Author: Jim

Ragged But Right

Jim,

—Riley Puckett (mostly)
I come here to tell you people I'm ragged but right
I'm a thief and a gambler I get drunk every night
Get a porterhouse steak three times a day for my board
That's more than any loafer in this town can afford

Got a big electric fan to keep me cool while I sleep
A little baby girl plays around at my feet
I'm a ramblin' gambler and I'm drunk every night
I tell you boys, I'm ragged but right.

Bridge:
I go everywhere, I don't pay no fare
I can ride a freight train just anywhere
If I win or lose I don't get the blues
It's gamblin' and roamin' for me.

I hopped on a freight train in North Caroline
Rode down to Atlanta and bought me some shine
Went into a card game with 39 cents
And came out with enough for another month's rent.

I got an ol' lazy hound dog who brings me my shoes.
He sleeps at my feet and we drink the same booze
Oh he's a tramp and a rounder, he leads a dirty life
I tell you people we're ragged but right.

Verse:

I V V I   I7
IV   IV#º I   VI II V
I V V I   I7
IV   IV#º I   VI II   V I

Bridge:

I I I II   V
I IV I   V I


 
—The Greenbriar Boys' version
Well I just come here to tell you people I'm ragged but right
A thief and a gambler and I'm drunk every night
It's three porterhouse steaks each night and day for my board
More'n any flatfoot in your town can afford

Well it's a big electric fan to keep me cool while I sleep
A pretty little woman just to tickle my feet
I'm a rambler a gambler and I'm lit up every night
I'm a rootin' tootin' dope fiend, but right.

Bridge:
Oh, I go everywhere, I don't pay no fare
I can ride a freight train most everywhere
If I win or lose oh, I don't get the blues,
Oh a ramblin' joker that's me.

I got an ol' lazy hound dog who brings me my shoes.
He sleeps at my feet and we drink the same booze
Oh he's a rambling gambler, he gets drunk every night.
I tell you people we're ragged but right.

My house is bought with pawnshop tickets, red, white and blue
My clothes are made from zebra skins right out of the zoo
I got a mess of mash right in the back, I made it myself
And the hearts of all my girlfriends lyin' right there on the shelf

Well now I've sung my song, and I've given you a taste,
I'd like to linger longer but I got to make haste,
I'm always wheelin' and dealin' with plenty of feelin' and high as a kite,
I tell you folks I'm ragged but right.

I hopped on a freight train in North Caroline.
Rode down to Atlanta and bought me some shine.
Went into a card game with 39 cents,
And came out with enough for another month's rent.

Well you may think I'm bragging but don't get me wrong
I can't run for office while I'm singing this song
I'm a thief and a gambler and I'm drunk every night
I tell you boys I'm ragged but right.

'Cause I'm a ramblin' man, a gamblin' man, and Lord, am I tight!
I just called to tell you that I'm ragged but right.

Rabbit in a Log

Jim,

(Feast Here Tonight)

There's a rabbit in the log and I ain't got my dog
How will I get him I know
I'll get me a briar and twist it in his hair
That way I'll get him I know

Chorus:
I know ( yes I know )
I know ( I surely know )
That's how I'll get him I know
I'll get me a briar and twist in his hair
That way I'll get him I know

I'll build me a fire and I'll cook that old hare
Roll him in the flames and make him brown
Have a feast here tonight while the moon is shining bright
And find me a place to lie down

Chorus:
To lie down ( to lie down )
To lay down ( to lay down )
Find me a place to lie down
Have a feast here tonight while the moon is shining bright
And find me a place to lie down

I'm going down the track and my coat ripped up my back
Soles on my shoes are nearly gone
A little ways ahead there's an old farmer's shed
That's where I'll rest my weary bones

Chorus:
Weary bones ( weary bones )
Lazy bones ( lazy bones )
That's where I'll rest my weary bones
A little way's ahead there's an old farmer's shed
That's where I'll rest my weary bones

Verse:

I I I V
I I I-V I

Chorus:

IV I I V
I I I-V I

 

Prisoner's Song

Jim,

—Vernon Dalhart, 1925

Chorus:
Oh meet me tonight, love oh meet me
Meet me out in the moonlight alone
For I have a sad story to tell you
Must be told in that moonlight alone.

Now if I had the wings of an angel
Over these prison bars I would fly
And I'd fly to the arms of my darling
And there I'd be willing to die

If I had a great ship out on the ocean
All mounted with silver and with gold
And before would see my darling suffer
That ship would be anchored and sold

Oh I wish I had someone to love me
Yes someone to call me their own
Oh I wish I had someone to sleep with
Cause I'm tired of sleeping all alone

Verse and Chorus:

I IV V I
I IV V I

 


Pretty Polly

Jim,

—Ralph Stanley version

Oh Polly, Pretty Polly, would you take me unkind
Polly, Pretty Polly, would you take me unkind
Let me set beside you and tell you my mind

Well my mind is to marry and never to part
My mind is to marry and never to part
The first time I saw you it wounded my heart

Oh Polly Pretty Polly come go along with me
Polly Pretty Polly come go along with me
Before we get married some pleasures to see

Oh he led her over mountains and valleys so deep
He led her over hills and valleys so deep
Pretty Polly mistrusted and then began to weep
pretty fair maid
Oh Willie, Little Willie, I'm afraid to of your ways
Willie, Little Willie, I'm afraid of your ways
The way you've been rambling you'll lead me astray

