Lyr Req: Barlow Knife

Subject: RE: Barlow Knife - Want lyrics
From: Les Blank
Date: 25 Mar 98 - 05:41 PM

The Barlow knife is a major theme in the Hedy West (Vanguard Records) song, "Cotton Mill Girls". Also, FWIW, Guy Clark (Dublin Blues) would rather have a Randall knife !!

Subject: RE: Barlow Knife - Want lyrics
From: Bill in Alabama
Date: 25 Mar 98 - 06:18 AM

In my part of the southern Appalachians, the tune was considered a fiddle tune or a dance tune, and the only verse I ever heard sung was the one about being a poor boy all my life, with the chorus being the piece about Barlow Handle, Barlow Blade. Because many of those tunes, especially dance tunes, tend to last for a very long time, the instrumental burden is occasionally broken up by such a single verse/chorus vocal. Although there were others of the same type with which I was once familiar, I can't think of one now, other than Sally Goodwin, which we sang with only one verse.

Subject: RE: Barlow Knife - Want lyrics
From: judy
Date: 24 Mar 98 - 02:45 PM

Many tunes just had a single line thrown in now and then. I think it is up to the group to make up another line.
enjoy!
judy

Subject: RE: Barlow Knife - Want lyrics
From: BFP
Date: 22 Mar 98 - 10:18 PM

I've been working all of my life and all I got is a barlow knife. Staghorn handle with a barlow blade Best old knife that ever was made.

Subject: RE: Barlow Knife - Want lyrics
From: chet w
Date: 22 Mar 98 - 04:41 PM

I used to do this song/tune. All I can add is that for the "B" part of the tune we'd sing

"Barlow handle and a Barlow blade,
Best damn knife that ever was made" (2x)

Barlow is not a brand but rather a style of folding knife, been around forever. You can find one at any hardware store. It has one or two blades. The handle has a long piece of bone or plastic, rounded at one end, and a metal plate (bolster is the technical term), kind of rectangular, at the hinge end of the handle.

Good luck,
Chet W.

Subject: RE: Barlow Knife - Want lyrics
From: dulcimer
Date: 22 Mar 98 - 02:38 PM

I know there is a brand name Barlow Knife and I think it might be a special knife used for something or other. What really is a barlow knife? Good song to play.

Subject: RE: Barlow Knife - Want lyrics
From: MAG
Date: 21 Mar 98 - 07:08 PM

A 50's folk group named "Womenfolk" -- 5 women plus guitars -- probably nobody but me remembers them: anyway they did a version of "hard times c.m.g." with the additional verse:

When I die don't bury me a/tall/Just hang me up on the barroom wall/Pickle my bones in alcohol/Hard times everywhere

every verse ended with this line, then swung into the chorus.

I'm new on this list, and am de-lurking to say how very much I enjoy it!

Not a pro, MAG

Subject: RE: Barlow Knife - Want lyrics
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Mar 98 - 03:47 PM

Here is a previous thread on the topic, but it doesn't seem to come up with a conclusive answer. Here is another. Maybe the whole song is just this one verse?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Barlow Knife - Want lyrics
From:
Date: 21 Mar 98 - 02:47 PM

I've been working all my life
and all I want is a Barlow knife
Stag horn handle with a barlow blade
best old knife ever was made

Subject: Barlow Knife - Want lyrics
From: Don Mostrom
Date: 21 Mar 98 - 02:12 PM

Looking for words to the old fiddle tune "Barlow Knife". [e-mail]