Lyr Req: Jug Band Music (The Lovin' Spoonful)

Subject: Down in Savannah Eat'n Cream and Banana
From:
Date: 25 Oct 01 - 09:58 PM

I'm trying to find all of the lyrics to a great song that was done by the Lovin' Spoonful called "Jugband Music." It could be that the song was also recorded by the Jim Kweskin Jugband and/or the Even Dozen Jugband (of which John Sebastian, of the Lovin' Spoonful, was a member), but I actually have no idea. I don't know. Sebastian might have even written it himself.

The lyrics I know go, as follows:

I was down in Savannah
Eatin' cream and banana
When the heat just made me faint
I'd begun to get cross-eyed
I thought I was lost
I'd begun to see things as they ain't

The relatives gather
To see what's the matter
The doctor came to see was I dyin'
But the doctor said just give him jugband music
It seems to make him feel so fine.

Well I was sinking in the ocean
Eatin' suntan lotion when I got knocked
Out by a seahorse...

[And later on it goes]

They gave him a little water a little bit a wine
He opened up his eyes but they didn't seem to shine
Because the doctor said just give him jugband music
It seems to make him feel so fine

Anyway, if anybody out there knows all of the lyrics to this song, please let me know. Or, if you know where I can find a recording of it, please let me know.

Thanks,
JAG

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 4-Feb-02.

Subject: RE: Down in Savannah Eat'n Cream and Banana
From: JedMarum
Date: 25 Oct 01 - 11:53 PM

I know 'em. I'll tyoe 'em up and enter 'em in this thread. Give me a few minutes.

Subject: Lyr Add: JUG BAND MUSIC
From: JedMarum
Date: 26 Oct 01 - 12:04 AM

I was down in Savanah
Eatin cream and bannanas
When the heat just made me faint
I'd begun to get cross eyed
I thought I was I'd
Begun to see thinsg as they ain't
As the relatives gathered
To see what's the matter
The Doctor came to see was I dying
But the Doctor said give him jugband music
It seems to make him feel just fine

I was told a little tale
About a skinny as a rail
Eight foot cowboy with a headache
He was hung up in the desert
Swattin rats and tryin to get a
Drink a water with his knees a getting mudcaked
And I'll tell you in a sentence
How he stumbled in memphis
Tennessee looking dustbaked
They gave him a little water
A little bit of wine
He opened up his eyes but they didn't seem to shine
And the Doctor said give him jugband music
It seems to make him feel just fine

So if you ever get sickly
Get sis to run quickly
To the dusty closet shelf
And pull out a washboard
And play a guitar chord
And do a little do-it-yourself
Call on your neighbors
To put down their labors
And come and play the hardware in time
'Cause the Doctor said give him jugband music
It seems to make him feel just fine

I was floatin in the ocean
Greased with suntan lotion'
When I got wiped out by a beach boy
He was surfin when he hit me
But jumped off his board to git me
And he dragged me by the armpits
Like a child's toy
And we stumbled into land
With all the waiters eatin sandwiches
And tried to mooch a towell from the Hoy Poloy
He emptied his ear drums
I emptied out mine
And everybody knows that the very last line
Is the Doctor said give him jugband music
It seems to make him feel just fine

Subject: RE: Down in Savannah Eat'n Cream and Banana
From: JedMarum
Date: 26 Oct 01 - 12:06 AM

The song is called (simply) Jug Band Music and is was written by John Sebastian, performed by the Lovin' Spoonful.

Subject: RE: Down in Savannah Eat'n Cream and Banana
From: Amos
Date: 26 Oct 01 - 12:32 AM

Thanks!! I've been singing this for years with a few of the words wrong. The first verse "cross-eyed" rhymes with "I thought I was lost -- I'd....".

Wow.

A

Subject: RE: Down in Savannah Eat'n Cream and Banana
From: JedMarum
Date: 26 Oct 01 - 09:12 AM

Ooops! Yes - That should read

I'd begun to get cross eyed I thought I was lost I'd ...

Subject: RE: Down in Savannah Eat'n Cream and Banana
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 26 Oct 01 - 10:03 AM

Thanks Jed for the lyrics:

Here is another thread on the song.

  Lyr Req: Jug Band Music

Also, I've been trying to collect all jug band threads and lyrics. If you like jug band music in general go here.

Jug Band and Skiffle Song Lyrics and Chords

JAB

Subject: RE: Down in Savannah Eat'n Cream and Banana
From: JedMarum
Date: 26 Oct 01 - 10:10 AM

I can see I did these lyrics too late last night. I detect a few more minor errors that will make it difficult for the singer to resolve, so I'll try again. Sorry y'all. This is a great fun song ... and worth the effort to fix.

Subject: Lyr Add: JUG BAND MUSIC (John Sebastian)
From: JedMarum
Date: 26 Oct 01 - 10:13 AM

JUG BAND MUSIC
(John Sebastian)

I was down in Savannah
Eatin' cream and bananas
When the heat just made me faint.
I'd begun to get cross-eyed.
I thought I was lost. I'd
Begun to see things as they ain't.
As the relatives gathered
To see what's the matter
The doctor came to see was I dyin’,
But the doctor said, "Just give him jug-band music,
It seems to make him feel just fine."

I was told a little tale
About a skinny-as-a-rail
Eight-foot cowboy with a headache.
He was hung up in the desert
Swattin' rats and tryin' to get a
Drink o’ water with his knees a-getting mud-caked,
And I'll tell you in a sentence
How he stumbled in Memphis,
Tennessee, hardly crawlin', looking dust-baked.
They gave him little water,
A little bit of wine.
He opened up his eyes but they didn't seem to shine,
And the doctor said, "Just give him jug-band music.
It seems to make him feel just fine."

So if you ever get sickly,
Get sis to run quickly
To the dusty closet shelf
And pull out a washboard
And play a guitar chord
And do a little do-it-yourself.
Call on your neighbors
To put down their labors
And come and play the hardware in time,
'Cause the doctor said, "Give him jug-band music.
It seems to make him feel just fine."

I was floatin' in the ocean
Greased with suntan lotion'
When I got wiped out by a beach boy
He was surfin' when he hit me
But jumped off his board to git me
And he dragged me by the armpits
Like a child's toy
And we stumbled into land
With all the waiters eatin' sandwiches
And tried to mooch a towel from the hoi polloi
He emptied his eardrums
I emptied out mine
And everybody knows that the very last line
Is the Doctor said, "Just give him jug band music,
It seems to make him feel just fine."

Subject: RE: Down in Savannah Eat'n Cream and Banana
From: JedMarum
Date: 26 Oct 01 - 10:16 AM

well, I amd having bad luck with this one! The link above does not work because the site does not allow direct link to its dictionary items. So I have posted the text below.

Main Entry: hoi pol·loi Pronunciation: "hoi-p&-'loi Function: noun plural Etymology: Greek, the many Date: 1837 : the general populace : MASSES

Subject: RE: Down in Savannah Eat'n Cream and Banana
From: Wesley S
Date: 26 Oct 01 - 11:09 AM

John Sebastian's new jugband is a real treat. Check them out at www.johnsebastian.com. Also those interested in jug band music might enjoy www.jugbandrag.com