Brass, 1974
info Bluegrass Mountain Music, Blue Sky Boys, 1974
no info Appalachian Bluegrass, The Slone Family, 1974
no info Bluegrass On Fire, Uncle Leroy & the Pike County Partners, 1974
no info Tenino Old Time Music Festival, Various Artists (Dudley Hill and Mark O'Connor), 1974
info Feast Here Tonight, Monroe Brothers, 1975
info Bill and Doc Sing Country Songs, Bill Monroe and Doc Watson, 1975
no info New South Live, J.D. Crowe & The New South, 1975?
info Walkin' in the Parlor: Old Time Music of the Southern Mountains, Iron Mountain String Band, 1975
no info 200 Years of American Heritage in Song, Great American String Band, 1975
no info How to Play Folk Guitar, David Cohen, 1976
info Tony Rice, Tony Rice, 1977
no info Noem, Joan Baez, 1977
info Golden Hour Presents, Volume 2, Joan Baez, 1977
no info Greatest Hits, Olivia Newton-John, 1977
info Markology, Mark O'Connor, 1978
no info The Bergerfolk, Vol. 4: Pack Up Your Sorrows, The Bergerfolk, 1978
no info Session 2, B.G. Express, 1978
info Everhart, Bob Everhart, 1978
info Radio Shows, Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys, 1978
info The Joan Baez Country Music Album, Joan Baez, 1979
no info Porter Wagoner Today, Porter Wagoner, 1979
no info Family Album, Grandpa Jones, 1979
no info Stone County Dulcimer, Simmons Family, 197?
no info We Believe In The Old Time Way, Bill Lowe & Cripple Creek, 1980
info Rob Wasserman Teaches Acoustic Bass, Rob Wasserman, 198?
no info Just Country Boys, The Armstrong Twins, 1981
no info Lonesome Without You, Alvin Breeden & the Virginia Cutups, 1981
info Riding With The Wind, Stone Oak, 1981
no info Bluegrass Sounds of Buzz Busby: Yesterday & Today, Buzz Busby, 1982
info Back In The Good Ole Days, Bobby Atkins & the Countrymen, 1984
info Old Time North Carolina Mountain Music, David and Billie Ray Johnson, 1985
info Family And Friends, Vol.1, Ernest Stoneman With Family And Friends, 1986
no info High County Ramblers, High County Ramblers, 1986
info Stanley Series, Vol. 2 #4, Stanley Brothers, 1987
no info Folk Classics, Various Artists (Carter Family), 1989
no info Wildwood Flower, The Carter Family, 1990
no info Watermelon Hangin' on the Vine, The Hodges Brothers, 1990
no info Diamonds: Best of the Vanguard Years, Joan Baez, 1991
info Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, Ralph Stanley, 1992
no info Singles Collection 1971-1992, Olivia Newton-John, 1992
no info Two Colors, The Bluegrass Parlor Boys, 1992
no info 50 Years of Bluegrass Hits, Various Artists (Grandpa Jones), 1992
info Live Duet Recordings: 1963-1980, Off The Record, Vol. 2, Bill Monroe & Doc Watson, 1993
no info Make the Party Last, James Last, 1993
no info Chestnuts, Harvey Reid, 1994
info Original Folkways Recordings of Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley, 1960-1962, Clarence Ashley and Doc Watson , 1994
info Tone Poems: The Sounds of the Great Vintage Guitars and Mandolins, David Grisman, 1994
no info American Tranquility, Phil Coulter, 1994
info The Vanguard Years, Doc Watson, 1995
info Bluegrass 1970-1979, Bill Monroe, 1995
info Saturday Night, Ralph Stanley, 1995
info Old-Time Mountain Ballads, Various Artists (Grayson & Whitter), 1995
info The Man in Black: 1963-1969, Johnny Cash, 1996
info Edison Recordings 1928, Ernest V. Stoneman, 1996
info Out of the Frying Pan, John Sholle, 1997
no info The Essential Bill Monroe & Monroe Brothers, 1997
no info The Legendary Collection (1936-1938), The Monroe Brothers, 1997
no info 10,000 Years Ago, Wally Whyton and The Vipers Skiffle Group, 1997
no info A Gift For Keith, Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys, 1997
info Live, Asylum Street Spankers, 1997
