Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat

Subject: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Dec 98 - 12:48 AM

Does anybody know of a tune to go with the following? we've thought maybe it would go with the "Face on the Barroom Floor" but not sure. I found these on a mouse pad in an Irish store in CT.:

The Mouse on the Barroom Floor

Some Guinness was spilt on the barroom floor
When the pub was shut for the night.
Out of his hole crept a small brown mouse
And stood in the pale moonlight.

He lapped up the frothy brew from the floor,
Then back on his haunches sat,
And all night long you could hear him roar,
Bring out the goddamn'd cat!"

Thanks. Also want to say thanks to this great site. My dad is 81 1/2 and goes out every week to "entertain the old folks" in nursing homes. He sings, plays banjo, fiddle, mandolin, piano and guitar. He's been doing this all of his life. He asked me the other day to see if I could find lyrics for the Preacher & the Bear as he wanted to add it to his repertory (he tries to add 20-30 per month). Anyway, my first try here and there they were! Can't wait to call him in the morning and let him know.

By the by, he is a great resource for old cowboy, ranching songs and fiddle tunes and dance tunes/songs of long ago; as a Colorado native and third generation rancher of original homesteaders (Scottish mostly) he has played for dances etc. since he was a very young child.
Please feel free to email me with any queries at [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: SteveF
Date: 29 Dec 98 - 08:38 AM

I recall this one from my teenage years. We also had a third verse:

Then a black cat jumped through a hole in the door
and gobbled up the little brown mouse
The moral of the story is
Never have a drink on the house!

A tune you want?! Hoo-boy! Well, I don't know the name of the tune, but we sang it to the music that you always hear in cartoons when three characters go marching with a fife, drum, and flag, as depicted in the famous painting "Spirit of '76." Maybe someone can identify this too-familiar fife-and-drum piece. I would sure like to know!

--SteveF

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: Ralph Butts
Date: 29 Dec 98 - 09:47 AM

Kat....

Search the database for [intoxicated rat] and you'll find the Doc Watson version. No tune, though. I'll post it in a while if no one else has it.

......Tiger

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: Bob Landry
Date: 29 Dec 98 - 12:21 PM

Hmmmm, a soused mouse ... the stuff that legends and folk tunes are made of.

My son just returned from a 2-year sojourn in England. He tended bar in a pub and tells of a mouse that came out at 10: pm every night to drink up beer spillage. The mouse would not move, even when threatened by a broom-wielding Canadian lad and would stay until it had its fill.

Bob

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: Bill Sables
Date: 29 Dec 98 - 03:24 PM

Dear Katlaughing, I used to sing this song in the early 70s to the tune of The Girl I Left Behind Me also known as Brighton Fair I think

Cheers Bill

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 30 Dec 98 - 12:30 AM

Check out the thread now running concerning the tune we all know for this - "The Girl I Left Behind Me." Ought to be some good stuff showing up there over the next few days.

By the way, the text to the "short version" (not the more complete Doc Watson, et al, one) that we used to sing went:

Oh, the liquor was spilled on the barroom floor;
The bar was closed for the night.
When out crept a mouse from a hole in the wall,
Into the pale moonlight.

He lapped up the liquor from the barroom floor
And on his haunches he sat.
And all night long you could hear him roar,
"Bring on the god damned cat!"

But now I have another verse to learn, don't I?

Sandy

Subject: Add Lyr: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: rabbitrunning
Date: 30 Aug 00 - 05:07 PM

Didn't find this one in the DT. Yet another variant:

THE DRUNKEN MOUSE

Oh, some liquor was spilled on the barroom floor
The bar was closed for the night.
When out of a little hole in the wall
A little gray mouse came in sight.

He lapped up the liquor on the barroom floor
And back on his haunches he sat.
And all night long you could hear him roar,
"Bring on the gol-darned cat!"

Oh, the cat came back about quarter past one
And ate up the little gray mouse.
And the moral of this story is,
You can't get a drink on the house!


This is the way my father sang it, and he said he'd learned it from going to bars with my grandfather in the 1930s in Nebraska, Oklahoma, Colorado and Kansas. Usually sung in response to a very short ditty called "Let's Have One on the House."

CD

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: Giac
Date: 30 Aug 00 - 09:17 PM

When I was a kid in the 40s, my uncle would get a bit tipsy and sing this song at family gatherings, much to the disgust of the older women.

Thanks for reviving this thread, rabbitrunning, yours is the version I remember.

