Only Been Down to the Club, Lyric Variant 02

This item is part of the I. G. Greer Folksong Collection which consists of more than 300 individual song titles and their variants as collected by Isaac Garfield Greer (1881-1967) from informants, primarily in Ashe, Wilkes and Watauga counties. The collection includes manuscripts, typescript transcriptions produced by Dr. Greer’s clerical staff, and handwritten musical notations. Songs range from traditional Child Ballads, traditional English and Scottish ballads as well as their American variants, to 19th century popular music to musical compositions of local origin.

Folk songs--United States

Marital conflict--Songs and music

Clubs--Songs and music

Bribery--Songs and music

Down to the Club, The Club Meeting, Love, I've Only Been Down to the Club

AC.113 Isaac Garfield (I.G.) Greer Papers and Recordings

W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection, Appalachian State University

Greer, I. G. (Isaac Garfield), 1881-1967

PDF

English

Text

Only Been Down to the Club.

Last night I was out rather late,
‘Twas only an innocent spell.
My wife for my coming did wait,
When sleeping I thought she would be.
I found her in temper and tears.
Oh, she cried, It’s a sin and a shame.
And she scratched both my eyes and my ears,
But I told her I soon would explain.

Chorus:

The club had a meeting last night, love.
Of business we had a great sight, love.
Don’t think for a moment I’m tight, love.
I’ve only been down to the club

My boots I left in the hall,
And softly I crept up the stairs.
I kept rather close to the wall
And thought to ascend unawares.
But just as I got to the door
I seemed to get lost in the dark.
I stumbled and fell on the floor,
And just then I could only remark:

She sobbed, she wept, and she screamed
And said she’d go back to her Ma.
While I on the mantle piece leaned,
And tried to enjoy my cigar.
I promised to buy her a dress
If she’d let me alone for a while,
And I gave her a sweet little kiss,
And I saw her beginning to smile.

113_OnlyBeenDownToTheClub_Lyric_02