Lyr Req: Neighbor Neighbor it's well I met you...

Subject: Lyr Req: Neighbor Neighbor it's well I met you...
From: Maryrrf
Date: 22 Aug 04 - 02:49 PM

There's a song stuck in my head and I'm not sure where I heard it. What I remember is "Neighbor Neighbor it's well I met you I'm gonna tell this for to fret you..." something about sitting astraddle of the pot rack pole?

Does anybody a) recognize the song b)know the lyrics or where I can get them.

The song was sung unaccompanied, I think.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Neighbor Neighbor it's well I met you...
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Aug 04 - 02:53 PM

No luck on this one, sorry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Neighbor Neighbor it's well I met you...
From: Arkie
Date: 22 Aug 04 - 03:44 PM

I believe its from a version of Will the Weaver. The next several lines as I remember it would be:

Will the Weaver's at your door.
He went in and was seen no more.

He went home all in wonder
Knocked at the door it groaned like thunder
Who's that Will the weaver cried
Tis my husband you must hide.

There are two versions of Will The Weaver in the database but with different opening lines.

It may take me a while to remember the rest of this and all my song books are in boxes at present.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Neighbor Neighbor it's well I met you...
From: Maryrrf
Date: 22 Aug 04 - 07:33 PM

Yes, that's right! Who sang it????

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Neighbor Neighbor it's well I met you...
From: Arkie
Date: 22 Aug 04 - 09:08 PM

I think Pete Seeger did it in a live concert over 40 years ago which would be where I first heard it. The Folk Index lists recordings by Paul Clayton, James S. Lane, and Mike Seeger. I think I have the Paul Clayton album buried amongst all the boxes in my garage.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Neighbor Neighbor it's well I met you...
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 10:54 PM

There are 2 versions in DigiTrad: WILL THE WEAVER (3) and WILL THE WEAVER (4). (What happened to 1 and 2?)

Looks like there's never been a thread on WILL THE WEAVER, so this might as well be it.

WILL THE WEAVER is sung by Almeda Riddle on the various-artists album "Songcatcher II: The Tradition That Inspired the Movie," Vanguard CD #79716, 2002. I transcribed this from a sound sample at allmusic:

Up the chimley he did venture.
In at door her husband entered,
Searched the house, the room all round,
Not a sign of a man he found.

While up the chimley he was gazing,
There he saw, in all amazing,
Poor little Willie, the wretched soul,
Settin' up astraddle of the pot-rack pole.

Oh, my lad, I'm glad I found you.
I'll neither kill, hang or [drownd you]....

It is also sung by Mack Woolbright and Charlie Parker on the various-artists album "Man of Constant Sorrow and Other Timeless Mountain Ballads," Yazoo CD #3001, 2002. I transcribed this from another sound sample:

...the man you'll kill.

He put on a little more fuel
Wife said ... my loving jewel,
Take him down and spare his life
If you want me to be your loving wife.

He retch up an' down he took 'im.
Like a raccoon-dog he shook 'im
Where his wife beated him red,
Made poor Weaver wisht he was dead

He went home....

Subject: Lyr Add: WILL THE WEAVER (from Jerry Garcia)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 10:56 PM

This version was copied from a Grateful Dead fan site:

WILL THE WEAVER
"Played by Jerry and Sarah Garcia in May 1963."

Said, oh son, what's the matter?
Does she lie or does she tatter?
Does she do the tattering, Joe?
On with Will the Weaver-O

She don't lie nor she don't tatter
She don't scold or she don't flatter
But she does the tattering Joe
On with Will the Weaver-O

Said, oh son, go home and love her
Do not find no fault above her
And if she does not do well
Pick up a stick and beat her well

He went home and a friend he met him
Thus he said but just to fret him
Saw your wife awhile ago
On with Will the Weaver-O

He went home in the devil of a wonder
Rapped at the door just like thunder
Who is that the weaver cried
It's my husband you'd better hide

Up the chimney Willie ventured
Through the door her husband entered
Searching all the walls around
Not a soul could be found

He sat down by the fireside a-weeping
'Til up the chimney he does a-peeping
There he spied the wretched soul
Sitting on the pot-rack pole

He built on a rousing fire
Just to suit his own desire
While she cried with a free good will
Don't do that for the man you'll kill

He put on a little more fuel
[?] [?] love why do you
Take him down and spare his life
If you want me to be your loving wife

He reached up and down he fetched him
Like a racoon dog he catched him
Where his wife beat him red
Made the poor weaver wish he was dead

He went home and his wife she met him
Up with a stick and down she set him
Where he was red, beat him blue
Every word of this is true

Subject: Lyr Add: WILL THE WEAVER (from Marybird McAllister
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 10:58 PM

This version copied from http://www.shifletfamily.org/HHI/GeorgeFoss/SONGS/song9.html
There is also printed music and a sound file at that site.

WILL THE WEAVER
From the singing of Marybird McAllister

"Neighbor, Neighbor, come to tell you
Saw your wife and Will the weaver
They was standing in the door
This I saw but nothing more."

He come home all in a wonder
Rattlin' at the door like thunder.
"Who is that?" poor Willie cried.
"Tis my husband you must hide."

Up the pole the weaver wented
In the door her husband entered
"Husband, husband I do say
Where you been this livelong day?"

"You been at the tavern drinking
Spending all your gold and living?
Leave your poor wife here at home
For to weep and make a moan?"

