Redwing

About Redwing:

Redwing according to Traditional Tune Archive

“Red Wing” [1] was composed by the prolific songwriter Kerry Mills [2] (1869-1948) in the early years of Tin Pan Alley and published in 1907, with lyrics by Thurland Chattaway. Jim Kimball explains it was subtitled “An Indian Fable” or “An Indian Intermezzo” and was part of a fad for things Native-American that swept the country in the first decade of the 20th century. Kimball believes it was commonly recorded on early 78’s as a Two Step. In addition to “Red Wing,” Mills also composed “Barn Dance,” “Georgia Camp Meeting” and “Whistlin’ Rufus” all of which have entered American fiddling tradition. It begins, “There Once was an Indian maid…” which Woody Guthrie turned into his song “There Once Was a Union Maid.” The melody was a very popular staple at northern Wisconsin old time dances (Leavy) and was also recorded as having been in the repertoire of Arizona fiddler Kenner C. Kartchner, and Buffalo Valley, Pa., region dance fiddler Harry Daddario. It was also popular in New England, and in Québec, has been called “an almost canonical part of the Franco-American tune repertory” (liner notes, “Mademoiselle, voulez-vous danser?”). In East Anglia, England, the melody was a common dance tune, while in America various singing calls for western squares were set to the tune.