How Come That Blood On Your Coat Sleeve?- Mr. Clyde Johnson, Fayettville, Arkansas on October 1, 1958; Max Hunter B
[This is the second of four versions from the Max Hunter Folk Song Collection. I've designated it- Max Hunter B. I've made minor edits for spelling and punctuation.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
How Come That Blood On Your Coat Sleeve? As sung by Mr. Clyde Johnson, Fayettville, Arkansas on October 1, 1958; Max Hunter Folk Song Collection
[Listen: http://maxhunter.missouristate.edu/songinformation.aspx?ID=0253]
VERSE 1: How come that blood on your coat sleeve?
My son, come tell it to me
It is the blood of the little yellow pony
That plowed a fur[1] for me, me, me
That plowed a fur for me
VERSE 2
O, it is too red for that
My son, come tell it to me
O, it is the blood of the little guinea gay hawk
That sailed away from me, me, me
Sailed away from me
VERSE 3
O, it is too red for that
My son, come tell it to me
O, it is the blood of the little yellow pony
That plowed a *fur for me, me, me
That plowed a fur for me
VERSE 4: O, it is too red for that
My son, come tell it to me
O, it is the blood of my dear ole brother
That rode aside of me, me, me
Rode aside of me
VERSE 5: What you an' your brother fall out about?
My son, come tell it to me
We fell out about that sycamore bush
That might a made a tree, tree, tree,
That might a made a tree
VERSE 6: O, what are you gonna do when your Father comes back?
My son, come tell it to me
I'll set my foot on yonder ship
An' sail across the sea, sea, sea
An' sail across the sea
VERSE 7
O, what are you gonna do with your pretty little children?
My son, come tell it to me
I'll leave them here for my dear ole Mother
To keep her company, nee, nee
To keep her company
VERSE 8: O, what are you gonna do with your house and barn?
My son, come tell it to me
I'll leave them here for my dear ole Mother
To raise my children on, on, on
Raise my children on.
VERSE 9: O, what are you gonna do with your pretty little wife?
My son, come tell it to me
I'll set her foot on yonder ship
An' sail across the sea, sea, sea,
An' sail across the sea.
VERSE 10: O, when you gonna come back?
My son, come tell it to me
O, I'm not coming back till the sun and the moon
Both set in the North, and I'm sure it'll never be, be, be
An' I'm sure it'll never be.
1. furrow