You blind fool you drunken fool/4 Nights Drunk

Subject: RE: You blind fool you drunken fool/4 Nights Drunk
From: keberoxu
Date: 18 Apr 21 - 11:15 AM

First version I ever heard was the long-playing album,
The Weavers at Home.

Ronnie Gilbert, at the right moment, sings the words:

You old fool, you blind fool,
Can't you plainly see,
It's nothing but a ... my mother sent to me ...

The man's part is taken, as a solo, in the stentorian voice of
Lee Hays,
who after all the singing is done,
throws in a spoken 'stage aside':

"It's a good thing I'm not of a suspicious nature!"

FINAL CHORD: BOOM.

Subject: RE: You blind fool you drunken fool/4 Nights Drunk
From: Brian Peters
Date: 17 Apr 21 - 06:23 AM

'A version of this song under the name "Our Goodman" by Will Starks (1942, Clarksdale, Mississippi)'

Thanks 'cnd', I've not heard that one before - another interesting example of an African-American version of this old English ballad (see also Coley Jones' 'Drunkard's Special' and Blind Lemon's 'Cat Man Blues'). A Cajun band called The Jolly Boys of Lousiana recorded it as 'Old Man Crip' as well.

Will Starks also sang a very different but recognizable version of the song the English folk scene knows as 'Dido Bendigo'. And, while trying to find out more about him, I came across a fascinating article on African-American button accordion players. A pleasing bit of serendipity, arising from your link - thanks!

Afro-Mississippi accordionists

Subject: RE: You blind fool you drunken fool/4 Nights Drunk
From: GUEST,Brad Sondahl
Date: 16 Apr 21 - 08:57 AM

It reminds me of the tactless remarks always made in the British series Allo Allo when he says to his wife, when caught with the bar maid, "You stupid woman," and comes up with a seriously preposterous excuse...

Subject: RE: You blind fool you drunken fool/4 Nights Drunk
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 16 Apr 21 - 05:04 AM

Jack Elliott of Birtley in Co Durham,NE England sang a version of this & it was recorded for a Folkways LP in 1961 called 'Songas of a Durham Mining Family'.
As for the seven verses, Joe Heaney of Connemara sang them all, but I heard him sing the last verse in Irish at the Marsden folk club in South Shields in the 60s....

Subject: RE: You blind fool you drunken fool/4 Nights Drunk
From: meself
Date: 16 Apr 21 - 12:27 AM

I would have mentioned this in another thread on the subject, I'm sure, but Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller) recorded a bluesy version - can't recall the title.

Subject: RE: You blind fool you drunken fool/4 Nights Drunk
From: cnd
Date: 15 Apr 21 - 11:44 PM

A version of this song under the name "Our Goodman" by Will Starks (1942, Clarksdale, Mississippi) doesn't have the man as a drunkard, but instead as a formerly blind man who travels to a far away land to get his sight back. You can hear lit here.

The lyrics to me aren't significantly different from any of the other versions here aside from not mentioning alcohol at all, even in calling him a drunkard.

Subject: RE: You blind fool you drunken fool
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jun 13 - 07:49 PM

Seven Drunken Nights
Traditional
As I went home on Monday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw a horse outside the door where my old horse should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns that horse outside the door where my old horse should be?

Ah, you're drunk,
you're drunk you silly old fool,
still you can not see
That's a lovely sow that me mother sent to me
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But a saddle on a sow sure I never saw before

And as I went home on Tuesday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw a coat behind the door where my old coat should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns that coat behind the door where my old coat should be

Ah, you're drunk,
you're drunk you silly old fool,
still you can not see
That's a woollen blanket that me mother sent to me
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But buttons in a blanket sure I never saw before

And as I went home on Wednesday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw a pipe up on the chair where my old pipe should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns that pipe up on the chair where my old pipe should be

Ah, you're drunk,
you're drunk you silly old fool,
still you can not see
That's a lovely tin whistle that me mother sent to me
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But tobacco in a tin whistle sure I never saw before

And as I went home on Thursday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw two boots beneath the bed where my old boots should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns them boots beneath the bed where my old boots should be

Ah, you're drunk,
you're drunk you silly old fool,
still you can not see
They're two lovely Geranium pots me mother sent to me
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But laces in Geranium pots I never saw before

And as I went home on Friday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw a head upon the bed where my old head should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns that head upon the bed where my old head should be

