The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #2649   Message #4164373
Posted By: BrooklynJay
04-Feb-23 - 12:29 AM
Thread Name: Lyr ADD: Whoa Back Buck (Leadbelly)
Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: Whoa Back Buck (Leadbelly)
I've been rooting around for links to the different versions, and I've come up with most (but not all) of them. I'll post them shortly.

First, a correction:

"I was gonna cut that other little bull"

This should be:

"Papa's gonna cut that other little bull"

Now, a bigger correction:

After listening to Version #3, I'm pretty sure the lyrics should be:

Tom done buck and y'know Bill won't pull,
Papa's gonna cut that other little bull.
Whoa back, Buck, an' gee, by the lamb!
Who made the back-band? Whoa, goddamn!
("Ta-yah yeah, whoa, back up gee, Buck, yeah!")

Chorus:
Whoa, Buck, an' gee, by the lamb!
Who made the back-band? Whoa, goddamn!
Whoa, Buck, an' gee, by the lamb!
Who made the back-band? Whoa, goddamn!
Whoa goddamn and whoa, goddamn,
Who made the back-band? Whoa, goddamn!

Tom done buck and y'know Bill won't pull,
Papa's gonna cut that other little bull.
Whoa back, Buck, an' gee, by the lamb!
Who made the back-band? Whoa, goddamn!
("Ta-yah yeah, whoa, back up gee, Buck, yeah!")

(Chorus)

I taken my gal to the country store,
I bought my gal some calico.
Bought my gal some calico,
I taken my gal to the party-o.
("Ta-yah yeah, whoa, back up gee, Buck, yeah!")

(Chorus)

Me and my gal come a-walkin' down the road,
Wind from 'er feet's knockin' sugar in the gourd.
Sugar in the gourd and the gourd on the ground,
You wanna get the sugar got to roll the gourd around!
("Ta-yah yeah, whoa, back up gee, Buck, yeah!")

(Chorus)

I taken my gal to a party-o,
All dressed up in her calico.
Taken my gal to a party-o,
I wouldn't let her dance but a set or so.
("Ta-yah yeah, whoa, back up gee, Buck, yeah!")

(Chorus)

Tom done buck and y'know Bill won't pull,
Papa's gonna cut that other little bull.
Whoa back, Buck, an' gee, by the lamb!
Who made the back-band? Whoa, goddamn!
("Ta-yah yeah, whoa, back up gee, Buck, yeah!")

Whoa back, Buck, an' gee, by the lamb!
Who made the back-band? Whoa, goddamn!

*******************************
And here's the link:

Version #3 - YouTube

As always, if I've messed up anything, please feel free to correct.

I also found another recording that I had previously overlooked. On June 15th 1949, just a few months before his death, Lead Belly performed the song in concert in Austin, Texas. Here is a link:

Whoa Buck - Live - June 15, 1949