Lyr Add: Big Eyed Rabbit

Subject: Lyr Add: BIG-EYED RABBIT
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 24 Nov 05 - 07:15 PM

Lyrics and information copied from The Fiddler's Companion:

BIG-EYED RABBIT [2]. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA; Alabama, Mississippi, western North Carolina. A Major. AEAE (e.g. Tommy Jarrell) or Standard. ABB (irregular 'A' part). Recorded by Quitman, Mississippi, fiddler Charles Long in 1939 in the field for the Library of Congress.
***
Yonder comes a rabbit,
Fast as he can run,
If I see another one,
Gonna shoot him with a double-barrel gun.
Gonna shoot him with my gun.
***
Yonder comes a rabbit,
Slippin' through the sand,
Shoot that rabbit, he don't care,
Fry him in my pan,
Fry him in my pan.
***
Chorus:
Rockin' in a weary land (x2)
or Big-eyed rabbit's gone, gone (x2)
***
Yonder comes my darlin',
How do I know?
Know her by her bright blue eyes,
Shinein' bright like gold,
Shinein' bright like gold. (Tommy Jarrell/Plank Road String Band).
***
Bob Woodcock (Pa.) supplied this verse (a coney is an old English term for a rabbit-Coney Island=Rabbit Island):
Coney on the island, coney on the run,
I'll get that rabbit in my pan, I'll shoot him with my gun
***
Source for notated version: Liz Slade (Yorktown, New York) [Kuntz]. Kuntz, Private Collection. Spandaro (10 Cents a Dance), 1980; pg. 38. Carryon Records 005, "The Renegades" (1993). County 401, "The Stripling Brothers." County CO-CD-2711, Kirk Sutphin - "Old Roots and New Branches" (1994). Mountain 310, Tommy Jarrell - "Joke on the Puppy" (1976. Learned brom his father.). Vocalation 5412 (78 RPM), Stripling Brothers (Ala., played in C Major) {1929}.

X:1
T:Big Eyed Rabbit [2]
L:1/8
M:C|
K:A
c4 c4|BA A2 A4|A4 B2c2|d8|d2d2f2f2|e2e2 d4:|
|:c2B2A2F2|B4B4|c2B2A2F2|A8:|

WHISKEY JOE. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Northeast Tennessee. A northeast Tennesse title for this tune, which is related to "Big-Eyed Rabbit."

To play or display ABC tunes, try concertina.net

Subject: origin-lyr: Big Eyed Rabbit
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 10:23 AM

I know there's been some discussion about this song in the DT. I'd like to look into more detail about the song(s)and also find some different versions of this song.

First I need help with Samantha Bumgarner's Big Eyed Rabbit found on Honkinfduck here:http://www.honkingduck.com/BAZ/honkingduck78s.php?qt=title&ap=10&tp=14&title=81


"Big Eyed Rabbit" by "Samantha Bumgarner & Eva Jones (or Davis)"
Columbia 129 - D Recorded: April 1, 1924 Issued: May 1924

Fiddle

Big-eyed rabbit, done hear them hounds
Yes oh Lord they're gettin' me around
Big-eyed rabbit, get there now
Yes oh Lord I'm gettin' there now

Fiddle

Big-eyed rabbit, getting in a race
Yes oh Lord he's getting' away
Big-eyed rabbit, get there now
Yes oh Lord I'm getting' there now

Fiddle

…….all shot down
Big-eyed rabbit, get there now
Yes oh Lord I'm getting' there now

Fiddle

….and the rabbit first one around
Yes oh Lord make a hole in the ground
Big-eyed rabbit, get there now
Yes oh Lord I'm getting' there now

Fiddle

?
Big-eyed rabbit, get there now
Yes oh Lord I'm getting' there now

Fiddle

…………….At my door
Big-eyed rabbit, get there now
Yes oh Lord I'm getting' there now



If anyone can fix this or already has the lyrics it would be appreciated.

