Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
January 1991
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Song facts
From Wikipedia:
“Cumberland Gap” is an Appalachian folk song that likely dates to the latter half of the 19th century and was first recorded in 1924. The song is typically played on banjo or fiddle, and well-known versions of the song include instrumental versions as well as versions with lyrics. A version of the song appeared in the 1934 book, American Ballads and Folk Songs, by folk song collector John Lomax. Woody Guthrie recorded a version of the song at his Folkways sessions in the mid-1940s, and the song saw a resurgence in popularity with the rise of bluegrass and the American folk music revival in the 1950s. In 1957, British musician Lonnie Donegan had a Top 10 hit with a skiffle version of “Cumberland Gap”.
The song’s title refers to the Cumberland Gap, a mountain pass in the Appalachian Mountains at the juncture of the states of Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky. The gap was used in the latter half of the 18th century by westward-bound migrants travelling from the original 13 American colonies to the Trans-Appalachian frontier. During the U.S. Civil War (1861–1865), Union and Confederate armies engaged in a year-long back-and-forth struggle for control of the gap. […]
Paul McCartney rehearsed this song in anticipation of his 1991 “Unplugged” concert. This rehearsal was officially broadcast as part of the Oobu Joobu radio show. Paul McCartney rehearsed
Last updated on June 21, 2019
Bootlegs
Unofficial live
Unofficial live
Unofficial album • Released in 1997
Unofficial album • Released in 2014
Studio version • Medley with "Admiral Hasley"
Unplugged (The Official Bootleg) - Ultimate Archive Collection
Unofficial live • Released in 2016
Live performances
Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.
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