for the trial. The 1935 lyrics are not ballad-like and do not tell a story. This version tells of an "old hollow tree" that is used as a dead drop. A person who is looking to buy moonshine places money in the tree and leaves. When that person returns, there is a jug where the money was. The song goes on to extoll the drink and tell of its great properties. Relationship with "The Rare Old Mountain Dew" There is some controversy over the possible connection between "Good Old Mountain Dew" and the Irish folk song "The Rare Old Mountain Dew", which dates to 1916 or earlier (at least a decade before "Good Old Mountain Dew" was written). The terms "mountain dew" and "moonshine" are thought to have come to the United States from Ireland. Lunsford wrote several parodies and adaptations of other Irish folk songs; based on this, some folklorists claim that the song "Good Old Mountain Dew" was based on "The Rare Old Mountain Dew". Other folklorists disagree, pointing out that the only commonality the songs share is the use of the phrase "mountain dew". Recordings and adaptions Since 1935, "Good Old Mountain Dew" has been rerecorded and covered by a wide variety of folk, old time, and country musicians, including Grandpa Jones, Glen Campbell, and Willie Nelson. Nelson's cover reached number 23 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs and stayed there for six weeks. Over time, artists have added new verses, but the tune has remained the same since it was first written in the 1920s. The gospel song "Traveling the Highway Home" is based on "Good Old Mountain Dew" and uses the same tune, but has lyrics about moving closer to eternal life after death instead of about moonshine. After PepsiCo bought the soft drink Mountain Dew in 1964, they commissioned a set of advertisements featuring a "Good Old Mountain Dew"-based jingle and the drink's mascot: a barefooted back-country man called "Willie the Hillbilly". See also "I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground" References Footnotes Bibliography External links Traditional Ballad Index Entry American folk songs Bascom Lamar Lunsford songs 1945 songs Trini Lopez songs Glen Campbell songs Songs about alcohol