'Cabbage Head' - wanted (App Bluegrass)

Subject: 'Cabbage Head' - wanted (App Bluegrass)
From:
Date: 03 Jun 99 - 08:16 AM

I am looking for music/lyrics to this song which was sung by my West Virginia aunts and uncles - all have passed over now. An example lyric is something like this: (man says) Last night when I came home ~~~ There was a head on the pillow, where my head ought be. (woman says) You fool, you fool, you drunken/blind ol fool Why in the world can't you see? That is only a cabbage head your granny gave to me. (man says) I've traveled this world over a thousand miles or more but a cabbage head with a mustache I never did see before.

Other verses inlude 'horse in the barn', 'coat on the coat rack'. I hope this song gets documented before it is lost!

Subject: RE: 'Cabbage Head' - wanted (App Bluegrass)
From: tomtom
Date: 03 Jun 99 - 09:51 AM

There are quite a few versions of this song under quite a few different titles. I think it's of British origin. Usually, it goes under the title of Seven Nights Drunk or Three Nights Drunk or Drunkard's Special.

Coley Jones does it under the name Drunkard's Special. It's a really nice version. You can find it on the Folkways Anthologoly of American Folk Music.

You might want to do a search here under the keyword "drunk" or "drunkard." I seem to recall threads in the past relating to this song.

tomtom

Subject: RE: 'Cabbage Head' - wanted (App Bluegrass)
From: MMario
Date: 03 Jun 99 - 02:33 PM

There have been several thread about this in the not-too-distant-past...

I believe it's in the DT as "Five Nights Drunk" or "Our goodman"

search the FORUM for "drunken" will give you several

or you can click here for one of the longer ones

MMario URL=http://www.mudcat.org/thread.CFM?threadID=7291

Subject: RE: 'Cabbage Head' - wanted (App Bluegrass)
From: Slidin88D6
Date: 04 Jun 99 - 01:35 AM

That song is on, of all things, Ruth Brown's latest album. I also know a version by Coley Jones on a great disc called "Before the Blues" on Yazoo. Jones records the song as "Drunkard's Special." Here's bit from the liner notes: "This centuries-old British ballad, Our Goodman, survived nearly intact in both white and black repertoires and was widespread in the South. Fellow Texan, Blind Lemon Jefferson, borrowed some of the lyrics to fashion into his "Cat Man Blues." Interestingly, the song was commercially recorded in a version close to Coley Jones' as late as the 1950s, with a contemporary arrangement by Sonny Boy Williamson No. 2" "Oh crazy, oh silly, can't you plainly see. That's nothing but a cabbage head, that your mother gave to me." Good luck in your search.

Subject: RE: 'Cabbage Head' - wanted (App Bluegrass)
From: The Resonator
Date: 04 Jun 99 - 01:36 AM

That song is on, of all things, Ruth Brown's latest album. I also know a version by Coley Jones on a great disc called "Before the Blues" on Yazoo. Jones records the song as "Drunkard's Special." Here's bit from the liner notes: "This centuries-old British ballad, Our Goodman, survived nearly intact in both white and black repertoires and was widespread in the South. Fellow Texan, Blind Lemon Jefferson, borrowed some of the lyrics to fashion into his "Cat Man Blues." Interestingly, the song was commercially recorded in a version close to Coley Jones' as late as the 1950s, with a contemporary arrangement by Sonny Boy Williamson No. 2" "Oh crazy, oh silly, can't you plainly see. That's nothing but a cabbage head, that your mother gave to me." Good luck in your search.

Subject: RE: 'Cabbage Head' - wanted (App Bluegrass)
From: GUEST,Ginger Peters
Date: 20 Oct 08 - 03:54 PM

My grandmother sand that song to me. The version she sang to me had 4 verses.

