Annotation:Policeman
X:1 T:Policeman N:From the playing of fiddler Tommy Jarrell N:(1901-1985, Mt. Airy, Surry County, western North Carolina) M:C| L:1/8 Q:"Fast" R:Reel & Song N:AEae tuning (fiddle) D:County 741, Jarrell, Cockerham & Jenkins - "Stay All Night" (1973) D:https://www.slippery-hill.com/recording/policeman Z:Transcribed by Andrew Kuntz K:A FEFF A2 AA|AcBA FEFF|A3A A2(e2|f)=gfe d2dd| ff-aa edcd|e3f- edc2|f=gfe d2dd|ff-aae2 B2-| cBAA AAcA |AcBA FEFG|A3A A4||
POLICEMAN. American, Reel and Song Tune (cut time). A Major. AEae tuning (fiddle). One part. The western North Carolina trio of Fred Cockerham, Tommy Jarrell and Oscar Jenkins sang on their 1973 County Records recording:
Police come, I didn't want to go this morning,
Police come, I didn't want to go this morning;
Police come, I didn't want to go,
Shot him in the head with my .44, this morning.
Two little [children] are lying in the bed, this morning,
Two little [children] are lying in the bed, this morning;
Two little [children] lying in the bed,
One rolled over and the other of 'em said, it's morning.
I know somethin' I ain’t a-gonna tell this morning,
I know somethin' I ain’t a-gonna tell this morning;
I know somethin' I ain’t a-gonna tell,
Wanna go to heaven in a coconut shell, this morning.
The song has attracted numerous 'floating' lyrics, including:
Roll your dice and have your fun this morning,
Roll your dice and have your fun this morning;
Roll your dice and have your fun,
Run like the devil when the police come this morning.
There’s old John laying on a log this morning,
There’s old John laying on a log this morning;
There’s old John laying on a log,
Finger on the trigger and his eye on a hog, this morning.
Down went the trigger and bang went the gun this morning,
Down went the trigger and bang went the gun this morning;
Down went the trigger and bang went the gun,
Wish I had a wagon I’d be haulin him home this morning.
There’s old John sittin on a plow this morning,
There’s old John sittin on a plow this morning;
There’s old John sittin on a plow,
Tryin’ to get a woman but don’t know how this morning.
Tryin’ to get a woman but don’t know how this morning,
Tryin’ to get a woman but don’t know how this morning;
Tryin’ to get a woman but don’t know how,
Tryin’ to get a woman but I only got a sow this morning.
Bullfrog jumped from bank to bank, this morning,
Bullfrog jumped from bank to bank, this morning;
Bullfrog jumped from bank to bank,
Skinned his whole back from shank to shank, this morning.
Great big fellow laying on a log this morning,
Great big fellow laying on a log this morning;
Great big fellow laying on a log,
Finger on the trigger and his eye on a hog, this morning.
Got drunk and fell on the floor this morning,
Got drunk and fell on the floor this morning'
Got drunk and fell on the floor,
That's good corn whiskey and I want some more this morning.