Ah, you're drunk,
you're drunk you silly old fool,
still you can not see
That's a baby boy that me mother sent to me
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But a baby boy with his whiskers on sure I never saw before

And as I went home on Saturday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw two hands upon her breasts where my old hands should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns them hands upon your breasts where my old hands should be

Ah, you're drunk,
you're drunk you silly old fool,
still you can not see
That's a lovely night gown that me mother sent to me
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But fingers in a night gown sure I never saw before

As I went home on Sunday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw a thing in her thing where my old thing should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns that thing in your thing where my old thing should be

Ah, you're drunk,
you're drunk you silly old fool,
still you can not see
That's a lovely tin whistle that me mother sent to me
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But hair on a tin whistle sure I never saw before

Subject: RE: You blind fool you drunken fool
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jun 13 - 11:51 AM

Tempest,
Did they ever sing all seven nights?

In the American versions I have heard, once you get past night #4, the verses get progressively more obscene.

Russ (Permanent GUEST)

Subject: RE: You blind fool you drunken fool
From: GUEST,Tempest
Date: 02 Jun 13 - 09:25 AM

its called seven drunken nights by the dubliners

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: iancarterb
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 11:10 PM

Forgot to include this:
http://www.brian-peters.co.uk/peterstrialtriumph.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: iancarterb
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 10:34 PM

Brian Peters does a wonderful modern version largely of his own contrivance on Songs of Trial and Triumph.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 06:59 AM

My mother taught me a version of this her family picked and sang when she was a child. It is much less bawdy than the old Irish version. I think Pete Segar did a version very close to this one.

I came home the other night, drunk as I could be.
Found a horse in the stable, where my horse ought to be.
I said come here my little wifey and explain this thing to me.
Why's there a horse in the stable, where my horse ought to be?

She said.
You blind fool, you crazy fool, can't you never see?
Nothing but a milk cow your granny gave to me.

And I said.
I've traveled this whole world over, a thousand times or more,
Saddle upon a milk cow I never did see before.

I came home the other night, drunk as I could be.
Found a coat on the coat rack, where my coat ought to be.
I said come here my little wifey and explain this thing to me.
Why's there a coat on the coat rack, where my coat ought to be?

She said.
You blind fool, you crazy fool, can't you never see?
Nothing but a bed quilt your granny gave to me.

And I said.
I've traveled this whole world over, a thousand times or more,
Pockets upon a bed quilt I never did see before.

I came home the other night, drunk as I could be.
Found a head on the pillow, where my head ought to be.
I said come here my little wifey and explain this thing to me.
Why's there a head on the pillow, where my head ought to be?

She said.
You blind fool, you crazy fool, can't you never see?
Nothing but a cabbage head your granny gave to me.

And I said.
I've traveled this whole world over, a thousand times or more,
Mustache on a cabbage head I never did see before.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Mark Ross
Date: 09 Sep 08 - 11:55 PM

I think it was Roger Abrahams found a verse on the streets of Philadelphia from the singing(or rather chanting)of some African-American inner city kids.

"There was a thing sitting in her thing where my thing out to be....

Aint' nothing but a cucumber my mother give to me....

Testicles on a cucumber I've never seen before."



Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 09 Sep 08 - 10:45 PM

I heard this sung by a professional touring company performing Spoon River Anthology years ago, and they included a verse I've never seen or heard elsewhere (though it may be in one of those links above - no energy to check through them all):

When I came home the other night
As drunk as I could be
I saw a hat hanging in the hall
Where my hat ought to be
Come here my wife, my pretty wife
Explain this thing to me
What is that hat upon the hook
Where my hat ought to be?

You silly fool, you drunken fool
Can't you plainly see?
That's nothing but a chamberpot
My mother sent to me
I've travelled through this wide wide world
A hundred times or more
But a J. B. Stetson chamberpot
I never saw before

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: oldhippie
Date: 09 Sep 08 - 07:20 PM

Revived as:


Artist: Kate Rusby lyrics
Album: Underneath The Stars
Year: 2003
Title: The Goodman

The good man he came home one night
The good man, home came he
There he spied an old saddle horse
Where no horse should there be
It's a cow, it's a cow, cried the good man's wife
A cow, just a cow, can't you see?
Far have I ridden, and much I've seen
But a saddle on a cow there's never been

