Lyr Add: Down in the Arkansas (Jimmy Driftwood)

Subject: Lyr Add: DOWN IN THE ARKANSAS (Jimmy Driftwood)
From: Mountain Dog
Date: 14 Jul 98 - 03:50 PM

Here's one of my favorite Jimmy Driftwood tunes, recorded on a National Geographic LP entitled "Ozark Mountain Music" (or something quite similar). I didn't find it in the DT and so, to build up the collection - and to avert any animadversions from Dick Greenhaus for mentioning a tune without posting its lyrics - I give it to you thus:

DOWN IN THE ARKANSAS (pronounced "Arkin-saw")
Jimmy Driftwood

1. I had a cow that slobbered bad,
Down in the Arkin-saw,
I took'er to m'Great-Grandad,
Way down in the Arkin-saw.
Ast'im what t'do fer it
Down in the Arkin-saw,
He said, "Son, teach that cow t'spit!"
Way down in the Arkin-saw.

CHORUS: Down in the Arkin,
Down in the Arkin,
Down in the Arkin-saw,
The sweetest gal I ever knew
Was down in the Arkin-saw.

2. When I was just a little lad,
Down in the Arkin-saw,
My Maw got married to my Dad
Way down in the Arkin-saw.
Grampaw got mad and cussed a-while
Down in the Arkin-saw,
Til Grammaw said, "It's the latest style,"
Way down in the Arkin-saw! CHORUS

3. I loved a gal, her name was Lil,
Down in the Arkin-saw,
I hugged that girl all over the hill
Way down in the Arkin-saw.
Her Paw got mad and called me "Son"
Down in the Arkin-saw;
He tied the knot with his rifle-gun
Way down in the Arkin-saw! CHORUS TWICE

Subject: RE: LYRIC ADD: Down in the Arkansas
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 14 Jul 98 - 11:34 PM

Who, moi?

Subject: Lyr Add: DOWN IN THE ARKANSAS (George Evans)
From: harpgirl
Date: 05 Apr 00 - 12:03 AM

...WK McNeil notes that the original version of this song was written in 1913 by George "Honey Boy" Evans (1870-1915), a blackface minstrel from Wales. More verses:
Now I've got a gal and her name is Phyl
She's down in the Arkansas
I loved her once and I love her still
But she's down in Arkansas
Now she's cross-eyed, that's a fact
She cries and the tears roll down her back
But she's down in the Arkansas

Now a funny wedding happened the other day
a gal named Oats married a boy named Hay
Twas down in Arkansas
Then the organ played in a minor key
Down in the Arkansas
They played what will the harvest be?
Down in Arkansas

She was cutting hay while the north wind blows
Down in Arkansas
The sickle slipped and cut off her nose
Down in Arkansas
The doctor put it on upside down
Down in Arkansas
Now when it rains she almost drowns
Down in the Arkansas...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down in the Arkansas (Jimmy Driftwood)
From: GUEST
Date: 08 May 11 - 12:20 PM

I knew a man and his name was Jack
Down in the Arkansas
He had a hog called a razorback
Way down in the Arkansas
The craziest thing you'd ever hear
Down in the Arkansas
He'd use that hog to shave his beard
Way down in the Arkansas

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down in the Arkansas (Jimmy Driftwood)
From: Arkie
Date: 08 May 11 - 03:48 PM

I think Jimmy reworked the lyrics of the song though it was originally a George "Honey Boy" Evans creation.

Subject: Lyr Add: DOWN IN ARKANSAS (Riley Puckett)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 May 11 - 07:21 AM

You can hear this song at The Internet Archive. This is my transcription:


DOWN IN ARKANSAS*
As recorded by Riley Puckett, Columbia 15139D, 1926.

1. I had a cow that slobbered bad,
Down in the Arkansas.
I spent all the money I had,
Down in the Arkansas.
Carried her to old Doctor Smith,
Asked him what to do for it.
He said, "Teach that cow to spit,"
Down in the Arkansas.

CHORUS: Down in the Arkan-, down in the Arkan-,
Down in the Arkansas,
The only girl I ever loved
Was down in the Arkansas.

2. There's a weddin' happened on our street,
Down in the Arkansas.
A gal named Oats married a man named Wheat,
Down in the Arkansas.
As they went walkin' down the aisle, you see,
The pianner played in a minor key.
It played, "What Shall the Harvest Be?"
Down in the Arkansas. CHORUS

3. I knew a man named Davey Crockett,
Down in the Arkansas.
He carried his false teeth in his pocket,
Down in the Arkansas.
He went walkin' all around an' around.
He hitched up his horse an' he went to town.
The darn teeth bit 'im when he set down,
Down in the Arkansas. CHORUS

4. She kills a chicken; she saves me the wing,
Down in the Arkansas.
She thinks I'm a-workin' when I ain't doin' a thing,
Down in the Arkansas. CHORUS


[* There is no "the" in the title as shown on the record label, but Puckett consistently sings "the Arkansas."]

