US & Canada Versions: 274. Our Goodman

US & Canada Versions: 274. Our Goodman

[Our Goodman has been widely known and collected in the US, but "Our Goodman" is rarely a local title. Those versions appearing under the title "Our Goodman," (Child's title came from Herd, "Hame came our goodman") have been assigned that title by collectors (only Mackenzie's 1928 NS version should be titled "Our Goodman"--several other US/Canadian titles have come close, "Home Came A Goodman" (TX), "Hame cam oor gudeman" (NS) etc). A curious case is the title "Arrow Goodman" which appears as version B in the Brown Collection Vol. 2 and several times in the music section (Brown; Volume 4). Since it was not sung nor is part of the text, it appears to be simply a mispronunciation (or just dialect) of the title given to the informant, who did not know the title to be "Our Goodman" in the first place!

Some of the versions collected were not printed or even included in collections because of the sexual topic matter and explicit language. Legmann and Randolph have published several of these "unprintable" versions (also see Gordon's two "Inferno" versions) and they will appear in my collection.

According to Joe Hickerson he "began gathering a collection of versions and variants of "Our Goodman" (Child 274) which now numbers well over 500." My grandfather, Maurice Matteson, collected a version titled "Four Nights" in North Carolina that he published in 1936 in his short book, Beech Mountain Ballads. It was a favorite ballad he would sing at programs.

This ballad was known by both black and white informants and was a popular novelty song. It was recorded commercially by African-American bluesman and old-time country artists from the late 1920s onward. "Cabbage Head Blues" by Lottie Kimbrough was the first 12 bar blues/jazz recording of Our Goodman predating Blind Lemon's "Cat Man Blues," which only quotes a verse. The "Now I've travelled" stanza has an extended jazz form so Kimbrough's version is not a pure 12 bar blues. Lottie was renamed Lena Kimbrough for this session on the new African-American label, Meritt. She sang the female part with her brother Sylvester singing the man's part-- with both making frequent ad libs. They were backed by Paul Banks Kansas Trio with Clifford Banks (Paul's brother) on clarinet and Simon Hoe on a single-string violin of his own construction. "Cat Man Blues" was the first strictly 12 bar blues version loosely based on "Our Goodman." The origin of the arrangement (re-composition) is unclear and it was recorded by Blind Lemon Jefferson in Sept. 1929 (a 1927 version of Our Goodman by Jefferson, titled "I Labor So Far From Home," was not issued, but the text and lead sheets from the session survived). A second version of "Cat Man Blues" was recorded by Piedmont bluesman, Blind Boy Fuller in 1936. "Drunkard's Special" performed by Texas singer Coley Jones ("vocal solo with guitar") was recorded in Dallas on December 6, 1929, original issue Columbia 14489D and was similar to the old-time country versions made by Earl Johnson and also by the Skillet Lickers. A version featuring harp was "Wake Up Baby" by Sonny Boy Williamson II for Chess in 1958.

Several versions include "Sailor" in the title and text, the most famous being the duet "Home Came a Sailor" by Country Music superstar Elton Britt and Rosalie Allen in 1953, a rewrite/arrangement of a traditional version. Homer and Jethro released a version the same year (which I don't have). These are possibly based on the 1928 version under this title which appears in Frank Shay's "More Pious Friends and Drunken Companions" (N.Y.: Macaulay, pp. 104-105). Shay calls his version "a sterilization of a ribald ballad." He offers no tune. Eric Posselt ("Edgar Palmer") included it without attribution in "G. I. Songs" (N.Y.: Sheridan House, 1944).

The ballad was collected from African-American Percy Ridge of Fort Worth, Texas, on April the 10th, 1934. [Listen: Percy Ridge- Western Cowboy]. This unusual version (see: Western Cowboy- Ridge for lyrics) combines two songs- Western Cowboy also sung by Leadbelly with Child 274. This is one of the earliest traditional non-commercial African-American versions.

One of my favorite old-time country versions is Asa Martin (guitar and vocal) with Doc Roberts (Mandolin) [Listen; Asa Martin Johnny The Drunkard]. The North Georgia version also played by Gid Tanner was recorded in 1927 by fiddler Earl Johnson [Listen: Earl Johnson, Three Nights Experience.]

A cajun swing version, Old Man Crip, titled after the nickname of fiddler and vocalist Leon "Crip" Credeur of the Jolly Boys of Lafayette was recorded in 1937. In 1948 a western swing version Tex William's "Suspicion" was released on Capitol. Tom Archia's All Stars recorded a jazz version "Cabbage Head" Part 1 and Part 2 in 1948.

