Three Nights of Experience- Clubb (NC) 1936 Scarborough A
[This, in my humble opinion, is a cover of Earl Johnson's 1927 version titled, "Three Night's Experience." The title of course is the main give-away. No traditional singer would come up with that title and I'm sure Scarborough didn't (Although she might have added the "of"). It scans almost exactly and it has Johnson's line- "I've rambled this world over," which is rare- it's almost always "I've traveled. . ."
R. Matteson 2013]
Some of Scarborough's notes: Gummmere says that this ballad is sung "as a little drama" in several parts of France. Puymaigre says, in his Chants populaires, 1865, pp. 215 ff.,
In rare cases it has a serious ending and we need not be alarmed at this threat:
"Je t'y menerai n'en Flandre
Et puris t'y ferai pendre"
which the woman parries with " Keep that terrible fate for the French robbers."
"Two young girls" play this ballad,one made up as an angry shepherd, the other as a timid shepherdess, singing it from house to house accompanied by the young folk of the village.
The Percy Society Publications, XVII, 272, list it as "Old Wicket and His Wife," and say of it:
This song still retains its popularity in the North of England, and when sung with humour, never fails to elicit a roar of laughter. A Scotch version may be found in Herd's Collection, 1769, and also in Cunningham's Songs of England and Scotland, 1835. The editor cannot give an opinion as to which is the original, but the English set is of unquestionable antiquity. Our copy was obtained from Yorkshire. It has been collated with one printed at the Aldermary Press, and preserved in the third volume of the Ronburghe Collections.
Selma Clubb, of South Turkey Creek, Leicester, North Carolina, sang the song to me.
(A) Three Nights of Experience- Selma Clubb, of South Turkey Creek, Leicester, North Carolina; pre 1936.
The first night that I came home,
So drunk as I could be,
How come a horse in the stable
Where my horse ought to be?
Come here, my little wifie,
Explain this thing to me.
How come a horse in the stable
'Where my horse ought to be?
You blind fool, you uazy f.ool,
Can't you never see
It's only a milk cow
Your granny gave to me?
I've rambled this world over,
A thousand miles or more,
A saddle upon a milk cow's back
I never did see before.
The second night I come home
So drunk as I could be,
How come a coat a-hanging on the rack
Where my coat ought to be?
Come here, my little wifie,
Explain this thing to me.
How come a coat a-hanging on the rack
Where my coat ought to be?
You blind fool, you crazy fool,
Can't you never see
It's only a bed-quilt
Your granny gave to me?
I've rambled this world over,
A thousand miles or more.
But a pocket upon a bed-quilt
I never did see before.
The third night I come home
So drunk as I could be,
How come a head upon a pillow
Where my head ought to be?
Come here, my little wifie,
Explain this thing to me.
How come a head on a pillow
Where my head ought to be?
You blind fool, you crazy fool,
Can't you never see
It's only a cabbage head
Your granny gave to me?
I've rambled this world over,
A thousand miles or more.
A mustache on a cabbage head
I never did see before.