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Sal’s Got a Meatskin
Traditional Old-Time Breakdown; Southeast US.
ARTIST: From Carlisle Brothers; Panacord 25639; Old-Time String Band Book p. 63
CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes; DATE: Early 1900’s
RECORDING INFO: "Sal Got a Meatskin Laid Away" by Doc Roberts 1928 on Gnt uniss. New Lost City Ramblers. New Lost City Ramblers, Disc D 102, LP (196?), cut# 8; New Lost City Ramblers. New Lost City Ramblers, Vol. 3, Folkways FA 2398, LP (1961), cut# 15; Cliff & Bill Carlisle, "Sal Got a Meatskin" (Panacord 25639, 1930s, on TimesAint03); Cliff Carlisle, "Sal Got a Meat Skin" (Vocalion 02740, 1934, probably a different recording from that by Cliff & Bill Carlisle); New Lost City Ramblers. New Lost City Ramblers, Disc D 102, LP (196?), trk# 8; New Lost City Ramblers. New Lost City Ramblers, Vol. 3, Folkways FA 2398, LP (1961), trk# 15; New Lost City Ramblers. Cohen, John, Mike Seeger & Hally Wood / Old Time String Band Songbook, Oak, Sof (1976/1964), p 63; New Lost City Ramblers. Sing Out! Reprints, Sing Out, Sof (196?), 7, p24. SAL'S GOT A WOODEN LEG LAID AWAY. Old-Timey. The tune was recorded for the Library of Congress by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, from Ozark Mountain fiddlers in the early 1940's. See similarly titled song "Sal's Got a Meatskin."
RELATED TO: Sally Ann; Dineo; Pork Fat Makes My Chicken Tan; Wish I Had My Time Again; Quit that Ticklin' Me (Tune); Fling Ding; Apple Blossom; Par-Tee-O; Great Big Taters [in Sandy Land]; Sail Away Ladies;
OTHER NAMES: "Sal Got A Sugarlip" "Sal Got a Meatskin,"
SOURCES: Mudcat DT; Kuntz; Meade; Folk Index; Traditional Ballad Index; “Sal Got a Meatskin” New Lost City Ramblers. Old-Time String Band Songbook, Oak, Sof (1964/1976), p 63; Cohen/Seeger/Wood, p. 63, "Sal's Got a Meatskin;" Silber-FSWB, p. 156, "Sal Got A Meatskin;"
NOTES: The favorite tune of black fiddler Uncle Whit Walker, who influenced W.C. Handy (W.C. Handy - "Father of the Blues", 1941; pg. 6).
A "meatskin" is fat pork, used to grease a pan and as an anti-inflammatory in folk medicine to "draw out the pain." Sometimes, it refers to a maidenhead (Cliff Carlisle says that is the reference in their classic version; See: Version 2). According to several members of the Mudcat DT there were complaints when the (bawdy) lyrics were published in "Sing Out" magazine. Here are some typical lyrics from "Folk Songs Of North America" by Alan Lomax (title is Sally Ann):
Sal's got a meatskin laid away
To grease that wooden leg so they say
Dinah's got a wooden leg so they say
Shake that wooden leg Dinah-o.
The tune is part of the large “Sally Ann” family of tunes (see notes on Sally Ann/Sail Away Ladies/Great Big Taters). The tune was recorded for the Library of Congress by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, from Ozark Mountain fiddlers in the early 1940's as “Sal’s Got a Wooden Leg Laid Away.” For other versions see the closely related, "Great Big Taters in Sandy Land."
Here are the lyrics:
SAL’S GOT A MEAT SKIN
From Carlisle Brothers Panacord 25639; Old-Time String Band Book p. 63
CHORUS: Sal's got a meatskin hid away
Sal's got a meatskin hid away
Sal's got a meatskin hid away
Gonna get a meatskin some day
Sal's got a meatskin don't you know
Sal's got a meatskin don't you know
Sal's got a meatskin don't you know
Old Aunt Liza told me so.
CHORUS: Sal's got a meatskin hid away
Sal's got a meatskin hid away
Sal's got a meatskin hid away
Gonna get a meatskin some day
(Instrumental)
Sal's a-sailing on the sea
Sal's a-sailing on the sea
Sal's a-sailing on the sea
Sal's got a meatskin a-waiting for me
Went to see my Sally Gray
Went to see my Sally Gray
Went to see my Sally Gray
Found out Sal is gone away
Reckon I love my Sally Gray
Reckon I love my Sally Gray
Reckon I love my Sally Gray
Reckon my Sal is gone away
CHORUS: Sal's got a meatskin hid away
Sal's got a meatskin hid away
Sal's got a meatskin hid away
Gonna get a meatskin some day
Love my Sally more and more
Love my Sally more and more
Love my Sally more and more
Sal's got a meatskin don't you know
CHORUS: Sal's got a meatskin hid away
Sal's got a meatskin hid away.
Sal's got a meatskin hid away,
Gonna get a meatskin some day.
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