Dandoo- Knight (WV) pre1971 Gainer
[From: Folk Songs from the West Virginia Hills. No date given, published in 1971. Gainer claims that this ballad is known under the names "The Old Woman Who Wouldn't Work" and also "The Woman and the Sheep's Skin" - I've found no versions listed under those titles.
Gainer first published this identical version as No. 66 in the West Virginia Centennial Book of 100 Songs. It was repinted by Marie Boette, in Hipsy Dipsy Doodle where the informant was listed as Mr. W. A. Thomas, Erbacon, Webster Co.- a completely diferent person from the informant listed in Folk Songs from the West Virginia Hills (see below)! Gainer also gave two different informants for his version of Get Up and Bar the Door.
Below are Gainer's notes:]
DANDOO
(CHILD 277, "THE WIFE WRAPT IN WETHER'S SKIN")
This ballad survives in West Virginia under various titles: "Dandoo," "The Old Woman Who Wouldn't Work," and "The Woman and the Sheep's skin." It is almost always sung with an intricate nonsense refrain, which adds much to the humor of the ballad. Sung by Mr. W. K. Knight, Doddridge County.
There was an old man who came from the west,
Dandoo, dandoo.
Who married the woman that he loved best,
Declare the kitchen and the clin go.
Who married the woman that he loved best,
Come a hance come bottom cleesh me ac and a clingo.
This old man came in from the plow.
Dandoo, dandoo.
Says, "Wife, is my breakfast ready now?"
Declare the kitchen and the clingo.
Says, "Wife, is my breakfast ready now?"
Corne a hance come bottom cleesh me ac and a clingo.
"There are some dumplings in the pot."
Dandoo, dandoo.
"You can eat them now while they are hot."
Declare the kitchen and the clingo.
"You can eat them now while they are hot."
Come a hance come bottom cleesh me ac and a clingo.
This old man went to his fold,
Dandoo, dandoo.
He skinned a wether fat and old,
Declare the kitchen and the clingo,
He skinned a wether fat and old,
Come a hance come bottom cleesh me ac and a clingo.
He put the skin on his wife's back,
Dandoo, dandoo.
And with a stick went whicketty whack,
Declare the kitchen and the clingo,
And with a stick went whicketty whack,
Come a hance come bottorn cleesh me ac and a clingo.
"I'll tell my father and all my kin,"
Dandoo, dandoo.
"You whip me oll my naked skin,"
Declare the kitchen and the clingo,
"You whip me on my naked skin,"
Come a hance come bottom cleesh me ac and a clingo.
"You can tell your father and all your kin,"
Dandoo, dandoo.
"That I'm only tanning my wether's skin,"
Declare the kitchen and the clingo.
"That I'm only tanning my wether's skin,"
Come a hance come bottom cleesh me ac and a clingo.
Since then she's been a very good wife,
Dandoo, dandoo.
And I hope she'll be to the end of her life,
Declare the kitchen and the clingo,
And I hope she'll be to the end of her life,
Come a hance come bottom cleesh me ac and a clingo.