Old Joe Clark

Notation: traditional
PDF Files: lyric song

Play MIDI
Play
MIDI

No audio
available
Transcription: by Darryl D. Bush  
View
notes



Lyrics:


Old Joe Clark's a fine old man
Tell you the reason why
He keeps good likker 'round his house
Good old Rock and Rye
Chorus:
    "Fare thee well, Old Joe Clark
    Fare thee well I say
    I'd travel 'bout ten thousand miles
    To hear your banjo play"

Once I lived on the mountain top
Now I live in town;
I'm staying at the big hotel
Courtin' Betsy Brown.
Chorus

Old Joe Clark, the preacher's son,
Preached all over the plain,
The only text he ever knew
Was "high low jack and the game. "
Chorus

Old Joe Clark he had a mule,
His name was Morgan Brown,
And every tooth in that mule's head
Was sixteen inches around.
Chorus

Old Joe Clark had a house
Fifteen stories high,
And every story in that house
Was filled with chicken pie.
Chorus

I went down to old Joe's house,
Old Joe wasn't home,
I ate up all Joe''s bread & meat
And give his dog the bone.
Chorus

I wish I had a sweet little girl,
I'd put her on a shelf,
And everytime she'd smile at me,
I'd get up there myself.
Chorus

Old Joe Clark's no friend of mine
Treats me like a pup;
Kicks my houn' dog under the porch
An' drinks my booze all up.
Chorus

Popular alternate choruses are:
"Fare thee well, Old Joe Clark
Fare thee well I'm gone
He'd foller me ten thousand miles
Goodby Lucy Long"

Get out the way for Old Joe Clark
Hide away your wine;
Get out the way Old Joe Clark
He ain't no friend of mine.

Click here for a full page view.