It's impossible to tell the influence of the recording industry on subsequent versions collected after the 1930s but certainly there was an influence. Some of the collected "traditional" versions may be covers of the recordings. Any title with "Experience" as in "Three Night's Experience" is likely based on a recording.

The Dixon Brothers (Dorsey Dixon c. 1935) "The Intoxicated Rat" is based on "Our Goodman" (melody and opening text) and could be added as an appendix if it wasn't an original song.

Recent bluegrass adaptations from the 1960s have taken "The Cabbage Head Song" title, possibly from Clint Howard's version (with Doc Watson and Fred Price). It was covered by Slim Pickens under that title and a host of others. One of my favorite versions was sung by Bill Livers, an African-American musician, from Owen County, Kentucky with guitar accompaniment:
[Listen: Cabbage Head Song by Bill Livers]

A number of recordings are available on the Abrams Collection site (App State) that were recorded around 1940. They included Sam Coffey, Clarence Greene, Dr. Cratis Williams,  Mace Johnson,  Gwen Northup, Louise Miller and Pearl Webb. Of these recordings only part of Pearl Miller's version appears in the Brown Collection (Volume 4).

R. Matteson 2013]

CONTENTS: (To open individual versions- click on page attached to this page on left hand column)

The Drunken Fool- Still (OK-GA) c.1900 Moores
 Our Goodman- D.D.B. (MA) c.1805 Barry
Home Came the Old Man- (NC?) pre1943 Chase
The Jealous Hearted Husband- Dusenberry (AR) 1959
The Good Old Man- Napier (KY) 1913 Niles
 Cat Man Blues- Blind Lemon Jefferson (TX) 1929
Drunkard's Special- Coley Jones (TX) 1929 REC
This Old Man- Tab Ward (NC) pre1966 Burton
Six Nights Drunk- Presnell (NC) pre1966 Burton
Cat Man Blues- Blind Boy Fuller (NC) 1936
Wake up Baby- Sonny Boy Williamson II (MS) 1958
Four Nights- Hampton (NC) 1933 Matteson
A Sailor Man Came Home- Lockley (CA) 1923 Gordon
How Many Miles- Jones (MA) 1927 Gordon
The Drunk Husband- Taggart (WV) pre1974 Gainer
Four Nights- Frank Proffitt (NC) 1937 Brown C
Our Goodman- (VA) 1914 Davis A
Hobble Bobble- Payne (VA) 1914 Davis B
The Old Man- Maxie (VA) 1914 Fauntleroy; Davis C
Home Comes the Good Old Man- Dearing (VA) 1914 Davis D
Cairo Gal- Sprouse (VA) 1914 Fauntleroy; Davis E
A Jacobite Song- (VA-WV-Can-British) 1914 Davis Appendix
The Old Man- Chapman (MO) 1914 Belden A
Our Good Man- Grooms (MO) 1937 Belden B
The Old Man- (New England) pre1939 Linscott
Old Man Crip- Jolly Boys of Lafayette(LA) 1937 REC
Our Goodman- Baker (UT) 1947 Hubbard C
Johnny Come Home- Roberts (OR) c.1946
Anderson Our Goodman- Hubbard (UT) 1880 Hubbard A
Our Goodman- Hamblin (UT) 1947 Hubbard B
Old Man Came Home- Dietz (WI) 1946
Our Goodman- Gentry (NC) 1916 Sharp A
Our Goodman- Rice (NC) 1916 Sharp B and C
Our Goodman- Wilson (KY) 1917 Sharp D
Our Goodman- Sloan (KY) 1917 Sharp E
Four Nights- Gordon Tanner (GA) 1930s REC 1982
Six Nights Drunk- Bankston & Henderson (GA) 1928
Three Nights Experience- Earl Johnson (GA) 1927
Three Nights Drunk- Skillet Lickers (GA) 1934 REC
Johnny The Drunkard- Asa Martin (KY) 1930 REC
Three Nights Drunk- Rice (TN) 1943 Moser REC
Five Nights Experience- Rice & Stokes (NC) 1938 REC
The Three Nights' Experience- Lunsford (NC) 1925
Four Nights- Shifflett (VA) 1962 Foss REC
Home Came the Goodman- Wilson (NC) 1930 Henry A
The Goodman- Harmon (TN) 1930 Henry B
Three Nights- Franklin (NC) 1930 Henry C
