Folktunes.org - lyrics

Cripple Creek - Lonesome Tofu Expressway

Forrest Oliphant — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 11:20:14 -0400

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

I got a gal at the head of the creek,
Goin' up to see her the middle of the week,
Kiss her on the mouth just as sweet as any wine,
She wraps herself around me like a sweet potato vine.

Goin' up to Cripple Creek, goin' on a whirl,
Goin' up to Cripple Creek to see my girl,
Goin' up to Cripple Creek, goin' on a run,
Goin' up to Cripple Creek to have a little fun.

Girls up on Cripple Creek, 'bout half grown,
Jump on a boy like a dog on a bone,
Roll my britches up to my knee,
I'll wade Cripple Creek when I please.

Goin' up to Cripple Creek, goin' on a whirl,
Goin' up to Cripple Creek to see my girl,
Goin' up to Cripple Creek, goin' on a run,
Goin' up to Cripple Creek to have a little fun.

Old Dan Tucker (at FanBelt's Jam)

Forrest Oliphant — Thu, 18 May 2006 14:24:24 -0400

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

CHORUS:
Hey, get out of the way for Old Dan Tucker
Too late to get his supper,
Supper's over and dinner's cookin'
Old Dan Tucker just standin' there lookin'

I went to town the other night
to hear a noise and see a fight,
All the folks was running around
said Old Dan Tucker's a-coming to town.

CHORUS

Well Old Dan Tucker he come to town
He was ridin' a billy goat, leadin' a hound,
Well the hound dog barked and the billy goat jumped,
They throwed Dan Tucker right straddle a stump.

CHORUS

Well Old Dan Tucker he come home drunk
He jumped at the fire and he kicked out a chunk
Got a live coal down in his shoe
And holy gosh mighty how the ashes flew

CHORUS

Old Dan Tucker was fine old man
He washed his face in a frying pan
He combed his hair with a wagon wheel
And died with a toothache in his heel

CHORUS

Stealin' Stealin' by The Memphis Jug Band

Forrest Oliphant — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 16:58:23 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

Stealin', stealin', pretty mama don't you tell on me
I'm stealin' back to my same old used to be

Now, put your arms around me like the circle round the sun
I want ya to love me, mama like my easy rider done

If you don't believe I love ya, look what a fool I've been
If you don't believe I'm sinkin', look what a hole I'm in

Stealin', stealin', pretty mama don't ya tell on me
I'm stealin' back to my same old used to be

(kazoo and harmonica break)

The woman I'm lovin', she's just my height and size
She's a married woman, come to see me sometimes

If you don't believe I love you, look what a fool I've been
If you don't believe I'm sinkin', look what a hole I'm in

I'm stealin', stealin', pretty mama don't you tell on me
I'm stealin' back to my same old used to be

(break)

Stealin', stealin', pretty mama don't ya tell on me
I'm stealin' back to my same old used to be

Notes:

This is the first recording of this song, which has since been recorded by everyone from Taj Mahal to The Greatful Dead.

Recorded on September 15, 1928. Will Shade sings the lead with Vol Stevens on guitar, Ben Ramey on kazoo and Jab Jones on jug.

Cocaine Habit Blues by The Memphis Jug Band

Forrest Oliphant — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 16:58:23 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

Cocaine habit mighty bad
It's the worst old habit that I ever had
Hey, hey, Honey take a whiff on me

I went to Mr Beaman's in a lope
Saw a sign on the window said no more dope
Hey, hey, Honey take a whiff on me

If you don't believe cocaine is good
Ask Alma Rose at Minglewood
Hey, hey, Honey take a whiff on me

I love my whiskey, and I love my gin
But the way I love my coke is a doggone sin
Hey, hey, Honey take a whiff on me

(break)

Since cocaine went out of style
You can catch them shooting needles all the while
Hey, hey, honey take a whiff on me

It takes a little coke to give me ease
Strut my stuff long as you please
Hey, hey, honey take a whiff on me

(break)

(Let's all take a whiff on Hattie now.)

Hey, hey.

Notes:

Recorded on May 17, 1930. Hattie Hart sings the lead with Will Shade on harp, Tee Wee Blackman on guitar, Ben Ramey on kazoo, and Ham Lewis on the jug.

Viola Lee Blues by Cannon's Jug Stompers

Forrest Oliphant — Thu, 2 Mar 2006 10:34:42 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

The judge decreed it, clerk he wrote it,
The clerk he wrote it down indeed-eh,
The judge decreed it, the clerk he wrote it down,
If you miss jail sentence, you'll be Nashville bound.

Some got six months, some got one solid,
Some got one solid, year indeed lord,
Some got six months, some got one solid year,
But me and my buddy, oh got lifetime here.

Fix my supper, mama, let me go to,
Let me go to bed, indeed lord,
Fix my supper, let me go to bed,
I've been drinking white lightning, and it just gone to my head.

