Farmer's Curst Wife- Stubblefield (DC) 1936 Lomax REC; Bronson No. 8
"The Farmer's Curst Wife"- Sung by Blaine Stubblefield, Washington, D.C., 1936, LC/AAFS, rec. No. 1635(AI). Collected by Alan Lomax, m I (infected IV), ending on the octave
There was an old man who owned a farm,
Whistle.
He had no horses to carry it on,
To my whack fa tura laddy I ad,
To my whack fa tura laddy.
He hooked the hogs up for to plough,
Whistle.
And away they went and the devil knows how,
To my whack fa tura laddy I ad,
To my whack fa tura laddy.
Devil, O devil, you're after my life,
Whistle.
O no I'm not, it's your damned old wife,
To my whack fa tura laddy I ad,
To my whack fa tura laddy.
Take her along with all my heart,
Whistle.
Hope you and she will never part,
To my whack fa tura laddy I ad,
To my whack fa tura laddy.
He picked her up all on his back,
Whistle.
Just like a bold pedlar a-carryin' a pack,
To my whack fa tura laddy I ad,
To my whack fa tura laddy.
He took her up to his Hell-door,
Whistle.
He bid her go in and come out no more,
To my whack fa rura laddy I ad,
To my whack fa tura laddy.
One little devil was fixin' the chains,
Whistle.
She up with her foot and she knocked out his brains,
To my whack fa tura laddy I ad,
To my whack fa tura laddy.
One little devil said, "Hook her up higher,"
Whistle.
She up with her foot and kicked nine in the fire,
To my whack fa tura laddy I ad,
To my whack fa tura laddy.
One little devil had on a red hat,
Whistle.
She up with a poker you bet she? that, [1]
To my whack fa tura laddy I ad,
To my whack fa tura laddy.
One little devil he scaled the wall,
Whistle.
Take her back, Deddy, she'll murder us all,
To my whack fa tura laddy I ad,
To my whack fa tura laddy.
He picked her up all on his back,
Whistle.
And like a damn fool he went carrying her back,
To my whack fa tura laddy I ad,
To my whack fa tura laddy.
Here's your old woman all sound and well,
Whistle.
She ain't fit for heaven, she won't stay in Hell,
To my whack fa tura laddy I ad,
To my whack fa tura laddy.
The old man said, "She is a curse,
Whistle.
You took her to Hell and you brought her back worse,"
To my whack fa tura laddy I ad,
To my whack fa tura laddy.
1. Bronson unsure: possibly "you bet she did that."