Oh Polly, Pretty Polly, your guess is about right
Polly, Pretty Polly, your guess is about right
I dug on your grave the biggest part of last night

Oh she knelt down before him a pleading for her life
She knelt down before him a pleading for her life
Let me be a single girl if I can't be your wife

Oh Polly, Pretty Polly that never can be
Polly, Pretty Polly that never can be
Your past recitation's been trouble to me

Oh went down to the jailhouse and what did he say
He went down to the jailhouse and what did he say
I've killed Pretty Polly and trying to get away

Verse:

I I I I
I I I I
I I V I

 

Pretty Fair Maid in the Garden

Jim,

—Bill Monroe version
A pretty fair maiden in the garden
A cowboy he came ridin' by
He rode up to the bench beside her
Said pretty fair maiden won't you be my bride

Oh no no no, no sir she answered
Why do you impose on a girl like me
I have a sweetheart among the cowboys
Who has for years been gone from me

Perhaps your sweetheart he is drownded
Or perhaps he's on some battlefield slain
Or perhaps he's to some pretty girl married
Or perhaps he'll never return again

Oh if he's dead I know he's happy
And if he's alive I'll see him again
And if he's to some pretty girl married
I'll love the girl that married him

Down on his knees he knelt beside her
And he asked of her to be his bride
And he told her that he was her cowboy
Who had returned to be by her side

Verse and Chorus:

I I IV I
IV I V I

 

Pig In a Pen

Jim,

Chorus:
I got a pig at home in a pen
Corn to feed him on
All I need's a pretty little girl
To feed I'm when I'm gone

Going up on a mountain
To sow a little cane
Raise a barrel of sorghum
Sweet little Liza Jane

Black clouds arising
Sure sign of rain
Put that old gray bonnet
On little Liza Jane

Yonder comes that gal of mine
How do you think I know
Know her by that gingham gown
Hanging down so low

Bake them biscuits baby
Bake em good and brown
When you get them biscuits baked
We're Alabama bound

Verse and Chorus:

I I I IV
I I V I

 


Peg and Awl

Jim,

—Bruce Molsky's version

In eighteen hundred one, peg and awl
In eighteen hundred one, peg and awl
In eighteen hundred one, peggin' shoes was all I done
I'm gonna lay me down my awl, my peg and awl.

In eighteen hundred two, peg and awl ( x2 )
In eighteen hundred two, peggin' shoes was all I'd do.
I'm gonna lay me down my awl, my peg and awl.

In eighteen hundred three, peg and awl ( x2 )
In eighteen hundred three, peggin' shoes was all you'd see
I'm gonna lay me down my awl, my peg and awl.

They've invented a new machine, peg and awl ( x2 )
They invented a new machine, I peg one shoe, it pegs fifteen,
I'm gonna lay me down my awl, my peg and awl.

In eighteen hundred four, peg and awl ( x2 )
In eighteen hundred four, peggin' shoes I'll do no more.
I'm gonna lay me down my awl, my peg and awl.

Tag
I'm gonna lay me down my awl, my peg and awl.

Verse:

I I I V
I IV I – V I

 



Peach Picking Time In Georgia

Jim,

—Jimmie Rodgers

When its peach pickin' time in Georgia
Apple pickin' time in Tennessee
Cotton pickin' time in Mississippi
Everybody picks on me

When its roundup time in Texas
The Cowboys make Whoopee
And way down in old Alabamy
Its gal pickin' time to me

There's the bluegrass in old Kentucky
Virginia's where they do the swing
Carolina now I'm coming to you
Coming just to spend the spring

Arkansas I hear you calling
I know I'll see you soon
There is where we'll do some pickin'
Beneath that ole Ozark moon

When everybody's pickin' cotton
Thats the time I'll pick the wedding ring
We'll go to town and pick a little gown
For the wedding in the Spring

Hope the preacher knows his business
I know he can't fool me
When its peach pickin' time in Georgia
Its gal pickin' time for me

Verse:

I I7 IV I
V I II V
I I7 IV III7
IV I V I

 

Orphan Girl

Jim,

— Gillian Welch

I am an orphan on God's highway
but I'll share my troubles if you go my way
I have no mother, no father, no sister, no brother;
I am an orphan girl

I have had friendships pure and golden
but the ties of kinship I have not known them
I know no mother no father, no sister, no brother;
I am an orphan girl

But when He calls me I will be able
to meet my family at God's table
I'll meet my mother, my father, my sister, my brother;
no more an orphan girl

So, Blessed Savior, make me willing
and walk beside me until I'm with them
Be my mother, my father, my sister, my brother.
I am an orphan girl

Be my mother, my father, my sister, my brother;
I am an orphan girl, I am an orphan girl

Verse and Chorus:

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

 

On and On

Jim,

—Bill Monroe

Traveling down this long lonesome highway
I'm so lonesome I could cry
With memories of how we once loved each other
And now you are saying good—bye

Chorus:
On and on I'll follow my darling
And I wonder where she can be
On and on I'll follow my darling
I wonder if she ever thinks of me

I've cried I've cried for you little darling
It breaks my heart to hear you name
My friends they all so loved you my darling
And they think that I'm to blame

I had to follow you little darling
I can't sleep when the sun goes down
Cause by your side is my destination
The road is clear and there's where I'm bound

Verse and Chorus:

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