Notes:

Recorded on September 20, 1928 presumably in Memphis. The lineup is the same as on "Minglewood Blues," only Noah Lewis sings. The line "ain't got a jail sentence, you must be Nashville bound," refers to the common practice in the South at that time of sometimes not sentencing black men who were arrested for certain crimes. Rather, they would often be sent to places where they had to work very hard, which was often worse than a jail sentence.

Minglewood Blues by Cannon's Jug Stompers

Forrest Oliphant — Thu, 2 Mar 2006 10:34:39 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

Don't you never let one woman rule your mind
Don't you never let one woman rule your mind
Said she keep you worried, troubled all the time

Don't you think your fairer was li'l and cute like mine
Don't you wish your fairer was li'l and cute like mine
She's a mar- She's a married woman,
But she comes to see me all the time

Don't you never let one woman rule your mind
Don't you never let one woman rule your mind
Said she keep you worried, troubled all the time

Well I got a letter mama and you ought to hear it read
Well I got a letter Lord and you ought to hear it read
If you comin' back baby now be on your way

Notes:

There is an interesting breakdown of the history of this song in the folk tradtion at the Roots of the Greatful Dead page.

Recorded on January 30, 1928 in Memphis, Tennessee. This recording features Gus Cannon on banjo and jug (Cannon created a contraption to hang the jug from his band so he could blow and pick banjo at the same time), Ashley Thompson on vocals and guitar and Noah Lewis on the harp. Minglewood was a lumber camp in Ashley, Tennessee, which was popular amongst musicians in the Mississippi Delta as a "hot spot." This tune became a popular staple of the Grateful Dead. Along with the Memphis Jug Band, Cannon's Jug Stompers was one of the great jug bands of the twenties.

The Dying Soldier by Buell Kazee

Forrest Oliphant — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 01:59:08 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

Oh brother Green, oh come to me,
For I am shot and bleeding,
Now I must die, no more to see,
My wife and my dear children.

The southern () has layed me low,
On this cold ground to suffer,
Stay brother stay and lay me away,
And write my wife a letter.

Tell her that I'm prepared to die,
And want to meet her in heaven,
Since I believed in Jesus Christ,
My sins are all forgiven.

My little ones, I love them well,
Oh could I once more see them,
That I might bid them a long farewell,
But we will meet in heaven.

Oh brother I am dying now,
Oh see I die so easy,
Oh surely death has lost it's sting,
Because I love my Jesus.

Go tell my wife she must not grieve,
Oh kiss my dear little children,
For they will call for me in vain,
When I am gone to heaven.

Notes:

This amazingly haunting piece grabs the listener by the heart and dares them not to shed a tear for the dying brother and soldier, who is so content in death because he loves "his Jesus."

Recorded on January 18, 1928 in New York City.

Rovin' Gambler by Kelly Harrell

Forrest Oliphant — Tue, 14 Feb 2006 16:00:51 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

I am a roving gambler,
I gambled down in town,
Whereever I () for the sake of the cards I'll lie my money down

I had not been in Washington many more weeks than three,
When I fell in love with a pretty little girl and she fell in love with me

She took me in he parlor,
She cooled me with her fan,
She whispered low in her mother's ear I love a gamblin' man

Oh daughter oh dear daughter,
Why do you treat me so,
To leave your old dear mother and with a gambler go

Oh mother oh dear mother,
I know I love you well,
But the love I have for the gamblin' man no human song can tell

I've gambled down in Washington,
I've gambled down in Spain,
I'm going down to Georgia to gamble my last game

I hear the train a-coming,
A-coming round the curve,
A-whistling and a-blowing and staining every nerve

Oh mother oh dear mother,
I'll tell you if I can,
If you ever see me coming again I'll be with a gamblin' man

Notes:

An old traditional song described on the record label as a "Mountaineer's Song with violin and guitar". Kelly Harrell made his living in the Virginia textile mills but sang on the side and recorded several sessions in the later 1920s. "Rovin' Gambler" was recorded on January 7, 1925. From the original 78rpm disk.

Author: Kelly Harrell
Date: 1925-01-07
Source: Original 78rpm disk digitized by old78collector
Keywords: oldtime; folk; country; appalachian

Sally Goodin by Obed "Dad" Pickard on Mouth Harp

Forrest Oliphant — Sun, 5 Feb 2006 19:59:56 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

Had a little gal and her name was Sally Goodin,
Asked her to marry me and then she said she wouldn'

Had a peice of pie and I had a peice of puddin',
And I give it all away to kiss Sally Goodin

Went up on hill to see Sally comin',
Thought to my soul I'd kill myself runnin'

Possum up a gump stump, coon up a holler,
Wish to my soul I had a silver dollar

Went to the creek, the creek was muddy,
Hugged Sally Goodin 'til she couldn't stand steady

Notes:

Great mouth harp work on this 1929 recording of the traditional folk tune "Sally Goodin" by Obed "Dad" Pickard, one of the first "Grand Old Opry" performers. From original 78rpm disk.

