Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two

Subject: ADD: Old Man Noah
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 08 Dec 07 - 07:08 PM

I first heard this old chestnut, popular with glee clubs, back in high school chorus practice I think.

The first verse and chorus have been cited in the DT before. But this seems to be the first time the whole song has been quoted.

Web sources are mum about its origin. I can't find any author or composer cited. The usual attribution is to Robert Wadsworth and Fred Bock, but these are always credited as arrangers, not authors.

Can anyone trace it? Who's the author? When was it written?

Thanks,

Bob

OLD MAN NOAH

Away way back in the ages dark
(away back in the ages dark),
Old man Noah built a sea-going ark
(old man Noah built a sea-going ark),
Old man Noah had his nervous spells,
When he had to listen to the animals' yells,
But when anything was doing he was there with bells,
He was a grand old sailor.

CHORUS:
Old man Noah knew a thing or two,
He made them all play ball,
Old man Noah knew a thing or two,
Because he knew a thing or two, he thought he knew it all,
Some say he was an also ran,
He was the original sailor man,
Old man Noah knew a thing or two,
He was a grand old man.

Said old man Noah to his wife one day
(said old man Noah to his wife one day),
There's a big storm comin' on the first of May
(there's a big storm comin' on the first of May),
So he gathered all his family and made this remark:
The sky's getting cloudy and it's getting rather dark,
So gather all the animals, and beat it to the ark,
It's gonna rain tomorrow, CHORUS

The rain came down in showers cryin'
(the rain came down in showers cryin'),
The ark made it out on a scheduled time
(the ark made it out on a scheduled time),
And every day at half past three,
Noah played poker with the chimpanzee,
Cried the ring-tailed monkey, I sadly agree,
Noah's got a full house up his sleeve, CHORUS

When Noah got the animals out to sea
(when Noah got the animals out to sea),
They organized a regular jubilee
(they organized a regular jubilee),
In the middle of the night the elephant said,
There's a couple of snakes crawled into my bed,
Shut up, said Noah, you're drunk instead,
Now I'm gonna lose my license, CHORUS

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: Peace
Date: 08 Dec 07 - 08:23 PM

http://nelsonworks.net/Preface.html

That site titles it 'an old American glee club song'. This is gonna be one for the books if we can find it. YO, GUYS, GALS . . . .

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Dec 07 - 08:27 PM

Bob-

That's a very interesting song and I hope you're successful in teasing out a few more verses.

Sorry I can't help.

Cheerily,
Charley noble

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Dec 07 - 08:56 PM

Well, it's in the 1934 Songs of Yale songbook, also in a songbook with the clumsy title, MUSIC AMERICANS SING.
Still looking...
There's a nice (free) download here (click). I like free downloads.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 08 Dec 07 - 09:27 PM

Wow ... found it after hours of crazy search running down one rabbit hole after another.

The song is "Noah Knew a Thing Or Two," sometimes abbreviated "Noah," but never called "Old Man Noah" until about 1929 when it was recorded as an oldie on Brunswick by the Ritz Quartet.

It was written as one of the nine featured songs in "Marrying Mary," a 1906 Broadway show, by Benjamin Hapgood Burt (lyrics) and Silvio Hein (music).

Titled "Noah Knew a Thing or Two," it was the final song in Act 1, sung by the characters "Willie Drinkwater and Guests."

Hein was then a young man and beginning to make a name. He would marry in 1908 and his career as a Broadway composer would last until roughly 1922.

Among Hein's other songs folkies know is "Joshua Ebeneezer (sic) Frye."

So I take it the song could be P.D.?? That might explain why the songwriters' names seem never to appear.

No lyric archive I know of has a copy except Univ. of New Hampshire, where the sheet music is not net-accessible. So seeing a copy via the net still seems not possible, pending further lucky breaks.

It would be good to see a copy of the original, since the vigorous, facetious glee club arrangement may have changed the song quite a bit.

Bob

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Dec 07 - 09:53 PM

Bob-

Seems as if you have a hot lead.

Err, what did you mean by saying:

"So I take it the song could be P.D."

The answer is probably obvious but not to me.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Dec 07 - 11:12 PM

In the U.S., songs published before 1923 are in the public domain. It used to be, when songs were 75 years old, they went into public domain. The Sonny Bono Corporate Copyright Giveaway Act of 1998 stopped that nonsense, and ensured that no more songs will come into the public domain for a good long time.
Most of us will be dead by then.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: GUEST,Torger
Date: 24 Jun 09 - 10:43 AM

Sang this piece at Lehigh University, 1960-64. Lyrics, music scores may be available from the University during the time when Robert Cutler was the glee club director.

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: GUEST,interested guest - kessler
Date: 09 May 16 - 01:12 AM

I remember our third grade teacher teaching this song (circa 1943). I think she said it was an old "Negro spiritual." She taught the lyrics "..... he was the original circus man...." (rather than "sailor" man.

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Jul 16 - 12:31 AM

According to this catalog entry, Baylor University has the sheet music (not viewable online) described thus:

NOAH
Words by Benjamin Hapgood Burt, music by Silvio Hein, ©1906.