Home Came The Old Man- Tapp (WV) 1916 Cox A
Home Came The Old Man- Jaques (WV) 1916 Cox B
Home Came The Old Man- Anderson(WV) 1917 Cox C
Kind Wife- Smith (NC) 1914 Brown A
Arrow Goodman- Michael (NC) 1898 Brown B
 Kind Wife- Miller (NC) c.1939 Brown Vol. 4
Arrow Goodman- (NC) pre1952 Brown Vol. 4, B
Arrow Goodman- Beaker (NC) 1939 Brown Vol. 4, B1
Arrow Goodman- Kuykendall (NC) 1939 Brown 4, B2
Arrow Goodman- Saunders (NC) 1940 Brown 4, B3
Arrow Goodman- Webb (NC) 1939 Brown 4, B 4 & 5
Arrow Goodman- Wilson (NC) 1929 Brown 4, B6
Our Goodman- Lambe (ON) 1963 Fowke
Last Night When I Came Home- Smith (DC) 1957
Our Good Man- Keyes (VT) 1906 Barry; Flanders B
The Old Man- Kennison (VT) c.1930 Flanders C
Wife, Dearest Wife- Raymond (VT) pre1965 Flanders D
Our Good Man- Burditt (VT) c.1940s Flanders E
Our Good Man- Sandelin (VT) c.1940s Flanders F
 Our Good Man- Sullivan (VT) 1932 Flanders G
The Old Man Came Home- Young (ME) 1929 Barry A
Home Comes The Old Man- Morse (ME) 1929 Barry B
I Labor So Far from Home- Blind Lemon Jefferson (TX) 1927
The Adulteress- Stockton (NC) pre1917 Parsons
Cabbage Head Blues- Kimbrough (MO) 1926 REC
Cabbage Head, Part 1 & 2- Tom Archia (TX-IL) 1948
Cabbage Head Song- Clint Howard (TN) 1960s REC
Three Nights Drunk- Ball (VA) 1957 Seeger REC
Three Nights Experience- McKinney (KY) 1961 Roberts
An Old Man Came Tumbling Home- (SC) 1928 Smith
Cabbage Head Song- Bill Livers (KY) 1960s REC
I Went Home One Night- Chambliss (MO) 1929 Randolph A
The Old Man- Ingenthron (MO) 1941 Randolph B
Home Came The Old Man- Bill (WA) 1927 Finger
Home Came The Old Man- Pritchard (NC) 1924 Chappell
 Home Came The Old Man- Rohrbaugh (WV) 1940
The Western Cowboy- Ridge (TX) 1934 Lomax
I Came Home- Surber (FL) pre1950 Morris
A Man of Travel- Kargel (BAH) 1918 Parsons
Three Nights of Experience- Clubb (NC) 1936 Scarb A
Three Nights of Experience- O'Quinn (VA) 1936 Scarb B
I Called to my Loving Wife- Keene (VA) 1936 Scarb C
Parson Jones- Cochran (MS) 1936 Scarborough D
Our Goodman- McKeen (NS) pre1950 Creighton
I Came Home- Lewis (OH) 1950s Grimes
The Sailor's Return- The Three Hats Vol.2 - 1950
Home Came A Sailor- Britt (TN) 1953 REC
The Drunken Fool- Abel (AR) 1958 Parler
Three Night Spree- Moore (KY) 1959 Wilgus
The Drunkard's Song- White (TX) c.1920 Owens
You Old Fool- Hawkins (IL) 1870s
Home Came A Goodman- Morgan (TX) 1937 Lomax
Three Nights- Tate (VA) 1962 Foss
Three Nights Drunk- Mainer (NC) 1959 Lomax REC
The Other Night- Bruce (VA) 1935 Wilkinson
Parson Jones- Murphy (MS) pre1936 Hudson
Three Nights Drunk- Christian (VA) 1936 Davis AA
Three Nights Experience- Howdyshell(VA) 1932 Davis
He Went To The Gate- Mitchell (NC) 1918 Sharp MS
Our Goodman- (NS) pre1928 Mackenzie
Our Gude Man- (MA) 1840s Whittier
I Came Home- Adams (NC) pre1976 REC
Three Nights' Experience- Keel (FL) 1939 Lomax
Four Nights Drunk- Cottrell (WV) pre1973 REC
This Good Old Man- Vanscoyoc (OH) Eddy
My Dear Wife- Dillan (IN) 1936 Brewster
One Saturday Night- Rosenbaum (NJ) 1922 REC
-------------

More Pious Friends and Drunken Companions: Songs and Ballads of Conviviality by Frank Shay; with drawings by John Held Jr. 1928 (no informants / sources named - two versions)

p.103 Shay
THE SAILOR'S RETURN

Home came the sailor, home from the sea,
And there in the stable a strange horse did see.
"O wife, now tell me what can this mean,
A strange brown horse where my mare should have been?"

