Lyr Req: I'm Gonna Tear Down the Mailbox

Subject: Lyr Req: Tare Down the Mailbox
From: Beer
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 09:54 PM

Don't no if this is the correct title but the lyrics went something like this.
"Were going to tear down the mail box,
Were going to tear down the mail box.
Cause we don't get no letters any how".

That is all I remember. I was about 8 when my older brother use to sing and pick it out on the guitar.
Beer

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tare Down the Mailbox
From: Beer
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 09:57 PM

Tear Down the Mail Box.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tare Down the Mailbox
From: Sorcha
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 10:35 PM

Tear down the mailbox,rip up the floors...found references but no lyrics. Seems to be Wilf Carter.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tare Down the Mailbox
From: Beer
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 10:40 PM

Could very well be a Wilf song. I think it is more bluegrass because of the tune that is in my head. Wish I could share it with you.
Beer

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tare Down the Mailbox
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 11:03 PM

Wilf Carter; Bluebird 580081

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tare Down the Mailbox
From: kendall
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 07:47 AM

I'm going to tear down the mailbox
Tear up the address
I never get no letters anyhow.
I'm gonna move to the country
Out on the RFD at least I'll get a catalog
To keep me company

They say the postman always rings you twice
I don't know the gent
Everytime I answer it's the landlord for the rent
I'm gonna tear down the mailbox
Tear up the address
I never get no letters anyhow.

I heard Wilf Carter sing this when I was a boy, and I remember thinking, "If he can't remember his address, he probably can't read anyway.
I thought I could remember all of it, but I guess not.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tare Down the Mailbox
From: Beer
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 08:12 AM

Thank you Kendall, much appreciated.
Beer

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tare Down the Mailbox
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Jul 05 - 05:01 PM

allmusic says the title is I'M GONNA TEAR DOWN THE MAILBOX, and that Vaughn Monroe wrote it. Wilf Carter's (a.k.a. Montana Slim's) recording is on 2 albums: "The Dynamite Trail: The Decca Years," Bear Family CD #BCD15507; and "Prairie Legend," Bear Family CD #197542, 1996.

I listened to a sound sample and heard this. It suggests there's another verse:

I'm gonna tear down the mailbox, tear up the address.
I never get no letters anyhow.
I'm gonna write to the paper, put me....

Subject: Lyr Add: I'M GONNA TEAR DOWN THE MAILBOX
From: HiHo_Silver
Date: 30 Jul 05 - 08:34 PM

I'M GONNA TEAR DOWN THE MAILBOX

I'm gonna tear down the mailbox, tear up the address.
I never get no letters anyhow.
I'm gonna move to the country out on the R.F.D.
At least I'll get a catalogue to keep me company.
They say the postman always rings you twice. I don't know the gent.
Every time I answer, it's the landlord for the rent.

I'm gonna tear down the mailbox, tear up the address.
I never get no letters anyhow.
I'm gonna write to the paper, put me in an ad,
Tell the world me bed and board has left me ravin' mad.
I'm gonna buy a homing pigeon. I'll send him on a call.
I know I'll get an answer but, brother, that ain't all.

I'm gonna tear down the mailbox, tear up the address.
I never get no letters anyhow.
I'm gonna pay up my taxes so that I'll be free.
I don't want no doggone sheriff a-comin' C. O. D.
I had a girl who promised she would write, never would forget.
She practiced on my chequebook. She is up the river yet.

I'm gonna tear down the mailbox, tear up the address.
I never get no letters anyhow.
Why don't them gals write?
I'm gonna tear down the mailbox, tear up the address.
I never get no letters anyhow.

From Alberta Slim's No. 9 Song Book

* Word after sheriff a-comin' could be incorrect, as the print is very faded out through the years.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm Gonna Tear Down the Mailbox
From: GUEST,meadowlark
Date: 07 Jul 13 - 03:48 PM

My mom has always sung the first line for laughs. I looked long and hard for this, and it is available on iTunes, sung by Buddy Williams.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm Gonna Tear Down the Mailbox
From: kendall
Date: 07 Jul 13 - 07:14 PM

When I was a teen ager I knew every song that Wilf Carter sang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm Gonna Tear Down the Mailbox
From: Ron Davies
Date: 07 Jul 13 - 09:40 PM

Wow, Buddy Williams was an amazing guy.   Classic yodelling country sound, war hero, played to all sorts of small towns in Australia--Wiki says he mainly avoided big cities, wanted to bring his music to people elsewhere.

And he sure did master the US country accent. I would never have known from this song that he was Australian .

He should be better known outside Australia than he is.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm Gonna Tear Down the Mailbox
From: Bobert
Date: 07 Jul 13 - 09:48 PM

Sidebar to follow:

Back in the holler in Virginia the ultimate insult was to burn the post that your mailbox was attached... Yup, the boys would take a 1 gallon sprayer with diesel and spray it all all over the post and light it...

Many family feuds over burned up mailbox posts in that holler...

B~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm Gonna Tear Down the Mailbox
From: Ron Davies
Date: 08 Jul 13 - 02:52 PM

Hey Bobert, have you seen these flaming mailbox posts personally? It does sound like a good story, but it would help if we had eyewitness testimony.