Hi all, Here is a song from Uncle Dave Macon and his Fruit Jar Drinkers that I have loved ever since I first heard it, 'Grey Cat on the Tennessee Farm". Uncle Bud's comment about the song "The Burglar Man" in the Frank Hutchison lyrics thread, made me think of this song, since I am similarly smacked on it beyond all good sense. The Fruit Jar Drinkers featured, in addition to Uncle Dave on banjo, Sam and Kirk McGee and Mazy Todd on fiddle. The band sounds great and the fiddle and banjo are especially strong. Like many Old-Time songs, "Grey Cat on the Tennessee Farm" is essentially a fiddle tune with lyrics. Once it gets going, it alternates an instrumental A part with a verse sung to the A part, followed by a two part refrain, each half of which is preceded by an instrumental B part, the melody of which is used for the refrain, too. Lyrically, the song is somewhat unusual in its celebration of prosperity. As usual, words I'm not sure of are enclosed in bent brackets, and I'd be happy for any corroboration/correction.
Just look to the man who can if he will Prosper in the valley of the Tennessee hills
REFRAIN: Well, the big cat spit in the little kitten's eye The little cat, little cat, don't you cry
Do love liquor and I will take a dram I'm gonna tell you, pretty Polly Ann
Cattle in the pasture, hogs in the pen Sheep on the ranch and a-wheat in the bin
REFRAIN: Oh, the big cat spit in the little kitten's eye The little cat, little cat, don't you cry
Do love liquor and I will take a dram I'm gonna tell you, pretty Polly Ann
Corn in the crib and porter in the yard Meat in the smokehouse and a big can of lard
REFRAIN: Oh, the big cat spit in the little kitten's eye The little cat, little cat, don't you cry
Do love liquor and I will take a dram I'm gonna tell you, pretty Polly Ann
Fruit in the cellar and cheese on the board A big sack of coffee and sugar in the gourd
REFRAIN: Oh, the big cat spit in the little kitten's eye The little cat, little cat, don't you cry
Do love liquor and I will take a dram I'm gonna tell you, pretty Polly Ann
Horses in the stable and money in his pocket A baby in the cradle and a pretty woman to rock it
REFRAIN: Oh, the big cat spit in the little kitten's eye The little cat, little cat, don't you cry
Do love liquor and I will take a dram I'm gonna tell you, pretty Polly Ann
REFRAIN: Oh, the big cat spit in the little kitten's eye The little cat, little cat, don't you cry
Edited 2/25 to pick up corrections from banjochris
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 12, 2020, 10:40:22 PM by Johnm »
Hi all, Uncle Dave delivered a very strong performance on "Buddy Won't You Roll Down the Line", for which he was joined by Sam McGee, on banjo-guitar and harmony vocals on the chorus. The song is included on the Anthology of American Folk Music. Uncle Dave wrote and recorded a surprising number of topical songs, and this one seems very timely nowadays. It's difficult to imagine modern Country stars singing and writing songs about such a topic--maybe Steve Earle would. I have a couple of places where I'm not at all certain I have the lyrics right, and I'd appreciate some help.
SPOKEN: Oh-oh, comin' up hot!
Way back yonder in Tennessee, they leased the convicts out They worked them in the coal mines against free labor stout Free labor rebelled against it, to win it took some time But while the lease was in effect they made 'em rise and shine
REFRAIN: Oh! Buddy won't you roll down the line, buddy won't you roll down the line Yonder come my darlin', comin' down the line Buddy won't you roll down the line, buddy won't you roll down the line Yonder come my darlin', comin' down the line
SOLO
Every Monday mornin', they've got 'em out on time March them down to Lone Rocks, said, they look into that mine March you down to Lone Rocks, said, they look into that hole Very last word the Cap'n say, "You'd better get your coal."
REFRAIN: Oh! Buddy won't you roll down the line, buddy won't you roll down the line Yonder come my darlin', comin' down the line Buddy won't you roll down the line, buddy won't you roll down the line Yonder come my darlin', comin' down the line
SOLO
The beans, they are half-done, the bread is not so well The meat, it is burnt up, and the coffee's black as heck But when you get your task done, you'll gladly come to 't all For anything you'd get to eat, it tastes good, done or raw
REFRAIN: Oh! Buddy won't you roll down the line, buddy won't you roll down the line Yonder come my darlin', comin' down the line Buddy won't you roll down the line, buddy won't you roll down the line Yonder come my darlin', comin' down the line
SOLO
The bank boss is a hard man, a man you all know well And if you don't get your task done, he's going to give you hallelujah Carry you to the stockade, then it's on the floor you'll fall Very next time they call on you, you'll bet you'll have your pole
REFRAIN: Oh! Buddy won't you roll down the line, buddy won't you roll down the line Yonder come my darlin', comin' down the line Buddy won't you roll down the line, buddy won't you roll down the line Yonder come my darlin', comin' down the line
Edited 10/18 to pick up corrections from pkeane Edited 10/19 to pick up correction from Lyle Lofgren
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 12, 2020, 10:41:27 PM by Johnm »
Thanks very much for the help, Peter. I think you are right in both instances. I wish I could hear these difficult spots as well before being told the right lyrics as I do after having been set right! That's the great thing about the collaborative process, though. What's next to impossible for one person to hear is a cinch for another. I will make the changes. All best, Johnm
Thanks for the help, Lyle. I had "pole" originally, couldn't figure the sense of it, and then thought it was "coal". Re-listening, I agree that it is "pole". I will make the change. All best, Johnm
Hi all, Another topical Uncle Dave Macon song was "Al Smith for President", undoubtedly recorded leading up to the 1928 presidential election. Al Smith, the Governor of New York, was an unusual candidate by virtue of two reasons: I believe he may have been the first presidential candidate from either of the two main parties to be a Roman Catholic, and he was a "wet" candidate, in favor of the repeal of Prohibition. It's pretty interesting when you think of a Southern Country Music entertainer, coming from a part of the country that was for the most part pretty staunchly Protestant and that had a lot of people who believed in Prohibition, supporting such a candidate. Uncle Dave is joined by Sam McGee on back-up guitar here, and their instrumental sound is stellar, with Uncle Dave doing some terrific three-finger picking (I'd love to hear Jerron Paxton play this one) and Sam seconding him on the melody every step of the way. Musically, the song is based on "The Crawdad Song". The New Lost City Ramblers did a very faithful version of the song on their old "Songs of Moonshine and Prohibition" album on Folkways Records.
