Origins: When You hear them Cuckoos Hollerin'

Subject: RE: Origins: When You hear them Cuckoos Hollerin'
From: GerryM
Date: 19 Apr 25 - 08:56 AM

The Davis album is on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH1ReBNiPYU

Subject: RE: Origins: When You hear them Cuckoos Hollerin'
From: GerryM
Date: 19 Apr 25 - 08:54 AM

It's on Bill Davis and his Singing Dulcimer – Smoky Mountain Melodies, https://www.discogs.com/release/2352100-Bill-Davis-And-His-Singing-Dulcimer-Smoky-Mountain-Melodies?srsltid=AfmBOopjLKlbqIgGBlSg

Discogs says 1972. Same three verses as started this discussion.

Subject: RE: Origins: When You hear them Cuckoos Hollerin'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Apr 25 - 01:32 AM

Thanks, cnd. Seems you agree with me that "Cuckoos Hollerin'" is related to the Nine Pound Hammer family of songs. Both lyrics and melody seem related to songs in the 9-pound origins thread.

I really like the version of "Take this Hammer" by the Notting Hillbillies.

Subject: RE: Origins: When You hear them Cuckoos Hollerin'
From: cnd
Date: 18 Apr 25 - 10:29 PM

The Joan Baez bibliography and discography by Joan Swanekamp lists the song as "trad." On her Vanguard album of the same year, "5," Baez alluded as much, noting that it was "a melange of lyrics derived from Negro work song."

I've currently found only one snatch of the lyrics predating Baez's recording, from Jesse Fuller's "Take This Hammer," from Jazz, Folk Songs, Spirituals & Blues (1958). Paul Garon (in What's the Use of Walking, pp. 62-63) reports the lyrics as follows. Note it is possibly related is the 1926 Margaret Johnson blues song, When A Gator Hollers.

Spoken: This song is Take This Hammer to the Captain. I always liked this song better than I did any other. That's my favorite song. I used to work on the railroads, and minin' camps and everywhere, and I always liked that song the best.

Workin' on the railroad, dollar a day,
Workin' on the railroad, dollar a day,
Workin' on the railroad, dollar a day,
Makin' my money, baby, and you're throwin' it away.

Take this hammer, take it to the captain,
Take this hammer, take it to the captain,
Take this hammer, take it to the captain,
Tell him I'm gone, oh, buddy, and tell him I'm gone.

Wake up in the mornin', when the ding-dong ring,
Wake up in the mornin', the ding-dong ring,
Wake up in the mornin', buddy, when the ding-dong ring,
When you look on the table, it's the same old thing.

This old hammer, it ring like silver,
This old hammer, ring like silver,
This old hammer, buddy, and it ring like silver,
Shine like gold, oh, buddy, and it shine like gold.

This old hammer, killed John Henry,
This old hammer, killed John Henry,
This old hammer, Lord, it killed John Henry,
Won't kill me, oh, buddy, it won't kill me.

Wake up, buddy, uncover your head,
Wake up, buddy, uncover your head,
Wake up, buddy, uncover your head,
'Cause the captain's gonna work you until you're almost dead.

When you hear them cuckoo's a-hollerin',
When you hear them cuckoo's a-hollerin',
When you hear them cuckoo's a-hollerin',
Sign of rain, oh, buddy, it's a sign of rain.

Subject: RE: Origins: When You hear them Cuckoos Hollerin'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Apr 25 - 08:06 PM

See also the post from Jim Dixon in the same thread, but I don't think the song began with Hans Theesink:

Thread #22860   Message #2772587
Posted By: Jim Dixon
24-Nov-09 - 10:37 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Cuckoo (Hans Theessink)
Subject: Lyr Add: CUCKOO (Hans Theessink)

From Harry's Blues Lyrics:


CUCKOO
Hans Theessink

When you hear them cuckoos hollerin'
When you hear them cuckoos hollerin'
When you hear them cuckoos hollerin'
Sign of rain, sign of rain

When you hear them woodowls callin' through the night
When you hear them woodowls callin' through the night
When you hear them woodowls callin' through the night
Somebody's leavin' this old world behind

When you hear that high 'n' lonesome sound
When you hear that high 'n' lonesome sound
When you hear that high 'n' lonesome sound
Somebody's on his last go round

Beg for mercy on your bended knees 'n' pray
Beg for mercy on your bended knees 'n' pray
Beg for mercy on your knees 'n' pray
Ain't nowhere to run to, ain't no hiding place
Beg for mercy on your bended knees 'n' pray

[from "Call Me" (Deluge DEL-D-3006, 1992)]

Subject: RE: Origins: When You hear them Cuckoos Hollerin'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Apr 25 - 08:00 PM

Baez recording (Vanguard): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2cT_gta0VY

Cindy Mangsen recording (Compass Rose): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsEr5oFBXVE

See also Upon a tree a cuckoo/Auf einem Baum ein Kuckuck

---

Philippa had a good post on this:
Thread #22860   Message #3730541
Posted By: Felipa
15-Aug-15 - 03:07 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Cuckoo (Hans Theessink)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cuckoo (Hans Theessink)

the first two verses are similar lyrics to those recorded by Joan Baez and Gene Foreman -

I like the tune of the Baez version and I was taught a guitar accompaniament for it, but it always seems to short and bare to me and I was looking for verses to flush it out. Does anyone know more about the origin of the song (before Hans Theesink's version); where did Joan Baez get the song from?

When you hear them cuckoos hollerin' (3x)
It'a a sign of rain, buddy, it's a sign of rain.

Goin' up on a mountain for to see my baby (3x)
And I ain't comin' home, buddy, and I ain't comin' home

When you hear them hoot owls callin' (3x)
Someone's dying, whoa-oh, someone's dying

------
found something here, Monica Grabin added some verses http://www.monicagrabin.com/?section=music-156

    A folk song from the American south, where Cuckoos are sometimes called "rain birds" for their supposed tendency to call before a storm. I felt the song needed more verses that were actually about birds, so I wrote the ones about Mourning Doves and Crows.

    When you hear them Cuckoos hollering,
    When you hear them Cuckoos hollering,
    When you hear them Cuckoos hollering,
    It's a sign of rain, buddy, it's a sign of rain.

    When you hear them Screech Owls calling, (3X)
    Somebody's dying in the world, somebody's dying.

    Going up on the mountain, for to see my baby, (3X)
    And I ain't coming home, buddy, I ain't coming home.

    When you hear them Mourning Doves moaning, (3X)
    It makes you feel like crying, buddy, makes you feel like crying.

    When you hear them black Crows squalling, (3X)
    There's a Hawk nearby, buddy, there's a hawk nearby.   

----
Joan Baez: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epoMnWLeE68

Subject: Origins: When You hear them Cuckoos Hollerin'
From: MickyMan
Date: 18 Apr 25 - 06:28 PM

This song doesn't appear to be in the DT. It was recorded by Joan Baez 1964 and Cindy Mangsen (1980s).
Does anybody know of its origin, and does anybody know of any additional verses other than the following .....

(Chorus) When you hear them Cuckoos hollerin' ..... It's a sign of rain, buddy its a sign of rain
I'm goin' up on the mountain, for to see my baby ..... and I ain't comin' home, no I ain't comin' home
When you hear, that hoot owl callin' ..... somebody's dying, somebody's gone.

I'd love to hear of its source in the tradition, along with more verses, if possible.