Origins: Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue

Subject: Lyr Add: COCAINE BILL AND MORPHINE SUE (from Shay)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Feb 22 - 11:01 AM

From Frank Shay, More Pious Friends and Drunken Companions: Songs and Ballads of Conviviality (New York: Macaulay Company, 1928), page 72, which includes musical notation for the melody line:


COCAINE BILL AND MORPHINE SUE
“As sung by Mary Jacobsen”

1. Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue,
Strolling down the avenue two by two.

CHORUS: Ah! Ha! My little lady,
Honey, take a (sniff) off me.

2. They walked down the East Side full of hope,
Until they saw a sign reading: “No More Dope.” CHORUS

3. Said Bill to Sue: “This will never do.
We gotta get a shot and it's up to you." CHORUS

4. Sue loved the men and she knew her stuff.
She walked into a drug store prepared to treat 'em rough. CHORUS

5. She rolled her eyes and she cocked her head.
She said: “Come here; I want some dope and I won't be misled.” CHORUS

6. She got what she wanted but her tale is sad.
Her stuff was good, but the dope was bad. CHORUS

7. Bill he sighed, and Sue she cried,
And then they both lay down and died. CHORUS

8. Now in the graveyard side by side
Lie Cocaine Bill and his Morphine bride. CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Mar 19 - 03:37 PM

There they met with cocaine Joe who makes his living from pedaling snow

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
From: GUEST
Date: 30 May 18 - 04:22 PM

Walkin' down Broadway, turn down Main,
Lookin' for a place to buy cocaine,
He says, have a little sniff, little sniff on me,
Have a little sniff on me.

Bumped into a guy by the name of Bill,
Hasn't died yet, but I think he will,
He says, have a little sniff, little sniff on me,
Have a little sniff on me.

Down in the graveyard by his side,
Lies the body of his morphine bride,
He says, have a little sniff, little sniff on me,
Have a little sniff on me.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
From: GUEST,Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 04 Feb 18 - 12:08 PM

For information the Roud Index distinguishes Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue from Take A Whiff On Me.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 Feb 18 - 11:00 AM

I remember a couple of lines from my childhood, although why a 10 year old in Suburban Manchester, UK, would know a song about cocaine is anybodies guess! For the word 'sniff' relace it with a loud sniffing noise up the nose. We did, and that probably explains why we liked it :-)

Morphine Bill and cocaine Sue
Were walking down the Avenue
Saying honey have a 'sniff' have 'sniff' on me
Honey have a 'sniff' on me

They walked from Broadway down to Maine
Looking for a shop that sold cocaine
Saying honey have a 'sniff' have 'sniff' on me
Honey have a 'sniff' on me

That's all I can remember. Must be substance abuse...

:D tG

Subject: Lyr Add: TAKE A WHIFF ON ME
From: BrooklynJay
Date: 02 Feb 18 - 08:22 AM

I remember this as Take A Whiff On Me. Woody Guthrie recorded a version but, as I remember, all references to cocaine were gone!

As a matter of fact, while typing this, I remembered I had Woody's lyrics in my - where else? - lyrics file:

Take A Whiff On Me

Chorus (2X):
Take a whiff, take a whiff, take a whiff on me,
Everybody take a whiff on me,
Hey, hey, baby take a whiff on me;

I got a woman six-foot-four,
Sleepin' in the kitchen with her feet in the door,
Hey, hey, baby take a whiff on me;

Two old maids, a-fishin' in the creek,
Ain't caught a man since-a way last week,
Hey, hey, baby take a whiff on me.

(Chorus 2X)

Wanna get a woman let me tell you a word,
Grease your hair down slick as lard,
Hey, hey, baby take a whiff on me;

I'm walkin' down the road with my hat in my hand,
Lookin' for a woman needs a worried man,
Hey, hey, baby take a whiff on me.

(Chorus 2X)

Walkin' down the road and the road's mighty muddy,
Slippin' an' a-slidin' an' I can't stay steady,
Hey, hey, baby take a whiff on me;
I know my woman ain't a-treatin' me right,
She don't get to home till the day gets light,
Hey, hey, baby take a whiff on me.

(Chorus 2X)

Meet a lot of women out a-ramblin' around,
But the Boston women's the best I've found,
Hey, hey, baby take a whiff on me;
Sing this song all night long,
Sing to my woman from midnight on,
Hey, hey, baby take a whiff on me.

(Chorus 2X)

Yeah, I have to admit that the song loses a certain something with the cocaine and morphine references removed.

And, by the way - what's going on with all the question marks??? Thank goodness I preview my posts, because I found that most of the apostrophes in the lyrics above had mysteriously become question marks! Had to retype virtually every one of them. What's going on?


