Lyr Req: Fall on My Knees + Papa's on the Housetop

Subject: RE: Looking for lyrics- fall on my knees & papa r
From: SmokinBill
Date: 15 Apr 04 - 12:21 AM

It occurred to me today that the tune to "Fall on My Knees" might be the same as "Cumberland Gap" or at least close. Am I off base?

Bill

Smokin' Bill's Digital Depot

Subject: ADD: Fall on my Knees
From: Stewie
Date: 24 Apr 01 - 09:53 PM

Well done, Joe! Like you, I had it sitting on the shelf all along. I used to have all this stuff on a database until a computer meltdown a couple of years ago. The Stecher/Brislin version is sufficiently different to post for comparison:

FALL ON MY KNEES
(Traditional)

I'll fall on my knees and pray to you
Stay a while with me
Stay a while with me

I'm going down the line, where the never shines
Gonna skid on that cold ice and snow
Gonna skid on that cold ice and snow

My suitcase is packed, am never comin' back
Goodbye, my honey, I'm gone, gone
Goodbye, my honey, I'm gone

You told me one, you told me two,
you told me ten thousand lies
you told me ten thousand lies

You told me more lies than the stars in the sky
You'll never get to heaven when you die
You'll never get to heaven when you die

Poor girl look down that long, lonesome road
Hang down your head and cry, cry
Hang down your head and cry

I'll follow my sheep and feed my little lambs
Goodbye, my honey, I'm gone, I am
Goodbye, my honey, I'm gone

I'll fall on my knees and pray to you
Stay a while with me
Stay a while with me

Source: Jody Stecher and Kate Brislin 'Stay Awhile' Rounder CD 0334. They give their source as Fred Cockerham and Tommy Jarrell.

Subject: ADD: Fall on my Knees
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Apr 01 - 03:57 PM

Dang!
It seems to happen quite often that I'll search for a song for days, only to find I have it right here at home. I found a wonderful recording of a female version of "Fall on my Knees" on a CD called Stay Awhile, by Jody Stecher and Kate Brislin. I had a hard time picking out all the words from Brislin's singing, but I got enough to get me a phrase that led me to a transcription from a Freight Hoppers recording. It's in a bluegrass songbook in PDF format - here (click). You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read it.
-Joe Offer (e-mail sent)-

---

FALL ON MY KNEES
from the Freight Hoppers

Well I fall on my knees,
Beggin' you please,
Come and stay with me, little girl,
Won't you come and stay with me.

Well I'm going down the line, where the sun don't never shine
Gonna skid on that cold ice and snow, little girl
Gonna skid on that cold ice and snow.
refrain

If I had as many dollars as the sands in the sea
Well I'd give it all to you to marry me, little girl
Well I'd give it all to you to marry me.
refrain

Well I wish to the Lord, I'd never been born
or died when I was a baby, little girl
or died when I was a baby .
I never would have kissed your ruby red cheeks,
or eaten that salty gray meat, little girl,
or eaten that salty gray meat.
refrain

You told me one, you told me two,
you told me ten thousand lies, little girl,
you told me ten thousand lies.
You told me more lies than there stars in the sky.
You'll never get to heaven when you die, little girl
you'll never get to heaven when you die.
refrain

Well the longest train I ever saw,
it was 99 coaches long, little girl
it was 99 coaches long.

Subject: RE: Looking for lyrics- fall on my knees knees & papa rooftop
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Apr 01 - 01:08 PM

Subject: RE: Looking for lyrics- fall on my knees knees & papa rooftop
From: GUEST,Karen
Date: 17 Apr 01 - 01:06 PM

Hey Joe - No, doesn't seem as though anyone has come up with the words to Fall On My Knees. I'm sorry I can't give you more to go on - I only remember that first verse. It's been 10 years since I've played anything and my memory is a bit thick. If I can remember anymore of the words I'll post them. I may try and dig out an old album I got at a gathering in Mendocino and see if the words are on that. THanks - Karen

Subject: RE: Looking for lyrics- fall on my knees knees & papa rooftop
From: LR Mole
Date: 17 Apr 01 - 09:33 AM

Yow! I used to sing that and I didn't remember verses two and three until I read them here this morning. I used to love hitting the low note on "...and the gravy's on the bread."

Subject: RE: Looking for lyrics- fall on my knees knees & papa rooftop
From: RWilhelm
Date: 17 Apr 01 - 02:10 AM

Yes!

