# I am a man of constant sorrow.... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 8, 2001, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035 "2001-10-08T02:44:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kaotic\_Newtral](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/1 "2001-10-08T02:44:32Z")
Who else besides me…can’t get this goddamn song out of your head? Lemmee tell you a story, I’m 32 years old, I’ve fought within a war, had a daughter die in my arms…had both of my grand-parents whisper their last words to me, been on the wrong end of a knife fight, and the only end of a divorce. I miss my daughter…God do I. Well, that’s the long and short of it…Somehow that tune from O Brother Where Art Thou helps…I guess it makes me feel like I’m not alone. If I could sing worth a lick, I’d be belting " I am a man of constant sorrow!" with a smile. 🙂 Smile All. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/2 "2001-10-08T02:46:47Z")
Hell, I’ve been whistling “I’ll Fly Away” since May. Just ask **Pucette** , **Maeglin** , **vix** , **TruePisces** , and **Billdo**. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kaotic\_Newtral](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/3 "2001-10-08T02:51:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gadarene \* > \*\*Hell, I’ve been whistling “I’ll Fly Away” since May. Just ask **Pucette** , **Maeglin** , **vix** , **TruePisces** , and **Billdo**. 🙂 \*\* lol, you’ve got a point ---
**Author:** ![pharoah\_chromium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@pharoah\_chromium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pharoah_chromium)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/4 "2001-10-08T02:52:40Z")
It’s an incredible song. The day after I saw the movie I went straight out to buy the soundtrack. ---
**Author:** ![HomeSlice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/9d8465/32.png) [@HomeSlice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HomeSlice)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/5 "2001-10-08T02:53:29Z")
Yeah, i when i first heard that song, i dug it and i hated country music. ---
**Author:** ![Kaotic\_Newtral](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/6 "2001-10-08T02:58:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by HomeSlice \* > \*\*Yeah, i when i first heard that song, i dug it and i hated country music. \*\* Same here, something about that ‘bluegrass’ makes things OK. I wish I knew what it was, I’d bottle it… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kaotic\_Newtral](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/7 "2001-10-08T03:06:02Z")
Expanding on the subject…what songs have an incredible effect on you? For me, there are a few…SRV solos kill me, the whole ‘Do you feel’ by Frampton leaves me with a lump in my throat…I love the feeling some artist play by(or with) what moves you? -Kaotic ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/8 "2001-10-08T03:21:51Z")
**He’s In The Jailhouse Now** that I keep singing. It has the distinction of being the only song actually recorded by one of the three main characters in the film. Sorry, but the one I can’t stand from OBWAT?, is **Oh, Death**. That one just drives me up the friggin’ wall. Jesus, what a whine! 😉 Quasi ---
**Author:** ![pharoah\_chromium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@pharoah\_chromium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pharoah_chromium)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/9 "2001-10-08T03:23:41Z")
There’s a world of difference between bluegrass and country. (At least what passes for country these days – back when “country” included Hank Williams things were different.) The liner notes for the soundtrack mention how country radio stations were deluged with requests for “Constant Sorrow”, but they wouldn’t play it because it didn’t fit their mold. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/10 "2001-10-08T03:29:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kaotic Newtral \* > **Who else besides me…can’t get this goddamn song out of your head?** It’s that damned way that Bluegrass uses real-life situations, and not the pretty ones, as its themes. Then it gets sung by someone who you know from his voice has seen troubles. Real Bluegrass and real Blues work that way. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gadarene \* > **Hell, I’ve been whistling “I’ll Fly Away” since May.** Haven’t seen the movie yet, but I often have the Carolyn Hester ([still going at it](http://www.carolynhester.com/) and still FINE!) rendition stuck in my head. ---
**Author:** ![Kaotic\_Newtral](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/11 "2001-10-08T03:32:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pharoah chromium \* > \*\*There’s a world of difference between bluegrass and country. (At least what passes for country these days – back when “country” included Hank Williams things were different.) The liner notes for the soundtrack mention how country radio stations were deluged with requests for “Constant Sorrow”, but they wouldn’t play it because it didn’t fit their mold. \*\* I’d agree with that pharoah…I’m not much of a fan of Country music…but g’damn if the “soggy bottom boys” don’t make me feel like changing over…the soul and feeling they thrown into a song is incredible…I can’t get over it. (yet) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/12 "2001-10-08T04:13:46Z")
I was working at a video store when OBWAT came out on video. We had to play constantly looping trailers with that song in it. Within two days all of were singing it at work, at home, in our sleep… ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/13 "2001-10-08T05:13:35Z")
Nope. But “Down to the River to Pray” and “Didn’t Leave Nobody but the Baby” I also bought the soundtrack months before I saw the movie. Finally saw it, I loved this movie. ---
**Author:** ![mblackwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@mblackwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mblackwell)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/14 "2001-10-08T05:21:16Z")
“Old Rock Candy Mountian” is my favorite song from that movie. Who originally recorded that? Is it the same person who sang “The Billboard Song?” ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/15 "2001-10-08T07:50:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mblackwell \* > \*\*“Old Rock Candy Mountian” is my favorite song from that movie. Who originally recorded that? Is it the same person who sang “The Billboard Song?” \*\* ummm, “Big Rock Candy Mountain” is my wake-up song each and every day for the past 4 months. Every mourning at 7am my computer plays it real loud and I get up. It’s a good wake up song. But the whole movie is just filled with awesome music that just touches you. It all just worked so well it’s in my heart and in my soul. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/16 "2001-10-08T16:05:58Z")
The whole soundtrack from OBWAT seems to “grab” almost everyone who listens to it. Fantastic! I took the CD to work to play for a few co-workers during lunch. Didn’t get much done the rest of the afternoon, with people wandering by wanting to hear one song or the other: “Just once more”. For a version of “Man of Constant Sorrow” that’s great in it’s own right, but very different, Peter, Paul and Mary did it on a 1962 album titled: “Peter, Paul and Mary”. The song title is simply: “Sorrow” on the album. ---
**Author:** ![ThunderBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@ThunderBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThunderBunny)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/17 "2001-10-08T16:37:25Z")
I heard the **Big Rock Candy Mountain** song first when I was a kid – the refrain and first two verses were on a kid’s album I had. You can imagine my surprise years later when I learned the other verses that weren’t so… um… wholesome 😉 That song’s such a classic. ---
**Author:** ![Sunglasses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5fc32e/32.png) [@Sunglasses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunglasses)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/18 "2001-10-08T16:53:57Z")
It seems I’m humming one of ANY of the songs on that soundtrack. I’ll Fly Away is probably the most frequent. When I watched the movie and I heard Big Rock Candy Mountain, I burst into tears (we had to rewind and start over). My dad used to sing that song to me when I was a kid. My dad was always singing songs from the depression era and I told myself many times that I would record him but, he died before I got around to it. Needless to say, I purchased the soundtrack! ---
**Author:** ![Bumbazine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbazine/32/362_2.png) [@Bumbazine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbazine)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/19 "2001-10-08T17:05:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mblackwell \* > \*\*“Old Rock Candy Mountian” is my favorite song from that movie. Who originally recorded that? Is it the same person who sang “The Billboard Song?” \*\* I remember Burl Ives recorded _Big Rock Candy Mountain_ long ago, but he might not have been the first. And I loved the soundtrack to OBWAT too. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035/20 "2001-10-08T17:16:01Z")
I think the version of Big Rock Candy Mountain on the soundtrack is one of the original recordings; it’s from Harry McClintock circa 1928. There are two other vintage recordings on the soundtrack–without peeking, anyone wanna guess which ones? 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-man-of-constant-sorrow/86035.md?page=2)