The good man he came home one night
The good man, home came he
There he spied a powdered wig
Where no wig should there be
It's a hen, it's a hen, cried the good man's wife
A hen, just a hen, can't you see?
Far have I ridden, and much I've seen
But powder on a hen there's never been

The good man he came home one night
The good man, home came he
There he spied a riding coat
Where no coat should there be
It's sheets, just sheets, cried the good man's wife
Sheets, just sheets, can't you see?
Far have I ridden, and much I've seen
But buttons on a sheet there's never been

The good man he came home one night
When the good man home came he
There he spied a handsome man
Where no man should there be
It's the maid, it's the maid, cried the good man's wife
The milking maid, can't you see?
Far have I ridden, and much I've seen
But a beard on a maid there's never been

The good man he came home one night
The good man, home came he
There he spied an old saddle horse
Where no horse should there be
It's a cow, it's a cow, cried the good man's wife
A cow, just a cow, can't you see?
Far have I ridden, and much I've seen
But a saddle on a cow there's never been

Far have I ridden, and much I've seen
But a saddle on a cow there's never been

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 08 Nov 04 - 08:33 AM

Thanks for the post, Louie Roy. It's a doozy.

Hey, Malcolm, isn't this the first time a kid in a diaper has been reported as part of the story?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Louie Roy
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 06:14 PM

The way I learned it back in the early 1930s it had three more verses

As I came in the other night as drunk as I could be
I saw a head in my bed where my head oughta be
I said to my wifey dear what does this mean to me
What is that head doing in my bed where my head ougta be
She said you fool you drunken fool as you can plainly see
It is just a cabbage head your grandma send to me
I've roamed the world this dog gone world
I've roamed the world oer
But a mustache on a cabbage head I've never seen before

When I came in the other night as druink as I could be
I saw a pin in my hole where my pin oughta be
I said to my wifey dear what does this mean to me
What is that pin doing in my hole where my pin oughta be
She said you fool you drunken fool as you can plainly see
It's just a rolling pin your grandma sent to me
I've roamed this world this dog gone world
I've roamed this world oer
But Balls on a rolling pin I've never seen before

When I came in the other night as drunk as I could be
I saw a kid in my bed where my kid oughta be
I said to my wifey dear what does this mean to me
What is that kid doing in my bed where my kid oughta be
She said you fool you drunken fool as you can plainly see
It's just a monkey that your grandma sent to me
I've roamed this world this dog gone world
I've roamed this world oer
But a diaper on a monkey's ass I've never seen before

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 05:22 PM

A Guest certainly decsribes a novel way of performing a Child ballad. May we adapt it to "Sir Patrick Spens" and others?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: wilbyhillbilly
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 12:46 PM

This is Beths party piece, but hers is the YORKSHIRE version which is called The Tatler. The chorus is....

"You're a blind fool a daft fool a silly old bugger said she, (then the last verse is) Thats the lovely rollin' pin me mother sent to me, its many a mile i've travelled from Bolton up to Shaw BUT, varicose veins on a rollin' pin I never saw before."

WORK IT OUT!!!!!!

It goes down quite well when you've had a few.

whb

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: GUEST,A Guest
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 05:52 AM

I used to hear this played in a pub near DC. The guys and the girls used to cat call each other each verse, right after "said to her." It'd be something like

[...said to her:]
guys: Hey wife you bitch
girls: Whaddya want you f*ing bastard
guys: Head
girls: In your dreams
guys: On your knees
girls: It won't reach
guys: That's not what your sister said
girls: That wasn't my sister, that was your brother
guys: What's the difference?
girls: Six inches

Has anyone else heard a similar sort of audience participation? If so, please correct/complete my rendering of the lyrics.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Abby Sale
Date: 21 Feb 03 - 03:25 PM

I'm not sure "MON BON VIEUX MARI" is a Cajun version, in spite of linking from a French-Cajun page, http://membres.lycos.fr/breric/cajun.htm. My hearing and memory from the Anthology is that the song's 6th word sounds as 'quois' and line 2, word 6 is 'ca.' Maybe that's just Cajun spelling or maybe I'm wrong.)