1. I came home the other night, drunk as I could be, saw a horse in the stable, where my horse ought to be. Come here my little wifey, explain this thang to me, how come there's a horse in the stable where my horse ought to be?
Well you bild fool, you crazy fool can't you never see? It's just another milk cow your granny sent to me.
I've been all around this world, a thousand miles or more, saddle upon a milk cow, I never did see before.

Verse 2 involves the coat on the rack/bed quilt byplay, with the punchline being a pocket on a bed quilt, I never did see before.   
Verse 3 is the pants/night shirt debate with "zipper upon a night shirt" line being the gag.
the 4th verse is, of course, the kicker with the famous "mustache on a cabbage head" line.   

She mentioned remembering a verse with a hat and boots but couldn't recall the details.
I find this amazing that so many people know so much about something I thought was just one of those obscure hill things.

Subject: RE: 'Cabbage Head' - wanted (App Bluegrass)
From: GUEST,Ginger Peters
Date: 20 Oct 08 - 03:55 PM

BTW, we are from Kentucky. It appears that this randy little ditty was popular in several states.

Subject: RE: 'Cabbage Head' - wanted (App Bluegrass)
From: Dave Ruch
Date: 20 Oct 08 - 08:55 PM

I just recorded a version of this from New York State for my new CD. You can hear part of it here: Listen to song #2

Subject: RE: 'Cabbage Head' - wanted (App Bluegrass)
From: Abby Sale
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 08:46 AM

Hi Dave.

It's a good version. I strongly recommend the CD not just for that song but also for the rest of Dave's fine presentation of New York State roots material. It's refreshing and exciting have some of the wealth of US "Songs from the North East" on CD.

Abby

Subject: RE: 'Cabbage Head' - wanted (App Bluegrass)
From: Dave Ruch
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 11:58 AM

Wow, thanks Abby!

Subject: RE: 'Cabbage Head' - wanted (App Bluegrass)
From: mandotim
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 12:12 PM

Hi all; the version I know is certainly from Ireland, and was a big hit for The Dubliners in the late 1960s. Known as 'Seven Drunken Nights'. Luke Kelly used to introduce it by saying 'this song is called Seven Drunken Nights, but the clergy will only let us sing five of them!'.
A great live version at http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jujqyVez2jw
Tim

Subject: RE: 'Cabbage Head' - wanted (App Bluegrass)
From: GUEST,baz parkes
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 04:31 AM

For an excellent modern Brit take on the theme check out Brian Peters'(of this parish) Six Nights Drunk on his new Songs of Trial and Triumph CD.
Not sure ewhich category it fits in,mind....:-)

Baz

Subject: RE: 'Cabbage Head' - wanted (App Bluegrass)
From: GUEST,Josh
Date: 07 Feb 11 - 11:03 AM

Not sure if anyone references this page anymore, but Hamper McBee relates the naughty 'Limey' version of the last line:

"I came home the other night, drunk as I could be, saw a thingy in her thingy where my old thingy ought to be.

Come here my old woman, explain this thing to me, how come there's an old thingy where my old thingy ought to be?

Well you blind fool, you crazy fool can't you never see? It's just a rolling pin that your granny sent to me.

I've been all around this world, a thousand times or more and balls upon a rolling pin I ain't ever seen before."

Subject: RE: 'Cabbage Head' - wanted (App Bluegrass)
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Mar 11 - 07:15 PM

my dad used to sing this song to me and my 5 brothers and sisters back in the 60s.he also sang theres a hole in the bottom of the sea.i remember the words to these and other songs he'd sing like it was yesterday.video games and tv have taken so much away from people.i'm glad i still dont have either one.

Subject: RE: 'Cabbage Head' - wanted (App Bluegrass)
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Aug 14 - 07:32 PM

I just discovered a perfectly filthy version of this, under the title "Cabbage Head" on Rudy Ray Moore's 2002 album 21st Century Dolemite.

Sonny Boy Williamson did it under the title "Wake Up Baby" but my favorite "Cabbage Head" has always been Professor Longhair's.