Four Nights- Shifflett (VA) 1962 Foss REC Bronson 36.
[My title, listed under the generic, Our Goodman. LC/AAFS, rec. No. 12,004 (A14). Robert (also Shifflett) is an informant from the Brown's Cove, Virginia area. See his short online book: From White Hall to Bacon Hollow.
R. Matteson 2013]
Four Nights ("Our Goodman")- Sung by Robert Shiflett, Brown's Cove, Va., May 30, 1962. Recorded by George Foss.
1. First night that I came home, drunk as I could be,
Found a horse in the stable, where my horse ought to be
Come here, my little wifie, explain this thing to me,
How come a horse in the stable where my horse ought to be?
You blind fool, you crazy fool, can't you never see?
It's nothing but a milk-cow, you're drunk as you can be
I've travelled this world over, ten thousand miles or more
A saddle upon a milk-cow's back, I never saw before.
2. Second night that I came home as drunk as I could be,
I found a coat hanging on the rack where my coat to be.
Come here, my little wifie, explain this thing to me,
How come a coat hanging on the rack where my coat to be?
You blind fool, you crazy fool, can't you never see?
It's nothing but bed-quilt, you're drunk as you can be. [1]
[I've travelled this world over, ten thousand miles or more
Pockets on a bed-quilt, I never saw before.]
3. Third night that I came home, drunk as I could be,
Found a hat hanging on the rack where my hat ought be
Come here, my little wifie, explain this thing to me,
How come a hat hanging on the rack where my hat to be?
You blind fool, you crazy fool, can't you never see?
It's nothing but a milk-churn, you're drunk as you can be,
I've travelled this world over, ten thousand miles or more
But a hat-band on a milk-churn I never saw before.
4. Fourth night that I came home, as drunk as I could be,
Found a head a-layin'on the pillow where my head ought to be.
Come here, my little wifie, explain this thing to me,
How come a head a-layin' on the pillow where my head ought to be?
You blind fool, you crazy fool, can't you never see?
It's nothing but a cabbage-head, you're drunk as you can be,
I've travelled this world over, ten thousand miles or more
But a mustache on a cabbage-head I never saw before.
1. "Pockets on a bed-quilt" was omitted in singing but supplied in subsequent discussion.