"You old fool, you danged fool, you son-of-a-gun,"  said she,
 "It's nothing but a milk cow my mother sent to me."
 "Miles have I sailed, five thousand or more,
 But a cow without an udder I never saw before."

Home came the sailor, home from the sea,
And there in the parlor a strange coat saw he.
"O wife, now tell me what can this mean,
A coat that's not mine where my coat should have been?"

"You old fool, you danged fool, you son-of-a-gun," said she,
"It's nothing but a blanket my mother sent to me."
"Miles have I sailed, five thousand or more,
But buttons on a blanket I never saw before."

Home came the sailor, home from the sea,
And there in his bed a strange face did see.
"O wife, now tell me what does this mean,
Another man's head where my own should have been?"

"You old fool, you danged fool, you son-of-a-gun," said she,
"It's nothing but a cabbage head my mother sent to me."
"Miles have I sailed, five thousand or more,
But whiskers on a cabbage head I never saw before."
--------------

p.31 Shay

Our gude-man cam' hame at e'en,
And hame cam' he;
And there he saw a saddle-horse,
  Whaur nae horse should be.
"Oh, how cam' this horse here,

 How can this be?
How cam' this horse here,

  Without the leave of me?"
   "A horse?" quo' she,
    "Ay, a horse," quo' he.
"Ye auld blind doited carle,

  Blinder mat ye be!
'Tis naething but a milk-cow

 My minnie sent to me."
   "A milk-cow!" quo' he,
    "Ay, a milk-cow," quo' she.
"Far ha'e I ridden,

  And meikle ha'e I seen;
But a saddle on a cow's back

Saw I never nane!"

Our gude-man cam' hame at e'en,

  And hame cam' he;
He spied a pair o' jack-boots,

  Whaur nae boots should be.
"What's this now, gude-wife?

  What's this I see?
How cam' these boots here,
  Without the leave o' me?"
    "Boots?" quo' she,
    "Ay, boots," quo' he.
"Shame fa' your cuckold face,

  And ill mat ye see!
It's but a pair o' water-stoups
  The cooper sent to me."
    "Water-stoups!" quo' he.
    "Ay, water-stoups," quo' she.
"Far ha'e I ridden,

And farer ha'e I gane; But siller spurs on water-stoups Saw I never nane!"

Our gude-man cam' hame at e'en,

  And hame cam' he;
And there he saw a sword,

  Whaur nae sword should be.
"What's this now, gude-wife?

  What's this I see?
Oh, how cam' this sword here,
  Without the leave o' me?"
   "A sword?" quo' she.
    "Ay, a sword," quo' he.
"Shame fa' your cuckold face,

  And ill mat ye see!
Its but a parritch spurtle
 My minnie sent to me.
   "A spurtle?" quo' he.
    "Ay, a spurtle," quo' she.
"Weel far ha'e I ridden,

  And meikle ha'e I seen;
But silver-handled spurtles
  Saw I never nane!"

Our gude-man cam' hame at e'en,

  And hame cam' he;
There he spied a pouthered wig,

  Whaur nae wig should be.
"What's this now, gude-wife?

  What's this I see?
How cam' this wig here,
  Without the leave o' me?"
   "A wig?" quo' she.
    "Ay, a wig," quo' he.
"Shame fa' your cuckold face,

  And ill mat ye see!
Tis naething but a clockin' hen
 My minnie sent to me.
   "A clockin' hen?" quo' he.
    "Ay, a clockin' hen," quo' she.
"Far ha'e I ridden,


  And meikle ha'e I seen;
But pouther on a clockin' hen
  Saw I never nane!"

Our gude-man cam' hame at e'en,

  And hame cam' he;
And there he saw a riding-coat,

  Whaur nae coat should be.
"Oh, how cam' this coat here?

 How can this be?
How cam' this coat here,

  Without the leave o' me?"
   "A coat?" quo' she.
    "Ay, a coat," quo' he.
"Ye auld blind dotard carle,

  Blinder mat ye be!
It's but a pair o' blankets

 My minnie sent to me."
    "Blankets?" quo' he.
    "Ay, blankets," quo' she.
"Far ha'e I ridden,

And meikle ha'e I seen; But buttons upon blankets

Saw I never nane!"

Bed went our gude-man.
 And bed went he;

And there he spied a sturdy man,

Whaur nae man should be. "How cam' this man here?

 How can this be?
How cam' this man here,
  Without the leave o' me?"
   "A man?" quo' she.
    "Ay, a doited man," quo' he.
"Puir blind body!

