DESCRIPTION:
"Sawing On The Strings" from the DVD of recording sessions, A Hundred Miles Or More: Live From the Tracking Room (2008).

You also can hear a nice version of this tune on "The David Grisman Rounder Album" released in 1976.

More than 50 years ago, Lewis Compton wrote a song in his head while working second shift in the sand shaker room at DuPont.
Since then, that song, "Sawin' on the Strings," has been recorded nine times by various artists.

A Hundred Miles or More: Live From The Tracking Room features Alison Krauss, one of the purest and most original voices in American music, performing songs from her critically acclaimed solo album A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection with members of her highly-regarded band Union Station and special guest musicians.

Lyrics :

Way back in the mountains
Way back in the hills
There used to live a mountianeer
They called him fiddlin' Will
He could play most anything
And some say he could sing
But the one thing that he liked to do best
Was sawing on the strings

So get out the fiddle
And rosin up the bow
Look at ol' Will a pattin' his toe
We'll make music til the rafters ring
All that pickin' and a sawin on the string

When the neighbors had a shindig
And they all had viddles to eat
We'd always have to wait on Will
To make the frolic complete
When he comes down from the mountain
All the gals began to sway
Sometimes he'd pick that ol' 5 string
Until the break of day

So tune up the 5 string
Tighten up the hyde
Tell all the hill folks to get inside
We'll make music till the rafter ring
All them pickin' and a sawing on the string

So tune up the 5 string
Tighten up the hyde
Tell all the hill folks to get inside
We'll make music till the rafter ring
All them pickin' and a sawing on the string

Songwriters : LEWIS COMPTON