Cisco Houston Web Site

The Songs He Sang

Bile Dem Cabbage Down: Lyrics

As performed by Cisco Houston (With Woody Guthrie and Sonny Terry)

Traditional

Appears on:
Bile dem a-cabbage down
Turn dem hoecakes round
Only tune that I can play
Is bile dem a-cabbage down

Bile dem a-cabbage down
Turn dem hoecakes round
Only tune that I can play
Is bile dem a-cabbage down

Johnson had an old gray mule
His name was Simon Slick
Bowed his hairs and bowed his head
But how that mule would kick

Bile dem a-cabbage down
Turn dem hoecakes round
Only tune that I can play
Is bile dem cabbage down

Bile dem a-cabbage down
Turn dem hoecakes round
The only tune that I can play
Is bile dem a-cabbage down

Sonny!

Went up on the mountain
To give my dog a bone
Thought I heard my gal holler
Yonder comes my beau

Bile dem cabbage down
Turn dem hoecakes round
Only tune that I can play
Is bile dem a-cabbage down

Bile dem a-cabbage down
Turn dem hoecakes round
The only tune that I can play
Is bile dem a-cabbage down

Of note:

Enthusiasm reigns here, with raucous vocals and a wild violin and harmonica over Cisco's steady guitar.

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