Rabbit in a Log- Version 3 Monroe Brothers 1938

Rabbit in a Log- Monroe Brothers

Have A Feast Here Tonight/Rabbit in a Log/ Gonna Have a Feast Here Tonight/

Traditional Old-Time, Bluegrass; Song

ARTIST: From Monroe Brothers as "Have A Feast Here Tonight" (Bluebird 7508)

CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes;

DATE: Prairie Rambler's 1933 recording Bluebird. Monroe Brothers, "Have a Feast Here Tonight" (Bluebird 7508) 1938;
Fragments of the song have been collected from black informants in South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi as early as 1909 [Erbsen]. 1913 (Brown)

RECORDING INFO: Wernick, Peter (ed.) / Bluegrass Songbook, Oak, Sof (1976), p 77a (Rabbit in the Log)
Baker, Bob; and the Pike County Boys. Mountain Music Bluegrass Syle, Folkways FA 2318, LP (1959), trk# B.07 (Feast Here Tonight)
Forbes, Walter. Ballads and Bluegrass, RCA (Victor) LPM-2472, LP (1962), trk# 6 (Feast Here Tonight)
Kazee, Buell. Mountain Frolic. Rare Old Timey Classics; 1924-37, JSP 77100A-D, CD (2007), trk# C.14a
Mitchell Trio. Violets of Dawn, Mercury MG 21067, LP (196?), trk# B.02 (Rabbit)
Monroe Brothers. Feast Here Tonight, Bluebird AXM2-5510, LP (1975), trk# 26 [1938/01/28] (Have a Feast Here Tonight)
Monroe Brothers. Are You From Dixie? Great Country Brother Teams of the 1930's, RCA (Victor) 8417-4-R, Cas (1988), trk# 15 [1938/01/28] (Have a Feast Here Tonight)
Monroe, Bill; and Doc Watson. Bill and Doc, Sonyatone FEN-210, LP (197?), trk# 6 (Feast Here Tonight)
New Lost City Ramblers. New Lost City Ramblers, Vol. 4, Folkways FA 2399, LP (1962), trk# 7 (Have a Feast Here Tonight)
Ross County Farmers. Farmer's Frolic, Marimac 9013, Cas (1987), trk# 3 [1986/10/11] (Feast Here Tonight)
Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys. Raim, Ethel and Josh Duncan (eds.) / Grass Roots Harmony, Oak, Sof (1968), p32 (Feast Here Tonight)
Stanley Brothers. Legendary Stanley Brothers, Vol. 2, Rebel SLP 1495, LP (197?/196?), trk# B.04 [1964?]
Stanley Brothers. Evening Long Ago, Columbia Legacy CK 86747, CD (2004/1956), trk# 19 (Feast Here Tonight)
Taylor, Earl; and the Stoney Mountain Boys. Folk Songs from the Blue Grass, United Artists UAL 3048, LP (1959), trk# B.07 (Rabbit on a Log)
Unidentified Band. Union Grove 50. Old Time Fiddlers Convention, Union Grove SS-9, LP (1974), trk# B.06 (Rabbit in the Log)
Wernick, Pete/Peter. Wernick, Peter (ed.) / Bluegrass Banjo, Oak, Sof (1974), p 71
West, Jeanie. Roamin' the Blue Ridge, Prestige International INT 13038, LP (196?), trk# A.04 (Have a Feast Here Tonight)

 The Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys [Grass Roots Harmony]. Grass Roots Harmony (Oak Publications), 1968; pg. 32. Bluebird AXM2-5510, The Monroe Brothers – “Feast Here Tonight” (1975. Reissue appears as “Have a Feast Here Tonight”). Folkways FA2399, New Lost City Ramblers –“New Lost City Ramblers, vol. 4” (1962. Appears as “Have a Feast Here Tonight”). Marimac 9013, Ross County Farmers – “Farmer’s Frolic” (1987. Appears as “Feast Here Tonight”). Prestige International INT13038, Jeanie West – “Roamin’ the Blue Ridge” (appears as “Have a Feast Here Tonight”). RCA (Victor) LPM-2472, Walter Forbes – “Ballads and Bluegrass” (1962. Appears as “Feast Here Tonight”). Rebel SLP1495, The Stanley Brothers – “Legendary Stanley Brothers, vol. 2.” Union Grove SS-9, “Union Grove 50” (1974).
 

OTHER NAMES: Feast Here Tonight;

RELATED TO: "Never Let Your Honey Have Her Way" (lyrics, form); Me and my Old Wife had a Little Falling Out; Georgia/Georgie Buck; Skillet Good and Greasy 

SOURCES: BrownIII 166, "Rabbit in the Log" (1 fragment); Kuntz; Folk Index; Meade

NOTES: The Monroe Brothers (Charlie and Bill) recorded the tune around 1938 under the title “Have A Feast Here Tonight,” but probably learned it from the Prairie Ramblers who broadcast on the WLS program National Barn Dance and recorded the tune on a Bluebird 78 RPM.  The Ramblers’ version was quite a bit slower. According to Peter Feldman, the tune is essentially the same as the Carter Family’s “Gospel Ship” (also recorded by the Monroe Brothers.

RABBIT IN A LOG/FEAST HERE TONIGHT- Monroe Brothers
 

There's a rabbit in the log and I ain't got my dog
How will I get him I know
I'll get me a briar and twist it in his hair
That way I'll get him I know

I know (yes I know)
I know (I surely know)
That's how I'll get him I know
I'll get me a briar and twist in his hair
That way I'll get him I know

I'll build me a fire and I'll cook that old hare
Roll him in the flames and make him brown
Have a feast here tonight while the moon is shining bright
And find me a place to lie down

To lie down (to lie down)
To lay down (to lay down)
Find me a place to lie down
Have a feast here tonight while the moon is shining bright
And find me a place to lie down

I'm going down the track and my coat ripped up my back
Soles on my shoes are nearly gone
A little ways ahead there's an old farmer's shed
That's where I'll rest my weary bones

Weary bones ( weary bones)
Lazy bones (lazy bones)
That's where I'll rest my weary bones
A little way's ahead there's an old farmer's shed
That's where I'll rest my weary bones