Your Account
Wished I had a nickel,
Wished I had a dime.
Wished I had a pretty girl
To kiss and call her mine.
Fare thee well, Old Joe Clark,
Fare thee well, I say.
Fare thee well, Old Joe Clark
I’m a goin’ away.
I will not marry an old maid
I’ll tell you the reason why.
Her neck is so long and stringy
I’m afraid she’ll never die.
I asked my girl to marry me
And what do you think she said.
Time enough to marry you
When all the rest are dead.
Old Joe Clark did
If you want to get your eye knocked
If you want to get your fill
If you want to get your eye knocked out
Go to Sugar Hill.
Jay bird and a sparrow hawk
Had a little fight together
They fought all around the briar patch
And never jerked a feather.
If I had no horse to ride
I’d be found a-walking
Up and down old Toe Nail Gap
To hear that woman a-talking.
If you want to get your head bashed in
If you want to get your fill
If you want to get your head cut
No, I ain’t got no use
For my red rocking chair,
I ain’t got no sugar baby now,
No, I ain’t got no sugar baby now.
Some old rounder come along
Took my sugar babe and gone,
And I ain’t got no sugar baby now,
No, I ain’t got no sugar baby now.
I gave her every cent I made
And I laid her in the shade,
And I ain’t got no sugar baby now,
No, I ain’t got no sugar baby now.
And it’s who’ll call you honey
It’s who’ll sing this song?
Who’ll rock the
Shady Grove, my little love
Shady Grove I say
Shady Grove, my little love
I’m bound to go away
Cheeks as red a a blooming rose
And eyes are the prettiest brown
She’s the darling of my heart
Sweetest girl in towm
Shady Grove my little love,
Shady Grove be mine,
Shady Grove my little love
Down in Caroline.
I wish I had a big fine horse
And corn to feed him on
And Shady Grove to stay at home
And feed him while I’m gone.
Went to see my Shady Grove
She was standing in the door
Mama’s Little Baby Loves shortening, shortening
Mama’s Little Baby Loves shortening bread
Mama’s Little Baby Loves shortening, shortening
Mama’s Little Baby Loves shortening bread.
Put on the skillet, put on the lid
Mama’s gonna make a little shortening bread
That ain’t all she’s gonna do
Mama’s gonna make a little coffee too.
Three little boys, lying in bed
Two was sick, and the other most dead
Sent for the doctor, and the doctor said,
Feed them babies on shortening bread
Slipped in the kitchen, slipped on the lid
Slipped my pockets full of shortening bread
Stole the skillet,
Take me home to the place where I first saw the light,
To the sweet, sunny south take me home,
Where the mockingbird sung me to rest every night,
Ah! Why was I tempted to roam!
Take me home to the place where my little ones sleep,
Poor massa lies buried close by.
O’er the graves of the loved ones I long to weep,
Among them to rest when I die.
I think with regret of the dear ones I left,
Of the warm hearts that sheltered me there.
Of the wife and dear ones of whom
by Wayne Erbsen © 1974
Gain’ down to the spring
Fetch a pail of water
Goin’ to old Muley’s house
Gonna marry his daughter
Gonna marry his daughter
Throw a stone out in the pond
Let the ripples show
When I find that girl of mine
Some flowers we will sow, love,
Flowers we will sow
Take my love by the hand
To the mountain far
Lay there on a summer’s night
Countin’ all the stars, love,
Countin’ all the stars
Way up on the mountain there
Gonna build a house so fine
Look down over the valley
Away, away we’re bound for the mountain
Bound for the mountain, bound for the mountain
Over the mountain, the hills and the fountain
Away to the chase away.
Rover, Rover, see him, see him
Rover, Rover, catch him, catch him
Over the mountain, the hills and the fountain
Away to the chase away.
Now we’re getting right for the race
The hounds and the horses all in the pace
Over the mountain, the hills and the fountain
Away to the chase away.
All night long till the break of dawn
Merrily the chase goes on
Over
Went out last night to take a little round
Met little Sadie and I blowed her down
Went back home, got into bed
.44 smokeless under my head.
Got up the next morning ‘bout half past nine
Hacks and the buggies a standing in line
Gents and the gamblers standing all around
Takin’ little Sadie to her burying ground.
I begin to think about the deed I done
Grabbed my hat and away I run
Made a good run but a little too show
They overtook me in Jericho
I was standing o the corner reading the bill
John Henry was a little bitty boy,
Sittin’ on his Mama’s knee.
Picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel,
“Hammer’ll be the death of me,
Hammer’ll be the death of me.”
John Henry went upon the mountain,
Come down on the other side.
The mountain was so tall, John Henry was so small,
He laid down his hammer and he cried,”Oh, Lord,”
He laid down his hammer and he cried.
John Henry was on the right hand,
That steam drill was on the left.
“Before your steam drill beats me down,
I’ll hammer my fool