Giac

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: rabbitrunning
Date: 31 Aug 00 - 01:48 AM

Did your uncle sing "Let's have one on the House?" It goes like this, (as I said, very short!):

Let's have one on the house!

Bartender don't be a louse!

As the rooster once said,

to the hen on the shed,

"Let's have one on the house!"

I was seventeen before I figured out why this was funny.

*sigh*

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: Quincy
Date: 02 Sep 00 - 08:19 PM

Look kat...you've sung the song...now you can get the t-shirt!!!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=424979383
Need to cut n paste cos blue clicky thing didn't work for eBay stuff!!!

best wishes, Yvonne

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 02 Sep 00 - 10:02 PM

I remember this one learned from a childhood Girlfriend (about 1958) who got it from her Father, a WW II Veteran. As a Fifer in a Civil War Fife & Drum Corps, it took me a while to make the connection with "Girl I left Behind" tune - the "Mouse" ditty I know bears only faint likeness to it for the first 7 or 8 bars. This is spooky: I was just singing the "Mouse" at work this last week!

Another little drinking ditty from the WW II period collected from the same source, which the Girlfriend and her Sisters thought was terribly naughty and hilarious - to the tune of "Whistle While You Work" (Disney):

Whistle while you work; Hitler is a jerk; Mussollini bit his weenie - now it doesn't work!

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: Biskit
Date: 03 Sep 00 - 03:53 PM

O the likker was spilt on th' barroom floor
an' the bar was closed for the night
when outta his hole came a lil' brown mouse
and sat in the pale moonlite
He lapped up the likker on the barroom floor
and on his haunches he sat
an' all night long you could hear him ROAR
bring on th' GAWDDAMN Cat


[still adding line breaks after all these years]

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: Biskit
Date: 03 Sep 00 - 03:56 PM

at a quarter past two the cat came out
and ate that little brown mouse
the moral of the story is simpley this
don't take a drink on the house
oh no
don't take a drink on the house

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: GUEST,My whole family sings the drunken mouse song
Date: 04 Jun 02 - 10:35 PM

We learned it from my mother's father, who used to sing it to the family cat and my stuffed animals when I was a child! Now I sing it to my two cats. My siblings and I were just singing it at a family reunion recently. We only know the sanitized version: "The liquor was spilled on the bar room floor and the bar was closed for the night; When a little mouse crept from a hole in the wall and sat in the pale moonlight. Well, he lapped up the liquor on the bar room floor and on his haunches he sat; And all night long you could hear him ROAR: BRING ON THE GOSH-DARN CAT!" Elizabeth

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Jun 02 - 12:44 AM

Haha, this is still a fun read and one of my very first threads. Thanks, Elizabeth, for adding your story of it and welcome to the Mudcat.

katstilllaughing

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 05 Jun 02 - 05:33 AM

Songs for Swingin' Housemothers (1961) calls this one The Cat and the Mouse, and says copyright James Leisy Music, Portola Valley CA.

The tune shown is very close to Girl I Left Behind Me, but sorry, I'm not up to making a MidiTxt at 4:00 am, and expect to be out all day tomorrow. Later if someone else doesn't come up with it.

Recollection is that the identical lyric & tune was in the IOCA SongFest book of the same era.

Lyrics given, which fit the tune fairly well:

Oh, the liquor was spilled on the barroom floor
and the bar was closed for the night.
When a little mouse crawled from a hole in the wall
By the shadows of the pale moon light.
He lapped up the liquore from the bbarroom floor
And back on his haunches he sat.
And all night long you could hear him roar:
"Bring on the goddam cat!"

John

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 05 Jun 02 - 12:31 PM

I remeber the tune being similar to Brighton Camp, though not exactly, yeah that's the Girl I left behind me too. JohnB

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: paddymac
Date: 05 Jun 02 - 06:19 PM

As noted by Bill above, the usual tune for it is "The Girl I Left Behind Me." I did some "curiosity" digging on that tune a while ago and learned that it was popular at the court of Elizabeth I (latter half of the 16th century), but could not find a reliable place or date of origin. The prevalent view seems to point toward an Irish origin, In any event, it's clearly an "oldie goldie."

Subject: Tune Add: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 05 Jun 02 - 10:04 PM

I'm not able to get into DT at the moment(?) to check which lyrics are given in citations above. I would expect that the DT's Intoxicated Rat is the first below.