But it's a wild good song and I'm glad to have these French words. Thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: sed
Date: 12 Aug 02 - 04:24 AM

Richard and Jim used to sing "the Cabbage Head Song" in the early 1960's and I believe recorded it on their Capitol lp which I think was entitled "Richard and Jim;" that's Jim Connor and Richard Lockmiller, formerly of Gadsden, Alabama. Jim was also in a later grouping of "The New Kingston Trio." Last I heard Jim was a manager of a Books-A-Million somewhere around Boaz or Albertville, Alabama on famous Sand Mountain. That was in the early 1990's.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Amos
Date: 11 Aug 02 - 05:13 PM

The earlier English version misses a couple of fine points:

And where are you going, yes, my good old man
And where are you going, you that I call my love

The original "ce qu'on appele amour" means literally 'the one that is called love' in the sense of "so-called" or "the one reputed to be my love" implying there isn't much love lost between them.

And where are you going, yes, my good old man
Greatest drinker in the land?

I am going to the bar

What are you going to do?

I am going to get myself drunk

When are you coming back?

Eh, tomorrow, or some other day

What is it you wish me to cook for you?

Half-a-dozen eggs and a gallon of couscous

Couscous? Must have been an Algerian translator!! The French given above translates as "half a dozen eggs and a good shot of booze".

That's going to kill you

But that's all right, I want to die all the same

The French translates closer to "If that don't, something else will!" or "Die of drink or die of something else!"

And where do you want me to bury you?

In the corner of the chimney, and from time to time, pass me a hot potato

(And a little pint of tequila, it's good like that!)

That last phrase is closer to "it'll go fine like that" meaning that will work just fine.

Regards,


A

Subject: Lyr Add: MON BON VIEUX MARI
From: masato sakurai
Date: 11 Aug 02 - 02:08 AM

From: http://membres.lycos.fr/breric/MARI.gif

MON BON VIEUX MARI
(Trad)

1-
Et où c'est qu't'es parti, ouais, mon bon vieux mari,
Et où c'est qu't'es parti, ce qu'on appell' amour,
Et où c'est qu't'es parti, ouais, mon bon vieux mari,
Qui est l'meilleur buveur du pays?......Parti au café.

2-
Quoi c'est qu't'es parti fair',......Parti m'soûler.

3-
Quand c'est qu'tu vas rev'nir,...Demain ou un aut' jour.

4-
Quoi c'est qu'tu veux qu'j'te cuis',...
Un' demi douzain' d'œufs et un bon verr' d'alcool.

5-
Ca, ça va te tuer, ...Mourir de ça ou d'aut' chos'.

6-
Et où tu veux qu'j't'enterr',...Dans l'coin d'la cheminée
et d'temps en temps, tu m'pass' un' patat' chaud', un verrr' de téquila et ça ira comm' ça.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: paddymac
Date: 10 Aug 02 - 11:14 PM

The theme of the cuckholded drunk is a common and very old one. "Seven Drunken Nights," or some variant of it, seems to appear where ever English (or some variation of it) is spoken. I wouldn't be at all surprised to find it in many other languages as well. The song seemed to get new life breathed into it when the Dubliners recorded a five night version of it some thirty or more years ago and the church promptly banned it from air play in Ireland. It's a fun pub song, but the banning no doubt helped to sell the record.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 10 Aug 02 - 10:51 PM

My Good Old Man (Roud 240) is, as has been pointed out, not related to Our Goodman (Roud 114, Child 274), and seems to have been found (not infrequently) in tradition in England and the USA only in English language versions. The Sedley set is (as usual) a collation from several different sources; text from traditional sets noted by Sharp and Hammond, and a broadside; tune from Sharp (Captain Lewis, Minehead, Somerset, 1909). Kennedy (Folksongs of Britain and Ireland) prints an example in Welsh, Yr Hen Wr Mwyn, and there is a Manx text, My Henn Ghooinney Mie, with music, in A.W. Moore's Manx Ballads and Music (1896; see Stewie's link above). I don't think I was aware of a French-language version; that's interesting. The story seems to be pretty much the same in all its forms, whatever language they're sung in, and all those I've seen involve eggs!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Art Thieme
Date: 10 Aug 02 - 09:31 PM

The man himself, JOE HICKERSON, former head of the Archive Of American Folksong (now retired) at the U.S. Library Of Congress in Washington D.C. has been collecting as many versions of "Our Goodman" as he could unearth for at least the last 40 years that I know of----probably more. You might find him in Chicago these days but he still hangs at the Library in D.C. whenever he's close to that inspiring place.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Wotcha
Date: 10 Aug 02 - 11:19 AM

The inhouse band (Double Down) at Murphy's in Alexandria, Virginia's do this one with [drunken] audience participation. The guys chime in with somehting like "Hey you, you ***damn B***ch," after the line "so I calls to me wife..." while the women respond "What do you want, you F***... bastard." I suppose it is all very funny when you are inebriated ...
Cheers,
Brian

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Stewie
Date: 10 Aug 02 - 10:44 AM

That is interesting, Masato. Because the final line about tequila was in brackets on the album sleeve, I had wrongly assumed that it had been added for the occasion. As your link shows, it was part of the original and probably the spark for the spontaneous performance when Strachwitz produced the tequila bottle.

