My Good Old Husband- Flora McDowell
["Where have you been, my good old husband?" was recorded by Dewey Balfa (March 20, 1927 – June 17, 1992), an American Cajun fiddler and singer. It's a standard Cajun song known under the title, Mon Bon Vieux Mari (My Good Old Husband/ My Good ol' Man). The southern mountain versions, like McDowell's below, have a mock supernatural ending. A version was collected by Parler in 1959 in AR that is found in the Max Hunter Collection.
R. Matteson 2014]
MY GOOD OLD HUSBAND
1. "Where have you been, my good old husband?
"Where have you been, and I called him "love."
"Where have you been, my good old husband?
Best friend in the world."
2, "What'd y' go there for, my good old husband?
"What'd y' go there for, --"Because I wanted to,"
3. 'What d' y' want for y' supper, my good old husband?
"What'd y' go there for, --"Eggs."
4, "How many do y' want, my good old husband?"
"How many do y' want, -- "A bushel."
5. "A bushel 'll kill you, my good old husband."
"Don't care if it does."
6 "Where d' y' want to be buried, my good old husband?"
"In the chimney corner."
7. "What, d' y' want to be buried there for, my good old husband?"
"To HAUNT you!"
The spoken rejoinder at the end of each verse is in a gruff voice until the last, when it is a sudden loud shout, accompanied with a springing forward; the object being to frighten the listener.
This was remembered by Mrs. L. L. McDowell from her childhood.