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Doc Watson — Sittin' On Top Of The World
Album: Doc Watson
Avg rating:
7.6

Your rating:
Total ratings: 988









Released: 1964
Length: 2:34
Plays (last 30 days): 2
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Was in the spring
One sunny day
My sweetheart left me
Lord, she went away

And now she's gone
And I dont' worry
Lord, I'm sitting
On top of the world

She called me up
From down in Al Paso
She said "Come back, daddy
Ooh, I need you so"
And now she's gone
And I dont' worry
Lord, I'm sitting
On top of the world

(break)

If you don't like my peaches
Don't you shake my tree
'n Get out of my orchard
Let my peaches be
And now she's gone
And I dont' worry
Lord, I'm sitting
On top of the world

And don't you come here runnin'
Holding out your hand
I'm gonna get me a woman
Like you got your man
And now she's gone
And I dont' worry
Lord, I'm sitting
On top of the world

't Was in the spring
One sunny day
My sweetheart left me
Lord, she went away
And now she's gone
And I dont' worry
Lord, I'm sitting
On top of the world
Comments (39)add comment
 chinacat wrote:
Thank you cc_rider and sfyi2001. I'm a long time Doc Watson fan. As a "former young picker" I can't tell you how many times I tried to play along with Doc's recordings only to just put the guitar down and shake my head with a big grin on my face. But I regress.  So as to  your comments.....it's alway nice to learn something new!

My pleasure, chinacat.
Awhile back I turned on to Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's 'Will The Circle Be Unbroken' cycle. First edition was 1972 - they were long-haired weirdos just getting started. How they coaxed Country legends to record with them is a mystery, but it is pure genius. Second edition was about 15 years later, last edition (to date) was 2002. Doc Watson absolutely blisters on a couple tracks. Highly recommended.
c.
Posted 2 years ago by cc_rider    [ Reply ]
Learned to finger pick some Doc Watson classics on a Martin D-28 aboard an aircraft carrier in the South China Sea.  Totally satisfying to get them even close to right.  Kept me sane and focused.
Posted 2 years ago by DW4554    [ Reply ]
 cc_rider wrote:

Okeh Records is still in business. One of the first, if not THE first, companies to produce records by black artists, circa 1920. At the time it was called 'Race Music' - marketed to black folks, who had no other way to hear black performers. 'Race Music' wasn't considered a slur then: there was a certain pride in hearing music made by people who looked like them. Okeh is still around, producing primarily jazz performers.
c.


Thank you cc_rider and sfyi2001. I'm a long time Doc Watson fan. As a "former young picker" I can't tell you how many times I tried to play along with Doc's recordings only to just put the guitar down and shake my head with a big grin on my face. But I regress.  So as to  your comments.....it's alway nice to learn something new!
Posted 2 years ago by chinacat    [ Reply ]
 sfyi2001 wrote:

                                  



Okeh Records is still in business. One of the first, if not THE first, companies to produce records by black artists, circa 1920. At the time it was called 'Race Music' - marketed to black folks, who had no other way to hear black performers. 'Race Music' wasn't considered a slur then: there was a certain pride in hearing music made by people who looked like them. Okeh is still around, producing primarily jazz performers.
c.
Posted 2 years ago by cc_rider    [ Reply ]
Country soul.
Posted 3 years ago by okskyhi    [ Reply ]
Oh, so Harry Manx DIDN'T write this!

(Well, except for the Taj Mahal ending)
Posted 3 years ago by eyeball    [ Reply ]
Wonderful track from the Doc - a flat-picking legend.
Posted 4 years ago by knollsoft    [ Reply ]
I don't think I would have ever heard this without RP. Thank you.
Posted 5 years ago by ce    [ Reply ]
 kanabeanz wrote:
Never heard of Doc Watson before, but this song grabbed my attention - really liked it.
 
Oh, you've missing out. Doc remains a legendary figure in music. If you like this, browse some of his other work, it'll blow you away.
c.
Posted 5 years ago by cc_rider    [ Reply ]
normal doc normal... :D
Posted 5 years ago by taklalaratar    [ Reply ]
Never heard of Doc Watson before, but this song grabbed my attention - really liked it.
Posted 5 years ago by kanabeanz    [ Reply ]
Doc is a master guitarist. The very cream of the crop.
Posted 6 years ago by thewiseking    [ Reply ]
RP is getting rather repetitive
Posted 6 years ago by DocStrangelove    [ Reply ]



          Via -  https://en.wikipedia.org :

    'Sittin' on Top of the World' is a Country Blues song written by Walter Vinson and Lonnie Chatmon. 
They were core members of the Mississippi Shieks, who first recorded it in 1930. 
Vinson composed the song one morning after playing at a white dance in Greenwood, Mississippi. 
It became a popular crossover hit for the band, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008.

'Sittin' on Top of the World' has become a standard of traditional American music. 
The song has been widely recorded in a variety of different styles - Folk, Blues, Country, Bluegrass, Rock – often with considerable variations and/or additions to the original verses. 
The lyrics of the original song convey a stoic optimism in the face of emotional setbacks, and the song has been described as a 'simple, elegant distillation of the Blues'.



