Lyr Req: Wish I Had Stayed In The Wagon Yard

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wish I Had Stayed In The Wagon Yard
From: GUEST,Hayseed
Date: 30 Aug 11 - 04:35 PM

Grandpa Jones did this song. Much of it stays the same but the last verse is:

If ever I go to town again, loaded to the gills.
I watch them dudes like a chicken hawk that circles around ours hills.
I'll not be out in the electric lights, I'll stick right with my pard.
I'll get myself a half a pint and stay in the wagon yard.

And if that dude he comes around for me to buy his booze.
I'll hit him in the head so hard he'll feel it in his shoes.
He'll think he's met a wildcat, I'll hit that dude so hard.
He'll wish I'd bought me a half a pint and stayed in the wagon yard.

Subject: Lyr Add: WISH I HAD STAYED IN THE WAGON YARD
From: Dale Rose
Date: 02 Mar 98 - 03:28 AM

I am not aware of any recording of this song by Uncle Dave Macon. He was noted for several songs of this sort, notably From Earth To Heaven, but if he did Wagon Yard, it slipped by me. The earliest version that I am aware of was by Lowe Stokes and his North Georgians, c. 1930. Lowe Stokes was a member of the Skillet Lickers as well. Some historians think that even though he was not billed as such, that he was the one doing the bulk of the lead fiddling on their recordings rather than Gid Tanner or Clayton McMichen, who were better known.

Wish I Had Stayed In The Wagon Yard
as recorded by Lowe Stokes & His North Georgians, singing by Arthur Tanner, accomp. by fiddle & guitar.

I am a jolly farmer, last night I came to town.
To bring a bale of cotton, I'd worked the whole year round.
I put my team in the wagon yard and bought me a bottle of gin.
I went out to see the 'lectric lights and watch the cars come in.

I met a dude out on the street, that clock was strikin' nine.
He said come on old hayseed, take a drink, it's mine.
I must have bought a dozen drinks, 'cause it hit my pocketbook hard.
I wish I'd a bought me a half a pint and stayed in the wagon yard

Listen to me, farmers, I'm here to talk with sense.
If you want to see them 'lectric lights, just look right over the fence.
Don't monkey with them city ducks, you'll find them slick as lard.
Just go and get you a half a pint, and stay in the wagon yard.

As I'm a deacon in a hard shell church, down near Possum Trot,
if the sisters hear about my spree, it's bound to make them hot.
I went out on a party, I led the pace that kills.
When I woke up, that gang had gone and left me all the bills.

I found them over on the corner, near Soul Salvation Hall.
That drunken bunch was out there singing Jesus Paid It All.
They put me out in a dry goods box, Lord, my pillow was hard.
. I wish I'd bought me a half a pint and stayed in the wagon yard.

Other more recent (but good) recordings are by Jay Unger and Lyndon Hardy on Philo 1023 in 1975, by the Hot Mud Family on Vetco 503 in 1973, and Senator Robert Byrd (really!) on County 769 in 1978. There are other recordings as well, but I will vouch for those three. Lamentably, none of the recording are still available so far as I know.

As far as recordings by Uncle Dave Macon are concerned, there are three CDs available, one on MCA 10546, and two on County, 3505 and 115. All are reasonably easy to find. Old Homestead has several cassettes, but I don't have any of them. They are a bit hard to locate, but not impossible. I have perhaps 8 or 10 lps as well, but all are out of print. Let me know if you want to explore either of those options further, and I will supply other information, company, numbers, etc.

Subject: RE: REQ: Uncle Dave Macon
From: Dale Rose
Date: 01 Mar 98 - 01:15 PM

Got that, will look it up. Also have MANY UDM albums and CDs. I will compile them for you when I have a chance~~in the next few days, I would think.

Subject: REQ: Uncle Dave Macon
From: Chet W.
Date: 01 Mar 98 - 12:43 PM

Searching for lyrics to song; last line was "I wish I'd bought me half a pint and stayed in the wagon yard"

Any other sources for Uncle Dave songs?

Thanks, Chet W.