Found yet another adaptation of the melody - "The Failed Musicians" by Homer & Jethro.
Michael, that would be "The Finished Musicians".
Based on jojo's blog post I guess we should start with "The Prisoner's Song" as the root work and go on from there?
I think Walt pointed out the way to go.
You could start with "Thrills That I Can't Forget," recorded by Welby Toomey and Edgar Boaz for Gennett in 1925, as the root work.
I would prefer to start with The Prisoner's Song as the root work.
I agree with you it's a little bit different, but it has very close connections with "Blue Eyes" as recorded by North Carolina Ramblers and Roy Harvey.
https://vmauctions.com/items/item_details.php?id=4947
https://www.discogs.com/North-Carolina-Ramblers-And-Roy-Harvey-Kitty-Blye-Blue-E…
The second ("Oh, please meet me tonight in the moonlight") and last verse ("Now if I had wings like an angel") of both songs are almost identical.
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And subsequently the Carter Family literally copied the first verse from "Blue Eyes" as recorded by North Carolina Ramblers and Roy Harvey.
So, I mean, there's a heavy connection between all the songs mentioned.
Jojo greets