The Folksong Fakebook, Hal Leonard, ISBN 0-634-01270-3 (No publication date indicated, but "recent") Shows the "Intoxicated Rat" with tune and chords. Tonic Chord (D) is held throughout, with change to V7 (A7) at the start of the last measure, ending with the tonic again on the last note.

The Folksong Wordbook, Fred and Irwin Silber, Oak Publications, 1973, ISBN 0.8256.0140.1, gives the same words, but splits the 6 verses given by FSFB into 12. The phrasing of the FSWB is used following::

THE INTOXICATED RAT
Southern American
© 2000 Hal Leonard Corp

1 The other night when I came home
as drunk as I could be,
I got tangled up in the old door mat,
fell flat as I could be

2. I had me a little bottle of rum
and I didn't have any more.
The cap flew off when I went down
and I spilled it on the floor

3. A rat camee out of his hiding place,
he got that whiskey scent.
He ran right up and he got a little shot
and back to his hole he went.

4. Well, back....to his hole... he went,
Right back to his hole he went.
He ran right up and he got a little shot,
and back to his hole he went.

5. The rat came out of his hole again,
sidled up to the rum on the floor.
He was a little shy, but he winked one eye,
then he got him a little bit more.

6.And he didn't go back to his hole that time,
but he stayed by that puddle of gin,
And he said, "Doggone my pop-eyed soul,
I'm gonna get drunk again.

7. Well, he washed his face with his front feet,
and on his hind legs sat,
And with a twisted smile and a half closed eye
said, "Where's that doggone cat?"

8. And he didn't go back to his hole,
he said "Doggone my soul,
I'm only a rat but a doggone cat
can't run be back to my hole.

9. Well, his little old eyes began to shine
as he lapped up more and more,
And it made me glad that I had stumbled
and spilled it on the floor.

10. But soon the puddle of rum was gone,
and I didn't have any more gin.
And the little old rat was a-having a time
when the old tom cat walked in.

11. Well, the cat made a pass, and the rat made a dash,
his boldness faded thin.
Well the cat jumped over and the rat got sober,
ran back to his hole again.

12. Ran back ... to his hole ... again,
ran back to his hole again.
Well the cat jumped over and the rat got sober,
ran back to his hole again.

Tune for the first verse, as given by the FolkSong Fake Book or the first TWO verses above and in the :

MIDI file: INTRAT01.MID

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 2/4 24 8
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0360 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 71 080 0288 0 71 064 0072 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 74 080 0048 0 74 064 0012 1 74 080 0048 0 74 064 0012 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 74 080 0048 0 74 064 0012 1 74 080 0000 1 74 080 0048 0 74 064 0000 0 74 064 0012 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0288 0 67 064 0072 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 71 080 0288 0 71 064 0072 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0288 0 67 064
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the latest version of MIDItext and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:
M:2/4
Q:1/4=100
K:C
D8|G2G2G2G2|B2G2E2D2|G2G2A2G2|B6d2|d2ddd2ddd|
B2A2G2G2|A2A2B2A2|G6D2|G2GGG2G2|BBG2E2DD|
GGG2A2G2|B6d2|d2d2d2d2|B2A2G2GG|A2A2B2A2|
G5||

The link posted above is part of the program, but no longer works. Mudcat Users may download the free MIDIText here.

Jerry Silverman's Folk Song Encyclopedia, Volume II, Hal Leonard, 1975, and his A Guitarist's Treasury of Song, 1998, Mel Bay, give the same words, tune, and chords.

Reprints from Sing Out!: Volumes 1-6, 1959-1964 gives the same lyric, and notes:

"The origin o f this delightful American adaptation of "Our Goodman," as with most folk songs, is clouded in obscurity. Cisco Houston's rendition can be heard in his Folkways album Hard Travelin' (FP42)."

The simpler lyric, basically to the tune of The Girl I Left Behind Me is recorded in Songs For Swingin' Housemothers, by Frank Lynn, Chandler Publishing Co, 1961, as:

THE CAT AND THE MOUSE

Copyright 1961 by James Leisy Music, Portola Valley, CA, used by permission

Oh, the liquor was spilled on the barroom floor and the bar was closed for the night,
When a little mouse crawled from a hole in the wall by the shadows of the pale moonlight.
He lapped up the liquor on the barroom floor and back on his haunces he sat.
And all night long you could hear him roar: "Bring on the goddamn cat!"