Subject: RE: Looking for lyrics- fall on my knees knees & papa rooftop
From: GUEST,Krenee
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 11:34 PM

Thank you Earl!! It's been over 10 years since I played this song and I knew there were more verses. I appreciate your effort. What a great site. -K-

Subject: Lyr Add: PAPA'S ON THE HOUSETOP (Leroy Carr)
From: RWilhelm
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 02:10 PM

Here is the Leroy Carr version of "Papa's on the Housetop" with a few more verses:

Papa's on the Housetop
Leroy Carr

Mama told papa be quiet as a mouse
Papa climbed up on top of the house
Made a lot of whoopee, made a lot of noise
Stood up and cheered with the rest of the boys

Chorus:
Baby's in the cradle, brother's gone to town
Sister's in the parlor trying on a gown
Mama's in the kitchen messin all around
Papa's on the housetop and won't come down

The blues they come, yeah the blues they come
Nobody knows where the blues come from
The blues they go, the blues they go
And everybody's happy when the old blues go

Chours

Papa saw a chicken running through the yard
Picked up a rock and he hit him hard
Hit him hard, killed him dead
Now the chicken's in the gravy and the gravy's on the bread

Chorus

Hush little baby don't you cry
Blues gonna leave you by and by
Papa came in, sure was cross
Put the baby in the cradle put the blues outdoors
.^^

Subject: RE: Looking for lyrics- I fall on my knees
From: GUEST,krenee
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 01:37 PM

Thank you so much for the lyrics to Papa's On The Housetop. The "Fall On My Knees" I am searching for is not a hymn. THe first verse is

I fall on my knees and pray to thee
Come gather round with me little girl
Come gather round with me....

Anyone familiar with it?

Subject: RE: Looking for lyrics- fall on my knees knees & papa rooftop
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 01:33 PM

Krenee, did we find the "Fall on my Knees" song you were looking for? I know lots of songs with that phrase, but need more from you to be able to tell which one you need.
-Joe Offer-

(I renamed the thread so it's more clear what you're looking for)

Subject: RE: Looking for lyrics- fall on my knees knees & papa rooftop
From: LR Mole
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 09:04 AM

Mama tole papa/be quiet as a mouse
So papa climbed up on the top of the house
Made a lot of whoopee: made a lot of noise
Stood up and cheered with the rest of the boys
(CHO)Baby's in the cradle; brother's gone to town
Sister's in the parlor, tryin' on a gown
Mama's in the kitchen,messin' all around
Papa's on the houstop, won't come down.
I remember this done by the Kweskin Jug Band, maybe on "See Reverse Side for Title". It's a regular 12-bar in C7, with the melody coming off the seventh note, down and then up again.It sounds like that think kids learn when they find the black notes on the piano, and a little like "Down at Papa Joe's" (by?), all of which may be related.

Subject: RE: Looking for lyrics- fall on my knees knees & papa rooftop
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 08:30 AM

Let Us Break Bread Together

Subject: RE: Looking for lyrics- fall on my knees knees & papa rooftop
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 08:11 AM

Do you know more words to the "Fall On My Knees" song? I'm reminded of the hymn,

When I fall on my knees,
With my face to the rising sun,
Oh Lord, have mercy on me.

Can't think of the name just now.

Subject: RE: Looking for lyrics
From: GUEST,karen
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 10:37 PM

wow - you guys are great - thanks so much for the direction and help. cool.

Subject: RE: Looking for lyrics
From: John Hardly
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 10:06 PM

Yeah, I felt kinda stoopid after I posted 'cause I remembered the bit about Tim and Darrell Scott writing the "Daddy's.." song as it reminded them...

Subject: RE: Looking for lyrics
From: Stewie
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 09:23 PM

John,

Tim and Molly's 'Papa's on the Housetop' is an old song. Perhaps the earliest recording was made in 1930 by Leroy Carr. O'Brien referred to it as being of 'minstrel' origin, and that may well be right. O'Brien continued the story in an original composition 'Daddy's on the Roof Again' which may be found on his 'Rock in my Shoe' CD.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Looking for lyrics
From: John Hardly
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 08:57 PM

"Papa's on the Rooftop" may sound somewhat cajun but if it's the one with which I'm familiar, it's by Tim O'Brien and is on the Tim&Mollie O'Brien CD "Remember Me". Tim O'Brien website unfortunately doesn't yet have lyrics posted. I'll have to transcribe them unless RobO comes on to save me (he's another big Tim O'Brien fan).

Subject: RE: Looking for lyrics
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 08:28 PM

It's also a good idea to put at least part of the title or lyrics that you do know into the name of the thread. More folks might bite!

Subject: RE: Looking for lyrics
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 08:08 PM

Welcome, Karen! Neither song seems to be in the Digitrad (see blue searchbox top right). Try the SuperSearch which is at the top of the threadlist and searches the whole Forum, not just the DigiTrad. Just type in the titles. If they're not there either, maybe someone will come up with info in the next few days. Meanwhile, you could pass the time by reading the Mudcat FAQ thread which always comes up first in the list, and learn a bit more about searching and using the Mudcat. Happy Easter!

Subject: Looking for lyrics
From: GUEST,krenee
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 07:54 PM

I'm new here - am looking for the lyrics to a wonderful old song called "Fall On My Knees" Can anyone help? Am also looking for the music and lyrics to "Papa's On The Rooftop" it may be a cajun tune. Would appreciate any help. Karen [e-mail]