ADD: The Squire And The Deacon

Subject: Lyr Req: The Squire And The Deacon
From: GUEST,Martin
Date: 13 Jun 21 - 12:42 PM

Hi

If anyone know the missing words that I can't find on this song by "Hobo" Jack Turner AKA Ernest Hare...it would be a great help. English is not my main language.

Many thanks.

Martin


Let me sing a tale that’s all but true
A little song I learn to croon
I think that I forgot the words I knew
And I can’t remember the tune

It’s a tune my papy sang
You all know how it goes
It’s a tale about two honest man
That everybody know

The squire and the deacon ….
Debating about religion on the old town square
Till the golden sunshine   …   the deep blue sea
The squire and the deacon gonna disagree

The squire and the deacon are a…..
The deacon swap the poney for the squire’s mare
The squire sold his poney then he bought the deacon’s room
The   ….          the bunk until the cow came home

The squire met the deacon at the county fair
Started in debating about religion there
The deacon kept         on the devil …
‘Cause the deacon like is bible like the squire love corn

The squire and the deacon kept a growing old
The squire got the fever and the nasty cold
The squire kept a …       devil….
The deacon came around and try to save his soul

The deacon kept a praying but the squire … and die
…          deacon lay down by his side
He ….       and then he pray for death
Then        ….         drew his one last breath


The squire and the deacon are….      
The deacon met the squire on the golden stairs
Now the squire and the deacon dressed in angels
And debating ‘bout religion up in paradise

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Squire And The Deacon
From: GUEST,#
Date: 13 Jun 21 - 01:15 PM

Here's a link to the song on YouTube by HJT/EH

I'll get on it in a short while unless someone else does.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Squire And The Deacon
From: GUEST,#
Date: 14 Jun 21 - 09:27 AM

GUEST,Martin,

I will have a stab at the missing lyrics a bit later today. Are you in a hurry for the transcription?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Squire And The Deacon
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Jun 21 - 05:27 PM

Hi, No hurry at all. Thanks!

Martin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Squire And The Deacon
From: GUEST,#
Date: 14 Jun 21 - 07:57 PM

Using the 78 rpm posted at 13 Jun 21 - 01:15 PM. Writers and singer credited on the label.

Let me sing a tale that’s old but true
A little song I learn to croon
I think that I forgot the words I knew
And I can’t remember the tune

It’s a tune my pappy sang
You all know how it goes
It’s a tale about two honest men
That everybody know(s)

The squire and the deacon are an argufying pair
Debating about religion on the old town square
Till the golden sunshine drops to deep blue sea
The squire and the deacon gonna disagree

The squire and the deacon are an argufying pair
The deacon swaps the pony for the squire’s mare
The squire sold his pony then he bought the deacon’s roan
The hey argued 'bout the bargain till the cows came home

****************************************

I'm pretty sure so far, but no guarantees. I'll get to the second half later or mañana. The singer has an odd pronunciation of some words and I'm having to 'puzzle out' what he's singing. Sorry this is taking so long. But we'll get 'er done.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Squire And The Deacon
From: GUEST,#
Date: 14 Jun 21 - 08:07 PM

But it sounds like it could be argue-plying pair at one point. Either way, I think the expression is fabricated for the song. When he was with the Happiness Boys he has to have learned to ad-lib.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Squire And The Deacon
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jun 21 - 07:34 AM

Argufying pair

That was a though one...

M.

Subject: ADD: The Squire And The Deacon
From: GUEST,#
Date: 15 Jun 21 - 09:10 AM

THE SQUIRE AND THE DEACON
(Kahal and Marston)

Let me sing a tale that’s old but true
A little song I learn to croon
I think that I forgot the words I knew
And I can’t remember the tune

It’s a tune my pappy sang
You all know how it goes
It’s a tale about two honest men
That everybody know(s)

The squire and the deacon are an argufying pair
Debating about religion on the old town square
Till the golden sunshine drops to deep blue sea
The squire and the deacon gonna disagree

The squire and the deacon are an argufying pair
The deacon swaps the pony for the squire’s mare
The squire sold his pony then he bought the deacon’s roan
They argued 'bout the bargain till the cows came home

The squire met the deacon at the county fair
Started in debatin(g) (a)bout religion there
The deacon kept a-tooting on the devil's horn
‘Cause the deacon likes his bible like the squire loves *corn*