Noted with a fermata (hold-draw out) on the first "Oh" and on "roar."
Chords (if this works)

   /F       /Bb      /F       /F      /
F       /Bb       / C7         /F      /
F       /Bb       /F       / F       / F       /Bb       /C7       /F      /

Tune:

MIDI file: CATMOU01.MID

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 4/4 24 8
Tempo: 140 (428571 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0720 1 72 080 0144 0 72 064 0036 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 72 080 0576 0 72 064 0144 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 67 080 0000 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0000 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 65 080 0576 0 65 064 0144 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 72 080 0576 0 72 064 0144 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 74 080 0384 0 74 064 0096 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 70 080 0096 0 70 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 65 080 0576 0 65 064
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the latest version of MIDItext and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:
M:4/4
Q:1/4=140
K:C
c15/2c/2|ddc2A2FF|G2F2D2CC|F2F2FGA2|c6cc|
ddc2A2FF|GGF2D2FF|EEGGGC2E2|F6c2|d2ccAAFF|
G2F2D2C2|F2FFFGA2|c6c2|d2c2A2FF|G2F2d4|cc2^AA2G2|
F19/4||

The link posted above is part of the program, but no longer works. Mudcat Users may download the free MIDIText here.

It seems that there are two distinct songs here.

John

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 06 Jun 02 - 07:30 AM

A summary?
Looking back at this thread, with a little more time - and reconnected to the DT:

MOUSE ON THE BARROOM FLOOR: THE CAT AND THE MOUSE: THE DRUNKEN MOUSE
Do not appear to be in the DT.
The original query by Kat on 29 Dec 98 for "Mouse on the Barroom Floor" quotes lyrics that appear to be an "English" version of the tune called "The Cat and the Mouse" in "Songs for Swingin' Housemothers." These two are possibly different enough to be added to the DT as variants.
"The Drunken Mouse" supplied by rabbitrunning 30 Aug 00, shows some variation in the lyric, but is probably closest to "The Cat and the Mouse." Clearly an alternate title, but someone will have to decide whether the lyric is different enough to be called a "variant." Indicated as possibly extant in the 1930s.
A third verse added by SteveF 29Dec98, and slightly differently by rabbitrunning 20 Aug 00, would fit any of the versions posted, and should probably be part of any added to the DT. Variant phrasing for the last line of the added verse also is given by Biskit 03 Sep 00.
Tune identified as "The Girl I Left Behind Me" / "Brighton Fair" by Bill Sables 29 Dec 98, which agrees with the tune given in Housemothers.
MidiTxt tune posted immediately above, from Housemothers should fit any of the above.

LET'S HAVE A DRINK ON THE HOUSE
Rabbitrunning associated "The Drunken Mouse" with "Let's Have a Drink On the House." Lyric for "Let's Have a Drink On the House" added by rabbitrunning 31 Aug 00. Does not appear to be in the DT. No tune provided.

INTOXICATED RAT
Reference by Ralph Butts 29 Dec 98 to the DT song "Intoxicated Rat" is to a different song. Tune was not in the DT at that time but has been added. The DT indicates "Recorded by Doc Watson."
Lyric reported identically in Sing Out!, with comment:
"The origin o f this delightful American adaptation of "Our Goodman," as with most folk songs, is clouded in obscurity. Cisco Houston's rendition can be heard in his Folkways album Hard Travelin' (FP42)."
Identical lyrics found in The Folksong Wordbook (Oak),.
Identical lyrics and tune found in The Folksong Fakebook (Hal Leonard), Jerry Silverman's Folk Song Encyclopedia, Volume II (Hal Leonard) and A Guitarist's Treasury of Song (Mel Bay.)
Comment: (IMO) The absolutely identical appearance of this tune in so many (pop-folk) places indicates a "commercial lock." It may have been taken from folklore, but has become a "commercial" song - for the present. But still a fun song.

John

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: Charley Noble
Date: 07 Mar 04 - 05:53 PM

An update on the origin of this song from a related thread:

"...on the RCA Heritage Series re-issue album 'Are you from Dixie?', authorship is given as Wade Mainer/Dorsey Dixon. The session details are: Charlotte NC, Feb 12 1936."

