Lyr Req: The Old Rat, He Got Drunk

Subject: The Old Rat, He Got Drunk
From: Allan C.
Date: 07 Apr 00 - 09:20 AM

This song was sung by the grandmother of a friend of mine from the mountains of North Carolina. Does anyone know if there are more lyrics in addition to these?

The old rat, he got drunk
And out of his hole he snuck
The cat jumped over,
The rat got sober
And back to his hole he went.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Rat, He Got Drunk
From: GUEST,Gene
Date: 07 Apr 00 - 09:43 AM

INTOXICATED RAT is in the Digital Tradition Database

copy and paste:

http://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=3043

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Rat, He Got Drunk
From: Allan C.
Date: 07 Apr 00 - 11:24 AM

Thanks, Gene. My preliminary check of the DT didn't show anything that looked quite right. I had seen the "Intoxicated Rat" but had only read the first verse. I had my friend take a look at Doc Watson's version as it appears in the DT and she said it had familiar pieces within it but was rather different from what she had heard as a child.

After checking a little further I have found that this shouldn't be too surprising. It appears that this is one of many songs which probably has its roots in "Four Nights Drunk", Child #274.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Rat, He Got Drunk
From: bill\sables
Date: 07 Apr 00 - 01:22 PM

Allan, One version I used to sing in the 60s was to the tune of Real Old Mountain Dew. was about a drunken mouse

Oh the liquer was spilt on the bar room floor
and the bar was closed for the night
When a little mouse crawled from a hole in the wall
in the shadow of the pale moonlight
He lapped at the liquer on the bar room floor
and back on his haunches he sat
And all night long you could hear him roar
"Bring on that bloody cat"

Now the black cat came from behind the bar
and he gobbled up the little white mouse
And the moral of this story is
Never take a drink on the house

Cheers Bill

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Rat, He Got Drunk
From: GUEST,Gene
Date: 07 Apr 00 - 09:16 PM

Many have recorded versions of
The Intoxicated Rat

The Dixon Brothers [circa 30s/40s]
Red Sovine
Frankie Miller
Doc Watson
and a few others...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Rat, He Got Drunk
From: Eluned
Date: 07 Apr 00 - 11:26 PM

I looked for "four nights drunk" in the digitrad and found nothing; how do the lyrics run? I think I recognize the title....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Rat, He Got Drunk
From: MMario
Date: 07 Apr 00 - 11:32 PM

try five nights drunk

or thread on the same