no info Walking Down the Line, Richard Bennett, 1997
no info World of American Folk Songs, Various Artists (Judy Newton), 1997
no info 1971: 20 Original Chart Hits, Various Artists (Olivia Newton-John), 1997
info Southern Journey, Vol. 2: Ballads and Breakdown, Various Artists (Ruby Vass), 1997
info The Early Rebel Recordings 1962-1971, The Country Gentlemen, 1998
no info Murder, Misery and Then Goodnight, Kristin Hersh, 1998
no info Steel Guitar Rag, Jimmie Tarlton, 1998
no info Very Best of Olivia Newton-John, Olivia Newton-John, 1998
no info The Best Of, Olivia Newton-John, 1998
no info 20 Bluegrass Favorites, Vol. 2, Red Smiley & The Bluegrass Cut-Ups, 1998
no info The Very Best of Bluegrass, Arizona Smoke Revue, 1998
no info Songs from My Funeral, Snakefarm, 1998
no info Funkhouse, Funkhouse, 1998
no info CRFRC Bluegrass Sampler, Vol. 1, Various Artists (Ralph Stanley), 1998
no info Country Women, Various Artists (Olivia Newton-John), 1998
info American Pie, Various Artists (Olivia Newton-John), 1998
info The Recordings of Grayson & Whitter: 1928-1930, Grayson & Whitter, 1999 (as I'll Never be Yours)
no info Classic Country: 1970-1974, Various Artists (Olivia Newton-John), 1999
no info Single (Roanoke / Banks of the Ohio), Howard & Gerald & the Starlite Mountain Boys, 19??
info Monroe Brothers, Vol. 1: What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul, The Monroe Brothers, 2000
info Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order, Vol. 1: 1927-1928, Grayson & Whitter, 2000 (as I'll Never Be Yours)
info Country Bluegrass, Harry & Jeanie West, 2000
info 33 Acoustic Guitar Instrumentals, Clarence White, 2000
info The Legacy Continues, George Shuffler & James Alan Shelton, 2000
no info Friend for Life, Bryan Bowers, 2000
no info Country Bluegrass, Harry & Jeanie West, 2000
no info Beneath the Trees, Faith & Disease, 2000
info Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music, Volume 4, Various Artists (Blue Sky Boys), 2000
info Am I Born to Die: An Appalachian Songbook, Mason Brown & Chipper Thompson, 2001
no info Live at McCabe's, Townes Van Zandt, 2001
no info Sowing Seeds, The Granary Girls, 2001
no info Autoharp Concerto, David Johnson/Marsha Jones, 2001
no info Singers & Songwriters: Early '70s, Various Artists (Olivia Newton-John), 2001
no info Air Mail Music: Bluegrass, Various Artists (Arizone Smoke Revue), 2001
info Bluegrass Bonanza, Various Artists (Monroe Brothers), 2001
info Bluegrass Bonanza: The Monroe Legacy 1936-45, Various Artists (Monroe Brothers), 2001
info Blue Moon of Kentucky 1936-1949, Bill Monroe, 2002
info Best of the Vanguard Years, The Greenbriar Boys, 2002
info My Mother's Voice, Kathy Kallick, 2002
info Patchworks, Linn Barnes and Allison Hampton, 2002
no info Definitive Collection, Olivia Newton-John, 2002
no info Take Me Home, Olivia Newton-John, 2002
no info Up the Rebels, Wolfe Tones, 2002
no info The Legendary Wolfe Tones: 20 Golden Irish Ballads, Vol. 2, Wolfe Tones, 2002
no info Legends in Concert, Tammy Wynette, 2002
no info 16 Super Hits, Nashville Dulcimers, 2002
no info 30 Dulcimer Classics, Nashville Dulcimers, 2002
no info The Best of the Bluegrass Tradition, Various Artists (Kossoy Sisters), 2002
no info Legends: Bluegrass Legends, Various Artists (Monroe Brothers), 2002
info 25 Bluegrass Classics: Vintage 60's: Songs of Rural America, Various Artists (Red Smiley), 2002
info All the Classic Releases 1937-1949, Bill Monroe, 2003
info The Executioners Last Songs, Vol 2 & 3, The Pine Valley Cosmonauts, 2003
info Sunny Side of Life (Bear Family box set), The Blue Sky Boys, 2003
info Three Pickers, Earl Scruggs/Doc Watson/Ricky Skaggs, 2003
info Mo' Joe, Joe Craven, 2003
info Unearthed, Johnny Cash, 2003
