Old Charley- D.B. Clark 1890s
[This song appears to be based on the old broadside, "The petition of a drunkard's horse" published by Leonard Deming circa 1829. It was collected by Sharp EFFSA 160, "The Horse's Complaint" and Randolph 318, "The Drunkard's Horse." Warde Ford recorded a version titled, "Barefooted in front and no shoes on behind" (AFS 4209 B3, 1939).
R. Matteson 2014]
OLD CHARLEY
We may ignore the sharp in the signature, since the tune represented does not appear, and call the old tune Dorian, or we may leave it as above and call it Mixolydian. The writer prefers the latter classification.
1. On last Sunday morning, so pleasant, to my mind,
I saddled up old Charley, some pleasure to find,
And no one being along but me and my horse,
We traveled on together and fell into discourse.
2. I never did know that old Charley could speak
Till I hit him a rap o'er the head with my stick,
"You need not abuse me because you are a man,
For I intend to carry you as far as I can.
3. On last Tuesday morning you gave to me my dues,
You rode me to Watchburg without any shoes;
Over hills and hollows and over rocky ground
But my resolution has never yet been found!"
4. Our regulation I have no cause to scorn,
I feed you in plenty both fodder and corn;
And at every situation I stop to warm my feet,
I give you all the oats you are able to eat.
5. "Oh, when you are sober, I very well do know,
You feed very well and you ride very slow,
But when you are drunk then you holler and bawl,
You ride like the devil and feed none at all:
6. All night long at the horse-rack I'll stand,
While you are in the grocery[1] with jug, glass and can
And when they are empty you holler for more,
And never once think of old Charley, I am shore.
7. When you come out, just before it is day,
You jump on old Charley saying, "Carry me away,
And when l'm so tired I am ready to fall,
You spur up old Charley, saying, "Doggone it all."
1. tavern
The above words were furnished by D. B. Clark, of Route One, Salling Tennessee ; whose singing of the old song is distinctly remembered by L. L. McDowell from his youth in the eighteen-nineties. The memory also extends to the singing of Luther Charles, Charley Howard, and others, and recalls slight differences in the text.
The first stanza is remembered as written with the music. The third stanza had some other word instead of Watchburg, which escapes memory. Grocery, in the sixth stanza is remembered as "tavern." Mrs. McDowell also remembers hearing Luther Charles
sing the old song. All remember the tune as above.