                                  




Posted 6 years ago by sfyi2001    [ Reply ]
this is sweet, I was listening to Mississippi John Hurt just minutes ago and I PSD onto this{#Guitarist}
Posted 8 years ago by Skydog    [ Reply ]
 tiggers wrote:
Yawn, terminally dull!

 
Thanks for sharing. Now everyone here knows you're terminally dull as well. {#Cheesygrin}
Posted 8 years ago by Redpoint    [ Reply ]
Looking at the video on YouTube I thought this comment was classic:

"love this video you have - this is my family.  Doc is my Great Uncle - at 1:40 if you stop the frame there - the woman right behind Uncle Arthel in the black dress white hair and glasses -our premature Watson White HAIR - that's my Great Grandmaw Annie.  Oh I miss her so and him - all the memories of the whole family on the front porch singing.  The scar I have right below my lip is from falling through the porch after singing one day - they told me not to go to that area the boards were loose.  Oh the things I miss about them all being gone.    Thank You for putting this up.  :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1q4Eb34mwM

also,
 netskink wrote:
Doc is from my home county and friends with my uncle. God rest their souls.
  ... wonder if your uncle knew Great Grandmaw Annie :-)


Posted 8 years ago by zepher    [ Reply ]
 tiggers wrote:
Yawn, terminally dull!

 
Then turn it off and tune in to your favorites of yesterday and today
Posted 9 years ago by Chrisjea    [ Reply ]
We all know Doc as a Giant on the guitar but his effortless, conversational vocal style is something I have only recently come to appreciate.
Like when Fred Astaire sings Gershwin.  
Posted 9 years ago by thewiseking    [ Reply ]
Yawn, terminally dull!
Posted 9 years ago by tiggers    [ Reply ]
Doc is from my home county and friends with my uncle. God rest their souls.
Posted 9 years ago by netskink    [ Reply ]
 bexhillos wrote:

It was Cream in fact. This though is a great tune.

 
Cream was borrowing from Howlin' Wolf who adapted an even older version for his purposes. Hell, the "original" version from the 20s apparently came from a different song with an almost identical name. This is one of those blues chestnuts that everyone's covered. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitting_on_Top_of_the_World 

Bill has played a good version by Harry Manx as well, complete with tabla drums, banjo, sitar and some other stuff I can't quite name.  
Posted 10 years ago by kcar    [ Reply ]
Crazy pickin' going on
Posted 10 years ago by martinc    [ Reply ]
 veloman wrote:
Great. 1st time I've heard that. Only other song of same title was by John Mayall I think. Not half as good as this though
 
It was Cream in fact. This though is a great tune.
Posted 10 years ago by bexhillos    [ Reply ]
I really wish I could rate this more than once.
Posted 10 years ago by n4ku    [ Reply ]
Great. 1st time I've heard that. Only other song of same title was by John Mayall I think. Not half as good as this though
Posted 10 years ago by veloman    [ Reply ]
This is at least an "11".  Gone on to Glory, Mister Watson, you're pickin' for the Almighty now.
Posted 11 years ago by Misterfixit    [ Reply ]
If this doesn't make you smile, your soul is dead. 10 {#Sunny}
Posted 11 years ago by d-don    [ Reply ]
Good simple music that, in my opinion, defines what country music should sound like.  Not the overblown shlock that is defined as "country" music according to the charts.
Posted 12 years ago by LPCity    [ Reply ]
I love the subtle conversation Steve Miller has with Doc Watson here.
Posted 12 years ago by chelsiaann    [ Reply ]
GREAT stuff. Why the disparity between the rating on the Playlist page and the average rating on the Song page? I see an average rating on the Playlist page of 5 - that is WAY off and I don't even know him that well.
Posted 12 years ago by SkiIllinois    [ Reply ]
Americana at it's best.
Posted 12 years ago by Andy_B    [ Reply ]
I had the honor, and pleasure, to see Doc and Merle perform live. It was back in the early 80s and the ticket cost $7 in advance. It was in a small music club called Breedings, and my best friend and I sat at a table right in front of the modest stage.

It was amazing.
Posted 12 years ago by n4ku    [ Reply ]
I feel glad that I got to see him this year at Merlefest. RIP Doc.
Posted 12 years ago by leathepea    [ Reply ]
Hello Doc,

Rest in peace. Thank you for making bluegrass fans out of rock n roll kids.
Posted 12 years ago by idiot_wind    [ Reply ]
I don't know the words - but singing along anyway . Doobie doobie doooo - Sittin' on Top Of The World. 
Posted 12 years ago by KaiT    [ Reply ]
Ditto the RIP, and thanks RP.
Posted 12 years ago by smackiepipe    [ Reply ]
RIP Doc.
Posted 12 years ago by xtalman    [ Reply ]
RIP.
Posted 12 years ago by n4ku    [ Reply ]