Old Man Came Home- Dietz (WI) 1946
[Partial title; from Wisconsin Folksong Collection, 1937-1946. Transcription and lyrics from the Helene Stratman-Thomas Collection. Cf. "Three nights of experience," p. 232, Song catcher of the southern mountains, Scarsborough. "Dear loving wife, its curious to see, Whose boots are in the place where mine ought to be."
R. Matteson 2013]
The Old Man Came Home Again as Drunk as He Could Be- As sung by Charles Dietz (age 76) of Monroe, WI on 09-02- 1946.
Verse 1.
The old man came home again, as drunk as he could be
“Dear wife, loving wife, ‘tis curious to me,
Whose horse is in the place where mine ought to be?”
“You old fool, you blind fool, can’t you hear nor see?
‘Tis nothing but the sow pig my grandma sent to me.”
“I’ve traveled, I’ve traveled some thousand miles or more
But the saddle on a sow pig I never saw before.”
Verse 2.
The old man came home again, as drunk as he could be
“Dear wife, loving wife, ‘tis curious to me,
Whose coat hangs in the place where mine ought to be?”
“You old fool, you blind fool, can’t you hear nor see?
‘Tis nothing but the bed-quilt my grandma sent to me.”
“I’ve traveled, I’ve traveled some thousand miles or more
But pockets on a bed-quilt I never saw before.”
Verse 3.
The old man came home again, as drunk as he could be
“Dear wife, loving wife, ‘tis curious to me,
Whose boots are in the place where mine ought to be?”
“You old fool, you blind fool, can’t you hear nor see?
‘Tis nothing but some pudding bags my grandma sent to me.”
“I’ve traveled, I’ve traveled some thousand miles or more
But spurs on a pudding bag I never saw before.”
Verse 4.
The old man came home again, as drunk as he could be
“Dear wife, loving wife, ‘tis curious to me,
Whose head is in the bed where mine ought to be?”
“You old fool, you blind fool, can’t you hear nor see?
‘Tis nothing but the milking maid my gran’ma sent to me.”
“I’ve traveled, I’ve traveled some thousand miles or more
But whiskers on a milking maid I never saw before.”