Turns out that if "Shenandoah" belongs in the Atlas it should be filed under "Missouri River." In the song Shenandoah is the name of an Indian chief, not the river valley in the Appalachian Mountains.
The song originated with French voyageurs or Missouri River boatmen. It was soon claimed by high-seas sailors and became one of the best known and most frequently used of the capstan shanties. In its earliest version the song tells the story of how a white trader courted Shenandoah's daughter and bore her away in his canoe. The sailors added their own words and a verse about "Sally," and what we have now is mostly nonsense. As Pete Seeger says in his introduction to the song in AMERICAN FAVORITE BALLADS (1961), "Why should this favorite sea shanty concern an Indian chief, and a midwestern river? And why does everyone love it so and refuse to change it?"
--Mark
Here is the way Bob sings it on DOWN IN THE GROOVE (1988):
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you Look away, you rollin' river Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you Look away, we're bound away Across the wide Missouri Now the Missouri is a mighty river Look away, you rollin' river. Indians camp along her border Look away, we're bound away Across the wide Missouri Well a white man loved an Indian maiden Look away, you rollin' river With notions his canoe was laden Look away, we're bound away Across the wide Missouri Oh Shenandoah, I love your daughter Look away, you rollin' river It was for her I'd cross the water. Look away, we're bound away Across the wide Missouri For seven long years I courted Sally Look away, you rollin' river Seven more years I longed to have her Look away, we're bound away Across the wide Missouri Well, it's fare-thee-well, my dear, I'm bound to leave you Look away you rollin' river Shenandoah, I will not deceive you Look away, we're bound away Across the wide Missouri