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Mouse on the Barroom Floor
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Mar 04 - 10:20 PM

The RCA CD Charley speaks of has a cut of "Intoxicated Rat" by the Dixon Brothers (Dorsey & Howard Dixon). The tune and lyrics are more-or-less the same as what we have in the Digital Tradition. The full name of the CD is Are You From Dixie? Great Country Brother Teams of the 1930's. It's a wonderful CD - I found it used for $2.99.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: GUEST,Vikki
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 05:05 PM

I learned this song in the 1950's at 4-H camp in Ohio. Oh the liquor was spilled on the bar room floor and the bar was closed for the night, when a little gray mouse from a hole in the wall came out in the pale moonlight. He lapped up the the liquor on the bar room floor and on his haunches he sat, and all night long you could hear him roar, bring on the old tom cat.

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: GUEST,Alice
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 08:15 AM

My mother sang this to me as a child, A little differenty but here is how she sang it:

The moon shone bright on a saturday night,
and the bar was closed for the night,
when out of the corner crept a little old mouse,
who danced in the pale moonlight,
he lapped up the liquor on the bar room floor,
and back on his tail he sat,
and all throght the night you can hear him yell
Bring on the dog gone cat!!

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: GUEST,Chelle
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 11:37 PM

My sisters and I sang this song throughout our childhoods in the 70s but never knew the origin. Then, about 10 years ago (2000) the 5th Ave Theater in Seattle clebrated their 75th anniversary with acts that had played the theater throughout the years. I was stunned, when a husband & wife vaudeville act (I believe from the 1930s)began to sing the song just as we had learned it. Interestingly enough, I had taught the song to my son and he was on stage with the act for the finale. How fortuna spins her wheel..

Oh the liquor was spilt on the barroom floor
and the bar was closed for the night
and out of his hole crawled a little brown mouse
who sat in the pale moonlight

He licked up the liquor on the barroom floor
and on his haunches he sat
and all night long you could hear him ROAR
Bring out the gosh darn cat!

Well the cat came out about half past four
and ate up the little brown mouse
and the moral of my story is....
don't take a drink on the house
poor mouse.

Subject: Lyr Add: INTOXICATED RAT
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 04:32 PM

I first heard "The Intoxicated Rat" in Memphis, Tennessee, while a young Sailor stationed in the nearby town of Millington. I was so taken by it that I learned it and was fond of singing it to my girl friend (she married me anyway), and others unfortunate enough to be so favored. It became a sort of family joke/tradition. Around 1982, I was driving near Bloomington, IN, listening to the Indiana University radio station which was playing old 78s from the 1930s. When, what do you know, they played "The Intoxicated Rat," record scratches and all. You could have knocked me over with a feather.

I can sing it now, but I have no way of communicating to you the tune by which I know it. The words I know vary a little from the one printed above.


"Well, the other night I tripped and fell, because I could not see.
I got tangled up in the old door mat, fell flat as I could be.

I fell and dropped a bottle of gin, and I didn't have no more.
The cap flew off when I fell down and I spilled it on the floor.

A rat came out of his hiding place and he caught that whiskey scent.
He ran right out and got a little shot and back to his hole he went.

Chorus: Back to his hole he ran, back to his hole he ran.
He ran right out and got a little shot and back to his hole he ran.

Well, the rat came out of his hole again and he headed for the gin on the floor,
A little bit shy, but he winked one eye and he got him a little bit more.

He didn't go back to his hole that time but he stayed by the puddle of gin.
With a twisted smile and a half-closed eye, said, "I'm gonna get drunk again."

He didn't go back to his hole, but he said, "Doggone my soul,
I'm only a rat but no doggone cat could run me back to my hole."

Well, that little ole bottle was soon gone dry and there wasn't any more gin,
That little ole rat was a havin' a time when the old tom cat walked in.

The cat made a pass and the rat made a dash and his boldness faded thin,
The cat jumped over and the rat got sober and back to his hole he ran.

Back to his hole he ran, back to his hole he ran,
the cat jumped over and the rat got sober, and back to his hole he ran.


Can anyone tell me where to get the words/music/recordings to the Johnny Standley series "out In The Valley," Grandma's Lye Soap," and "It's In the Book?"

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: GUEST,PhilinVA
Date: 21 Aug 10 - 03:35 PM

We happen to have one of the original recordings scratches and all of the Intoxicated rat. The label has a warning that this record was banned from radio play. I guess that time has passed.

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: GUEST,GUEST, TX
Date: 21 May 11 - 12:27 AM

I learned it as:

Ohhhhhhhhhh, the liquor was spilled on the barroom floor
and the cat was out for the night,
whennnnnnnnnn a little brown mouse crawled out of his hole
and sat in the pale moon light.

