Little Satchel- Fred Cockerham (NC) 1965 Cohen
[From a John Cohen recording of Fred Cockerham, 1965. Although this uses a stanza of "Drowsy Sleeper" and stanzas from similar tradtional songs, I consider it to be an original arrangement of traditional stanzas.
"Little Satchel" was sung by the New Lost City Ramblers and was included on "If I Go Ten Thousand Miles" by Dirk Powell Rounder CD 0384. It was also recorded several time by Fred in different groups.
R. Matteson 2016]
Here are the notes from the NLCR CD:
Within then years of the NLCR's first performances, young musicians and scholars stimulated by their example were seeking out and documenting contemporary old-time musicians such as Fred Cockerham, whose banjo-accompanied solo performance of "Little Satchel" is one of the treasures recorded during the revival. The song is Fred's own compilation of and elaboration upon lines and images from the "Silver Dagger"/"Katy Dear" family of ballads. The Ramblers have created an entirely new setting for Tracy's (Tracy Schwartz's) high lonesome vocal performance, combining clawhammer and finger-picked banjo in the complementary double-banjo style of early bluegrass musicians Happy Smith and Larry Richardson.
LITTLE SATCHEL- (Fred Cockerham, Low Gap, NC)
[recorded by John Cohen in November, 1965]
Under my bed, you can set your little satchel
On my head you lay your little hand
If you be, my little lovin' darlin'
I will be your lovin' little man
Little girl, go ask your mama
A bride of mine may ever be
If she says "no," come back and tell me
I will wait till you get free
Oh, when you're free, oh then we will get married
Look how happy then we will be
Then we'll go to Californ-y
Settle down and live at home [1]
I wish I were a little sparrow
And I had new wings to fly
I'd fly back to the arms of my darling
Weep and mourn till I die.
As you see I'm no little sparrow
Neither have the wings to fly
I'll go home all broken-hearted
Weep and mourn till I die.
1. This stanza is frequently sung:
Oh, when you're free, oh then we will get married
Look how happy then we will be, [fill]
Then we'll go to Californ-y
Any place you want to go,
I will go to Alabama,
Settle down and live at home.