Cheers, Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: masato sakurai
Date: 10 Aug 02 - 09:15 AM

"Mon bon vieux Mari" (lyrics & score) is HERE (gif file).

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: masato sakurai
Date: 10 Aug 02 - 05:29 AM

"LE VIEUX SOULARD ET SA FEMME" by Clemona Breaux and Joseph Falcon is on Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music (Supplemental Notes).

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Stewie
Date: 10 Aug 02 - 05:21 AM

There's a version of 'My Good Old Man' in the DT from Sedley's 'Seeds of Love' which I have on my bookshelf. I recall it now; it had gone completely from my memory. No relation to 'Our Goodman'. There is a Manx version of 'My Good Old Man' here:

Click here

My apologies for the thread drift, but the Cajun song is a delightfully bouncy little piece - brings a smile to the face. Cleoma's wonderful version is on a beaut CD 'Prends Donc Courage: Early Black and White Cajun, Armedee Ardoin and Cleoma Falcon' Trikont US-0202.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Stewie
Date: 10 Aug 02 - 04:46 AM

This reminded me of another old song. I don't think it is really related to this, but it involves an exchange between a drunk and his wife. It is a Cajun piece called 'Mon Bon Vieux Mari' and also known as 'Le Vieux Soulard et sa femme' (The old drunk and his wife). It was one of the earliest Cajun commercial releases, featuring Cleoma Breaux and Joseph Falcon. Dewey Balfa, Marc Savoy and D.L. Menard recorded it on their 'Underneath the Green Oak Tree' album for Arhoolie, now available on CD. This trio decided to record it quite spontaneously after Chris Strachwitz produced a bottle of tequila 'to take the chill off the rainy Lafeyette night' (at the Nov 1976 recording session) - hence the last line added to the song. In his note to the song, Will Spires refers to an English version called 'My Good Old Man' - this may be referring to 'Our Goodman' or to some other song. The English translation to the Cajun piece is:

THE OLD DRUNK AND HIS WIFE

And where are you going, yes, my good old man
And where are you going, you that I call my love
And where are you going, yes, my good old man
Greatest drinker in the land?

I am going to the bar

What are you going to do?

I am going to get myself drunk

When are you coming back?

Eh, tomorrow, or some other day

What is it you wish me to cook for you?

Half-a-dozen eggs and a gallon of couscous

That's going to kill you

But that's all right, I want to die all the same

And where do you want me to bury you?

In the corner of the chimney, and from time to time, pass me a hot potato

(And a little pint of tequila, it's good like that!)

Source: English translation on sleeve of Balfa, Savoy & Menard 'Louisiana Cajun Music: Underneath the Green Oak Tree' Arhoolie LP 5019.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: musicmick
Date: 10 Aug 02 - 02:43 AM

I used to perform 4 nights Drunk in my concert set. My words were a little different. My first verse was about a horse (she claims it's a milk cow), the second verse says he sees a pair of pants but she claims it's just a shmata (Yiddish for rag). After the head/mushmelon verse, I added her saying,"It's nothin' but a garden hose my mother sent to me!" When I was on tour, suggestive was as far as you could go.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Aug 02 - 05:56 PM

In case anyone's counting, here are a few more threads that were missed in Joe's post above.

