The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #11737   Message #425051
Posted By: GUEST,Roll&Go-C
24-Mar-01 - 04:40 PM
Thread Name: Trad. American Drinking Songs?
Subject: Lyr Add: DON'T SWAT YOUR MOTHER^^
After a quick sifting of the thread I fail to see some favorites from Oscar Brand's "Drinking Songs" such as The Red Light Saloon and the Rum Runner's Song. Another source of 19th century drinking songs would be READ 'EM & WEEP: The Songs We Forgot to Remember by Sigmund Spaeth; I always liked:

DON'T SWAT YOUR MOTHER
(By Brian Hooker & Porter Steele © 1919)

Homeward to their mother, two working men did come,
Weary from their honest toil and lighted up with rum;
Supper was not ready; one aimed a brutal blow,
When the blue-eyed baby stopp'd them, saying "Brothers, don't do so.
Don't swat your mother, boys just 'cause she's old!
Don't mop the floor with her face.
Think of her love as a treasure of gold,
Shining thro' shame and disgrace;
Don't put the rocking chair next to her eye;
Don't bounce the lamp off her bean!
Angels are watching you up in the sky,
Don't swat your mother, boys, it's mean!"