"Hold your tongue, you false deceiver.
Where the hell is Will the weaver?"
Search the house and all around --
Durn the weaver couldn't be found

He peeped up the chimney hole
And there he spied his ugly soul
Settin' on the ladder pole

"Oh my lad I'm glad I found you
I will neither hang nor drown you,
But I'm going to stifle you with smoke"
This I saw but nothing spoke.

He put on a rousing fire
Just to please his own desire,
Made ole Willie cough and sneeze
In that place he had no ease

He put on another fuel
Up steps his dearest jewel.
"If I am your lawful wife
Take him down and spare his life."

Off the pole he boldly took him
Thru the floor he fairly shook him
Hands and feet, clothes likewise
Sent him home with two black eyes.

I never saw a chimney sweeper
Half as black as Willie weaver
Give him a kick and sent him home
Not to bother me no more.

Subject: Lyr Add: WILL THE WEAVER (from Bodleian)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 12:01 AM

From Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads, Firth c.18(255).

This song was printed as 7 eight-line verses, but it splits neatly into 14 four-line verses. Since in that form it fits the tune that is sung in the American versions printed above, I rendered it that way here. (I also added punctuation.)

WILL THE WEAVER

"Mother, mother I am married.
O that I had longer tarried!
For my wife she does declare
That she will the breeches wear."

"Loving son, no more discover,
But, my dear, go home and love her.
Give my daughter what's her due.
Let me hear no more of you."

Coming home a neighbour met him.
O how merrily he did treat him!
Says he, "Kind sir, I'll tell you who
I saw with your wife just now.

"There was she with Will the weaver
Very free and close together.
'Twas at the threshold of the door.
They went in. I saw no more."

"Thank you, sir. You're a good neighbour.
I'll reward you for your labour,
And if I catch him near my corn,
Better he had ne'er been born."

Home he came in a great wonder
And rattled at the door like thunder.
"Who's there?" Will the weaver cried.
"It is my husband. You must hide."

"Where have you been taking pleasure,
Spending all your time and treasure?
And I, poor girl, must stay at home,
By myself to lie alone."

My husband made it his endeavour
For to find out Will the weaver.
He searched the house round and round
But not a soul could there be found.

There he stood like one amazed.
Up the chimney then he gazed,
Where he spied the wretched soul
Perched upon the chimney pole.

"Oh," says he, "my friend, I've found thee.
I will neither hang nor drown thee,
But I'll stifle thee with smoke."
Thus he thought but nothing spoke.

Then he made up a rousing fire
For to please his heart's desire.
She cried out with rare good will,
"Husband, dear, the man you'll kill."

He kept stirring up the fuel.
She cried out, "My dearest jewel,
Since by law I am your wife,
Take down the man and spare his life."

From the chimney-pole he took him
And so merrily he shook him,
Crying out at every stroke,
"Come no more to stop my smoke."

You never saw a chimney sweeper
Half so black as Will the weaver,
His hands and arms and face likewise.
He was sent home with two black eyes.

Subject: Lyr Add: JOHNNY (a version of WILL THE WEAVER)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 11:02 PM

Transcribed from a sound file (field recording) at The Library of Congress American Memory Collection "Voices of the Dust Bowl":

JOHNNY
As sung by Willard Brewer, 1940.

Johnny come in all in a wonder,
Rattled at the door just like thunder.
"Who is that?" Mister Henry cried.
"That's my husband. You must hide."

She helt the door for ol' man Henry.
Jumpin' and jerkin' he went up the chimley.
Johnny come in, looked all around.
Not a soul could be found.

Johnny built a ... fire
Just to suit his own desire.
His wife come out with her own free will,
Said, "Don't do that, for the man you'll kill."

Johnny set down by the fireside leapin'.
Up the chimley he got to peepin'.
There he spied a poor old soul
Settin' astraddle of the pot-rack pole.

Johnny reached up and down he fetched him.
Like a raccoon dog he catched him,
Blacked his eyes, and then did better:
Kicked him out upon his setter.

He wife crawled up and under the bed.
He yanked her out by the hair of the head
And said, "Listen here, woman. I'll tell you this."
And he kicked her where the little dickens had set.

The law come down and Johnny went up.
He didn't have a chance....
They put him on the ol' chain gang
For beatin' his wife, the dear little thing.

Johnny didn't.... Johnny didn't cry.
Once he got close, he socked her in the eye.
It won't be long till Johnny'll be loose.
I'd tell you the rest but it ain't no use.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Neighbor Neighbor it's well I met you...
From: Arkie
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 11:18 PM

It did not occur to me earlier, but there is a variant of this song know as Everyday Dirt. Doc Watson has a recording of this version and this is one I actually used to sing as the "Infidelity Rag". Jumping Bill Carlisle does a version he called "Jumpin' and Jerkin' Blues". This can be found at the Record Lady's site.

Record Lady

Scroll down to Requests, page 12. I think it was posted there today.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Neighbor Neighbor it's well I met you...
From: Maryrrf
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 04:39 PM

Oh gosh, thanks! It was definitely the Almeda Riddle version I was thinking of. Didn't realize there were so many versions!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Neighbor Neighbor it's well I met you...
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 12:04 AM

Here's EVERYDAY DIRT in the DT. It looks like there hasn't been a thread about that song either.