"Root hog or die" is a common American catch-phrase dating at least to the early 1800s. Coming from the early colonial practice of turning pigs loose in the woods to fend for themselves, the term is an idiomatic expression for self-reliance.
The word "root" is used as an imperative verb, as is "die". The phrase (sometimes rendered with commas after root and hog) can be parsed as, "Root (search for roots to eat), hog, or [you will] die."
The term resulted in several songs with the same theme.
Several songs of unknown authorship were published before the Civil War, including patriotic and minstrel songs. A patriotic version opens with: [3]
The most popular song of the era was a minstrel song variously titled "Root, Hog, Or Die" or "Do Jog Along", sometimes credited to George W.H. Griffin, which was first copyrighted in 1856. [4] Many variations exist—a common first verse is:
A song from the gold field camps on the front range of the Rockies written by A. O. McGrew in 1858 addressed the hardships of gold miners. It was first sung at a Christmas party near present-day Denver. The first verse: [5]
Both sides in the Civil War had root, hog, or die songs. A verse from "Flight of Doodles", a Confederate song, is typical: [6]
A folk song collected in 1911 tells of the hard life of the cowboy. The last verse is: [7]
This version, and variations of it, are still recorded.[ citation needed]
Newer versions have also been recorded.
Woody Guthrie recorded a version "Root, Hog & Die" about the trial of Sacco & Vanzetti, changing the narrative to that of a man racing to get to Boston before their scheduled execution in 1927.
June Carter Cash had a minor hit in 1950 with her version, [8] now available on YouTube with guitar by Chet Atkins. [9] The first verse is as follows:
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cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
link)
"Root hog or die" is a common American catch-phrase dating at least to the early 1800s. Coming from the early colonial practice of turning pigs loose in the woods to fend for themselves, the term is an idiomatic expression for self-reliance.
The word "root" is used as an imperative verb, as is "die". The phrase (sometimes rendered with commas after root and hog) can be parsed as, "Root (search for roots to eat), hog, or [you will] die."
The term resulted in several songs with the same theme.
Several songs of unknown authorship were published before the Civil War, including patriotic and minstrel songs. A patriotic version opens with: [3]
The most popular song of the era was a minstrel song variously titled "Root, Hog, Or Die" or "Do Jog Along", sometimes credited to George W.H. Griffin, which was first copyrighted in 1856. [4] Many variations exist—a common first verse is:
A song from the gold field camps on the front range of the Rockies written by A. O. McGrew in 1858 addressed the hardships of gold miners. It was first sung at a Christmas party near present-day Denver. The first verse: [5]
Both sides in the Civil War had root, hog, or die songs. A verse from "Flight of Doodles", a Confederate song, is typical: [6]
A folk song collected in 1911 tells of the hard life of the cowboy. The last verse is: [7]
This version, and variations of it, are still recorded.[ citation needed]
Newer versions have also been recorded.
Woody Guthrie recorded a version "Root, Hog & Die" about the trial of Sacco & Vanzetti, changing the narrative to that of a man racing to get to Boston before their scheduled execution in 1927.
June Carter Cash had a minor hit in 1950 with her version, [8] now available on YouTube with guitar by Chet Atkins. [9] The first verse is as follows:
{{
cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
link)