Richie

Subject: RE: origin-lyr: Big Eyed Rabbit
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 10:26 AM

There are different versions with the same name. Here's some info from the folk index:

Big Eyed Rabbit [Me IV-E 25]
Rt - Buck Eyed Rabbit
Uf - I Don't Love ('a) Nobody
1. Creed, Kyle; and Fred Cockerham. Clawhammer Banjo, County CD 2716/701, CD/ (2002/1966), trk# 19 [1964/10]
2. Davis, Eva; & Samantha Bumgartner. Banjo Pickin' Girl, Rounder 1029, LP (1978), trk# A.01 [1924/04/23ca]
3. Jarrell, Tommy. Joke on the Puppy, Heritage (Galax) 044, LP (1992), trk# 10
4. Ledford String Band. Ledford String Band, Rounder 0008, LP (1972), trk# B.01
5. Mainer, Wade. Old Time Banjo Tunes, Old Homestead OHS-90168, LP (1984), trk# A.05
6. Plank Road String Band. Plank Road String Band, Carryon, LP (1976), trk# B.05
7. Powell, Dirk. If I Go Ten Thousand Miles, Rounder 0384, CD (1996), trk# 9 (Brown Eyed Rabbit)
8. Reid, Bruce. Silberberg, Gene (ed.) / Complete Fiddle Tunes I Either Did or Did Not.., Silberberg, Fol (2005), p 12
9. Sutphin, Kirk. Old Roots and New Branches, County CD 2711, CD (1994), trk# 8

Big Eyed Rabbit #2
1. Slaughter, Matokie; and the Back Creek Buddies. Saro, Marimac 9028, Cas (1990), trk# 8
2. Slaughter, Matokie. Clawhammer Banjo. Vol 2 [More Clawhammer Banjo], County CD 2717/717, LP (2003/1969), trk# 3

Buck Eyed Rabbit [Me IV-E 25]
Rt - Shortenin' Bread ; Big Eyed Rabbit
10. Hopkins, Al; and his Buckle Busters. Fiddlers Convention in Mountain City, Tennessee, County 525, LP (1972), trk# 10 [1926/10/22]
11. Johnson, Arthur D.. Old-Time Banjo Anthology, Vol. 1, Marimac AHS 4, Cas (1991), trk# 17 [1987/08/12]
12. Pillans, E. H.. Lomax, Alan / Folksongs of North America, Doubleday Dolphin, Sof (1975/1960), p504/#266

Russian Rabbit [Me IV-E 25]
At - Hoosier Rabbit ; Bell Cow
Rm - John Brown's Dream
13. Fraley, J. P. and Annadeene. Wild Rose of the Mountain, Rounder 0037, CD/ (2000), trk# 14 [1972-73] (Rooshian Rabbit)
14. Hartford, John. Devil's Box, Devil's Box, Ser, 31/2, p14(1997) [?]
15. Salyer, John Morgan. Titon, Jeff Todd / Old Time Kentucky Fiddle Tunes, Kentucky, Bk/ (2001), p165/#139 [1941-42]
16. Salyer, John Morgan. Home Recordings 1941-42. Vol. 2, Appalachian Center Ser. AC 003-v2, cas (1993),

Subject: RE: origin-lyr: Big Eyed Rabbit
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 10:39 AM

The folk index has "Russian" rabbit but it probably should be "Roosian Rabbit."

Anyone know where the word Roosian comes from? Any lyrics from Roosian Rabbit titles?

Richie

Subject: Lyr Add: BUCKEYED RABBIT
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 11:15 AM

Richie,

Here's the song as I sing it, derived many years ago from Samantha Bumgarner and Eva Davis' original 78, but as I don't have the original to hand I'm not sure how accurate it is. I may have patched and filled a bit. Take it with a grain of salt.

BUCK EYED RABBIT   Bumgarner & Davis,Columbia 1924 as remembered

Rabbit oh rabbit, I hear them hounds,
Yes, lord, lord, they're a gettin' their rounds.

Cho In there, right there, in there now,
       Yes, lord, lord, they're a gettin' there now.

Rabbit oh rabbit, your ears mighty red,
Yes dear lord, been a-jerkin' up my head.