Heeeeeee lapped up the liquor on the barroom floor
then back on his haunches he sat.
And all night long you could hear him roarrrrrr,
"Bring on the god damned cat!"

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: Charley Noble
Date: 21 May 11 - 08:47 AM

Evidently the Dixon Brothers original version of this song, © 1936, has been re-issued on CD, available from Amazon.

Here's a link to their version complete with slide guitar and graphics: click here for song

Our family version was missing one four-line verse and we had tightened up some of the wording but the original version is pretty neat. I'm not sure who led the song on the home recording our friends in Long Island sent us back in the 1950's but he certainly wasn't sober.

There is little doubt in my mind that Doc Watson got the song from the Dixon Brothers. There does seem to be reluctance on the part of some Mudcatters to grant them credit as composers.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 22 May 11 - 06:26 AM

Agreed, Charley. The song originated with the Dixon Brothers, and they should be given full credit.

According to Gus Meade's book Country Music Sources, Dorsey Dixon, one of country music's finest early songwriters, is the originator and composer, c. 1935. The song was recorded with his brother Howard as the Dixon Brothers in Charlotte, NC, February 12, 1936, and released in June 1936 on Bluebird and Montgomery Ward: BB B6327, MW M4823.

Subsequently a cover version was issued by Bill Cox and Cliff Hobbs, Vocalion 04811, July 1939. Meade also finds related a 1946/7 King recording (King 629) by Fairley Holden and his Ice Cold Papas.

"The Intoxicated Rat's" circulation among folk singers probably started in the 1940s when Alan Lomax released a 78rpm album reissuing recordings from the southern county market called Smoky Mountain Ballads (Victor P78). From there it passed into the repertoire of quite a few folk singers, particularly in New York, and subsequently circulated in children's camps, where it got shortened by counselors into various versions of two or three verses (one is called "The Little Brown Rat" I think) and is still occasionally found sung in camps today.

It all stemmed from the Dixons' recording. That recording, by the way, is one of the glories of early country music, vocally and instrumentally, and more people ought to hear it.

The song may have been based on an older joke whose punchline was "bring on your g—d— cat," but it's not clear whether the joke stemmed from the song. I am not aware of the involvement of Wade Mainer, and tend to doubt it.

Yes, it is frustrating that posters in general seem to resist the obvious: the song is a Dixon Brothers song, and Dorsey Dixon wrote it.

Bob

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: Charley Noble
Date: 22 May 11 - 09:09 AM

Bob-

Now that's a really fine summary of the origin of this old song. I was too lazy to do much research beyond the link.

The version we heard was definitely "gin" instead of "rum" but that may have been a personal preference of the singer.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: GUEST,Dan T
Date: 21 Sep 11 - 01:09 AM

The Dixon Brothers version was the 78 from which Doc assembled his own wonderful version. Wade Mainer worked with the Dixons briefly, on radio, as part of Fincher's Crazy Water Crystals Group. According to Dorsey Dixon, Wade "helped" him copyrite some of the teams best songs including "I Didn't Hear Nobody Pray". Wåde put his name down as co-writer which was a common practice in the pretty cut-throat world of old-time music publishing. Later, when Dorsey's song was a huge hit for Acuff, Dorsey Dixon had to pay Mainer for the rights to his own song to be lawfully returned to him. This sort of thing was routine among legally unsophisticated performers. Hundreds of arrangements bear the name of unscrupulous producers and less scrupulous performers who would buy songs from down and outers for a round of drinks or $10. If they could get their hands on a potential source of royalties, ethics were of small concern. Dorsey Dixon died nearly blind and in poverty but left behind a legacy of many fine original songs and arrangements.

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: Charley Noble
Date: 21 Sep 11 - 08:49 AM

Dan-

A sad but appropriate footnote to a song which has brought smiles to several generations.

Here's to the under-appreciated songwriters, who failed to copyright their songs.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: GUEST,Cassandra
Date: 29 Jul 13 - 05:24 PM

The liqueur was spilled on the bar room floor
The bar was closed for the night
When out from his hole crept a little brown mouse
And he sat in the pale moonlight

Well he lapped up the liqueur from the barroom floor
And back on his haunches he sat
And all night long you could hear him roar
Singing, "Bring on the goddamn cat!"

As the clock struck four and not a minute more
The cat skunked into the Bar through his hole in the door
And he gobbled up the little brown mouse in a flash
The moral of the story is that you can't drink if you haven't any cash!