Seven (?) Drunken Nights
5 Drunken Nights ?!?
Lyr Req: drunk, silly old fool

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 07 Aug 02 - 06:07 PM

The best search engine for the DT is the DigiTrad Lyrics Search. In doen't help you if you're looking for information in threads, though.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: GUEST,Jerry
Date: 07 Aug 02 - 02:45 PM

Greg Clarke, a singer from the Albany, NY, area, has a treasure trove of obscure songs, and he sings a version of this one with the punch line referring to "pimples on a pumpkin", the pumpkin being the wife's response to the husband seeing a "man's bum" in the bed. This version actually ends with the husband chasing the wife and the pumpkin man through the garden with a shotgun.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Deda
Date: 07 Aug 02 - 02:35 PM

Wow, what an incredible embarrassment of riches! Many many thanks to all. I love reading all the versions, especially the 1770s "original" -- although from what I've just read here, I now expect to hear that a version of this song was found in an archeological dig from Troy or Phoenicia. And thanks to masato for the list of recordings etc.! Amazing. Hard to believe that my search effort didn't turn anything up. I need to practice my searching skills.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Jim McLean
Date: 07 Aug 02 - 01:51 PM

Thanks Michael for pointing that out. There were so many links to check out. A small PS, I was the Dubliners' road manager when they hit the charts with Seven Drnken Nights! Cheers, Jim Mclean

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 07 Aug 02 - 07:49 AM

That set was Child's "A" text, and isn't in the DT; Abbey Sale posted a version from Ewan MacColl a while back, though, which retains the form, including the spoken interjections. I see that Joe has added it to the list of links above (Yet another OUR GOODMAN). Herd's is the earliest known example of the song, and well worth mentioning. Bruce Olson posted it, with corrections and tune from SMM, in one of the earlier threads indicated above; specifically:

Our goodman came hame at e'en

It turns out that I put a partial list of links to other discussions in one of the earlier threads, though not so comprehensive as Joe and Pene's in this. That might explain my earlier feeling of déjà vu.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Jim McLean
Date: 07 Aug 02 - 05:10 AM

Excuse me if this is a repeat of something in all the listings given, but there is a version complete with music in Johnson's Scots Musical Museum called Oor Gudeman Came Hame at E'en. (No. 454) Notes tell us the words were recovered by David Herd and printed in his collection of 1776 but Johnson and his friend Mr Clarke found an old hair-dresser gentleman called Geikie (in Edinburgh) and after plying Geikie with drink, Clarke took down the notes and arranged it for The Museum. There are six verses, no doubt they rested on the Sabbath. Cheers, Jim Mclean

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 10:50 PM

You're quite right, of course, and I've missed things often enough myself; it's all too easy to get impatient with people, though (I didn't mean Deda, who I assume is new here, and I apologise if I expressed myself badly) who just jump in with the same old things that have been said so often, particularly with such very well-known and widespread songs as this one, and who do appear not to have bothered to look around first.

I don't mean this thread in particular; but once in a while, one case will prompt a comment relating to many past cases! I should remember that what is obvious to some is not necessarily obvious to others; it's still true, though, that plenty of people would rather repeat information already here than spend a little time looking for previous discussions.

It's also true, of course, that the search engines here are variable in what they can do and in how they can be made to do it, but much the same is true of all such things. With all due respect to Max, if the "Digitrad and Forum Search" were re-indexed once in a while, it would work a little better.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 09:49 PM

Malcolm, it's not that "people don't bother"; some people do. It's the damn vagaries of the individual search engines on the Cat. I am pretty good at searching and many times I have missed finding somthing that is already here.

I would be easier if there were only one Search function but I understand why there is not.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: masato sakurai
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 09:35 PM

From Folk Music Index.

Our Goodman

Rt - Drunkard's Special ; Old Drunkard and His Wife ; Intoxicated Rat ; Seven Drunken Nights ; You Old Fool, You Damn Fool