You jump out and start to run,
Shoot you down with an old shotgun,

Rabbit, oh rabbit, your foot's mighty round,
Yes, lord, lord, make a hole in the ground.

Rabbit in the garden a-shiftin' sand,
'Fore tomorrow mornin' I'll have him in my hand.

Rabbit, oh rabbit, your ears mighty short,
Yes, dear lord, got one of 'em caught.

Subject: RE: origin-lyr: Big Eyed Rabbit
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 01:54 PM

The version of this song I am familiar with comes from Currence Hammons (WV) and he called it "Gettin there Rabbit."

The song I know as "Big Eyed Rabbit" comes from (I think) New England. Different words, different tune.

Yonder comes a rabbit, quick as he can run.
If I see another one, gonna shoot him with my double barreled gun.
gonna shoot him with my double barreled gun.

Big Eyed Rabbit's gone
(repeat 3 more times)

Subject: RE: origin-lyr: Big Eyed Rabbit
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 09:46 PM

Thanks Bob and Russ;

I listened to "Are You Getting There, Rabbit?" by Brad Leftwich on Say Old Man, County 2714, CD (1996), trk# 4.

It's a version of the same song. Anyone have Leftwich lyrics?

Other versions?

Richie

Subject: RE: origin-lyr: Big Eyed Rabbit
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 10:49 PM

There's a fairly obscure song known as "Rabbit Hash" also in the African-American tradition.

Her's a field recordings of an African-American verion that is very similar:

Field Recordings Vol. 8: Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi (1934-1947)

Rabbit, rabbit siftin' in the sand
I wish I had him in my hand

Oh rabbit hops, Oh rabbit skips,
Oh rabbit hop right in my pot

Subject: RE: origin-lyr: Big Eyed Rabbit
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 08:59 AM

There are several listing for the "Rabbit" songs in the Traditional Ballad Index and a previous thread for Mister Rabbit in the DT.

IMHO Samantha Bumgarner & Eva Jones song seems to be the same song as "Are You Getting There, Rabbit?" by Brad Leftwich and closely related to the "Mister Rabbit" "Rabbit Hash" songs.

Anyone have lyrics for "Buck-Eyed Rabbit" by Al Hopkins and his Bucklebusters?

There seems to be a minstrel connection through "Big Eyed Rabbit" by Harry Bennett from the 1880's. Anyone find this?

A version of Big Eyed Rabbit is in Folks Songs of North America by Alan Lomax p. 504. Anyone have this?

Also related to "Miss Sally At the Party" "Old Miss Sally." Anyone know of any versions?

Richie

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Big Eyed Rabbit
From: Suzy T.
Date: 24 Nov 08 - 11:06 PM

I listened to the Samantha Bumgarner/Eva Davis one today and enjoyed it so much! Here is what I hear of the words, it's very hard to make out what she is singing. I used the Amazing Slowdowner to slow it down and could sorta hear them. I'm not 100% sure that these are correct, but they are as close as I can get right now. Fun tune!

Rabbit,oh rabbit done hear them hounds
Yes Lord Lord they're a- gettin' me around
Get there rabbit, get there now
Yes oh Lord I'm gettin' there now

Rabbit oh rabbit, your ears a-mighty red,
Yes lord lord, been a-jerkin' up my head.
Get there rabbit, oh get there now
Yes Lord Lord I'm getting' there now

You jump out and start to run,
Shoot you down with m' old shotgun,
Big-eyed rabbit, get there now
Yes oh Lord I'm getting' there now

Rabbit oh rabbit your foot's mighty round
Yes Lord Lord make a hole in the ground
Big-eyed rabbit, now get there now
Yes oh Lord I'm getting' there now

Rabbit's in the garden, a-sifting sand
Fore tomorrow morning I'll have him in my hand.
Big-eyed rabbit, get there now
Yes oh Lord I'm getting' there now

Rascal rascal,here'n my dog
yes my lord I want a log
Big-eyed rabbit, get there now
Yes oh Lord I'm getting' there now