Red Wing: An Indian Fable, or a Life Theme for Verona?

Verona loved to sing and play what has become known as “Old Timey Music” ala "O Brother Where Art Thou?". She would play whenever the family would “get together”. She played in “grange halls” so young people could dance. Such singing, playing and dancing figured prominently throughout most of the years that I knew her.

If there was one song that might have been her theme song, it was "Red Wing". She would play it on the guitar, strum it on the autoharp and hum it to herself as she went about her daily rounds. She would always smile and seem somewhat more gay as she did so. Yet, though it was used by square dancers because of the tune, the lyrics are somewhat poignant. As a result, I have always had a soft spot for the Red Winged Blackbird.

The song was published in 1907, the year before Otis was born. It soon became very popular. The lyrics were by Thurland Chattaway and the music was composed by Kerry Mills. It seems that Mills had been both a violinist and was once the head of the violin department at the University of Michigan. He was known there as Frederick Allen Mills. The copyright for his compositions always used either his full name or the initials F.A. with Mills. Supposedly, the music for “Red Wing” was an adaptation of Richard Schumann’s “Happy Peasant” from his Opus 68. This work was a collection or album of songs for children composed in the middle of the 1800s. This particular tune was still quite popular when I was a child. I can hear echoes of it in the verse of "Red Wing".

I am presenting the cover to the sheet music as I understand that it is in the public domain. If any First Nation community is offended by it, I will remove it. However, I think it is important to notice how cultures, particularly dominant ones, appropriate the cultures of others. What is particularly incongruous is the placing of a war bonnet upon a young woman’s head. It is more visually exciting and is somewhat suggestive of the theme. Still, it was probably not appropriate to have done so.

I am also including a link to more than one style of performance (see the references to Frederick Potter and YouTube at the end). The "Edison Quartette" seems to be faithful to the sheet music . However, the chorus reminds me more of something in the vein of the “Scottish Soldier” as sung by Andrew Stewart. Verona’s rendition was not so boisterous. This song might indicate how cultures also share similar motifs around death and loss. I note particularly the shift from day and play to a new setting of night and plaint.

I am also providing a link to the sheet music rather than including all of the words.

Verse:
There once lived an Indian maid,
A shy little prairie maid,
Who sang a lay,
A love song gay,
As on the plain she’d,
While away the day;
She loved a warrior bold,
This shy little maid of old,
But brave and gay,
He rode one day to battle far away.

Chorus:
Now, the moon shines tonight on pretty Red Wing,
The breeze is sighing,
The night bird’s crying,
For afar ‘neath his star her brave is sleeping,
While Red Wing’s weeping her heart away. 2x

A rendition of "Red Wing" by Frederick H. Potter with the Edison Male Quartette (Edison Gold Moulded 9622, 1907)

You can hear and see YouTube versions that are closer to what I remember here.