Lyr Req: Carried Water for the Elephant (L Carr)

Subject: I Carried Water For The Elephant
From: Kevin
Date: 19 Feb 97 - 11:19 AM

Jim Kweskin And The Jug Band recorded a song in the mid to late sixties that included the words....

The circus came to town, to the circus I went.
I went down to the circus tent.
I saw the whole show, didn't cost a cent,
'Cause I carried water for the elephant.

I carried water for the elephant.
Back and forth to the well I went.
My arms got sore and my back got bent.
Still, I couldn't fill up the elephant.

Anyone know any more?

Thanks,

Kevin

Subject: RE: I Carried Water For The Elephant
From: Scott
Date: 26 Feb 97 - 09:12 AM

I know one more verse.

I said to the man in the stand up collar, "I betcha two bits ya elephant's hollow."

He gave me a ticket so I could see all the animals in the menagerie.

there is a final verse that I can't remember that begins------- I saw the wild...(etc.) The verse goes on to list the various animals in the circus. I hope this helps, maybe it will jog someones memory on the final verse.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE CIRCUS SONG (Thompson, Guernsey)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 04 Feb 02 - 12:24 PM

Copied from www.kididdles.com/mouseum/c018.html :

THE CIRCUS SONG
(F. Thompson & J. E. Guernsey)

The circus came to town. To the circus I went.
I didn't have a nickel. I didn't have a cent.

The circus man said to see the show without a cent,
I'd have to carry water for the elephant.

I carried water for the elephant.
Back and forth to the well I went.
My arms got sore and my back got bent,
But I couldn't fill up that elephant.

I said to the dude in the stand-up collar,
"I'll bet you five bucks that elephant's hollow."

He handed me a ticket, said, "First you'll see
The animals in the menagerie."

First I sawed the lion and the lion roared.
I saw the wild sloth and the wild sloth snored.

I saw the wild snake and the wild snake hissed.
I saw the wild bee and the wild bee bumbled.

I saw mister possum sittin' on a limb,
A big black bear sittin' next to him.

I saw the little monkey, like in a zoo.
The wild rooster said, "Cockle doodly doodle doo."

I saw the hippopotamus splash in the water,
Trying to dance with the crocodile's daughter.

I saw the gazelle and the big kangaroo.
I heard an owl holler, "Hoo, hoo, hoo."

I saw the wild donkey and the wild donkey brayed.
I saw the wild horse and the wild horse neighed.

I saw the wild seal and the wild seal barked.
I saw the giraffe and the giraffe yelled...

I went down to the circus tent.
I sure am doggone glad I went.
I saw the whole show; didn't cost a cent,
Because I carried water for the elephant.

[Recorded by Maria Muldaur on "Sunny Side of the Street," 1992, and by The Jim Kweskin Jug Band on "Garden of Joy."]

Subject: RE: I Carried Water For The Elephant
From: Mrrzy
Date: 04 Feb 02 - 12:27 PM

...But I gave buns to the Elephant when I went down to the Zoo...

Subject: RE: I Carried Water For The Elephant
From: GUEST,Leonard
Date: 04 Feb 02 - 12:55 PM

Check out the 1930 recording of this titled "I Carried Water for the Elephant" by bluesmen Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell, it's available on many CD's. This would be the likely source for the Kweskin version and has many verses.

Subject: RE: I Carried Water For The Elephant
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 04 Feb 02 - 05:38 PM

Not to be confused with the guy who swept up after the elephant in the circus. He would complain endlessly to his friend about what a dirty, smelly, awful job he had. One day his friend said, "Look, man, if you hate it so much, why don't you just quit?" The man gave his friend a puzzled look, and said, "What? And leave show business?"

Aloha,
Mark (creeping back out of the thread...)

Subject: RE: I Carried Water For The Elephant
From: masato sakurai
Date: 04 Feb 02 - 06:36 PM

Leroy Carr's sound clip is HERE.
~Masato

Subject: RE: I Carried Water For The Elephant
From: Mark Clark
Date: 04 Feb 02 - 07:11 PM

Of course Maria Muldaur was a member of The Jim Kweskin Jug Band when they made the “Garden of Joy” album. The Kewskin version included lines such as “...I saw the wild drunk and the wild drunk barfed, BAAARRRRFFFF!” and lot of other antics. I enjoyed that album; I don't know how many copies I bought only to loan (read give) to other people.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: I Carried Water For The Elephant
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 04 Feb 02 - 10:13 PM

Unless I'm mistaken (which is always a possibility), this song was on a children's folk music CD I bought for my stepson in 1994 or so. I don't remember the name of it or what label it was on, but it had wonderful artists like Michael Cooney and Sweet Honey in the Rock. Does anybody know what I'm talking about? Dave...my mind is going...I can feel it...I can feel it...

