Alison Krauss - Bonita And Bill Butler Lyrics

Better than anything coming out of trashville lately

I want more music like this. Bluegrass of this tempo and rhythm. None of that slow stuff. Does anyone here have a playlist like this?

Ich bin aus Deutschland und das ist mein lieblingslied was wir als acapella gruppe singen

Dan has the perfect bluegrass voice. He shines on this song

Dan Tyminski is sooooooo good

Celtic Mountain Bluegrass 👍♥️😊

Ron Block, What a right hand.

Hello there, a song composed by us, french rock'n bluegrass band ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZk6hVKvJVk
https://www.facebook.com/pied.tendre.band/

Great song.  I know some of the nautical terms, but others are obscure.  Here are some notes:

“scantling yards” – “Scantling” or “Scantlin” is a contraction of “Scant lines”, a term in naval architecture which connotes the initial lines of a ship design which define her shape.  Not intended as detail construction detail, the scantlins give guidance to the dimensions and curves of the ship. A scantlin yard must be a poetic reference to a shipyard where are least preliminary construction was done.Wheeling is on the Ohio River.  It was also the western terminus of the
National Road, which from 1818 was a land link between the Ohio and Potomac
Rivers.“packet ways” – Packet boats were small ships initially used for transport of mail (hence the term packet”.  Initially sailing vessels, later on were steamers.  On canal ways, packets boats were towed by team of mules.  This song clearly identifies Bonita as a steamer. A “ways” is the inclined ramp used in shipyards down which the ship
slides when launched.  A packets ways is thus a shipyard that build packet boats.Sweeney – Could not find a reference for this.“from her timbers….” – A reference to a
two-month construction time for the ship “Paid the fare in billet” – He worked
aboard as opposed to buying a ticket“hand the tiller….” – He worked his way up to a
position as helmsman on the maiden voyage to Vicksburg“carved a notch” – The initial crew of a new ship are called “plank owners”.  It was
sometimes customary for them to leave their initials carved somewhere on the
ship.Dowry – A dowry was a price paid as an inducement for a man to take a wife.  The
singer’s reward for accepting Bonita as his “bride” was a new life “between the
shores”.“like a woman” – Bonita was a good influence on
the singer, enabling him to leave behind his “rouging ways”Calliope – Steam boats were sometimes fitted with a calliope, a steam-powered organ, which was used for entertainment along the river, especially on show boats.“gamble shards to pull her chains” – meaning unknown“strikers boast would fain me loss’ – meaning unknown“poor Billy’s ransom saved” – reference to Bill Butler, possibly meaning that the ship saved Billy from a dissolute life by giving him a purposeBistineau – Lake Bistineau is in northwestern Louisiana, and is connected through bayous to the Red RiverMain – Main deckEight bells – Ships watches were usually four hours in duration, and were times with strikes of the ships bells measured with a half-hour sand glass.  Thus eight bells
signifies the end of something.“wider walks” – reference to the larger spaces of a landsman’s world compared to the confined spaces of a boat“three scores” – Possible reference to giving up
drink when he was 60 years old.  ????================

Jim Brown dude nobody gives a shit that you researched all these terms on Wikipedia. Get a life and just enjoy the song

@ Patrick Crehan... Are you always an Adam Henry? I thought what he had to share here was interesting. It's not his fault that you have no capacity to understand it. I've always gone by the motto "use of profanity is the feeble attempt of a weak mind to express itself forcefully" you've certainly proved that motto for me.

I also appreciate your help explaining some of this song. Pretty sad someone would waste their time to put you down for it. Glad that I have better things to do w my time

I'll add: The "Great Raft" was a long log jam that was a navigation obstacle on the Red River, but was also part of the reason for higher water on that river system. When it was cleared ("When the Great Raft disappeared the water mark went sinkin'") the water level went down and stranded Bonita.

Bill Butler was another name of another sternwheel steamer of the same type as Bonita. Billy is the protagonist, but Bill Butler is a clever reference.

Adding some more context here...


"She set the wharf at Dixie"


This probably describes Dixie Inn, La. Riverboats would make a trip from New Orleans up the Mississippi River carrying luxury goods, then take the Red River to Loggy Bayou, Loggy Bayou to Lake Bistineau, and then Lake Bistineau to Dorcheat Bayou to get to Dixie Inn. There used to be a bunch of warehouses on the wharves there with cotton harvested from the local plantations, the boats would unload their goods then load up on cotton, then make the trip back in reverse to New Orleans to sell the cotton.