  And blinder mat ye be!
It's a new milking-maid
 My minnie sent to me."
   "A maid?" quo* he.
    "Ay, a maid," quo' she.
"Far ha'e I ridden

  And meikle ha'e I seen;
But lang-bearded milking-maids
  Saw I never nane?"


Missing versions:

[There are a fairly large number of missing versions, some will be added later, some I don't have.]

"Ods bobs, here's fun," sung by Mr. Walcot at the Boston Museum, October 14, 1841.
 
John B. Stetson Pisspot (Legman)

Gordon manuscript 3852 The Old Fool

Ruth Rubin NY Folklore Quarterly 1956 Vol. 12 Yiddish "Our Goodman"

Cabbagehead,  Jim Krause, from “Going Up the Missouri: Songs & Dance Tunes from Old Fort Osa”

Harry Jackson’s “The Western Cowboy” (probably April 1939; another similar composite folksong),

Mitchell Helton’s [alias Egg Mouth] “Blind Fool” (probably April 1939),

Will Starks’s “Our Good Man” (August 9, 1942, AFS 6652-A-1),

 Johnny Q. Nuts’s [John Knutz] untitled text (1960, collected by Mack McCormick)

Professor Longhair’s [Roy Byrd] “Cabbagehead” (September 1971, Rounder CD 2057)

Lazy Bill Lucas’s “Cabbage Head” (May 13, 1973, Philo 1007

Andros island, Bahamas, Alan Lomax and Mary Elizabeth Barnicle, 1935

OUR GOODMAN. Sung by Gladys Wilder and Pauline Faine Kentucky 1937 LOC recording

"The Drunken Fool" Songs: Otto Gray and his Oklahoma Cowboys 1930 (paperback folio book)

Slim Pickens- cabbage Head Song

Hamper McBee 1978 video (two verses at 7:20)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyrobAZ-Eek&feature=youtube_gdata_player


Abrams Collection: http://contentdm.library.appstate.edu/docapp/abrams/field_recordings/o-p.html

JOHN CAME HOME (See Asa Martin's version- this a cover song)
Source Dust-to-Digital DTD-12 ('Art of Field recording Vol.2')  
Performer Smelser, Vern  
Place collected USA : Indiana : Paoli  
Collector Rosenbaum, Art  

LAST NIGHT WHEN I CAME HOME AT THREE
Source Edith Fowke Coll. (FO 97)  
Performer Berton, Pierre  
Place collected Canada : Ontario : Kleinberg  
Collector Fowke, Edith  

OUR GOODMAN
Source Edith Fowke Coll. (FO 9, FO 48)  
Performer Howard, Gordon  
Place collected Canada : Ontario : Toronto  
Collector Fowke, Edith  
Roud number 114  | Roud number search

OUR GUIDMAN
Source Edith Fowke Coll. (FO 82)  
Performer Turner, Mrs. R.  
Place collected Canada : Ontario : Toronto  
Collector Fowke, Edith  
Roud number 114  | Roud number search


OUR GOODMAN
Source Stout, Folklore from Iowa (1936) pp.13-14  
Performer Martin, Billie  
Place collected USA : Iowa : Bradgate  
Collector Stout, Earl J.  
Roud number 114  | Roud number search

OUR GUDE-MAN
Source Shay, More Pious Friends & Drunken Companions (1928) pp.31-35  
Performer   
Place collected USA  
Collector Shay, Frank  
Roud number 114  | Roud number search

SAILOR'S RETURN, THE
Source Shay, More Pious Friends & Drunken Companions (1928) pp.104-105  
Performer   
Place collected USA  
Collector Shay, Frank  
Roud number 114  | Roud number search

THREE NIGHTS DRUNK
Source Folk-Legacy FSA 27 (`Songmaker of the Catskills')  
Performer Rogers, Grant  
Place collected USA : New York : Walton  
Collector Paton, Sandy  
Roud number 114  | Roud number search

THREE NIGHTS EXPERIENCE
Source Kirkland: Southern Folklore Quarterly (1938) pp.76-77  
Performer Fulton Buck / Sam Hatcher  
Place collected USA : Tennessee : Knoxville  
Collector Kirkland, Edwin Capers & Mary Neal  
Roud number 114  | Roud number search

I COME IN THE OTHER NIGHT
Source Library of Congress: Archive of American Folk Culture 4107 B1  
Performer Alston, Ernie  
Place collected USA : California : Shafter  
Collector Todd, Charles L. / Robert Sonkin  


JOHN CAME HOME
Source List, Singing About it (1991) pp.202-204  
Performer Smelser, Vern  
Place collected USA : Indiana : Paoli  
Collector Dunford, / Arthur Rosenbaum  

MR. GOODY GOODY
Source Combs, Folk-Songs of the Southern United States (1967) p.207 item 37(b)  
Performer Combs, Mrs. John W.  
Place collected USA : Kentucky : Hindman  
Collector Combs, Josiah H.  
 
