Lyr Req: The Little Stream of Whiskey

Subject: the fate of the dyin' hobo's shoes
From: GUEST,ando coustic
Date: 16 May 01 - 12:13 PM

Legend has it that a sixth verse exists detailing the surviving hobo's act of stealing his dead buddy's boots. Anybody know about the verse?

Subject: Lyr Add: THE LITTLE STREAM OF WHISKEY
From: Sorcha
Date: 16 May 01 - 01:19 PM

I found a whole 'nother version slightly different from what's in the DT that has that verse:


LITTLE STREAM OF WHISKEY

D / / / | G / D / | G / D / | E / A /
D / / / | G / D / | G / D / | A / D /

1. Just a mile west of the water tank on a cold November day,
In a cold and lonely boxcar, a dying hobo lay.
His pal sat there beside him with a low and drooping head,
Listening to the last words his dying buddy said.

2. "Partner, old partner, I must say goodbye.
I hear that train a-coming and I know it's getting nigh.
Will you tell that old conductor just where I want to stop
Where the little stream of whiskey comes trickling down the rocks?

3. "We've rode the rods together. we've rambled all around.
In every kind of weather, we've slept out on the ground.
Partner, don't you miss the train that always makes the stop
Where the little stream of whiskey comes trickling down the rocks.

4. "Tell my girl in Danville she need not worry at all.
I'm going to that country where I won't have to work at all.
I won't have to wash my overalls or even change my socks
Where the little stream of whiskey comes trickling down the rocks.

5. "I'm going to that better place where everything is right,
Where the handouts grow on bushes and you sleep out every night.
I won't have to jump another train or work another job
Where the little stream of whiskey comes trickling down the rocks.

6. "I hear the fast mail coming. I'll catch it by and by.
Oh, gal of mine, oh, gal of mine, it ain't so hard to die."
His head fell back and his eyes fell in as he breathed his last refrain.
His partner swiped his shoes and socks and hopped the eastbound train.


I neglected to copy the address where I found it, so I'll go back and get it, next post, OK

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the fate of the dyin' hobo's shoes
From: Sorcha
Date: 16 May 01 - 01:20 PM

Source: http://home.att.net/~minstrelmike/songs/little_stream_of_whiskey.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the fate of the dyin' hobo's shoes
From: Ando Coustic
Date: 18 May 01 - 12:54 PM

that's it! thanks for all your help; sorry about the double posting; I'm new to the Mudcat.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the fate of the dyin' hobo's shoes
From: MMario
Date: 18 May 01 - 01:01 PM

AC - no problem...it takes anyone time to get up to speed in a new situation. Have you read through our MudCat FAQ and Newcomer's Guide

it's got a lot of stuff in it we tend to take for granted...and forget to tell newcomers.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dying hobo
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 May 01 - 08:54 PM

Copied from another thread.
-Joe Offer-

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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the dying hobo
From: mousethief
Date: 18-May-01 - 11:16 AM

Well in the version in the DigiTrad (our local folk/blues database here at Mudcat) the partner steals the coat and hat (click here for lyrics).

A page at the Owen Sound Marine and Rail Museum gives the final line as having the partner stealing his coat and boots instead of his coat and hat.

I'm not having any luck finding a 6-verse version, though. Sorry!

Alex

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the fate of the dyin' hobo's shoes
From: toadfrog
Date: 18 May 01 - 11:24 PM

As my mother used to sing it, the song ended with this verse:

Oh, hark! I hear a whistle, I must catch it on the fly!
Good bye my dear old comarade, It's not so hard to die!
And thus he made his last remarks and ceased to feel the pain.
His comrade hocks his shoes and socks and hopped the outbound train.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the fate of the dyin' hobo's shoes
From: Louie Roy
Date: 19 May 01 - 12:21 AM

Sorcha most of the verses you posted are the same as the Big Rock Candy Mountain

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the fate of the dyin' hobo's shoes
From: Sorcha
Date: 19 May 01 - 12:08 PM

Louie, HUH? Not the Big Rock Candy Mtn I know, nor any of the ones in the DT.......what do you mean?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the fate of the dyin' hobo's shoes
From: toadfrog
Date: 20 May 01 - 01:04 AM

No, they are different from Big rock etc., but there are approximately one gazillion songs that have a remarkable family resemblance, all romancicising the hobo. Another example is Clique I think that is what Loui Roy means. And I've heard another one (from a real living, breathing, hobo, not a folksinger) called something like "Hobo Bill" (Not "Railroad Bill"). And one sort of wonders if they all are descended from a common ancestor.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the fate of the dyin' hobo's shoes
From: GUEST,zsawyer
Date: 24 Nov 08 - 08:17 PM

We found this song in an old song book about 60 years ago. This is how I remember it. There may have been other verses, but these are the ones we sang. We made up our own music and sang it often. (We couldn't read music then.) I've always wondered what the tune was. If you have it, I would love to get the music.


Out by a western water tower on a cold December day,
In an open boxcar a dying hobo lay.
His partner lay beside him with a low and drooping head,
Listening to the last words the dying hobo said.

"Go tell my girl in dreamland, her face no more I'll view.
I hear that train a-comin', and I'm goin' too.
I'm goin'," said the hobo, "to a land that's fair and bright,
Where the climate is so healthy that the pigs stay out all night.

"Where handouts grow on bushes, and people never change their socks,
And little drops of whiskey, come trickling down the rocks."
His head fell back his eyes fell in as he breathed his last refrain
His partner stole his socks and shoes and caught that westbound train.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Little Stream of Whiskey
From: GUEST,Kathy
Date: 22 Mar 11 - 09:44 PM

My daddy sung this song to me as a lullaby,in the 1960s, and to my sisters in the 50's but with these words

Beside a western water tank one bright and sunny day,
Beside an open boxcar, a dyin' hobo lay.
His partner knelt beside him with low and drooping head
To listen to the very last words the dying hobo said.

"I'm goin'," said the hobo, "to a land so fair and bright,
The climate is so healthy the pigs stay out all night,
And handouts grow on bushes and people never wash their socks,
And little streams of whiskey come twinkling down the rocks.

"Now tell my girl in Denver whose face I hardly knew,
That I have caught the eastbound train and I'll be coming through."
His head fell back and his eyes fell shut as he breathed his last refrain.
His partner stole his shoes and socks and caught the eastbound train.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Little Stream of Whiskey
From: kendall
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 08:00 AM

I used to sing this one, it's also a good one to throw in a bit of picking.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Little Stream of Whiskey
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 24 Mar 11 - 08:37 PM

Burnett & Rutherford recorded LITTLE STREAM OF WHISKEY on Nov. 6, 1926 and it was released as a 78 rpm record, Columbia 15133D b/w SHORT LIFE OF TROUBLE.

That would be Richard D. Burnett & Leonard Rutherford.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Little Stream of Whiskey
From: Mark Ross
Date: 25 Mar 11 - 12:21 AM

This is also known as THE DYING HOBO.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Little Stream of Whiskey
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Oct 11 - 09:21 AM

My father used to sing this around the campfire in the Poconos when I was a child (1955 on)
I don't remember all the words however it said:
My father's name is Moses
My mother was a .......
(then it went on to say)
Where people never washed their socks
And little streams of whiskey came trickling down the rocks

if you have the words please send to [e-mail]