—The Lilly Brothers version
Old Joe Clark had a house
Fifteen stories high
And every story in that house
Was filled with chicken pie
Chorus:
Fare thee well Old Joe Clark
Fare thee well I say
Fare the well Old Joe Clark
I'm a goin' away to stay
I went down to Old Joe's house
He invited me to supper
I stumped my toe on the table leg
And stuck my nose in the butter
Old Joe Clark's a fine old man
Tell you the reason why
He keeps good likker 'round his house
Good old Rock and Rye
Old Joe Clark, the preacher's son
Preached all over the plain
The only text he ever knew
Was High, low, Jack and the game
Old Joe Clark had a yellow cat
She would neither sing or pray
She stuck her head in the buttermilk jar
And washed her sins away
Even more verses:
Old Joe Clark had a mule
His name was Morgan Brown
And every tooth in that mule's head
Was sixteen inches around
Now Old Joe Clark ran through my field
He scared my little pup
He run my black hogs under the floor
And drunk my liquor up.
Now Old Joe Clark's a mean old man
And tough as he can be
Knocked me down with his right hand
And walked all over me
Get out 'the way for Old Joe Clark
Hide that jug of wine
Get out 'the way for Old Joe Clark
He ain't no friend of mine
Eighteen miles of mountain road
And fifteen miles of sand
If ever travel this road again
I'll be a married man
Now I wouldn't marry a widder
Tell you the reason why
She'd have so many children
They'd make those biscuits fly
Sixteen horses in my team
The leaders they are blind
And every time the sun goes down
There's a pretty girl on my mind
Verse:
| I | I | I | V |
| I | I | I – V | I |
Chorus:
| I | I | I | VII |
| I | I | I – V | I |