MR. GOODY GOODY
Source Kentucky Folklore Record 6:4 (1960) p.127 item 7(a)  
Performer Combs, Mrs. John W.  
Place collected USA : Kentucky : Hindman  
Collector Combs, Josiah H.  
 
MUSTACHE ON A CABBAGE HEAD
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.1122 (version c)  
Performer Stapleton, Mrs. Mae  
Place collected USA : Virginia : Esserville  
Collector Hamilton, Emory L.  

OLD MAN CAME HOME THE OTHER NIGHT, THE
Source Combs, Folk-Songs of the Southern United States (1967) p.207 item 37(a)  
Performer   
Place collected USA : W. Virginia : Morgantown  
Collector Combs, Josiah H. / Woofter, Carey  

OLD MAN, THE
Source Solomon, Sweet Bunch of Daisies (1991) pp.21-23  
Performer Hornsby, Jack  
Place collected USA : Alabama : Tallassee  
Collector Pienezza, Mackie  

OLD WIFE FALSE WIFE
Source Combs, Folk-Songs of the Southern United States (1967) p.207 item 37(c)  
Performer Smith, Mrs. Polly B.  
Place collected USA : Kentucky : Hindman  
Collector Combs, Josiah H.  

OLD WIFE FALSE WIFE
Source Kentucky Folklore Record 6:4 (1960) p.127 item 7(b)  
Performer Smith, Mrs. Polly B.  
Place collected USA : Kentucky : Hindman  
Collector Combs, Josiah H.  

THREE NIGHTS EXPERIENCE
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.1122 (version a)  
Performer Kilgore, Miss Etta  
Place collected USA : Virginia : Wise  
Collector Hamilton, Emory L.  


THREE NIGHTS OUT
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.1122 (version b)  
Performer Johnson, J.J.  
Place collected USA : Virginia : Wise  
Collector Hylton, James M.  

WHOSE HAT IS THAT
Source Ruby Pickens Tartt Collection (Univ. West Alabama, Livingston) Series 9 Box 5 folder K-16 item 107  
Performer Dodson, Annie Grace  
Place collected USA : Alabama : Sumter County  
Collector Tartt, Ruby Pickens  

HOME CAME A GOOD MAN
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 907 A1  
Performer Morgan, Mrs. Minta  
Place collected USA : Texas : Bells  
Collector Lomax, John A.  

HOME CAME THE GOODMAN
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 2864 A2  
Performer Wilson, Mrs. Ewart  
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Pensacola  
Collector Halpert, Herbert  

OTHER NIGHT WHEN I CAME HOME, THE
Source Library of Congress recording 3640 A3  
Performer Halpert, Herbert  
Place collected USA : New York  
Collector Halpert, Herbert  

OUR GOODMAN
Source Library of Congress recording 375 B2  
Performer Rolle, Simeon  
Place collected Bahamas : Andros Island : Grants  
Collector Lomax, Alan / Mary Elizabeth Barnicle  

OUR GOODMAN
Source Library of Congress recording 1564 A1  
Performer Wilder, Gladys / Pauline Fanine  
Place collected USA : Kentucky : West Liberty  
ColleLomax, Alan & Elizabeth   

OUR GOODMAN
Source Library of Congress recording 843 A2  
Performer Beeker, H.J.  
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Boone  
Collector Lomax, John A.   

OUR GOODMAN
Source Library of Congress recording 3640 B1  
Performer Feiner, Jerome  
Place collected USA : New York  
Collector Halpert, Herbert  

OUR GOODMAN
Source Library of Congress recording 1413 A4 & B1  
Performer Harris, Mrs. M.A.  
Place collected USA : Kentucky : Pine Mountain  
Collector Lomax, Alan & Elizabeth  

OUR GOODMAN
Source Library of Congress recording 842 B1  
Performer Miller, Mrs. Myra Barnett  
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Tuckaseigee  
Collector Lomax, John A.  

