Cabbage Head Song- Bill Livers (KY) 1960s REC
[Sung by Bill Livers, an African-American musician, from Owen County, Kentucky with guitar accompaniment. He sings the woman's part falsetto. “He was the real deal,” John Harrod says of Livers. “He came from a family of black musicians around New Liberty and he was my first direct contact with a real traditional musician in Kentucky.” He played with several groups including Bill Livers and the Holbrook Idiots. This group performed during the 1960s and was based out of Grant County, Kentucky.]
Cabbage Head Song- Bill Livers (KY) 1960s REC [Listen: Cabbage Head Song by Bill Livers]
1. Oh the first night that I come in
I was drunk as I could be,
There was horse standin' in the stall,
Where my horse ought to be.
Now run here wife, my pretty little wife
Explain this thing to me.
What [1] you doing with a horse here in the stall,
Where my horse ought to be?
[Oh dear] You fool, you fool, you drunken old fool
Now you're drunk as you can be?
(It's) only, only a jersey cow
My granny sent to me.
I've travelled wide world over,
Ten thousand miles or more
But a saddle on a jersey cow,
I never, never seen before.
2. The second night when I came in
I was drunk as I could be,
There was hat a-hangin' on the rack,
Where my hat ought to be.
Now run here wife, my pretty little wife
Explain this thing to me.
What you doing with a hat on a rack,
Where my hat ought to be?
[Oh dear] You fool, you fool, you drunken old fool
You're drunk as you can be?
(It's) only, only a frying pan
My granny gave to me.
I've travelled wide world over,
Ten thousand miles or more
But a headband on a fryin' pan,
I never, never seen before.
3. The third night when I come home
I was drunk as I could be,
There was coat a-hangin' on the rack,
Where my coat ought to be.
Now run here wife, my pretty little wife
Explain this thing to me.
What you doing with a coat a-hanging on the rack,
Where my coat ought to be?
[Oh dear] You fool, you fool, you drunken old fool
You're drunk as you can be?
(It's) only, only a bed quilt,
My granny gave to me.
I've travelled wide world over,
Ten thousand miles or more
But pockets in a bed-quilt,
I never never seen before.
4. Oh the forth night that I come in
I was drunk as I could be,
There was head standin' in the stall,
Where my head ought to be.
Now run here wife, my pretty little wife
Explain this thing to me.
What you doing with a head lying on the pillow,
Where my head ought to be?
[Oh dear] You fool, you fool, you drunken old fool
You're drunk as you can be?
(It's) only, only a cabbage head
My granny gave to me.
I've travelled wide world over,
Ten thousand miles or more
But a moustache on a cabbage head,
I never seen before.
1. Sings: Where instead of what.