no info Brothers at Heart, Bruce Dix & Jim Nunally, 2003
no info Coulter Collections, Phil Coulter, 2003
no info Strings of the Storm, Elliott Murphy, 2003
no info Bogue Chitto Flingding, The Hodges Brothers, 2003
no info Analog, Al & The Transamericans, 2003
no info 30 Mandolin Classics, Nashville Mandolins, 2003
no info Easy Pickins, Various Artists (Kossoy Sisters), 2003
no info Bluegrass Roots, Various Artists (Monroe Brothers), 2003
no info Country Love Songs, Various Artists (Olivia Newton John), 2003
no info Twelfth Night: Live in Heilbronn, Elliott Murphy, 2004
no info Anthology of American Folk Music, Vol 4, Various Artists (Blue Sky Boys), 2004
no info Outlaws, Renegades & Rogues: Songs of the Badman, Various Artists (Red White), 2004
no info The Folk Den Project, Roger McGuinn, 2005
no info Bluegrass at the Roots: 1961, The Lilly Brothers & Don Stover, 2005
no info Gold, Olivia Newton-John, 2005
no info Made & Played, Wayne Henderson, 2005
no info Strawberry: Bootleg Series, Vol. 1, Asylum Street Spankers, 2005
no info At Their Best: 25 Songs, Nashville Mandolins, 2005
no info In the Jailhouse Now: Prison Songs and Murder Ballads, Various Artists (Great American String Band), 2005
info The Appalachians, Various Artists (Blue Sky Boys), 2005
no info Don't Lie to Me, Frank Wakefield, 2006
info Best Of Red Smiley & The Bluegrass Cut-Ups, Vol. 2, Red Smiley & The Bluegrass Cut-Ups, 2006
no info Come Sit by My Side, Glenn Yarbrough, 2006
no info Tennessee Twister, Ducktown Station, 2006
info American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 4 (expanded CD), Pete Seeger, 2006
no info Live at Tamworth, Slim Dusty, 2006
info Appalachian Stomp Down, Various Artists (Grayson & Whitter), 2006
info The Blue Sky Boys, The Blue Sky Boys, 2007
no info Pure, Bill Monroe, 2007
no info Good-bye, Woland!, Captain Yonder, 2007
info Wine Wine Wine, Paul McCallum, 2007
no info Country Mountain Bluegrass, Craig Duncan and the Smoky Mountain Band, 2008
info The Cold Hard Facts of Life (Box), Porter Wagoner, 2008
no info Legends of Country Music, The Blue Sky Boys, 2008
no info Bluegrass Smash Hits, Vol. 1, The Mashville Brigade, 2008
no info 100 Trucker & Country Hits, Various Artists (Olivia Newton John), 2008
no info Sound Traditions: That Good Ol' Bluegrass, Various Artists (Red Smiley & The Bluegrass Cut-Ups), 2008
no info It's All Country, Various Artists (Johnny Cash), 2008
no info American Favorite Ballads, Vols. 1-5 (Box), Pete Seeger, 2009
no info The Essential Clarence White, Clarence White, 2009
info The Complete Tone Poems, David Grisman and Tony Rice, 2009
info Murder, Theft and Devlish Deals, Various Artists (Bascom Lamar Lunsford), 2009
info Flatpicking Bluegrass, Various Artists (Brad Davis), 2009
info Tone Poems Deluxe Edition, David Grisman / Tony Rice, 2013
info My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean: British Songs in the USA, Various Artists (Ernest V Stoneman), 2015
info Dawg and 'T': Live At Acoustic Stage, David Grisman and Tony Rice, 2017

Hart Valley Drifters lyrics

The lyrics of the Hart Valley Drifters version are as follows;

I asked my love to take a walk
Just to walk, a little way
Down beside where the waters flow
Down by the banks of the Ohio

Chorus
Only say that you'll be mine
In [our home] we'll happy be
Down beside where the waters flow
Down by the banks of the Ohio

I held a knife against her breast
As into my arms she pressed
Cried, [oh] [?] don't murder me
I'm not prepared for eternity"

[chorus]

[inaudible line]
I cried, "My God, what have I done?
I killed the only woman I love
Because she would not be my bride"

[chorus] * 2

 
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