Lyr Req: I Wish I Was in Alabam' (from V Randolph)

Subject: Lyr Req: I Wish I was in Alabam'
From: harpgirl
Date: 07 Feb 03 - 07:23 AM

Does anyone have the lyrics to this song from Vance Randolf's collection of bawdy unprintable songs?

Subject: Lyr Add: I WISH I WAS IN ALABAM' (from V Randolph)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 07 Feb 03 - 10:09 AM

Harpgirl-

It's on pp 322-323 of Volume I,ROLL ME IN YOUR ARMS, with about 2 verses, four alternate versions, and two pages of notes. I'd hate to post the verses without the notes, and with the notes it's too much work.

The initial version runs:

I wish I was in Alabam',
A-sittin' on a rail,
My old patootie in my hand,
An' a yallar gal by the tail.

I wish I had a lariat rope
As long as I could throw,
I'd throw it 'round Miss Lucy's ass,
An' down the river we'd go.

Tune is essentially "Old Joe Clark."

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Wish I was in Alabam'
From: harpgirl
Date: 08 Feb 03 - 01:24 AM

..so what's the rest of it Charley?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Wish I was in Alabam'
From: Charley Noble
Date: 09 Feb 03 - 10:52 AM

Harpgirl-

Here are some other verses and verse variations collected by Randolph as you requested:

I wish I was in Arkansaw,
Sitting on a rail,
Sweet potato in my hand,
And a possum by the tail.

I wish I was in Tennessee
A-sittin' in my chair,
One arm 'round a whiskey keg,
'Tother 'round my dear.

Randolph then tracks the song back to an 1815 song entitled "The Pitman's Lovesong":

Aw wish my love she was a grey ewe,
Grazing by yonder river side,
Ans aw myself a bonny black tup (ram):
O, on that ewie how aw wad ride.

Aw wish my love was a ripe turd,
Smoking doon in yon dyke side,
And aw myself was a shitten flee;
Aw'd sook (suck) her all up before she was dried.

Well, enough of this old love song!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble