Author: Jim

Been to the East and Been to the West

Jim,

—Leake County Revelers

I been to the east and been to the west, and I been to Alabama
Prettiest little gal I ever did see, lives down in Louziana

I been to the east and been to the west, and I been to Alabama
All the man give me for to eat was the leg of a yellow hammer
(alt: Toughest piece of meat I ever tried to eat was the back of a yellow hammer)

Prettiest little gal I ever did see, lived in Alabama
You wanna know her name, what her name must be, her name was Suzianna

Been to the east, been to the west, been to Alabama
Prettiest little gal I ever did see, lives in Alabama

Verse:

I I I-V I
I I I-V I  :|

Chorus (instrumental):

I V V IV
IV IV IV – V I
Notation:


 

All Gone Now

Jim,

—Georgia Yellow Hammers

I used to have a pocket full of money, But it's all gone now
I used to get drunk and feel mighty funny, But it's all gone now
I had a gal that I called mine, Said she liked me mighty fine
I used to go see her and have a big time, But it's all gone now

Refrain:
Well it's all gone now, it's all gone now
I lost all my money in a crooked crap game, gal I love is another guy's name
The whiskeys all drunk up now, oh what a shame, But it's all gone now

I had a dog that believed in fighting, But it's all gone now
When he fought he enjoyed the fighting, But it's all gone now
Well he never was whipped in any fight, he'd whip a dog it was an awful sight,
If a dog was able, he would run with all his might, But it's all gone now

Refrain:
Well it's all gone now, it's all gone now,
My dog was walking right along down the trail, I slipped upon him just as easy as a snail
Grabbed my dog by the end of the tail, and it's all gone now

I had a car that was a built for speeding, but it's all gone now
I let my gal steer it while I done feeding, but it's all gone now
She run it into a telephone pole, wrapped it up like a jelly roll,
She's in the hospital and i'm in the hole, and it's all gone now

Refrain:
Well it's all gone now, it's all gone now
I saw that she was headed for the ditch, I reached over and cut off the switch,
Hit that pole, that son of a gun, and it's all gone now

Verse:

I I V I
I I II V
I I IV IV
I I V I

Refrain::

I I V I
IV I II V
I IV-I I-V I

 

Angeline the Baker

Jim,

—Stephen Foster, but with way different lyrics

Angeline the baker
Her age is twenty-three
Feed her candy by the peck
But she won't marry me

Tell how I took Angeline
Down to the county fair
Her father chased me halfway home
And told me to stay there

Angeline the baker
Angeline I say,
Caused me to weep, caused me to mourn
Caused me to beat the jawbone

Angeline the baker
She lived on the village green
And the way that I love her
Beats all to be seen

Angeline the baker
Her age is forty-three,
Little children round her feet
And a banjo on her knee

Father was a baker
They called him Uncle Sam,
I never can forget her
Unless I take a dram

Angeline the baker
Left me here alone,
Left me here to weep a tear
And play on the old jawbone

Sixteen horses in my team
The leader he was blind,
Came close to dying
They sold my Angeline.

Verse

I I I IV
I I I-IV I

 

Ain't Gonna Rain No More

Jim,

—Skillet Lickers

Well the night is dark and dreary
The air was cold as sleet
The old man stood out in the street
Had his shoes all full of (peat)

Well it
Ain't gonna rain no more
How in the world can the old folks tell
Ain't gonna rain no more.

Mosquito he fly high
Mosquito he fly low
Old man mosquito relax all day
Ain't gonna fly no more.

I went to see miss Sally
Miss Sally was not in
I set down on a red hot stove
And got right up again.

Last year I plowed my oxen
This year I plowed the mulie
Hand me down my split tail coat
I'm goin' home with Julie

Oh tom cat sittin on the top of the fence,
Sow cat sittin' on the ground
Tom cat made a pass at sow cat's foot
And they both went round and round.

I went out in the country
Set out under a bush
I sit down on a bumble bee
And he pulled back up and push!

I took my calico riding
And the water sure was wet
Boat turned over in the middle of the pond
She got her stockin's wet.

Verse

I I I V
V V V I

 

Baltimore Fire

Jim,

—Charlie Poole

It was going to a falls by a narrow
That I heard a cry I ever shall remember,
The fire sent and cast its burning embers
On another fated city of our land.

Chorus:
Fire, fire, I heard the cry
From every breeze that passes by,
All the world was one sad cry of pity

Strong men in anguish prayed,
Calling loud to heaven for aid,
While the fire in ruins was laying
Fair Baltimore, the beautiful city

Amid an awful struggle of commotion,
The wind blew a gale from the ocean,
Brave firemen struggled with devotion,
But their efforts all proved in vain.

