I've fallen in love with a ditty from The Red Clay Ramblers' /Merchants Lunch/ album. /Henhouse Blues/ is credited to The Bentley Boys, and thanks to (the totally wonderful) Juneberry 78s, I was able to listen to the original as well.

I've been able to pick out the lyrics with a few exceptions. If y'all care to chime in with suggestions for the uncertain parts, I'd be much o obliged. The song moves way to fast for me to pick up the chords. Again, if anyone knows the progressions here, I'd be grateful to learn them.

As for the Bentley Boys, I've been able to learn very little. Other than their version of Penny's Farm, which inspired some other significant artists, there just isn't much available on the Net or even here at Mudcat. Does anyone have light to shed? As far as I can tell they were a Negro string band, not blackface. Their lyrics here have a fairly defiant attitude (which may have prompted a hip hop group to name itself after them).

Here are the lyrics. It is a funny song. As you can see, the Ramblers made a few deft changes to certain words and resurrected it for modern sensibilities.

Henhouse Blues
The Bentley Boys (via Red Clay Ramblers)

Red Clay Ramblers version

Preacher wanted chickens, to himself he said, "to the henhouse I will go,
If there any fat pullets that are hanging around they'll soon be mine you know."
I [?fear lately?] the big bulldog [?pulled the?] henhouse from side to side,
Grabbed him a pullet climbed over the fence and to the dog he cried, sayin'

I don't care if you never wake up, this pullet is in my hand,
You don't stand no f'sure to catch no respectable preacher man,
What do I care for your knives or your guns or your bulldogs or your pups,
Just keep on a sleepin' while the preacher is a creepin' I don't care if you never wake up!

Preacher went to sleep on Election Day and he dreamed he was a candidate,
Told those folks who was votin' for him, he said you'll have to wait.
Early next morning while still in the bed, and the word to him was said,
Wake up preacher, you for are beat and a woman is President!

I don't care if I never wake up just so I get out of this trance,
Won't those girls make it hot for us when they put on the pants,
Put out the milkin' and mind the kids and the beds we'll have to make up.
Just go back to bed was the word he said, I don't care if I never wake up!



Bentley Boys version

Coonie wants chickens, to himself he said, "to the henhouse I will go,
If there any fat pullets a-hanging around they'll soon be mine you know."
I [?very lately?] the big bulldog [?well?] the henhouse from side to side,
Got him a pullet climbed over the fence and then to the dog he cried,

I don't care if you never wake up, this pullet am-a in my hand,
You don't stand no sho' to catch no respectable colored man,
What do I care for your knives 'n' guns says the bulldogs nor your pups,
Just keep on a sleepin' while the nigger am a creepin' I don't care if you never wake up!

Coonie went to sleep on Election Day, he dreamed he was a candidate,
Told those Coons who was votin' for him, he told 'em just to wait.
Early next morning was still in the bed, and the word to him was said,
Wake up Coonie you for am beat and a woman is President!

I don't care if I never wake up just so I get out of this trance,
Won't those women make it hot for us when they put on the pants,
Put up the milkin' and mind the kids, says the bed we'll have to make up.
"Just go back to bed." was the words he said, I don't care if I never wake up!