"When the Great Raft disappeared, the watermark went sinkin'"


Captain Henry Miller Shreve, a steamboat captain, was responsible for clearing a huge log jam that made certain parts of the Red River largely unnavigable, the log jam kept the water level higher than usual and created Lake Bistineau. Lake Bistineau largely disappeared once this jam and several others were cleared and today is a man-made lake through the use of dams. Captain Shreve also founded the town of Shreveport, the largest city in North Louisiana and one of the three largest cities in the entire state.


"From the port calls and the bawds that led me stray"


Bawd is just another word for a brothel madam


"The striker's boast would fain me loss, about the wrecks the shoals were keeping"


Striker is another word for an apprentice pilot on a steamboat


"A wheelhouse cub looking for an open door"


Cub is yet another word for an apprentice pilot. Interestingly enough, Mark Twain was also a cub pilot on a steamboat on the Mississippi at one point in his life and wrote an account of it.

I grew up in the scantling yards of Wheeling West Virginia
A wheelhouse cub looking for an open door
In the packet ways a Sweeney wed the keel of my Bonita
Just two months from her timbers til she moored
I paid the fare in billet on her maiden voyage to Vicksburg
And talked my way to hand the tiller on the course
In her planks I carved a notch and sealed the vow “Be my Bonita”
And her dowry was my life between the shores

I was born with rouging ways, and she steered me like a woman
From the port calls and the bawds that lead me stray
The calliope serenades, made the old towns come running
And the boys would gamble shards to pull her chains
The striker’s boast would fain me loss, about the wrecks the shoals were keeping
And how the old girl’s got poor Billy’s ransom saved

On the lake at Bistineau, she set the wharf at Dixie
With a thousand bales of cotton on her main
As the great raft disappeared, the watermark went sinking
And she was stuck right hard, a listing on the bank
With the furnace still a blaze, I stood my last upon her
Then climbed the prow and took a landsman’s trade
“A derelict now Milady” said the watch log I’ve concorded
“Have the bosun sound us eight bells for the change”

Cause I was born with rouging ways, and she steered me like a woman
From the port calls and the bawds that lead me stray
The calliope serenades, made the old towns come running
And the boys would gamble shards to pull her chains
And I would take to wider walks, so the gin I stopped a drinking
At three scores aloft this crooked frame
The striker’s boast would fain me loss, about the wrecks the shoals were keeping
And how the old girl’s got poor Billy’s ransom saved

Starting at 6 years old has its advantages. eh Dan?

how the hell can I hear this time and time again and still get chills

FUCK YOU!, all I care about is my right hand

Same here. I was in the Navy haha

I feel like that too, as well as with the light house by nickel creek

2 words. AW, SOME!

Amazing serenade about an important part of America's history. Dan's WONDERFUL voice is absolutely perfect for this ballad and the talent of these musicians is beyond excellent! My daughter (who also listens to Slipknot and other stuff I don't consider music) introduced me to this song. Thanks, Union Station, for further encouraging her appreciation of bluegrass, actual music and actual musicianship!

A love song for a scuttled ship. . . Amazing, one of my all time favorites.

+Evan Osias Mine as well.

The ship was not scuttled when they were unloading the cotten there was a displavement of weight and the ship tipped to one side and when the water hit the boiler the boiler exploded

hey I live in wheeling!

Heard this in an American Burger Ranch this afternoon. Instantly fell in love :)

it should be Dan Tyminsiki and Union Station. I really enjoy Alison Krauss, but Dan and the band are epic.

Dan has great tase in music but his voice isn't too special. Allison has a gift but isn't as talented in musical theory

bhudski Honestly, Dan has one of the best voices in Bluegrass in my opinion

Dan’s voice is very unique. I didn’t like it at first, but it’s grew on me

DoctorDoomsPvP same with me. I didn’t like his voice at first but now I’m in love with it.

I agree, I'm not too fond of Allison Krauss. But I love this singer

It taked talent to play any musical genre other than rap

I love this song.  You know whoever wrote it knew that life.  There's a lot of love in it and Dan Tyminski is the perfect voice for it.  This is a great, great band.

i love bluegrass and Union Station is high on my list of greats.

Sidney Cox wrote it. In Louisiana, Bistineau is at the end of Dorcheat Bayou. The Great Raft was a log jam on the Red River that was cleared out in 1839 by Captain Henry Miller Shreve. Shreveport is named after him. I knew Sidney for a short time as a kid. He is from Cotton Valley, Louisiana.

+Carey Brown Thanks for that info. I love the song even more!

Its moving,I felt like I was there.

Real Southern Appalachian music, it don't get any better. Hell, anybody can mix a beat on a computer. However, it takes skill and pure talent to make this type of music. Which only few musicians have these days. Yes Lil Wayne im talking to you.