My mom and I used to sing this when I was a kid lol. Slightly inappropriate but it was my absolute favorite nursery rhyme or poem to hear as a child. Haha my mom isn't Irish lol she is however a drinker I guess she thought it was appropriate but either way I thought it was sooo great as a little kid. I requested it like every other day for years!

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 30 Jul 13 - 04:23 AM

Pure serendipity having one of Kat's old threads refreshed just now!

Not much to add, but on the subject of animal imbibers:

"Have one on me!" said the drunken old tree,
To a dog, going home, to his spouse.
"I'd rather not, for as you can see,
I have just had one on the house!"

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 Jul 13 - 11:41 AM

For those interested in labor songs, listen to "Babies in the Mill." on youtube.

Thanks for reminding me of this little known songwriter, one sung by Kat's father.

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: GUEST,Mark
Date: 23 Dec 13 - 12:18 PM

Does anyone know the Christmas version??
   "Twas the night before christmas
    and all through tghe house
    not a creature was stirring
    except for the mouse...................

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Dec 15 - 09:33 PM

This is all well and good but but my grandad Dorsey Dixon is recorded as explaining this version of that song stemming from a party where a guy named John had gotten drunk and my grandad walked up and said hey John somebody has called the law and John said I don't care about the law. Later grandad stepped up and said John the law is here my grand dad said you have never seen a man sober up so fast in all of your life and that is what inspired him to write the song .intoxicated rat. The rat was a man. The cat was the law.

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: GUEST,Charley Noble
Date: 28 Dec 15 - 04:11 PM

Thanks for the update. Love it.

Charlie Ipcar

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: Lighter
Date: 28 Dec 15 - 06:01 PM

> According to Gus Meade's book Country Music Sources, Dorsey Dixon, one of country music's finest early songwriters, is the originator and composer, c. 1935.

If so, he didn't work without inspiration.

From Nellie McClung, The Next of Kin (Toronto: Thomas Allen, 1917), p.191:

"I was like the mouse who timidly tiptoed out to the saucer of brandy, and, taking a sip, went more boldly back, then came again with considerable swagger; and at last took a good drink and then strutted up and down saying, 'Bring on your old black cat!'"

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: GUEST,Musket
Date: 29 Dec 15 - 03:51 AM

I have absolutely no idea where I got my version from but I have been occasionally using it to fill in gaps, often when playing in bands and waiting for a guitar, fiddle etc to be tuned.

The quick three verse, more or less as quoted above except he sat on his tail, not his haunches.

The liquor was spilt on the tap room floor
As the pub was shut for the night
When a little white mouse all at once appeared
Through the shadow of the pale moonlight

He sipped that liquor right off the bar
As on his tail he sat
And all that night you could hear him cry
Bring on that bloody cat!

Well a big black Tom came through the door
And gobbled up the little white mouse
And the moral of the story is
Don't you ever have a drink on the house.

I always assumed the reference to liquor, whilst a word understood and occasionally used in The UK, gave it American roots, and perhaps the "tap room" was spliced in when it arrived over here. I could be wrong.

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: Celtaddict
Date: 29 Dec 15 - 10:04 AM

We sang the third verse as

So we brought on the cat and they had a little spat
And the cat ate up all the mouse
And the moral of this story is,
No, you can't have a drink on the house.

I think I learned this in New Orleans, possibly from Beth Waggoner Patterson or Betsy McGovern,years ago, possibly early 80s.

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: GUEST,Beautifulmyway32
Date: 30 Dec 17 - 11:12 PM

This was actually sang by our family at my grandmothers memorial. She taught us this song and we used to fsing it like this:
Well the liquor was spilt on the barroom floor, the joint was closed for the night, the little mouse crawled from the hole in the wall and sat in the pale moonlight, he licked up the liquor off the ballroom floor and up on his haunches he set, and all night long you could hear him say, "bring on the damn tom cat!"

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: GUEST,Army Dive
Date: 21 Jul 19 - 03:10 AM

The cat came back and they had a little spat
and the cat ate up on the mouse.
And the moral of the story is man or mouse,
you can't drink liquor on the house.

Subject: RE: Origins:Mouse on the Barroom Floor/Intoxicated Rat
From: Mrrzy
Date: 22 Jul 19 - 01:28 PM

I thought this was not-sung to the rhythm of Face on the Barroom Floor?