THREE NIGHTS' EXPERIENCE
Source Library of Congress recording 2861 B2, 2862 A1  
Performer Farmer, Mrs. Mary Franklin  
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Crossnore  
Collector Halpert, Herbert  

THREE NIGHTS' EXPERIENCE
Source Library of Congress recording 2870 A  
Performer Hampton, Mrs. Sabra Bare  
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Morgantown  
Collector Halpert, Herbert  
Roud number 114  | Roud number search

OUR GOODMAN
Source Helen Hartness Flanders Collection (Middlebury College, Vermont) D69 A 05  
Performer Raymond, D.H.  
Place collected USA : Vermont : Springfield  

Roud number 114  | Roud number search
OUR GOODMAN
Source Helen Creighton collection (Nova Scotia Archives) AR 5675 / AC 2331 / 2446  
Performer Gass, Dr.  
Place collected Canada : Nova Scotia : Tatamagouche  
Collector Creighton, Helen  

CABBAGE HEAD
Source Mary Elizabeth Barnicle-Tillman Cadle Collection (Archives of Appalachia, E. Tenn. State Univ.) Disc BC-423  
Performer Johnson, Carl & Hazel  
Place collected USA : Tennessee : Knoxville  
Collector Cadle, Tillman  
Roud number 114  | Roud number search

OUR GOODMAN
Source West Virginia Folklore 9:2 (Winter 1959) pp.22-24  
Performer Wilson, Mrs. Lennard  
Place collected USA : W. Virginia : Newton  
Collector Tawney, Mrs. G.G.  
Roud number 114  | Roud number search

FIRST NIGHT THAT I CAME HOME, THE
Source West Virginia Folklore 5:2 (Winter 1955) pp.27-28  
Performer Glasscock, Mrs. Howard  
Place collected USA : W. Virginia : Wetzel County  
Collector Musick, Ruth Ann  

GAY OLD MAN, THE
Source Journal of American Folklore 66 (1953) p.44  
Performer   
Place collected USA : New York  
Collector   

CABBAGE HEAD SONG, THE
Source Rainey, Songs of the Ozark Folk (1976) pp.68-69  
Performer James, Eugene  
Place collected USA : Missouri : West Plains  
Collector Rainey, Leo  

OUR GOODMAN
Source Anderson: Tennessee Folklore Soc. Bulletin 8:3 (1942) p.72  
Performer Burns, Inez  
Place collected USA : Tennessee : Maryville  
Collector   

WHEN I COME HOME THE OTHER NIGHT
Source Duncan, Ballads & Folk Songs Collected in Northern Hamilton County (1939) pp.101-106 (version a)  
Performer Bolton, Jim  
Place collected USA : Tennessee : Sale Creek  
Collector Duncan, Ruby  

OUR GOODMAN
Source Duncan, Ballads & Folk Songs Collected in Northern Hamilton County (1939) pp.101-106 (version b)  
Performer Crawley, Mildred  
Place collected USA : Tennessee : Sale Creek  
Collector Duncan, Ruby  

OUR GOODMAN
Source Haun, Cocke County Ballads & Songs (1937) p.113  
Performer Haun, Mrs. Maggie  
Place collected USA : Tennessee : Cocke County  
Collector   
Roud number 114  | Roud number

THREE NIGHTS' EXPERIENCE
Source Duncan, Ballads & Folk Songs Collected in Northern Hamilton County (1939) pp.101-106 (version b)  
Performer Crawley, Mildred  
Place collected USA : Tennessee : Sale Creek  
Collector Duncan, Ruby  


------------

Country Music Sources: Meade

14. OUR GOODMAN-- CHILD 274

[Ref: (2) BSM, pp. 89-91; OFS, l,#33,181-5; (4) SOG&OC,'Drunken Fool,'p. 33; (5)'Laboring Man Away From Home,' [Correct title "I Labor far way from Home."] Blind Lemon Jeffferson, 311511921, OK uniss, 'Drunkard's Special,' Coley Jones, 1210611929, Co 14489-D, FW FP251, FA2951, SF 40090 (cd), Yaz 2017 (cd); 'Three Nights Experience,' Homer & Jethro, early 1947, King682; 'Three Nights in a Bar Room,' Wade Mainer, ca. 1953, Blue Ridge 109.1

Three Nights Experience (W 142065- ) - Gid Tanner & Fate Norris (vcl duet w/vln & gtr) - 04-20-1926. Atlanta, Ga.
Co uniss

Three Nights Experience (W 30466-) - Earl Johnson & His Dixie Entertainers (vcl w/vln, bjo & gtr) -
02-21-1927. Atlanta, Ga.
OK45092 - 05-1927; Pa R3859

Four Nights Experience (GE 13422-) - Thomas C. Ashley (vcl w/gtr & bjo by Dwight Bell) - 02-02-1928.
Richmond, Ind.
Gnt 6404; 04-1928
Chl 405 (Tom Hutchinson)

Three Nights Experience (AL 1431144) - John Evans (vcl w/gtr) - 02-1928. Ashland, Ky.
Br 237 - 0711928
Au22020 (Mike Long) - 05-1931