First line of text: Way, way back in the ages dark
First line of chorus: Old man Noah knew a thing or two

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: GUEST,Larry the Radio Guy
Date: 13 Jul 16 - 10:20 PM

I knew those lyrics from my hootenanny past......I can hear Bill Svanoe of the Rooftop Singers singing that chorus. He changed a few words (so he could take songwriting credit) but it's on their last album, Rainy River from about 1964 I think.

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: GUEST
Date: 31 May 17 - 12:36 AM

"I own the old mill over there in Rubinsville,My name is Joshua Ebibeezer Fry..I know a thing or two,you bet your life I do,can't catch me for I'm to darn sly.,Well I'll be switched the hay ain't pitched,gee up there Napolian,it looks like rain,.Well I'll be darn I must be getting a'rn ,come over when your near the farm again..."..a song my grandfather taught me.

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: GUEST,Patty
Date: 10 Oct 17 - 02:44 AM

I remember hearing this as a kid. What I recall is it have the lyrics “ he was the original circus man“… Not sailor man.
Also, the last verse went, “ The rain came down in torrents prime, and the ark lit out on scheduled time. And as they neared Coney Island shore, the lion lit out and awful roar. “ what’s the matter” says Noah? Says the lion. “ i’m sore. He’s gonna sell us to Ringling!“

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 10 Oct 17 - 04:05 AM

There is another "Old Man Noah" song, which started life in Swedish as Gubben Noak, one of many songs made by a chap called Bellman in the 1700s. Adam McNaughtan got hold of it and made an excellent (of course) translation into Glaswegian. The theme is that Noah planted vines all over the world so that people could drink wine.

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: GUEST,Ivan Lieberburg
Date: 22 Oct 17 - 06:18 AM

I know this song well. I had always assumed it was a very old folk/work song. We would sing it in music class in the mid 1950's in Newbridge Road Elementary School in North Bellmore, Long Island, NY.

Subject: Lyr Add: NOAH / Old man Noah knew a thing or two
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 31 Oct 17 - 11:11 PM

From an article: "The British Apprentice Club" by Henry H. Field, in The Landmark, (London & New York: The English Speaking Union, Vol 4 No 11, Nov. 1922), page 811.

After supper comes a concert, which usually comprises a sing-song of all the good old melodies we used to sing. Special zest is always put into 'Cock Robin,' but beyond all doubt 'Old Man Noah' is the favourite song at this moment. In case you've never heard the words, here are two verses:

Way, way back in the ages dark,
Old man Noah built a sea-going ark,
Old man Noah had nervous spells
When he had to listen to the animals' yells
But he was always there with bells,
  He was a grand old sailor.

Chorus

Old man Noah knew a thing or two,
He made them all play ba-a-a-all,
Old man Noah knew a thing or two and because he
    knew a thing or two he thought he knew it all,
Some say he was an also-ran,
But he was the original circus man,
Old man Noah knew a thing or two,
  He was a grand old man.

The rain came down in showers prime,
The Ark lit out on schedule time,
But as they neared Coney Island shore,
The lion let out a terrible roar,
'S'matter?' said Noah, said the lion, 'I'm sore
  He's goin' to sell us to Ringling.'

There are two other verses which space won't permit, but you have to admit that the above sample holds great possibilities.

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: GUEST,Janet Shebby DiGiacomo
Date: 28 Mar 19 - 09:29 PM

This song was in our song book from Falls-overfield High School, Mill City, PA 1969. Needless to say, we were a little behind the times. Also featured in the book was Shorten Bread and Swing Low Sweet Chariot.

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: GUEST,pcm
Date: 01 Sep 20 - 05:00 PM

My father was in a male chorus from 1954-2000. They sang this song regularly in the 1950's and 1960's. I had wondered where it originated. Thanks to those who did the research!

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: saulgoldie
Date: 01 Sep 20 - 05:25 PM

Thread drift??

When I saw this thread, this went through my mind...

By Dave von Ronk

Mr. Noah

Oh, Mr. Noah
Oh, Mr. Noah
May I take a ride on the ark of the lord?
Cause it's gettin' mighty dark, gonna rain mighty hard
Doodle-e-doo, doodle-e-doo
Doodle-e doodle-e doodle-e doodle-e doodle-e-doo

Oh no, you can't sir
Oh no, you can't sir
No, you may not ride in the ark of the lord
Though it's gettin' mighty dark and gonna rain mighty hard
Doodle-e-doo, doodle-e-doo
Doodle-e doodle-e doodle-e doodle-e doodle-e-doo

Well, go to the devil sir
Well, go to the devil sir
You may go to the devil in your darned old stow
Cause you know darn well it won't rain anyhow
Doodle-e-doo, doodle-e-doo
Doodle-e doodle-e doodle-e doodle-e doodle-e-doo

Well listen, young feller
Well listen, young feller
That's the bluff of your life cause you know darn well
It's sprinklin' now, gonna rain like hell
Doodle-e-doo, doodle-e-doo
Doodle-e doodle-e doodle-e doodle-e doodle-e-doo

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: GUEST
Date: 08 May 21 - 09:47 AM

I know this song ,my grandfather taught me too

Subject: RE: Origin: Old Man Noah Knew a Thing or Two
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jul 21 - 10:04 AM

"Old Man Noah" was a popular campfire/mess hall song we sang regularly at the Lake Delaware Boys Camp in upstate NY in the 70s...lead and taught to us by camp choirmaster Charles D Walker...