Folktunes.org - guitar

Mole in the Ground - Lonesome Tofu Expressway

Forrest Oliphant — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 11:21:32 -0400

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

Wish I was a mole in the ground,
Wish I was a mole in the ground,
If I's a mole in the ground, I'd root that mountain down,
Wish I was a mole in the ground.

Wish I was a lizard in the spring,
Wish I was a lizard in the spring,
If I's a lizard in the spring, I'd hear my darlin' sing,
Wish I was a lizard in the spring.

Wish I was a frog in the fall,
Wish I was a frog in the fall,
If I's a frog in the fall, I'd hear my darlin' call,
Wish I was a frog in the fall.

Honey where you been so long,
Honey where you been so long,
I been out on the bend, with the rough and rowdy men.
Honey where you been so long.

Wish I was a mole in the ground,
Wish I was a mole in the ground,
If I's a mole in the ground, I'd root that mountain down,
Wish I was a mole in the ground.

Honey where you been so long,
Honey where you been so long,
I been out on the bend, with the rough and rowdy men.
Honey where you been so long.

Notes:

The Lonesome Tofu Expressway Rambling Stringband--Lonesome Tofu Expressway for short, Tofex for shorter--crowded around the mic at Tom Watson's place in Kuzumaki, Iwate, Japan one cool May night in 2004 and came up with this. All for fun, of course.

The band members include Daniel Conway on the guitar, Elizabeth Gordon on the fiddle, and Forrest Oliphant on the banjo and harmonica. All of them sing vocals.

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.

Policeman (at FanBelt's Jam)

Forrest Oliphant — Thu, 18 May 2006 14:24:27 -0400

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

Police come, I didn’t want to go this morning (2x)
Police come, I didn’t want to go
Shot him in the head with my 44 this morning

Two little children lying in the bed, this morning (2x)
Two little children lying in the bed
One rolled over to the other and said, it’s morning

Bullfrog jumped from bank to bank, this morning (2x)
Bullfrog jumped from bank to bank
Skinned his whole back from shank to shank, this morning

I know something I ain’t gonna tell is morning (2x)
I know something I ain’t gonna tell
I want to go to heaven in a coconut shell this morning

Great big fellow laying on a log this morning (2x)
Great big fellow laying on a log
Finger on the trigger and his eye on a hog, this morning

Down went the trigger and bang went the gun this morning (2x)
Down went the trigger and bang went the gun
Wish I had a wagon to haul him home this morning

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

John Brown's Dream (at FanBelt's Jam)

Forrest Oliphant — Thu, 18 May 2006 14:24:23 -0400

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Whitesburg (at FanBelt's Jam)

Forrest Oliphant — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 13:46:37 -0400

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Notes:

I have encoded and uploaded a jam session from Halloween of last year. There are lots of great modal tunes, some hooting and hollering, and general fun. It will take some time to add each track to folktunes.org, so if you want to see the tracklist and listen now go to the archive.org Halloween at FanBelt's 2005 page. Recorded by Vernon Tilley and edited by Rob VanVeld.

I Saw A Man (at FanBelt's Jam)

Forrest Oliphant — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 13:38:15 -0400

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

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.

A Black Woman Is Like A Black Snake by The Memphis Jug Band

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

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

A black woman's like a black snake, she will strike and run,
A black woman's like a black snake, she will strike and run
...

...

I wouldn't marry a black woman, I'll tell you the reason why,
I wouldn't marry a black woman, I'll tell you the reason why,
She's so black and evil she won't look in your eye

...

Oh fish are swimming, they come into the net,
Oh fish are swimming, they come into the net,
... try to do the best they can, they do the best they can

Notes:

[This recording is included despite its overt racism as an integral part of any archive of this kind of music. This song does not represent the views of The Folktunes Archive, nor does the inclusion of any other song. - ed.]

Recorded on September 11, 1928. This jug band's lineup includes leader Will Shade on harp and guitar, Charlie Burse on guitar, Ben Ramey on kazoo, and Jab Jone on the lead vocal and 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.

Pig Ankle Strut by Cannon's Jug Stompers

Forrest Oliphant — Thu, 2 Mar 2006 10:27:06 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Notes:

A great example of a jug-band harmonica tune to learn.

Recorded on September 5, 1928 in Memphis. Features Gus Cannon on the jug, Ashley Thompson on guitar, and Noah Lewis on the harmonica.

Whiskey Before Breakfast by Lonesome Tofu Expressway

Forrest Oliphant — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 22:21:28 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Greenback Dollar by Weems String Band

Forrest Oliphant — Wed, 15 Feb 2006 13:06:07 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

Over the hill and down in the holler,
All I want is a greenback dollar,
Over the hill and down in the holler,
All I want is a greenback dollar...

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

Fourteen Days In Georgia by Blue Ridge Highballers

Forrest Oliphant — Tue, 7 Feb 2006 10:37:34 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Notes:

Traditional "Mountain Dance Music" tune, recorded March 23, 1926 by the Blue Ridge Highballers ("led by Charley La Prade, fiddler").

Original 78rpm disk (Columbia 15081-D) digitized by old78collector

Flop-Eared Mule by Blue Ridge Highballers

Forrest Oliphant — Tue, 7 Feb 2006 10:30:49 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Notes:

Traditional "Mountain Dance Music" tune, recorded March 23, 1926 by the Blue Ridge Highballers ("led by Charley La Prade, fiddler").

Original 78rpm disk (Columbia 15081-D) digitized by old78collector

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.

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.

Old Joe Clark by Lonesome Tofu Expressway

Forrest Oliphant — Sun, 27 Nov 2005 12:50:25 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]