The squire and the deacon kep' a growing old
The squire got the fever and the nasty cold
The squire kept a-slippin' to the devil's hold
The deacon came around and tried to save his soul

The deacon kept a praying but the squire went and died
That argufying deacon lay down by his side
He closed his tearful eyes and then he pray for death
Then and there the deacon drew his one last breath

The squire and the deacon are an argufying pair      
The deacon met the squire on the golden stairs
Now the squire and the deacon dressed in angels' guise
And debating ‘bout religion up in paradise


**********************************************

Martin, you'd said English isn't your first language, but given the difficulties presented by this transliteration you did exceptionally well to get what you got. Just a few remarks: 1) The singer makes corn and horn sound like cone and hone 2) *corn* is a reference to corn liquor; booze made using corn 3) the missing four syllables identified with ____ are still in need of filling-in. I'll keep trying on that, but what's there is the best I can do for the moment. I'll shake the cobwebs out of my head and give it a try in an hour or so.

Transcribed from the recording by "Hobo" Jack Turner, Velvet Tone #1956-V, believed to be recorded in 1929.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrkw8ipqYu0

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Squire And The Deacon
From: GUEST,#
Date: 15 Jun 21 - 09:32 AM

It may be three missing syllables.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Squire And The Deacon
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jun 21 - 09:57 AM

Thanks you very much. I'm French-canadian and I'm interested in pre-war music in America. I can get by in English but like you say, in the case of this song, a few sentences were harder to guess. Now, I just have to do the tablature of the music to be able to sing it! Thanks again!
Martin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Squire And The Deacon
From: GUEST,#
Date: 15 Jun 21 - 10:14 AM

Check back, because some of the really sharp/good transcriptionists may come up with it. And, you're welcome, Martin.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Squire And The Deacon
From: GUEST,#
Date: 15 Jun 21 - 12:29 PM

The writers of the song are Irving Kahal and Lem Marston.

I think the missing syllables are

The squire kept a-slippin' to the devil's hold

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Squire And The Deacon
From: cnd
Date: 16 Jun 21 - 12:05 AM

A wonderful song I'd never heard before, thanks for bringing it up.

I mostly agree with your lyrics, #, including the mots recent addendum, aside from the following (mostly minor) differences:

A little song I learned to croon [while the 'ed' is soft, I think it's there, it sort of runs into the "to"]
Till the golden sunshine dries the deep blue sea
He closed his tearful eyes and then he prayed for death [again, soft, but there (I think?)]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Squire And The Deacon
From: GUEST,#
Date: 16 Jun 21 - 08:25 AM

Hey, cnd. I agree on each point. Thank you. (I wasn't happy with the 'Till the golden sunshine drops to deep blue sea' line.)

Also, thank you to who ever did the 'The squire kept a-slippin' to the devil's hold'.

*******************************************************


THE SQUIRE AND THE DEACON ( written by Irving Kahal and Lem Marston)

Transcribed from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrkw8ipqYu0

Let me sing a tale that’s old but true
A little song I learned to croon
I think that I forgot the words I knew
And I can’t remember the tune

It’s a tune my pappy sang
You all know how it goes
It’s a tale about two honest men
That everybody know(s)

The squire and the deacon are an argufying pair
Debating about religion on the old town square
Till the golden sunshine dries the deep blue sea
The squire and the deacon gonna disagree

The squire and the deacon are an argufying pair
The deacon swaps the pony for the squire’s mare
The squire sold his pony then he bought the deacon’s roan
They argued 'bout the bargain till the cows came home

The squire met the deacon at the county fair
Started in debatin(g) (a)bout religion there
The deacon kept a-tooting on the devil's horn
‘Cause the deacon likes his bible like the squire loves *corn*

The squire and the deacon kep' a growing old
The squire got the fever and the nasty cold
The squire kept a-slippin' to the devil's hold
The deacon came around and tried to save his soul

The deacon kept a praying but the squire went and died
That argufying deacon lay down by his side
He closed his tearful eyes and then he prayed for death
Then and there the deacon drew his one last breath

The squire and the deacon are an argufying pair      
The deacon met the squire on the golden stairs
Now the squire and the deacon dressed in angels' guise
And debating ‘bout religion up in paradise

END