The Old Wife- Elisha Lassiter c.1830s (Child 278)
[This humorous ballad, Child 278, The Farmer's Curst Wife, was recorded twice by early country artists: 1928 Bill and Bell Reed (Listen: Old Lady and the Devil) and 1939 Billy Cox and Cliff Hobbs (Battle Axe and the Devil). It was recorded as an Ohio River song, "Daddy Be Gay," by Captain Pearl Nye in 1937 by John Lomax. Nye learned it from his father certainly around the 1880s and Lomax titled it, "The Old Woman Under the Hill." It was also recorded by African-American songsters "Iron Head" Baker and in Virginia, Joe Hubbard (Listen: The Farmer's Wife) , both in 1939. Horton Barker's well-known version was recorded for the LOC in 1933 (Listen: Farmer's Curst Wife- Barker).
R. Matteson 2014]
THE OLD WIFE
1. An old man and woman came over the hill,
(whistling -----)
If they haven't, gone off they are living there still.
To my ti ri ra rum!
2. One day the old man was coming from the plow,
(Whistle - ----)
Says the devil, "I've come for one of your family now,"
To my ti ri ra rum!
3. " 'Tis not, your oldest daughter that I do crave
If's your old wife, and her I must have ."
4. He humped her up upon his old back,
And off to hell like a peddler did pack.
5. When they got to hell's gate,
There they stood wondering at a hell of a rate.
6. Three little devil were hanging up in chains,
She up with a stick and split out their brains
7. When she got in she did not inquire,
She up with her foot and kicked nine in the fire.
8. Two little devils peeped over the wall,
"If you don't take her out she'll destroy us all."
9. Then he humped her up upon his old back,
And off from hell like a peddler did pack.
10. "Well, old man, I've brought your wife back!"
"God zounds and damn it, I'm sorry for that!"
11. "Well, old woman, you're one of eleven;
They won't have you in hell, and you're not fit for heaven!"
Mrs . L . L. McDowell learned the above song from her father, W. H. C. Lassiter; who had learned it from his father, Elisha Lassiter. Ellsha Lassiter cane from North Carolina about 1830. [Elisha was born in c. 1811.] Her uncle, Robert A. B. Lassiter, sings the tune and supplied the last verse, which she did not have.