The Drunken Fool- Still (OK-GA) c.1900 Moores
[My date. From BALLADS AND FOLK SONGS OF THE SOUTHWEST; Moores, 1964. Their notes follow.
R. Matteson 2013]
The Drunken Fool, sung by Frank J. Still of Tahlequah, who has known it for forty years. Mr. Still left Georgia in 1884 when he was nine years old. The musical notation was made by Miss Evelyn Osborn of Tulsa.
As I came home the other night,
As drunk as I could be,
I saw a horse tied at my gate
Where my horse ought to be.
"My wife, my dear wife,
What does all this mean?
There is a horse tied at my gate
Where my horse ought to be."
"You old fool, you blind fool,
You drunken fool," said she.
"That's just a milk cow
My mother sent to me."
"I've traveled east, I've traveled west,
I've traveled this wide world o'er;
But I've never seen a milk cow
With a saddle on before."
As I came home the other night,
As drunk as I could be,
A hat was on the hatrack
Where my hat ought to be.
"My wife, my beloved wife,
What does all this mean?
A strange hat is here
Where my hat ought to be."
"You old fool, you blind fool,
Fool, can't you see?
That's just a milk pail
My mother sent to me."
"I've traveled this wide world over
Ten thousand miles or more;
But never did I see a milk pail
With a sweatband on before."
As I came home the other night,
As drunk as I could be,
A head was on my pillow
Where my head ought to be.
"My wife, my beloved wife,
What does all this mean?
A strange head is on my pillow
Where my head ought to be."
"You old fool, you blind fool,
You drunken fool," said she.
"That's just a little babe
That God has given me."
"I've traveled this wide world over
Ten thousand miles or more;
But I never saw a mustache
On a baby's face before."