1. Barnhill, Sheila Adams. Seedtime on the Cumberland. Sampler 1990-91, June Appal JA 0067C, Cas (1992), cut# 4 (Four Nights Drunk)
2. Barnhill, Sheila Adams. Southern Folk Ballads, Vol. 2. Ballads - Stories in Song..., August House, Bk (1988), p. 35 (Four Nights Drunk)
3. Blue Ridge Buddies. Close to Home, Smithsonian/Folkways SF 40097, CD (1997), cut#22 (Three Nights Drunk)
4. Booger Hole Revival. Rollin' the Woodpile Down, No Nukes, LP (1979), cut#A.02a (Four Nights Drunk)
5. Brand, Oscar. Bawdy Songs and Backroom Ballads - Vol. I, Audio Fidelity AFLP 1906/5906, LP (195?), cut#B.06
6. Breaux, Cleoma (Clema. Cajun Music Classic, Jadfel LP 101, LP (1983), cut#A.05 (Old Drunkard and His Wife)
7. Brown, Mary. Southern Folk Ballads, Vol. 2. Ballads - Stories in Song..., August House, Bk (1988), p. 38 (Ole Lady)
8. Connors, Mary. Folk Songs of Britain, Vol 5. The Child Ballads, Vol. II, Caedmon TC 1146, LP (1961), cut#B.06b
9. Cox, Harry. Folk Songs of Britain, Vol 5. The Child Ballads, Vol. II, Caedmon TC 1146, LP (1961), cut#B.06a
10. Delaware Water Gap. String Band Music, Adelphi AD 2004, LP (1977), cut#B.04b (Four Nights Drunk)
11. Dickel Brothers. Dickel Brothers Volume One, Empty Records MTR 376, LP (1999), cut#B.06 (Three Nights Experience)
12. Evans, John B.. Home in West Virginia: West Virginia Project, Vol. 2, Old Homestead OHCS 177, LP (1987), cut# 7 (Three Nights Experience)
13. Fraley, J. P. and Annadeene. Another Side of the Fraleys, Road's End 001, Cas (1995), cut#B.05 (Four Nights Drunk)
14. Hinton, Sam. Singing Across the Land, Decca DL 8108, LP (196?), A.01b
15. Hornsby, Jack. Sweet Bunch of Daisies, Colonial Press, Bk (1991), p 22 (Old Man)
16. Howard, Clint; and Fred Price. Good Time Music. National Folk Festival, Philo 1028, LP (1975), cut#A.05 (Cabbage Head Song)
17. Hunter, Max. Continuing Tradition. Volume 1: Ballads. A Folk Legacy Sampler, Folk Legacy FSI-075, LP (1981), cut#A.03 (Five Nights Drunk)
18. Keane, Colm. Folk Songs of Britain, Vol 5. The Child Ballads, Vol. II, Caedmon TC 1146, LP (1961), cut#B.06c
19. Mainer's Mountaineers (J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers). Southern Journey. Vol. 1: Voices from the American South, Rounder 1701, CD (1997), cut# 8 (Three Nights Drunk)
20. Mainer, Wade; and the Mountainers. Folk Music in America, Vol. 2, Songs of Love, Courtship, ..., Library of Congress LBC-02, LP (1976), cut#B.09 (Three Nights In A Bar Drunk)
21. McCurdy, Ed. Blood, Booze 'n Bones, Elektra EKL-108, LP (1956), cut#A.04 (Four Nights Drunk)
22. McMillon, Bobby. Carolina Sampler, Global Village C 312, Cas (1992), cut# 10 (Cabbage Head Song)
23. Mike and Carleen. Possibilities, Garden Variety GV 7401, LP (1974), cut#A.04 (Four Nights Drunk)
24. Presnell, Hattie. Traditional Music of Beech Mountain, NC, Vol I, Folk Legacy FSA-022, LP (1964), cut# 3 (Five Nights Drunk)
25. Rice, Orrin. Anglo-American Songs and Ballads, Library of Congress AFS L12, LP (1953), cut# 13
26. Rogers, Grant. Songmaker of the Catskills, Folk Legacy FSA-027, LP (1965), cut# 7 (Three Nights Drunk)
27. Schilling, Jean and Lee. Porches of the Poor, Traditional JLS 617, LP (1971), cut# 10 (Four Nights Drunk)
28. Seeger, Peggy. Folk Songs with the Seegers, Prestige PR 7375, LP (1965), cut# 15 (Five Nights Drunk)
29. Seeger, Peggy. Three Sisters, Prestige International 13029, LP (195?), cut#B.07 (Five Nights Drunk)
30. Shiflett, Robert. Anglo-American Folksong Style, Prentice-Hall, Sof (1968), 6-6
31. Sloan, Alice. Eighty English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, MIT Press, Sof (1968), p 50
32. Stanley, Peter. Cabin on the Hill, Talkeetna 25004, CD (1999), cut# 6 (Six Nights Drunk)
33. Steeleye Span. Ten Man Mop or Mr. Reservoir Butler Rides Again, Chrysalis 0698, LP (1976), cut#A.03 (Four Nights Drunk)
34. Tanner, Gordon. Folk Visions & Voices. Traditional Music & Song in North Georgia, University of Georgia, Bk (1983), p 98 (Three Nights Experience)
35. Tanner, Gordon; and Joe Miller. Skillet Licker Music, 1955-1991. The Tanner Legacy, Global Village C 310, Cas (1992), cut#B.04 (Three Nights Experience)
36. Wayfarers. Wayfarers at the hungry i, RCA (Victor) LPM, LP (1963), cut#A.03 (Old Fool)
37. Weavers. Weavers' Song Book, Harper & Row, Sof (1960), p120 (You Old Fool)
38. Weavers. The Weavers at Home, Vanguard VRS 9024, LP (195?), cut#B.02 (You Old Fool)

