Lyr Req: My Sweet Farmgirl / Farmhand Papa

Subject: Blues lyrics: My Sweet Farmgirl
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 19 Oct 06 - 01:00 AM

My Sweet Farmgirl

Since Tom Ashley heard this sung by a work gang around 1900, it is one of the early blues. You can hear it on Honkingduck. I transcribed it but need help with the lyrics on the first two verses.

Corrections please.


"My Sweet Farmgirl" by "Tom Ashley and Gwen Foster"
Romeo 5113 Issued: January 1932

Harmonica

My sweet farm girl, she's the (?) of my pride
My sweet farm girl, she's the (?) of my pride
She knows I know how to keep her satisfied.

So early in the morning I cut her grass today
So early in the morning I cut her grass today
Put up the hoes I keep her lawn always

I close her fire, I shake her ashes down
I close her fire, I shake her ashes down
We eat at breakfast then we ride on back to town.

I keep her garden, all free from bugs and weeds
I keep her garden, all free from bugs and weeds.
I plow her lands and then I sow my seeds.

I trim her hedges, I clean out her back yard
I trim her hedges, I clean out her back yard.
She loves her daddy because I'm long and hard.

Subject: RE: Blues lyrics: My Sweet Farmgirl
From: 12-stringer
Date: 19 Oct 06 - 03:33 AM

"She's the joy of my pride" [sic].

Second verse is:

"So early in the morning, I cut her grass, you bet,
So early in the morning, I cut her grass, you bet.
Pull up the hose, I keep her lawn all wet."

Third verse is "We eat our breakfast ... "

However, Tom was funning about the origin of the song. It was written by Clarence Williams, the black jazzman and band leader. He recorded it for Columbia, 7/20/1928, as "Farm Hand Papa," and this is where Ashley got it. Williams accompanies himself on a very rockin' piano and throws in an occasional yodel which suggests he might have just been listening to Jimmie Rodgers. (Or maybe he wrote the song to pitch to Jimmie? Would have fit right into his repertoire!) It's an excellent performance. The Tar Heels also did this for Victor in 1930, but the lyrics vary more from Williams than do those in the Ashley version. According to the CTH discography, Dock Walsh is credited as writer, and he did, at least, rewrite it some.

A Real Audio version of the song can be listened to, right here:

http://www.redhotjazz.com/williams.html

Just scroll down past the bio to "Solo Discography." It's the second piece listed there.

Joseph Scott posted this interesting song origin on the Old Time Music newsgroup, a couple of years ago.

Subject: RE: Blues lyrics: My Sweet Farmgirl
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 19 Oct 06 - 09:14 AM

Thanks 12 stringer.

It's interesting that Ashley claimed to have heard it in 1900. Was this to avoid copyright laws? For some reason my computer couldn't play Farm Hand Papa, I'll try again later.

Richie

Subject: RE: Blues lyrics: My Sweet Farmgirl
From: 12-stringer
Date: 19 Oct 06 - 07:00 PM

Richie:

Did you click on "Open" rather than "Save" at Red Hot Jazz, after selecting the track? They don't offer an option for downloading the songs, though I suppose there is some way to do it. I've never had any problem there with either the branded Real Player or the one I use now, the freeware Realalt.

Subject: Lyr Add: FARMHAND PAPA (Clarence Williams)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Oct 06 - 02:35 PM

I think Clarence Williams' lyrics are worth posting. Here they are, transcribed from The Red Hot Jazz Archive (see link above):

FARMHAND PAPA
Clarence Williams, recorded July 20, 1928, Columbia 14341-D.

My sweet farm gal is my joy an' pride.
My sweet farm gal is my joy an' pride.
You know, I know how to keep my farm gal satisfied.

Early ev'ry mornin', I cut her grass, you bet.
Early ev'ry mornin', I cut her grass, you bet.
I pulls out the hose and leaves the lawn all wet.

I close her fire, shake her ashes down.
In the wintertime, I close her fire, shake her ashes down.
And after breakfast, we rides on back to town.

I trims her hedges, cleans out her back yard.
I cleans her hedges, trims out her back yard.
She's crazy 'bout me, 'cause I'm strong an' hard.

I keeps her garden free from bugs an' weeds.
I keeps her garden free from bugs an' weeds.
I plows up her land, then I plant my seeds.

She say, "Dad-dad-daddy, you sure know how to make cucumbers grow."
She say, "Pop-pop-papa, know how to make cucumbers grow."
I says, "I'm raisin' some for you. I done told you so."

Now, mama, if you should go, who could fill your shoes?
If you should go, no one could fill your shoes.
Don't leave your farmhand papa with the farmhand blues.

[The tropes used here put this song in the same family as MY HANDY MAN and MY HANDY MAN AIN'T HANDY NO MORE, both found in the thread called Bawdy songs for women to sing.]