Dandoo- Mulkey (GA) pre1926 Hedy West REC
[From: Old Times & Hard Times; Hedy West's recording. According to West: "Talitha Prudence Sparks Mulkey, her great-grandmother, was b. 5-25-1852 in Union County, GA, d. 1-12-1926; her grandmother Lillie Etta Mulkey West was their 8th child, born June 23, 1888 in Gilmer County, GA, & died Aug 29, 1980 in Union County, GA." I assume this was learned from her grandmother who got it from her mother.
To listen- search- Youtube.
R. Matteson 2013]
THE WIFE WRAPT IN WETHER’S SKIN- Liner notes
This is one of the ballads handed down in the West family from great-grandmother Talitha Prudence Sparks Mulkey. It sounds like a simple narrative of a farmer who reforms his slatternly young wife by “tanning her hide” - in this case, wrapping her in a sheepskin and then beating her. In fact there may be more in it than meets the ear. Instead of the “dandoo, clish-to-ma-clingo” refrain common in the American South, many English versions have a refrain enumerating a number of herbs, rosemary, thyme, etc. In ancient times, herbs were regarded as protection against demons, and it may well be that in the original sets of this song the wife may have been possessed by evil spirits that had to be exorcised by the use of herbs and ritual flagellation. It’s a hypothesis.
[clawhammer banjo intro]
1. A little old man who lived way out West,
Dandoo, Dandoo;
A little old man who lived way out West,
Clash to ma clingo.
A little old man who lived way out West;
He had a wife who was none of the best,
Splatima, lattima, clingo.
2. The little old man went whistling to his plow,
Dandoo, Dandoo;
The little old man went whistling to his plow,
Clash to ma clingo.
The little old man went whistling to his plow,
Said, "Old woman, is your bread made now?"
Splatima, lattima, clingo.
3. There's a little piece of crust laying on the shelf,
Dandoo, Dandoo;
Little piece of crust laying on the shelf,
Clash to ma clingo.
A little piece of crust laying on the shelf;
If that ain't enough you can make it yourself,
Splatima, lattima, clingo.
4. He went out to his sheep fold
Dandoo, Dandoo;
He went out to his sheep fold,
Clash to ma clingo.
He went out to his sheep fold;
And got him a wether tough and old,
Splatima, lattima, clingo.
5. He hung it up on two little pins,
Dandoo, Dandoo;
He hung it up on two little pins,
Clash to ma clingo.
He hung it up on two little pins;
About two jerks fetched its skin,
Splatima, lattima, clingo.
6. He threw it across his old wife back,
Dandoo, Dandoo;
He threw it across his old wife back,
Clash to ma clingo.
He threw it across his old wife back;
Got him a stick and made it go whack,
Splatima, lattima, clingo.
7. You can go tell your people and all of your kin,
Dandoo, Dandoo;
You can go tell your people and all of your kin,
Clash to ma clingo.
You can go tell your people and all of your kin;
I'll do as I please with my old sheepskin,
Splatima, lattima, clingo.
[clawhammer banjo outro]