Alan Mann of Loaded Dog introduced me to the music of C.W. Stoneking several years ago and since then I have added several of his delightful albums to my collection. His style is reminiscent of the great Leon Redbone. I love this whimsical song:

TALKIN' LION BLUES
(C.W. Stoneking)

O-lay-eeeeeee
O-lay-ee-ee-ee
O-de-o-lay-ee-oh-oh
O-da-lay-eee

I was over in Africa minin' for gold
O-ooh, minin' for gold
Come along a big lion, caught me in my hole
O-de-lay-eee, caught me in my hole

The lion said, 'Buddy, you plumb outta luck
O-ooh, you plumb outta luck'
Made a lunge for me, lawd, I had to duck
O-de-lay-eee, I had to duck

I jabbed that lion right clean in the jaw
O-ooh, right clean in the jaw
Picked up his tail, dragged him 'cross the floor
O-de-lay-eee, dragged him 'cross the floor

I chained him up in the back of my truck
O-ooh, in the back of my truck
Said, 'what's that you had to say about luck?
O-de-lay-eee, that you said about luck'

The first place I took him was ten miles away
O-ooh, ten miles away
Told the people, 'Listen what this lion can say
O-de-lay-eee, what this lion can say'

The lion looked round, he started to cry
O-ooh, he started to cry
Said, 'this man punched me and he blackened my eye
O-da-lay-eee, and he blackened my eye'

The people got angry, they started to shout
O-da-lay-ee-ee-ee-eee
Lion said, 'That's what I was talkin' about'
O-de-lay-eee, oh-oh, lawd, lawd

They hauled me up the courthouse stairs
O-ooh, up the courthouse stairs
The judge was a monkey in an old wicker chair
O-de-lay-eee, in an old wicker chair

The monkey said, 'Guilty', and the people all cheered
O-ooh, and the people all cheered
He slammed his gavel, said, 'twenty five years'
O-da-lay-eee, said 'twenty five years'

I'm in Africa wearin' a ball and chain
O-de-lay-ee, a ball and chain
I'll never mess with a talkin' lion again
O-ooh, a talkin' lion again

Youtube clip

--Stewie.