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10 Sep 09 - 11:31 PM (#2721261) Subject: Lyr Req: I saw a man at the close of day From: 10stringer Hi I'm new here. I jam with some friends who do this song, and I know the chords but not the lyrics. Can anyone post the lyrics please? Thx. |
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11 Sep 09 - 12:58 AM (#2721283) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I saw a man at the close of day From: 12-stringer I saw a man at the close of day Standing in the grocery door His eyes were sunk, his lips were parched And more and more His little boy stood by his side And to him he said father Mother's sick at home And sister cries for bread Solo He turned around, walked through the door Staggered up to the bar And unto the landlord said Just give me one last pour I passed there by in about a year And a crowd stood around the door I asked the reason why they said, That drunkard is no more Solo Just then a hearse drew slowly by No mother, no children near He had gone on long before And left this world of care. Come all ye jolly dram drinkers From this a warning take And quit your overflowing bowl Before it is too late Yesterday upon the stair I saw a man who wasn't there He wasn't there again today I wish that man would go away. from http://www.hotlyrics.net/lyrics/D/Doc_Watson/I_Saw_A_Man_At_The_Close_Of_The_Day.html Never heard the Doc Watson version, and don't know if he uses that silly-ass last stanza. Except for that, it goes back to G B Grayson's 78 from the late 20s. |
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12 Sep 09 - 04:24 AM (#2722127) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I saw a man at the close of day From: 12-stringer Re-reading this transcript, it seems a little sloppy to me. I haven't heard the song in 15 or 20 years, haven't sung it in closer to 30, but these emendations seem called for: verse 1: Last line is I viewed him o'er and o'er verse 3: last two lines should be And I heard him tell the landlord there Just give me one dram more verse 5 last two lines should be something like They'd gone to seek a better life And quit this world of care |
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12 Sep 09 - 02:15 PM (#2722430) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I saw a man at the close of day From: 10stringer Thank you 12-stringer! I appreciate it. :) Ed |
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14 Sep 09 - 01:22 PM (#2723483) Subject: Lyr Add: THE DRUNKARD (1829) From: Jim Dixon I SAW A MAN AT THE CLOSE OF DAY was recorded by G. B. Grayson & Henry Whitter in 1929. It is usually credited to G. B. Grayson; HOWEVER, I found this, in The Ariel: A Literary and Critical Gazette, (Philadelphia: Edmund Morris, Vol. 2, No. 22, Feb 21, 1829), page 174: Essays, sermons, and lectures on intemperance, are a mere drug; there is no turning over a newspaper of any kind but you may find a dozen. Yet they ought not to be read the less, or their recommendations more slightly regarded. The ground which their authors assume, has been gone ever an hundred times before; so that to make people read them, some novelty, or some peculiarly captivating style must be adopted, like the heading to our lottery advertisements. The writer of the following lines has adopted this plan. There is a little novelty in his manner, and a good deal of beauty in his style—enough, at least, to make his worn-out subject of intemperance quite bearable. The piece is taken from The Southron, a paper but recently established in one of the southern states. THE DRUNKARD. I saw him, 'twas at dawn of day, Before an ale-house door; His eyes were sunk, his lips were parch'd, I view'd him o'er and o'er. His infant boy clung to his side, And lisping to him, said, "Come father—mother's sick at home; And sister cries for bread." He trembling rose and stagger'd in, As oft he'd done before, And to the landlord faultering said, "Come, give us one glass more." The host complies—his purple lips Now press the venom'd bowl; He drinks—whilst wife and children starve, To ruin sends his soul. A year elaps'd—I pass'd that way— A crowd stood at the door— I ask'd the cause, when one replied, "Ned Hawkins is no more." I saw his fun'ral move along, No wife nor child was there— They, too, had join'd their mother earth, And left this world of care. Reflect! ye vot'ries of the bowl— Know ye 'tis heaven's decree, "Ye ne'er shall taste eternal life, Lest from the bowl you flee." Reflect! ere wife and children mourn, Fly from the ale-house, fly! Or you'll, like Ned, neglected live, Like him, neglected die. |
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30 Jun 10 - 10:46 AM (#2937290) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Saw a Man at the Close of Day (Grayson) From: GUEST,Dave Salamone Hello: I would appreciate it if someone could post the guitar chords for, "I saw a Man at the Close of Day" Thank you. |
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26 Jan 12 - 01:59 PM (#3296738) Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: I SAW A MAN AT THE CLOSE OF DAY From: GUEST,Peter R. Snell Here are the lyrics as Grayson and Whitter sang them in 1929. They differ quite a bit from the original lyrics offered in this thread. Grayson and Whitter version use some of the more colourful words from the 1829 gazette piece above that Jim Dixon found (note words like "faultering" etc.) I'll certainly steal some of this to adapt my performed version! Doc Watson follows the version below fairly closely, but doesn't sing the verse about the drunk going into the bar. The "vile murder" bit seems to be G&W's; Doc uses it. G&W play this in G. Doc plays it in D (he delays his last A7 chord a couple of beats as compared with the below.) Contemporary musician Mark Graham has a fine version of this (in D) on his Old Time Harmonica album. The G&W version can be found here: http://www.archive.org/details/GraysonAndWhitter-01-20 I Saw a Man at the Close of Day Grayson/Whitter version Key: G (Fiddle solo opening) G | G I saw a man at the close of day | C | D7 Standing round the grocery door | C | G His eyes were sunk, his lips were parched | D7 | G (Single-not bass guitar run: G-E-D-B-G) And I viewed him o'er and o'er. His lit-tle son stood by his side And unto him he said Oh Father, Mother's sick at home And sister cries fer bread He turned around, went in at the door He staggered up to the bar And faultering unto the landlord said Just give me one glass more. (Fiddle solo, with spoken bit at the opening: "Take warning girls") A year or so I passed thereby And a crowd stood round the door I asked the reason, one replied, Why, the drunkard is no more. Just then a hearse moved slowly ["slow-ah"] by No wife or children near They'd gone before this vile murder And left this world of care. (Solo. Intro spoken: "Take warning girls and don't marry a drunkard.") Come all you jolly dram drinkers By this a warning take And quit the overflowing bowl Before it is too late. Cheers, Peter R. Snell Choking Hazard Orchestra |
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29 Jan 12 - 08:51 AM (#3298401) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Saw a Man at the Close of Day (Grayson) From: Marion in Cornwall Appalachian duo,Jeni Hankins and Billy Kemp have a version of this song on their cd 'Longing for Heaven'. You can listen to it by following this link Jeni & Billy and clicking on the Listen and Lyrics page. Hope you enjoy it Marion |
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11 Apr 23 - 06:21 AM (#4169660) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Saw a Man at the Close of Day (Grayson) From: GUEST G G I saw a man at the close of the day C D7 Standing by a grocery door C G His eyes were sunk and his lips were parched D7 G And I viewed him o'er and o'er G His lit-tle boy stood by his side C D7 And unto him he said C G Father, Mother's sick at home D7 G And sister cries for bread G He turned around, walked thru the door C D7 Staggered up to the bar C G And unto the landlord said D7 G Just give me one last pour G And about a year I passed thereby C D7 A crowd stood round the door C G I asked the reason, one replied D7 G The drunkard is no more G Just then a hearse moved slowly by C D7 No wife or children near C G They'd gone before this vile murder D7 G And left this world of care G Come all you jolly dram drinkers C D7 By this a warning take C G And quit the overflowing bowl D7 G Before it is too late |