Danu (Dan-u)- Timmons/Chester (NC) pre1940 Brown 4 D(1)
[My title replacing the generic title which had "Weather's" [sic] in it. It's also titled Dan-you in the collection. Taken from the Brown Collection volume 4 D(1). Text from the Abrams Collection, Variant 2]
Brown Collection D(1) ['Dan-u'] 'Wife Wrapped in Weather's Skin.' Sung by Mrs. Laura B. Timmons. From the previous recording of Dr. W. A. Abrams, Boone, August 8, 1940. Observe the singular spelling of "Weather's." The constant interplay between the ascending and descending fourths should be noted. It seems to be almost a musical illustration of what is going on.
Scale: Heptachordal, plagal. Tonal Center : e-flat. Structure : abacdd1d1c1 (2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2) = ab (8,8).
Abrams' Collection:
Laura Brown [Timmons], 1894-1964; Maude Chester
Collector Edith Cavell Walker [Madison], 1919-1994
Geographic Location Hudson, Caldwell County, North Carolina
Alternative Geographic Location Boone, Watauga County, North Carolina
[Dan-u] Wife Wrapped in Weather's [sic] Skin- Mrs. Laura Timmons learned this from Maude Chester of Hudson, N. C. Collected by Edith Walker.
There was an old man lived in the West,
dan--u, dan--u,
There was an old man lived in the West,
Umphey--doodle--u--dan--u
There was an old man lived inthe West,
Had him a wife, she was none of the best,
To my harem--garem--giram--larem
Umphey--doodle--u-dan--u.
The old man came in from plowing the wheat
dan--u, dan--u.
The old man came in from plowing the wheat
Umphey--doodle--u--dan--u,
The old man came in from plowing the wheat
And said old woman what have you to eat
To my harem--garem--girem--larem
Umphey--doodle--u--dan--u.
There's a little piece of bread lying on the shelf
dan--u, dan--u,
There's a little piece of bread lying on the shelf
Umphey--doodle--u--dan--u
There's a little piece of bread lying on the shelf
If you want any more you can get it yourself
To my harem--garem--girem--larem
Umphey--doodle--u--dan--u.
The old man jumped into the sheep-pen
dan--u, dan--u,
The old man jumped into the sheep-pen,
Umphey--doodle--u--dan--u
The old man jumped into the sheep-pen
And out he came with a mutton skin,
To my harem--garem--girem--larem
Umphey--doodle--u--dan--u.
He tacked the sheep skin to his wife's back,
dan--u, dan--u,
He tacked the sheep skin to his wife's back,
Umphey--doodle--u--dan--u,
He tacked the sheep skin to his wife's back
And the way he made the hickory crack,
To my harem--garem--girem--larem
Umphey--doodle--u--dan--u.