Jay

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
From: GUEST,Heather
Date: 01 Feb 18 - 04:11 AM

We used to sing this ditty when we were sailing on the Norfolk Broads in the early 1950's. We were young and innocent in those days, what a shame it didn't stay that way!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
From: Mo the caller
Date: 28 Feb 15 - 03:43 AM

I remember a similar song but Cigarette Sid and ...? (some sort of alcohol drinking female)
"Have a puff on me"
Maybe cleaned up for the BBC?
They came to a similar bad end of course.

Subject: Lyr Add: TAKE A WHIFF ON ME
From: PHJim
Date: 27 Feb 15 - 08:07 PM

The Maple Leaf Champions Jug Band sings:

Take A Whiff On Me

Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
Strollin' down the Avenue two by two
Oh Lord, Honey take a whiff on me
Well, I love my whiskey and I love my gin
The way I love my coke, it's a doggone sin.
Oh Lord, Honey take a whiff on me.

Take a whiff on me, take a whiff on me,
All you rounders take a whiff on me
Oh Lord, Honey take a whiff on me.

Tell it to me boys, tell it to me,
Drink corn liquor, let the cocaine be,
Oh Lord, Honey take a whiff on me.
Cocaine's for horses, not for men,
Doctor says 'll kill me, but he don't say when,
Oh Lord, Honey take a whiff on me.

Take a whiff...

In the graveyard on the hill
Lies the body of Cocaine Bill,
Oh Lord, Honey take a whiff on me.
And in the graveyard by his side
Lies the body of his cocaine bride,
Oh Lord Honey take a whiff on me.

Take a whiff...

Take a whiff o' ree take a whiff o' rye,
Gonna keep sniffin' till the day I die
Oh Lord, Honey take a whiff on me.
Now all these Okies are gonna be dead
If they don't stop sniffin' that stuff in their head.
Oh Lord, Honey take a whiff on me.

Take a,take a, take a, take a whiff on me,
Everybody take a whiff on me,
Oh Lord, Honey take a whiff on me.

Take a (sniff), take a (sniff), take a (sniff) on me,
Everybody take a whiff on me,
Oh Lord, Honey take a whiff on me.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
From: GUEST,Ginny May
Date: 27 Feb 15 - 01:36 PM

My father used to sing this when we were kids, I think he learnt it in the RAF in WW2. We didn't think about the meaning of the words as kids, the tune is catchy with all the sniffs

'Arry 'Ave a………

Verse
1. Walking down Fifth Avenue
    Cocaine Bill met Morphine Sue

    Chorus:
    Singing 'Arry 'ave a (sniff),'ave a (sniff) on me
    'Arry 'ave a (sniff) on me

2. They came to a drugstore painted green
    The sign outside said no morphine
    Chorus:

3. They came to a drugstore painted red
    No cocaine is what it said
    Chorus:

4. From Broadway to the state of Maine
    They searched in vain for more cocaine
    Chorus:

5. So in the river side by side
    They both committed suicide
    Chorus:

6. Now in the graveyard on Boot Hill
    Lies the body of Cocaine Bill
    Chorus:

7. And in that graveyard by his side
    Lies the body of his morphine bride
    Chorus:

8. Now all this story goes to show
    There ain't no sense in snuffin' snow
    Chorus

9. Ash to ash and dust to dust
      If coke don't get you morphine must
      Chorus:
   

10. Now Glory Be it is the Lord, coming in to land at (or London) Ford
       Calling up on Channel C, singing 'Arry 'ave a (sniff) on me

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 02 Feb 12 - 06:01 AM

Came to a drugstore painted taupe
Sign outside said "No more dope "

Came to a drugstore all cerise
Sign outside said " no more Es "


Came to a drugstore selling brooms
Sign outside said "no more 'shrooms "


Came to a drugstore painted blue
Sign outside said "No more glue "


Came to a drugstore painted ash,
Sign outside said "no more hash "

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
From: Lighter
Date: 31 Jan 12 - 10:11 PM

More to the point, perhaps, "Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue (Have a Sniff on Me)" was copyrighted on June 26, 1923, with words and music by "W.H.P." (William H. Putnam) and "G.S.D." (George S. Dyer) of Ft. Lee, N.J., and New York City, respectively. (Ft. Lee is at the other end of the George Washington Bridge from Manhattan).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
From: Lighter
Date: 31 Jan 12 - 10:02 PM

The earliest reference in the Traditional Ballad Index is from 1959.

Eight stanzas, though, with chorus and tune ("as sung by Mary Jacobsen") appeared in Frank Shay's "More Pious Friends and Drunken Companions," published in 1928.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
From: Joe_F
Date: 31 Jan 12 - 04:18 PM

Cocaine's for horses and not for men.
The doctors say it'll kill you, but they don't say when.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 31 Jan 12 - 06:46 AM

Of course, the folk-process being what it is, there's scope for many more verses.

Came to a drugstore painted black,
Sign outside said "No more smack".