The House Carpenter - Clarence Ashley

Forrest Oliphant — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 09:12:40 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

We'll met we'll met said an old true love
We'll met we'll met said he
I'm just returning from the salt salt sea and it's all for the love of thee

Climb in climb in my old true love
And have a seat with me
It's been three-fourths of a long long year since together we have been

Well I can't come in or I can't sit down
For I haven't but a moment's time
They say you're married to a house carpenter and your heart will never be mine

Now it's I coulda married a king's daughter here
I'm sure she'da married me
But I've forsaken her crowns of gold and it's all for the love of thee

Now will you forsaken your house carpenter
And go along with me
I'll take you where the grass grows green on the banks of the deep blue sea

She picked up here little ()
And kisses gave him three
Says stay right here my little darling babe and keep your pappa company

Well they hadn't been on ship but about two weeks
I'm sure it wasn't three
Well his true love began to weep and mourn and () most bitterly

Says are you a-weepin' for my silver or my gold
Says are you weeping for my store
Are you weeping for that house carpenter whose face you'll never see any more

No it's I'm not a-weepin' for your silver or your gold
Or neither for your store
I am weeping for my darling little babe whose face I'll never see any more

Well they hadn't been on ship but about three weeks
I'm sure it wasn't four
'Til they sprung a leak in the bottom of the ship and they sunk for to rise no more

Notes:

Recorded on April 14, 1930 in Atlanta, Georgia. This ballad was collected by Child as "The Daemon Lover" (Child No. 243), of which there are several variants. Harry Smith noted that the original version in the British Isles had a "supernatural theme" which didn't make it to North America.

My Sweet Farm Girl - Clarence Ashley

Forrest Oliphant — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 08:59:39 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

My sweet farm girl, she's jolly of my pride
My sweet farm girl, she's jolly of my pride
She knows I know how to keep her satisfied

So early in the morning I cut her grass you bet
So early in the morning I cut her grass you bet
Pull up the hose; I keep her lawn all wet

I close her fire; I shake her ashes down
I close her fire; I shake her ashes down
We eat our breakfast, then we ride on back to town

I keep her garden all free from bugs and weeds
I keep her garden all free from bugs and weeds
I plow her land, and then I sow my seeds

I trim her hedges; I clean out her back yard
I trim her hedges; I clean out her back yard
She loves her daddy because I'm long and hard

Notes:

Recorded on December 1, 1931 in New York City. Ashley plays guitar and sings, with Gwen Foster on guitar and harmonica. The sexual connotations are rather obvious.

Dark Holler - Clarence Ashley

Forrest Oliphant — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 08:40:32 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

I was born in old Viginia
South Carolina I did go
There I courted a pretty little woman
But her age I did not know

Well her hair was brown and curly
Her cheeks were rosy red
On her dress she wore white lilies
Oh the cares that I have ()

When I'm asleep I'm dreaming about you
When I wake I have no rest
Ever' moment seems like an hour
Oh the pain () my breast

I'd rather be in some dark holler
Where the sun don't ever shine
For you to be some other man's darling
When you ain't no longer mine

Pappa says I must not marry
Momma saya it'll never do
But little girl if you are willing
I will run away with you

For I'd rather be in some dark holler
Where the sun don't ever shine
For you to be some other man's darling
When you ain't no longer mine

When I'm asleep I'm dreaming about you
When I wake I have no rest
Ever' moment seems like an hour
Oh the pain () my breast

Notes:

Recorded on October 23, 1929 in Johnson City, Tennessee. This tune has become a bluegrass standard under this name, as well as "Dark Holler Blues" and "East Virginia Blues." It shares the same melody as "Greenback Dollar," and performers often mix the lyrics of the two in ever differing versions.

Coo Coo Bird - Clarence Ashley

Forrest Oliphant — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 08:32:52 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

Gonna build me a log cabin
on a mountian so high
So I can see Willie
as he goes on by

Um hmm hmm...

Oh the coo-coo is a pretty bird
She wobbles when she flies
She never hollers coo-coo
'Til the fourth day of July

I've played cards in England
I've played cards in Spain
I'll bet you ten dollars
I'll beat you next game

Jack of diamonds, Jack of diamonds
I've known you from old
Now you've robbed my poor pockets
Of my silver and my gold

Um hmm hmm...

I've played cards in England
I've played cards in Spain
I'll bet you ten dollars
I beat you this game

Oh the coo-coo is a pretty bird
She wobbles when she flies
She never hollers coo-coo
'Til the fourth day of July

Notes:

Recorded on October 23, 1929 in Johnson City, Tennessee. Greil Marcus describes this tunes as a "folk-lyric" tune "made up of verbal fragments that had no direct or logical relationship to each other." Ashley's banjo is tuned to G-modal, also referred to as Sawmill tuning. Some folklorists note that the cuckoo is an ancient symbol for the coming of summer.