Aloha,
mark

Subject: RE: I Carried Water For The Elephant
From: Kenny B (inactive)
Date: 05 Feb 02 - 01:49 PM

Just a thought on the subject of elephants

Have you ever seen an elephant pee?
Oh! what a wonderful scene,
It does it for an hour and a quarter,
And you can' see it's belly for steam.

Maybe I should have posted this on Campsite at Drumcree,
Sorry for the thread creep ;<}
Kenny B

Subject: RE: I Carried Water For The Elephant
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 06 Feb 02 - 01:41 AM

Found it! It is Maria Muldaur's version, on an outstanding CD called Family Folk Festival. Highly recommended, even for those without kids.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Carried Water for the Elephant
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 17 May 05 - 04:49 PM

Can anyone who has the CD post Leroy Carr's lyrics?

Might they differ from the version posted above???

Trying to do some research on the song's origins---trying to find out: was the song written pre-Carr? Did it originate in black tradition, or was it really an F. Thompson-J.E. Guernsey original?

I'm chasing around some of the older lyrics libraries and will post anything I come across.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Carried Water for the Elephant
From: Chris in Wheaton
Date: 17 May 05 - 05:25 PM

Kweskin also did the great Leroy "Fingers" Carr version of "Poppa's on the Housetop" - that song should not be lost to the memory of jug bands!! Kate posted the Circus song on Keep the Coffee Coming a few weeks ago - must be some kind of harmonic convergence - feel it??
Chris

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Carried Water for the Elephant
From: GUEST,B in Edmonton
Date: 15 Dec 11 - 01:17 AM

Anyone know the chords for this tune?

Subject: Lyr Add: CARRIED WATER FOR THE ELEPHANT (L Carr)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 15 Dec 11 - 01:12 PM

Carried Water For The Elephant - Leroy Carr

Circus came to town, to the circus I went
Didn't have a ticket didn't have a cent
Circus man said "To see the show without a cent"
"You got to carry water for the elephant"

Instrumental verse

I carried water for the elephant
Back and forth to the well I went
Arms got sore and my back got bent
But I couldn't fill up the elephant

Instrumental verse

I says to the man with the standin' up collar
Bet four bits that elephant's a holla
He gave me a ticket, said "first You'll see"
"The animals in the menagerie"

First I saw the lion and the lion he roared: "A-Rrrrrrr"
Saw the wild duck and the wild duck quacked: "Quack, quack quack"
Saw the wild cat and the wild cat meowed: "Meow-ow"
Saw the old crow and the old crow cawed: "Caw caw caw"
Saw Mr. Possum sittin' on a limb, big black bear sittin next to him
Saw the old monkey like in a zoo, and the wild rooster says: "Cock-a-doodle-doodle-doo"

Instrumental verse

Saw the hippopotamus splash in the water
Tryin' to flirt with the crocodiles daughter
saw the giraffe and the big kangaroo
Saw an owl holler: "Hoo hoo hoo"

Saw the wild birds and the birds sang sweet: "Tweet tweet tweet"
Saw the wild dogs and the wild dogs barked: "Arf arf arf"
Saw the cuckoo and the cuckoo cooed: "Cuckoo cuckoo"
Saw the hyena and the hyena laughed: "Ha ha ha"

I went down to the circus tent
Sure was doggone glad I went
Saw the whole show and didn't cost a cent
'Cause I carried water for the elephant

Instrumental verse

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Carried Water for the Elephant
From: GUEST,999
Date: 15 Dec 11 - 01:21 PM

There is a fellow from Netherlands who does a version on Youtube.

Search

I Carried Water for the Elephant

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Carried Water for the Elephant (L Carr)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 16 Dec 11 - 06:34 PM

Re: The Leroy Carr recording:

If you listen only to the piano accompaniment, it sounds like he's playing PAPA'S ON THE HOUSETOP—which was recorded by (guess who?): Leroy Carr.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Carried Water for the Elephant (L Carr)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Dec 11 - 10:46 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGdFe7TwDOc