SPOKEN: Gettin' right, now!
Al Smith's nominated for President, darling Al Smith's nominated for President, darling Al Smith's nominated for President My vote to him I'm a-gonna present, darling
SOLO
Al Smith is a mighty fine man, darling Al Smith is a mighty fine man, darling Al Smith is a mighty fine man He wants to be President of our land, darling
SOLO
SPOKEN: Hot dog! In Chicago, just from Tennessee and here's what the people say.
Al Smith is a-gettin' on a boom, darling Al Smith is a-gettin' on a boom, darling Al Smith is a-gettin' on a boom He don't favor the open saloon, darling
SOLO
Smith wants everything to be just right, darling Smith wants everything to be just right, darling Smith wants everything to be just right The law's gonna get you if you get tight, darling
SOLO
I'm a-gonna buy me little camphor gum, darling I'm a-gonna buy me little camphor gum, darling I'm a-gonna buy me little camphor gum For then I think I can buy a little rum, darling
SOLO
Moonshine's been here long enough, darling Moonshine's been here long enough, darling Moonshine's been here long enough Let's all vote right and get rid of such stuff, darling
SOLO
Many good man's been poisoned to death, darling Many good man's been poisoned to death, darling Many good man's been poisoned to death And with a real drink was never blessed, darling
SOLO
Says, a-four dollar bills and a bottle of beer, darling Four dollar bills and a bottle of beer, darling Four dollar bills and a bottle of beer Wish to the Lord my honey was here, darling
Edited 10/22 to pick up corrections from banjochris
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 12, 2020, 10:42:28 PM by Johnm »
John -- in the third verse, I believe it's "Al Smith is a-gettin on a boom" each time and "He don't favor the open saloon." The first meaning something like "going gangbusters" and the last line, if I remember rightly, is that Smith was against Prohibition but not necessarily in favor of bars and other dens of iniquity.
Also worth mentioning is that a mainstay of Uncle Dave's livelihood for many years was transporting Jack Daniel's whiskey (and he was personally a fan of same) so his opposition to Prohibition isn't too surprising.
And also Blind Willie McTell's "Hillbilly Willie's Blues" is pretty much modeled on this performance. Chris
Thanks for the catches, Chris. I couldn't make sense of "bone", and what you say makes sense and matches the sound, as well. I think when I transcribe quickly sometimes I just manage to screw up fast! I will make the changes. All best, Johnm
The relation of Uncle Dave and whiskey and prohibition has an ironic twist. UDM's Midway transport business was successful (until the dratted motor vehicles came in---which gave cause for Dave to rewrite "Jordan Am a Hard Road"....but I digress) because there was no rail link from Murfreesboro east to Cannon County and its only town, Woodbury. Small Cannon Co. population + rough terrain = no economic sense for the RR companies, I suppose.
Anyway, the farmers in Cannon county and the shopkeepers in the town of Woodbury needed stuff from Murfreesboro (connected to Nashville by rail)---fabric, salt, gunpowder, needles and pins, etc. Uncle Dave hauled the factory goods out.
And the good folk of Cannon county, who were admired for distilling skills using the major local crop, corn (no cotton grown out there), found it economically beneficial to reduce their corn to a liquid form. Uncle Dave hauled the barrels in to Murfreesboro (from where a certain percentage were sent on to Nashville).
What made this closed-loop system work so well was that Tennessee had instituted statewide prohibition in 1909. Without the lucrative return trip, the Midway Wagon and Mule Co. might have gone out of business much earlier.
So, though Dave was known to take a drink and might personally think prohibition foolish, he had a financial stake in its existence. Ironic, no?
In 1910, Jack Daniels, like George Dickel (another, some think better, Tennessee sour mash whiskey), had to move distilling operations out of state. Uncle Dave would have hauled neither of these bottled-in-bond whiskies (except perhaps a dram or two internally).
My apologies to those whose eyes are glazed, but I find the local lore about Uncle Dave fascinating. best, bruce
« Last Edit: October 24, 2011, 02:04:12 PM by bnemerov »