The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #110346 Message #2314067
Posted By: katlaughing
13-Apr-08 - 01:12 AM
Thread Name: ADD/Origins: A Bad Half Hour (Badger Clark)
Subject: Lyr Add: A BAD HALF HOUR (Badger Clark)
Posted for this Guest:
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Subject: RE: Your favorite cowboy/western folk songs
From: GUEST,Lucyann - PM
Date: 12 Apr 08 - 07:25 PM
Does anyone have the lyrics for this song? I know that Ed Trickett sings it. A Bad Half Hour" to the tune of "Annie Laurie."
A BAD HALF HOUR
(Badger Clark)
Wonder why I feel so restless;
Moon is shinin' still and bright,
Cattle all is restin' easy,
But I just kain't sleep tonight.
Ain't no cactus in my blankets,
Don't know why they feel so hard—
'Less it's Warblin' Jim a-singin'
"Annie Laurie" out on guard.
"Annie Laurie"—wish he'd quit it!
Couldn't sleep now if I tried.
Makes the night seem big and lonesome,
And my throat feels sore inside.
How my Annie used to sing it!
And it sounded good and gay
Nights I drove her home from dances
When the east was turnin' gray.
Yes, "her brow was like the snowdrift"
And her eyes like quiet streams,
"And her face"—I still kin see it
Much too frequent in my dreams;
And her hand was soft and trembly
That night underneath the tree,
When I couldn't help but tell her
She was "all the world to me."
But her folks said I was "shif'less,"
"Wild," "unsettled,"—they was right,
For I leaned to punchin' cattle
And I'm at it still tonight.
And she married young Doc Wilkins—
Oh my Lord! but that was hard!
Wish that fool would quit his singin'
"Annie Laurie" out on guard!
Oh I just kaint stand it thinkin'
Of the things that happened then.
Good old times, and all apast me!
Never seem to come again—
My turn? Sure. I'll come a-runnin'.
Warm me up some coffee, pard—
But I'll stop that Jim from singin'
"Annie Laurie" out on guard.
Note from Joe Offer: This is an exact transcription of the poem "A Bad Half Hour," available in the 1922 edition of Badger Clark's Sun and Saddle Leather, available at Google Books and at Archive.org