Poor Gal

This chapter presents the “Liza Jane” tunes popular among old-time (or Appalachian) musicians, many of whom included the phrase “poor gal” (and even “little Liza Jane”) in their refrains. It goes on to analyze the “Liza Jane” variants collected by early folklorists who published crucial articles in the Journal of American Folklore, as well as related variants presented by Carl Sandburg in his landmark 1927 collection, The American Songbag. “Liza Jane” songs were part of the early wave of country music recordings, even appearing at the legendary Bristol Sessions. The artists included Fiddlin’ John Carson, Uncle Am Stuart, Tenneva Ramblers, The Hill Billies, and Bradley Kincaid, some of whom embraced racist institutions. Tracing the roots of these lyrics carries the narrative to several pieces contained in Thomas Talley’s stupendous 1922 collection, Negro Folk Rhymes, demonstrating that these “country” songs appealed to white and African American audiences alike.