Came to a drugstore painted orange -
a sign outside said "No more ganja"

Came to a drugstore in several hues,
Sign outside said "No more booze"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 31 Jan 12 - 05:43 AM

Came to a drugstore painted red
Sign outside said "Better off dead"

Came to a drugstore done out in oak
Sign outside sai "no more coke"

Otherwise much as above.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 31 Jan 12 - 05:35 AM

These 2 posts of mine from another old thread, and ref'ing yet another on Rugby Songs, might afford some assistance here:

~M~

Subject: RE: Is alcohol the only drug praised in song
From: MtheGM - PM
Date: 18 Dec 09 - 02:14 AM

See thread - Lyr req: Cocaine Bill & Morphine Sue:- Nov 06-Jan 07.

Certainly song, well recalled from my long-ago youth & student & soccer-playing days, about drugs, tho not exactly in praise: last verse as I remember it went — 'This story only goes to show There ain't no sense in sniffing snow'.

Subject: RE: Is alcohol the only drug praised in song
From: MtheGM - PM
Date: 18 Dec 09 - 02:45 AM

Oddly, this song, Cocaine Bill... doesn't seem to be in Digitrad under any title I can formulate. But it was also cited, quoting as under, by GuestGARGOYLE in long & full post of 17 Nov 01 on thread 'Rugby Football Songs":

"And his heart would be hard indeed who was not moved by the tragety of Morphine Bill and Cocaine Sue who after killing themselves with drugs (Honey have a sniff on me) were buried side by side."-
quoting Michael Green's Book of 'More Rugby Songs' 1967.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
From: GUEST,ken cockrell
Date: 31 Jan 12 - 05:18 AM

I googled because the lyrics had been haunting me from childhood - remember it being sung by older brothers when I was 8-10 years old.
I remember:-

Morphine Bill and Morphine Bill
Were walking down 5th aveneue
Singing 'any avveth on me    )This is what the words sounded
Any avveth on you'            )like to a young boy.
They came to the riverside
Where they committed suicide
Singing 'any avveth on me
any avveth on you.'

Anyone know any of this or, hopefully, any MORE of this?
Best wishes
Ken

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
From: Dave Masterson
Date: 26 Jan 07 - 09:19 AM

Can't add to the lyrics I'm afraid, but the song takes me back 20+ years to when I ran the Singers Club at the Black Horse at Stansted, Kent.
The song was the party piece of landlords Brian and Mary, when we could drag them from behind the bar.
Halcyon days.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
From: GUEST,steve
Date: 25 Jan 07 - 07:28 PM

came to a river deep and wide
there they committed suicide

came to a room filled with smoke
sign on the door said no more coke

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill
From: Scrump
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 11:31 AM

I haven't received my cocaine bill - maybe it got lost in the mail?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill
From: GUEST,Robin Shaw
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 10:25 AM

Hi
It was in my School song book and regularly sung in Music !

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill
From: GUEST,Jim Simpson, Scotland
Date: 26 Nov 06 - 08:57 AM

Also learned in the Boy Scouts in the 50's!!!

Morphine Bill and Cocaine Sue
were strolling down 5th Avenue
singing Honey have a sniff , have a sniff on me
Honey have a sniff on me

They came to a drug store painted green
a notice outside said no Morphine


Seem to remember they came to various colours of drug stores and each one had a notice saying some drug was not available.

   I

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cocaine Bill
From: Peace
Date: 23 Nov 06 - 12:06 AM

Google

"Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue"

just as posted above--that is, with quotation marks. It will lead you to many sites.

Subject: Lyr Add: COCAINE BILL AND MORPHINE SUE
From: oldhippie
Date: 22 Nov 06 - 09:46 PM

This song I learned many years ago in Boy Scout camp.
Some of the lyrics we sang were:

"Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
were strolling down the avenue"
and
"Up in the graveyard on the hill
You'll find the grave of Cocaine Bill
Up in the graveyard by his side
Lie the remains of his morphine bride"

I found this version on the Internet:

Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue
Strolling down the avenue two by two.

REFRAIN: Oh, honey, won't you have a little sniff on me,
Have a sniff on me.

Said Sue to Bill: "It'll do no harm,
If we both just have a little shot in the arm."

Said Bill to Sue: "I can't refuse,
'Cause there's no more kick in this darned ol' booze"

So they walked down first and they turned up main,
Looking for a place they could buy cocaine.

They came to a drugstore full of smoke,
Where they saw a little sign sayin' "No more coke"

Now in the graveyard on the hill,
Lies the body of Cocaine Bill.

And in a grave right by his side,
Lies the body of his cocaine bride.

All o' you cokies is a-gonna be dead
If you don't stop a-sniffin that stuff in your head.

Now where they went, no one can tell
It might have been heaven or it might have been ... SNIFF

Most of these lyrics I don't remember singing. Anyone have any additional lyrics, or know the author. Any recordings out there?