The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #54555   Message #2715187
Posted By: MGM·Lion
03-Sep-09 - 02:16 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: The Old Hat (Leake County Revelers)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Hat (Leake County Revelers)
I learned from Tom Paley a Lynchburg version, which he called Goin'·Down·Town, whose first verse was 'I went Down to town To get me a bottle of wine. They hitched me to the whipping-post And give me 49. Goin' down town [2] I'm goin' down to Lynchburg Town, Gonna carry my tobacky down.' Second verse: 'I went back to town To get me a drink of gin. They hitched me back to the whipping-post And give me hell agin'. Then any of the usual this·sort·of·song floaters, incl old hat, possum/racoon, girl-on-shelf, needle&thread/up the road &c; concluding 'Times is gettin' hard boys, Money's gettin' scarce. Just pay me for my tobacky boys, I'm a-goin' to leave this place'. The first two, 'whipping-post' verses bring the version in with a swing, & do not appear to be quoted in any of the versions noted above on this thread.