The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #31041   Message #1014403
Posted By: Jim Dixon
07-Sep-03 - 01:19 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: songs by Uncle Dave Macon
Subject: Lyr Add: CARVE THAT POSSUM (from Uncle Dave Macon)
A version of CARVE THAT POSSUM has been posted here, but it's not Uncle Dave Macon's version. Following is my transcription from The Record Lady's All-Time Country Favorites, on "Requests Page Five". (Actually, I started by copying other transcriptions from the Internet--specifically, here and here--and then making a few corrections based on my own hearing.)

I must admit some serious doubts about the word "on" in the phrase "On, children, on!" and the word "come" in the chorus. I have left them the way I found them. Logically, it would make sense to use the same word in both places. It would also make sense for that word to be "carve," but I'm not convinced that that's what they're singing. Based on hearing alone, and disregarding logic, it sounds equally like "hard" or "horn" or "harm." It's possible that different singers sing different words. It seems that Uncle Dave sings the verse, two or more other singers sing the refrain "On, children, on" and all of them together sing the chorus.

My dog treed. I went to see. (On, children, on!)
There was a possum up that tree, (On, children, on!)
And that possum began to grin. (On, children, on!)
I reached up and took him in. (On, children, on!)

CHORUS: Oh, carve that possum. Carve that possum, children.
Carve that possum, children. Oh, come, children come.

Carried him home and dressed him off. (On, children, on!)
Hung him out that night to frost. (On, children, on!)
One way to cook the possum sound, (On, children, on!)
First parboil, then bake him brown. (On, children, on!) CHORUS

Possum meat am good to eat. (On, children, on!)
Always fat and good and sweet. (On, children, on!)
Three [or "grease" or "sweet"] potatoes in the pan, (On, children, on!)
Greatest eating in the land. (On, children, on!) CHORUS

Some eat early and some eat soon. (On, children, on!)
Some like possum and some like coon. (On, children, on!)
That possum's just the thing for me. (On, children, on!)
Old Rattler's got another'n up a tree. (On, children, on!) CHORUS