Lyr Req: The Ballad of Jack McCoy (Tommy Thompson)

Subject: Jack McCoy lyrics
From: GUEST,Jim Yates
Date: 26 Jan 06 - 06:09 PM

I recall a song that began:
" Now Jack became an orphan at the moment of his birth,
For the __________ of his bornin' put his mother in the earth.
His dad then wed a widdow wife and cursed be her name,
For the way she treated Jack McCoy , it was an awful shame."
The story goes on to tell about a reincarnated chicken who tries to eat the stars from the sky.
I had thought it was sung by the Red Clay Ramblers, but I once asked them about it and they couldn't remember such a song.

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Subject: Lyr Add: THE BALLAD OF JACK MCCOY (Tommy Thompson)
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jan 10 - 02:04 AM

"The Ballad of Jack McCoy

Jon Singleton sent me the lyrics of the following song written by Tommy Thompson. Tommy used to sing it as a solo number during our shows. Jon had taped a performance one evening long ago at the Red Fox Inn in Bethesda Maryland. Jon learned the song and now performs it himself. Thanks to Jon we now have these words once again and can enjoy the humor and poetry of Tommy's brilliant ballad. If memory serves me well, Tommy used to credit Isaac Bashevis Singer as the source of this story.


"The Ballad of Jack McCoy"
music & lyrics by Tommy Thompson

You Scorpios and Libras, Aquarians as well
You helpless earthbound mortals whose fate the stars compel
You Capricorns and Cancers, I'll sing you of the night
How saucy Jack McCoy did save the starry heavens bright

Now Jack became an orphan at the moment of his birth
For the labors of his borning laid his mother in the earth
His dad then wed a widow wife and cursed be her name
For the way she treated Jack McCoy it was an awful shame

Now the widow kept a rooster running free about the house
She swore that he possessed the soul of her long departed spouse
She talked to him and called him "Roy" and fed him ham and grits
While Jack McCoy ate table scraps and cleaned up rooster shit

One night as Jack lay dreaming of a plate of chicken stew
His feast was interrupted by a "Cocka-doodle-doo!"
Jack scrambled to his attic window naked as a rock
Silhouetted in the moonlight on the chimney stood that cock

The stars were shining brightly, what stars there did remain
Old Roy'd been pecking out the stars like corn or any grain
He'd just gobbled out the North Star when Jack crawled out through the night
And grabbed that chicken by the leg and swung with all his might

Jack swung that chicken 'round his head in elliptical course
The stars returned to heaven by the centrifugal force
The rooster crowed for midnight and the rooster crowed for day
And the rooster crowed for mercy when he crowed his life away

Just then the dawn was breaking on that cold outlandish night
The stars blinked twice, in thanks to Jack, and vanished in the light
And the villagers who gazed upon the rooftop of McCoy
'Midst a cloud of chicken feathers saw a smiling naked boy

And now you've heard my story how Jack did save the stars
Several minor asteroids plus Mercury and Mars
Jack still proudly wears the scars of the blows he got that day
And the rooster's now a rock star making millions so they say"

from

http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:bgtgWI5RehMJ:www.mikecraver.com/spring08.html+Now+Jack+became+an+orphan+at+the+moment+of+hi

Subject: LYRIC ADD
From: GUEST,999--that was me. Forgot cookie.
Date: 01 Jan 10 - 02:05 AM

.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jack McCoy
From: PHJim
Date: 01 Jan 10 - 01:39 PM

Thanks a lot. That request was made long before I became a mudcat member.
Now to go and learn the song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jack McCoy
From: GUEST,999
Date: 01 Jan 10 - 02:48 PM

You just made my day. Thanks, Jim.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Ballad of Jack McCoy (Tommy Thompson)
From: PHJim
Date: 16 Sep 14 - 10:45 PM

I seem to recall a third verse that you left out:

As Jack was growing up to be a fine mischievious boy
No love was lost between the wife and son of old McCoy.
When Jack would pull his tricks and pranks as youngsters often do,
She'd yell at him and tweak his ears and beat him black and blue.