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 08:55 PM

Thankyou, Joe; I was worried that I might have to do the list! It's a pity that so many people don't bother to use the search engines available here.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 08:44 PM

Here are the related threads and songs I could find (well, Pene found most of them):

DigiTrad:

FIVE NIGHTS DRUNK (OUR GOODMAN)

SHICKERED AS HE COULD BE

THE TRAVELER(Our Goodman)

---

Related threads:

Lyr Add: Seven Drunken Nights (11)

LYR REQ Seven Drunken Nights (8)

Lyr/Chords Req: seven drunken nights (15)

seven drunken nights (45)

seven drunken nights+whiskey in the jar (4)

Chrd Req: Seven Drunken Nights (6)

LYR ADD: Seven drunken nights (7)

Seven Drunken Nights, lyrics? (12)

?Lyrics for "Seven Drunken Nights"? (3)

Seven Drunken Nights (5)

seven drunken nights (by the dubliners) (14)

---

Yet another OUR GOODMAN

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Deda
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 06:55 PM

I actually tried blind fool and drunk fool, and even just "cabbage", and a variety of other things, with no luck. I've had very widely varying results trying to search the DT. It works great if I know almost exactly what I'm looking for, or if I know the title. Otherwise it isn't as helpful as a plain Google search, at least in my limited experience.

Thanks, all.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Susan of DT
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 06:16 PM

Once you find one version and see a Child of DT# on it, search for that number, in this case #274 which yields 3 versions.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: John Minear
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 05:51 PM

Bobby McMillon, a traditional ballad singer from Lenoir, North Carolina, sings a wonderful version of this song, which he calls the "Cabbage Head Song", on his recording A DEEPER FEELING, (ICR 401) put out by Ivy Creek Recordings, 104 Woodland Drive, Mars Hill, NC 28754, [phone]).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 05:30 PM

Aw c'mon fellers. DigiTrad is set up for just this kind of thing, and people just look for titles. A search for [where my horse ought to be] or even [where my horse] finds you a couple of versions. Or a search for [blind fool] or [drunken fool] or [mother gave to me] ---they all work.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 05:13 PM

Well Golleee... I must know the Reader's Digest version. I learned it from a recording on the Anthology of American Folk Music and it's titled Three Nights Drunk. Maybe if you look it up un Indeterminate Number Of Nights Drunk you'll find it. The punch line on the third night is "A moustache on a cabbage head, I've never seen before" on the Anthology recording.. :-)

Jerry

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Noreen
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 04:38 PM

Also Seven Drunken Nights, which gets more explicit...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: EBarnacle1
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 04:15 PM

It's also known as "Four Nights Drunk." I had the pleasure of hearing a verse I contributed to the canon attributed as Trad:

It's nothing but a bathtub me mother gave to me-- Many miles have I travelled a thousand miles or more But such plumbing on a bathtub, I never saw before.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Amos
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 04:08 PM

Whoops! It's Five Nights Drunk, also called "Our Goodman". Link is to the DT version.

A

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Amos
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 04:05 PM

Look for "Six Nights Drunk", Sis...

Subject: You blind fool, you drunken fool
From: Deda
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 04:04 PM

This song is probably in the DT but I can't find it -- I've forgotten the title, and none of the scraps of lyrics I've tried have turned up anything.

It's a cuckolded husband song, he asks his wife what some other man's horse is doing "where my horse ought to be". She calls him a blind drunk, and says, "Can't you plainly see, it's nothing but a milk cow, me mother gave to me." and his (chorus) is about how he's been all over the world, but "a bridle on a milk-cow, I never saw before." This goes on in a similar vein for several verses, ending up with his seeing someone else's head on his pillow, "where my head ought to be" and she claims it isn't a head, it's a cabbage. The end line is "a beard on a cabbage, I never saw before."

You'd think with this much information I'd be able to either find it in the DT or remember the title, but so far I've had no luck with either. Thanks.