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down in the Arkansas (Jimmy Driftwood)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 May 11 - 08:13 AM

WorldCat.org lists these songs. The sheet music is not viewable online, so I can't say whether these are the same song:

DOWN IN AR-KAN-SAW: A love song
Words and music by Bert Morgan
Macomb, Ill. : Morgan Music Co., ©1899
Sheet music held by Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL

DOWN IN ARKANSAS: Song
Words and music by George Evans
Phila., Pa. : Jos. Morris Co., ©1913
Sheet music held by the British Library, London, UK

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down in the Arkansas (Jimmy Driftwood)
From: Arkie
Date: 10 May 11 - 10:32 AM

I would guess George Evans answered to "Honey Boy". It is interesting that the Morgan song carries the earlier copyright. Harpgirl mentioned W.K. McNeil. Dr. McNeil was thorough in his research and having known him and his work for close to 30 years I would have to lean to the Evans song as the original. I would like to know if the Morgan song is the same.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down in the Arkansas (Jimmy Driftwood)
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jan 12 - 01:23 PM

I MAY HAVE A RECORDING OF THIS SONG, I NEED TO LOOK IN MY DAD'S STUFF IF I DO HAVE THE RECORD WOULD IT WOTH SOMETHING?

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down in the Arkansas (Jimmy Driftwood)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 30 Jan 12 - 01:55 PM

From the Max Hunter Collection.

http://maxhunter.missouristate.edu/songinformation.aspx?ID=711

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down in the Arkansas (Jimmy Driftwood)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 Jan 12 - 02:27 PM

"Way Down in Arkansaw
Sheet music, 1915, James White, on line fron Univ. Arkansas.
http://acumen.lib.ua.edu/u0004_0000002_0001507

First line- Way down south where I first was born,

Also at oldstatehouse.

Poem by Samuel Murrell Harris, 1858-1944, could be singable: Down in Arkansaw
http://www.txbobsc.com/books/SamHarrisPoems.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down in the Arkansas (Jimmy Driftwood)
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 30 Jan 12 - 08:30 PM

The state is pronounced Ar kin saw, but the river is pronounced ar KAN sus. I bet that song originally said "down on (not in) the Arkansas," that is, on the river.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down in the Arkansas (Jimmy Driftwood)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 31 Jan 12 - 05:44 PM

Leeneia, a state law passed in Arkansas in 1881 officially makes the pronunciation "Ar-kin-saw" in that great state.

Furriners (Kansas and Colorado) mistakenly call it the Ar-'kan-sas River

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down in the Arkansas (Jimmy Driftwood)
From: GUEST,Babypix
Date: 05 Mar 17 - 10:27 PM

Gentle Colleagues:

I do hate to re-open this can of worms, but there seems to be some dispute regarding a VERSION of "Way Down in the Arkansas", NOT the Jimmy Driftwood/Art Thieme MELODY-- Apparently, Fresno's own Kenny Hall, sang a minor or modal version of this song, which quite a different and interesting tune. It's not listed in "Kenny Hall's Music Book", however. I'd like to find source of sheet music of this version.

There doesn't seem to be a recording of George "Honey Boy" Evans singing HIS version (1913) of this song...

Thanking you in advance!

Deborah Robins

Subject: Lyr Add: DOWN IN THE ARKANSAS (Jimmy Driftwood)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Mar 17 - 10:30 PM

DOWN IN THE ARKANSAS
As recorded by Jimmy Driftwood on "Down in the Arkansas" (1965)

[1] I had a cow that slobbered bad, down in the Arkansas.
I took her to my great-granddad, way down in the Arkansas.
I asked him what to do for it, down in the Arkansas.
Grandpa said: "Teach that cow to spit," way down in the Arkansas.

[CHORUS] Down in the Arkan-, down in the Arkan-, down in the Arkansas,
The sweetest girl I ever saw was down in the Arkansas.

[2] I knew a man and his name was Jack, down in the Arkansas.
He had a hog called a razorback, way down in the Arkansas.
The strangest thing you ever heered, down in the Arkansas:
He used that hog to shave his beard, way down in the Arkansas.

[3] They had a wedding that couldn't be beat, down in the Arkansas.
A boy named Oats and a girl named Wheat, way down in the Arkansas.
The people sang in a major key, down in the Arkansas.
They sang: "What Shall the Harvest Be?" way down in the Arkansas.

[4] When I was just a little lad, down in the Arkansas,
My ma got married to my dad, way down in the Arkansas.
Grandpa got mad and cussed awhile, down in the Arkansas,
Till Grandma said: "It's the latest style," way down in the Arkansas.

[5] I had a gal; her name was Lil, down in the Arkansas.
I hugged that gal all over the hill, way down in the Arkansas.
Her pa ran up and called me son, down in the Arkansas.
He tied the knot with his rifle gun, way down in the Arkansas.

[6] They drink a tea made out of corn, down in the Arkansas.
It makes you a man the day you're born, way down in the Arkansas.
They court the girls when they're knee-high, down in the Arkansas.
Keep on a-courtin' till the day they die, way down in the Arkansas.

Subject: Lyr Add: WAY DOWN IN ARKANSAW (James White)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Mar 17 - 11:17 PM

From the sheet music at The University of Alabama:


WAY DOWN IN ARKANSAW
Words and music by James White, ©1915.

[1] Way down south where I was born,
Amid the cotton and the golden corn,
There's the place I long to be
In that land of hospitality,
Where the jaybirds sweetly sing,
In the winter just the same as spring.
Guess I'll grab a southbound train
And go back to my old home again.

[CHORUS] Way down in Arkansas,
You'll find the turkey in the straw,
And the rooster crowing at the break of day,
On an old oak stump amid the new-mown hay.
There's where my great-grandpa
First met my great grandma,
And there they settled down together,
Because they loved each other,
Way down in Arkansas.

[2] I will take that first choo-choo
That leaves tomorrow morn 'bout half-past two.
Here's my ticket in my hand
That will take me back to Dixieland.
Soon I'll be back home again
With the darkies in the sugarcane.
I've a longing to be there
And breathe once again that balmy air.