The Blood of the Old Red Rooster- Finch (Ark) 1953 The John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection
[From Wolf Collection online; Recorded by John Quincy Wolf, Jr. Notes below.
R. Matteson 2012]
According to Almeda Riddle: "She (Irmadene Finch) collected hers here (Miller, Arkansas), and sang or learned it when she was about twelve from Uncle Bob Stark, and the tune is just a little bit different, and the words are just a little bit different, just the different areas in which they were sung."
THE BLOOD OF THE OLD RED ROOSTER- Sung by: Irmadene Finch; Recorded in Miller, AR, 6/25/53; Recorded by John Quincy Wolf, Jr.
[Click to Listen- Irmadene Finch]
(Spoken annotation by Dr. Wolf: "'The Blood of the Old Red Rooster' was sung by Irmadene Finch of Miller, Arkansas. She's twelve years old.")
"What does that blood mean on your shirt?
Oh, son, come tell to me."
"It is the blood of the old red rooster
That used to crow for me;
It is the blood of the old red rooster
That used to crow for me."
"That blood's too red for the old red rooster.
Oh, son, come tell to me."
"It is the blood of the guinea goodle pig
That rooted the ground for me.
It is the blood of the guinea goodle pig
That rooted the ground for me."
"That blood's too red for the guinea goodle pig.
Oh, son, come tell to me."
"It is the blood of yonders hawk
That flew away from me.
It is the blood of yonders hawk
That flew away from me."
"That blood's too red for yonders hawk.
Oh, son, come tell to me."
"It is the blood of the iron-gray pony
That plowed the ground for me.
It is the blood of the iron-gray pony
That plowed the ground for me."
"That blood's too red for the iron-gray pony.
Oh, son, come tell to me."
"It is the blood of my own dear brother
That used to play with me.
It is the blood of my own dear brother
That used to play with me."
"What did you and your brother fall out about?
Oh, son, come tell to me."
"Fell out about a hazelnut sprout
That could never be a tree.
Fell out about a hazelnut sprout
That could never be a tree."
"What will you do when your father comes home?
Oh, son, come tell to me."
"I'll put my foot in yonder ship
And I'll sail across the sea.
I'll put my foot in yonder ship
And I'll sail across the sea."
"When will you be back, my dearest son?
Oh, son, come tell to me."
"When the sun will rise and set in the east,
And I know it'll never be.
When the sun will rise and set in the east,
And I know it'll never be."