Well done, rich r! Lord, how I love this Mudcat!

Hubbard (Ballads and Songs from Utah, University of Utah Press, 1961) says (p.435):

"This repellant song satirizes the boarding house at the Apex Copper Mine, also known as the Dixie Copper Mine west of St. George. The similarities in texts suggest that the Utah song may be an adaptation of "Casey's Awful Grub" printed in Wehman Bros.' Irish Song Book, No. 2 p. 51. Sung by Vern Fullerton of St. George, August 8, 1947.

I wish I could read music well enough to give you an idea of the melody, but I could make a photocopy and post it to one of our resident geniuses. Any volunteers? St. George, by the way, is on the Virgin River, down in what they call the Dixie of Utah. Can't imagine why the idea of St. George being on the Virgin amuses me.

Sandy