Chorus
Verse 2

Verse:

I IV I V
I IV V I

Chorus:

I I IV I
IV I V V
I I IV I
IV I V I

 

Your Love Is Like A Flower

Jim,

It was long, long ago in the moonlight
We were sitting on the banks of the stream
When you whispered so sweetly, I love you
As the waters murmured a tune

Chorus:
Oh they tell me your love is like a flower
In the springtime blossoms so fair
In the fall then they wither away dear
And they tell me that's the way of your love

I remember the night, little darling
We were talking of days gone by
When you told me you always would love me
That for me your love would never die

It was spring when you whispered these words dear
The flowers were all blooming so fair
But today as the snow falls around us
I can see that your love is not there

I I IV IV
I I V V
I I IV IV
I V I I

 

You'll Find Her Name Written There

Jim,

—Harold Hensley

No more no more she'll walk this earth
Her face like a beautiful flower
But all alone is a marble stone
You'll find her name written there

A new voice rings where the angel sings
A voice so pure and so fair
And if you look in the heavenly book
You'll find her name written there

I'm all alone since the call of fate
Left me in the deepest despair
And if you'll wait at the pearly gates
You'll find her name written there

I breathe her name into the air
It goes and I know not where
But if you look to the heart of a friend
You'll find her name written there

Verse*:

I VII I I
I VII V V
I VII I IV
I V I I

*Monroe modulates last verse up a full step

 

You're Still On My Mind

Jim,

—Jeff Daniels 1959

The jukebox is playin' a honky—tonk song
One more, I keep sayin', and then I'll go home
What good will it do me, I know what I'll find
An empty bottle, a broken heart and you're still on my mind

The people are dancin' and havin' their fun
And I sit here thinkin' about what you have done
To try and forget you, I've turned to the wine
An empty bottle, a broken heart and you're still on my mind

Alone and forsaken, so blue I could cry
I just sit here drinkin' till the bottle runs dry
What good will it do me, I know what I'll find
An empty bottle, a broken heart and you're still on my mind

Verse:

I I IV IV
V V I I
I I IV IV
V V V I

 

You Waited Too Long

Jim,

—Washboard Sam

Too long, you waited too long to come home
Now your daddy can't use you no more
Too long, you waited too long to come home
And that is all I can stand

Bridge:
It was late last night, about half past nine
You was in a bad tavern drinkin' bad red wine
Too long, you waited too long to come home
Now your daddy can't use you no more

Too long, you waited too long to come home
Now your daddy can't use you no more
Too long, you waited too long to come home
And this is all I got to say

Bridge:
Now I begged you baby, both night and day
Stop your sinnin' quit your lowdown ways
Too long, you waited to long to come home
Now your daddy can't use you no more

Verse:

I I I VI
II V I V
I I I VI
II V V V

Bridge:

I I7 IV IV7
I I I VI
II V-I I I

 

You Rascal You

Jim,

—Sam Theard 1931

I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!
When you dead in your grave,
No more women will you crave.
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!

I trust you in my home, you rascal, you. [x2]
I trust you in my home,
You wouldn't leave my wife alone.
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!

I fed you since last fall, you rascal, you. [x2]
I fed you since last fall,
Then you got your ashes hauled.
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!

You asked my wife to wash your clothes, you rascal, you. [x2]
You asked my wife to wash your clothes
And something else I suppose.
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!

You know you done me wrong, you rascal, you. [x2]
You know you done me wrong,
You done stole my wife and gone.
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!

You asked my wife for a meal, you rascal, you! [x2]
You asked my wife for a meal,
And something else you tried to steal.
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!

Please don't let me find you, rascal, you! [x2]
Please don't let me find you
'Cause you'll leave this world behind you.
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!

Ain't no use to run, you rascal, you. [x2]
Ain't no use to run,
I done bought a Gatling gun,
And you still having your fun, you rascal, you!

I'm gonna kill you just for fun, you rascal, you! [x2]
I'm gonna kill you just for fun;
The buzzards gonna have you when I'm done.
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you!

You done messed with my wife, you rascal, you! [x2]
You done messed with my wife,
And I'm gonna take your life.
I'll be glad when you dead, you rascal, you

Even more verses:

I'll be standing on the corner full of gin
When they bring your dead body in

When they bury you six feet deep
No more fried chicken can you eat,

I trust you in my home,
You wouldn't leave my wife alone.

Ain't gonna be tears in nobody's eyes
When they drag your sorry butt by,

You know you done me wrong,
You done stole my wife and gone.

Verse:

I V I I
I I V V
I I7 IV IV
I V I I