The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #39980 Message #2758391
Posted By: Eve Goldberg
02-Nov-09 - 09:32 PM
Thread Name: Lyr/Chords: Papa's on the Housetop (Leroy Carr)
Subject: ADD: Papa's on the Housetop (ADAPTED)
I first learned it from Jim Kweskin and the Jug Band, but I think Jane Voss and Hoyle Osborne recorded it as well as Tim and Mollie O'Brien.
I think the version I sing is an amalgamation of all of the above, plus some folk processing on my part:
PAPA'S ON THE HOUSETOP (Leroy Carr, adapted by Eve Goldberg)
Mama said to Papa, be quiet as a mouse So Papa climbed up on the top of the house Made a lot of whoopee, made a lot of noise Stood up and cheered with the rest of the boys
CHORUS: Baby's in the cradle, brother's on the town Sister's in the parlour, flying up and down Mama's in the kitchen, messing all around And Papa's on the housetop, he won't come down
Well the blues they come, yes the blues they come Nobody knows where the blues come from The blues they go, yes the blues they go And everybody's happy when the old blues go
(chorus)
Papa saw a chicken out in the yard He picked up a rock and he hit him hard He hit him hard and he killed him dead Now the chicken's in the gravy and the gravy's on the bread
(chorus)
Hush little baby don't you cry The blues are gonna leave you by and by Papa come in just a little bit sore Put the baby in the cradle, tossed the blues out the door