Old Lady And The Devil- Reed (VA?) 1928 REC
[This humorous ballad was recorded twice by early country artists: 1928 Bill and Bell Reed (Listen: Old Lady and the Devil) and 1939 Billy Cox and Cliff Hobbs (Battle Axe and the Devil). This version became popular again when it appeared in Harry Smith's anthology. A relatively recent recording, which substantially follows the Reed version, can be found on Spider John Koerner's 'Raised by Humans' Red House RHR CD 44. Here's some info from Where Dead Voices Gather: The Anthology of American Folk Music Project:
"Another mystery. Bill and Belle Reed made just three recordings at their sole recording session in Johnson City, Tennessee during the fall of 1928. Almost nothing else is known of them. Some scholars theorize that they came from Virgina or Kentucky. Much more is known of the October, 1928 session at which they recorded. The session was supervised by Frank Buckley Walker, who headed Columbia Records' "hillbilly" division. Like Ralph Peer at Victor, Walker was an early proponent of major record companies doing "field recordings," rather than bringing talent back to major cities to record. The Johnson City sessions captured a number of talented artists who might otherwise have never had the opportunity to record, such as the Shell Creek Quartet, the Grant Brothers, the Roane County Ramblers, Renus Rich and Charles Bradshaw, Clarence Greene, the Wise Brothers, Ira Yates, Uncle Nick Decker, the Proximity String Quartet, Hardin and Grindstaff, the Greensboro Boys Quartet, Richard Harold, Charlie Bowman and His Brothers, the Bowman Sisters, the Hodges Brothers, the Hodges Quartet, Bailey Briscoe, Robert Hoke and Vernal Vest, McVay and Johnson, Earl Shipley and Roy Harper, George Roark, the Ed Helton Singers, the Garland Brothers and Grindstaff, Dewey Golden and His Kentucky Buzzards, the Holiness Singers, Frank Shelton and the McCartt Brothers/Patterson."
OLD LADY AND THE DEVIL- Transcription of 'Old Lady and the Devil' recorded by Bill and Belle Reed on 17 October 1928 in Johnson City, Tennessee. Reissued on Various Artists 'Anthology of American Folk Music Vol I: Ballads' Smithsonian/Folkways SFW 40090 (Listen: Old Lady and the Devil)
There was an old man lived at the foot of the hill
If he ain't moved away, he's a-livin' there still
Singin' fi diddle-I, diddle-I, fi diddle-I, diddle-I day.
He hitched up his horse and went out to plough
How he got around, we never knew how
Singin' fi diddle-I, diddle-I, fi diddle-I, diddle-I day.
Old devil come to him in the field one day
Sayin', 'One of your family I'm gonna take away,'
Singin' fi diddle-I, diddle-I, fi diddle-I, diddle-I day.
Take her on, take her on with the joy of my heart
I hope by golly you'll never part
Singin' fi diddle-I, diddle-I, fi diddle-I, diddle-I day.
Old devil got her all up on his back
He looked like a pedlar with a hump on his back
Singin' fi diddle-I, diddle-I, fi diddle-I, diddle-I day.
Old devil got to the forks of the road
He said, 'Old lady, you're a hell of a load'
Singin' fi diddle-I, diddle-I, fi diddle-I, diddle-I day.
Old devil got to the gates of hell
Said, 'Punch the fire up, we'll scorch her well'
Singin' fi diddle-I, diddle-I, fi diddle-I, diddle-I day.
Out come a little devil a-draggin' a chain
She picked up a hatchet and split out his brains
Singin' fi diddle-I, diddle-I, fi diddle-I, diddle-I day.
Out come a little devil a-skatin' on a wall
Sayin, 'Take her back, daddy, she's a-murderin' us all'
Singin' fi diddle-I, diddle-I, fi diddle-I, diddle-I day.
Little devil was a-peepin' out the crack
Sayin', 'Take her home, daddy, don't you bring her back
Singin' fi diddle-I, diddle-I, fi diddle-I, diddle-I day.
The old man was a-peepin' out the crack
He see'd they old devil come wagonin' her back
Singin' fi diddle-I, diddle-I, fi diddle-I, diddle-I day.
The old man lay sick in the bed
She up with a butter stick and rattled his head
Singin' fi diddle-I, diddle-I, fi diddle-I, diddle-I day.
The old lady went whistlin' over the hill
Sayin', 'The devil won't have you and I don't know who will'
Singin' fi diddle-I, diddle-I, fi diddle-I, diddle-I day.
Now you see what a woman can do
She can outdo the devil and the old man too
Singin' fi diddle-I, diddle-I, fi diddle-I, diddle-I day.
The old lady went whistlin' over the hill
Sayin', 'The devil won't have you and I don't know who will
Singin' fi diddle-I, diddle-I, fi diddle-I, diddle-I day.
The old man was a-peepin' out the crack
He see'd they old devil come wagonin' her back
Singin' fi diddle-I, diddle-I, fi diddle-I, diddle-I day.
The old man lay sick in the bed
She up with a butter stick and rattled his head
Singin' fi diddle-I, diddle-I, fi diddle-I, diddle-I day.
Now you see what a woman can do
She can outdo the devil and the old man too
Singin' fi diddle-I, diddle-I, fi diddle-I, diddle-I day.