Six Nights Drunk, Pts. 1&2 (W 402006- /W 402007- ) - Emmett Bankston & Red Henderson (vcl w/gtr & bjo) - 07-30-1928. Atlanta, Ga.
OK45292; 03-1929

John The Drunkard (4053- ) - Carson Robison Trio (vcl w/nov acc); 08-1929. NYC.
Ro 1093 - llll929
Cq7728
Cam 9291

John The Drunkard (8995- ) - Carson Robison Trio (vcl w/hca & gtr) - 09-03-1929. NYC.
Pat32504 - 01/1930
Pe 12583 - 01/1930

Johnny The Drunkard (GE 16A9T - Asa Martin (vcl w/gtr) - 01-14-1930. Richmond, Ind.
Gnt7207 - 0711930 Spt 9642 (Emmett Davenport)
Ch 15922 (Jesse Coat) - 03/1930

Three Nights Drunk (BVE 82687- ) - Gid Tanner & Riley Puckett (vcl w/vln & gtr) - 03-29-1934. San Antonio, Tex.
Bb85748 -025935

Old Man Crip (61916-4) - Jolly Boys Of Lafayette (vclwl} vlns, accdn & gtr) - 01-1-1937. Dallas, Tex.
De 5431 - 9-13-1937

Five Nights Experience (BS 0277-) - Mustard & Gravy - Dixie's Tastiest Combination [Frank Rice & Emest Stokes, (vcl w/2 gtrs) - 09-28-1938. Rock Hill, S.C.
Bb 87905 - 11-1938

------------------
 
California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties
 
Ford, Warde, performer, 1939
Cowell, Sidney Robertson, transcriber; music Key of E major

OUR GOODMAN

I'm gonna sing about two lines of a song that I daren't sing
because of its character and then I'll sing another song with the same
tune known as PUTTING ON THE AGONY.

 OUR GOODMAN
One night as I came home as drunk as I could be
Saw someone's hat upon the hat rack where my hat ought to be.
"Dear wife, dear wife, whose hat is that I see
That's hanging on the hat rack where my hat ought to be?"


 ----------------
http://www.loc.gov/item/afccc.a4217a2

 Archive of Folk Culture (Library of Congress)
Cowell, Sidney Robertson
Home came the good old man
George Vinton Graham
 
Dates 1939
 
Location California
San Jose

---------------

Bronson 58. "Our Goodman"

Sharp MSS., 389717. Also in Sharp and Karpeles, 1932, I, p. 269(D). Sung by Mrs. Wilson, Pineville, Ky., June 5,
1917, a rr1, ending on II; if on A, a tr'8

Cf., e.g., B. L. Lunsford's version of "Fair Margaret and Sweet William" (Child No.274), ante,Vol. II, p. r84 (variant 69)

Old man come home at night, the place he ought to be;
Another man's horse is standing in the stable where his horse ought to be.
You old fool, you biind fool, can't you never see?
Nothing but a milking-cow my mamma sent to me.
I've rambled, I've travelled ten thousand miles or more:
Never saw a milking-cow with a saddle on before.

---------------

The Old Man Came Home [No title]; Bronson No. 13
Doney Hammontree, Farmington Ark., July 1954; Parler

1. The old man came home one night
What a good old man was he
And he found a coat all on the bed
Where his own coat ought to be,

My dear wife, my loving wife,
O what can this all be?
To find a coat all on the bed,
Where my coat ought to be.

You old fool, you blind old fool,
Why can't you never see?
It's nothing but a bed-quilt
My mother sent to me.

How many miles have I travelled,
Ten thousand miles or more
But pockets in a bed-quilt
I never saw before.

2. The old man came home one night
What a good old man was he
And found a hat all on the rack
Where his own hat ought to be.

My dear wife, my loving wife,
O what can this all be?
To find a hat all on the rack
Where my hat ought to be.

You old fool, you blind old fool,
Why can't you never see?
It's nothing but a thunder-mug
My mother sent to me.

How many miles have I travelled,
Ten thousand miles or more
But brims on a thunder-mug
I never saw before.
----------------
14. "Came Home the Other Night"
Sung by Elizabeth Law, from Jackson Counry, Ohio, tradition LC/AAFS, rec. No. 11,454 (A6) REcorded by Anne
Grimes.


Came home last night as drunk as I could be

 I saw another man's horse tied where my horse ought to be.

My kind wife, my loving wife,
Whose horse is this horse tied where my horse ought to be?
You fool, you blind fool, can't you never see
lt's a milkcow that (your?) mama gave to me
A long ways I've travelled, thousand miles or more,
I never saw a saddle on a milkcow before.