It's would.

Levi Patterson very true

Funny, since that also takes talent. I'd like to see you write a 30 second clip.

Southern sailor music!!!

Really good song

me too love it

me too love it

Just found Union Station love it

These guys are awesome. My favorite band of all time.

I just got this album in vinyl format today. Thrilled!!

thanks for writing words goetz

same here never get tired of it

i bought this cd ; wish they recorded a cd rach year

If you can memorize the words to this song and sing it without looking at anything, you don't have Alzheimers, for sure!

Fourth verse: Cause I was born with rouging ways, and she steered me like a woman
From the port calls and the bawds that lead me stray
The calliope serenades, made the old towns come running
And the boys would gamble shards to pull her chains
And I would take to wider walks, so the gin I stopped a drinking
At three scores aloft this crooked frame
The striker’s boast would fain me loss, about the wrecks the shoals were keeping
And how the old girl’s got poor Billy’s ransom saved

Third verse: On the lake at Bistineau, she set the wharf at Dixie
With a thousand bales of cotton on her main
As the great raft disappeared, the watermark went sinking
And she was stuck right hard, a listing on the bank
With the furnace still a blaze, I stood my last upon her
Then climbed the prow and took a landsman’s trade
“A derelict now Milady” said the watch log I’ve concorded
“Have the bosun sound us eight bells for the change”

I live on Bistineau.. going to see Chris Stapleton and was looking for the steeldrivers version of this but it doesn't exist on YouTube

Second verse: I was born with rouging ways, and she steered me like a woman
From the port calls and the bawds that lead me stray
The calliope serenades, made the old towns come running
And the boys would gamble shards to pull her chains
The striker’s boast would fain me loss, about the wrecks the shoals were keeping
And how the old girl’s got poor Billy's ransom saved

First verse: I grew up in the scantling yards of Wheeling West Virginia
A wheelhouse cub looking for an open door
In the packet ways a Sweeney wed the keel of my Bonita
Just two months from her timbers til she moored
I paid the fare in billet on her maiden voyage to Vicksburg
And talked my way to hand the tiller on the course
In her planks I carved a notch and sealed the vow “Be my Bonita”
And her dowry was my life between the shores

caleb thats good music ; its the best music

when will they made a new cd?? i cant wait i have them all

true alex :)

good song

That's a shame this music doesn't get around more.

Cheers for the info, clears up a lot :)

i have personally seen em' all.......tull, allmans', dylan, boston, floyd', dead, moodys'......no one....i mean no one, even comes close to the level talent this band has in any single member....you are listening to a dying art....this is the best thing happening in what would legitimately be labelled as commercial music....these are the finest performers of this craft

Great Song, Great Voice, Great Band

this is real music

great song

Google is a great tool: In shipbuilding, the scantling refers to the collective dimensions of the various parts, particularly the framing and structural supports. "A Sweeney wed the keel''' AJ Sweeney boatbuilders assembled the keel. It took two months to build her. "Paid the fare in billet" means he was on the boat as crew, not passsenger. "Calliope Serenades..." a Calliope is a steam-powered organ, so it probably means the steam whistle got people's attention. You get the drift.

Here's some more "river talk"
A "packet" was a common name for steam boats that carried goods and cargo as well as passengers.

The reference to Lake Bisteneau refers to the Lake formed by log jams coming from up river - these huge log jams stopped river traffic and were referred to as "rafts." The last big log raft was eventually removed by snag boats and as the rafts were cleared, the water levels in Lake Bisteneau began to go down, which would account for the boat getting stuck on a shoal.

The bosun sounding 8 bells refers to the "Boatswain" who was in charge of the deck and loading of cargo sounding the alarm.

dans voice reminds me of the great late Clarence White on this one

I would admit, life-changing moment, down by the river in Little Rock AR on March 23rd front center. I have never seen such musical talent, and feel truly blessed to have met Jerry, Ron & Barry for a pic after the show. They are, and forever will be, true American icons ! Thx AKUS ~

@dwerthy
This song is about a young man who becomes a pilot on a riverboat and that the boat (Bonita) piles up on a river bank and becomes a wreck (derelict). The language is pure river and it don't get any better than that.

One of the great, great moments of my life was seeing these guys from the 2th row of the wang theater in Boston. Talk about a tight unit. The synchronicity is truly amazing

land lubber becomes sailor an a man, an the ship he came to love.

you have to love a great voice and style combined with pure and simple pure picking, kick but!

Love this!

awesome song!!!

@bonlar973 I was hopin to see them in Asheville NC this summer, but it turns out that I have to be at work that weekend. :(

I freaking LOVE Union Station! This song is amazing..