Blind Pig reader Larry Griffith (AWGRIFF) is fighting prostate cancer and feeling pretty puny. Please remember him in your prayers. I know he loves gardening as much as I do and he hasn’t been able to work in his any this year.
Today’s post was written by Paul.
Today I’m sharing a video with the great Sonny Reighard, joined by his grandson, Mr. Josh Carpenter doing the old song “Cluck Old Hen.”
I heard Allison Kraus and Union Station play this tune often back in the 90’s. I didn’t know there were lyrics until Sonny sang it for me when I visited him in February. Online, the lyrics below are credited to Taj Mahal. I don’t know if he’s the originator of the song altogether or if he perhaps put lyrics to a much older tune. Either way, the lyrics definitely work well with the rhythm and melody.
I had an old hen. She had a wooden leg, Best old hen that never laid an egg. Laid more eggs than any hen around the barn. Another drink of whiskey wouldn’t do me any harm.
Cluck, old hen, cluck and sing. Ain’t seen an egg since way last Spring. Cluck, old hen, cluck and squall, Ain’t laid an egg since way last fall.
My old hen’s a good old hen. She lays eggs for the railroad men. Sometimes one, sometimes two, Sometimes enough for the whole damn crew.
Cluck, old hen, cluck and sing, Ain’t seen an egg since way last Spring. Cluck, old hen, cluck and squall, Ain’t laid an egg since way last fall. Cluck, old hen, cluck in the lot. Next time you cackle, you’ll cackle in the pot.
As he does with other songs and with many jokes, Sonny cleaned up the lyrics so as to make them work for a family audience, replacing the one expletive with a euphemism. I believe he’s a teetotaler, like me, and he took out the whiskey reference. He used the third verse as his chorus. He also added the verse about the hen laying “‘taters,” which is probably my favorite verse. 🙂 I hope you enjoyed this toe tapper as much as I did.
Original singles released on Spotify.
Shepherd of My Soul (Album released in 2016).
Paul
Such a fun song made me want to get up and dance but if hubby was to walk in at 3 in the morning and see me dancing wellll you know what he would think.
I do hope Mr. Larry will know GOD is by his side. So many of GOD’S children are going through bad things. May he get a healing touch.
Great video, thank you…love that old tune. I play it on my banjo frequently. And I send healing thoughts to your friend AW.
MAny blessings to you all.
I really enjoyed today’s post and song! 🙂
Larry (Awgriff), I’m sorry to hear you’re going through a battle with sickness. When one member suffers all the members suffer. I know that there are a lot of God’s children that read this blog and I want you to know that we all love you and are praying for you. Hang in there like a hair in a biscuit! 🙂
Psalms 56:3 ~ What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
Larry AWGriffith, certainly I have never had the pleasure of meeting you, but please know that I have put you on my nightly prayer list & will certainly be praying for a complete recovery as I know our God can do. God can do anything & be doesn’t make mistakes. Also, praying that you feel better in the coming days. We simply have to pray you out of this. I always enjoy your posts. God bless you!
AWGRIFF
Hope you get to feeling “tolerable” and keep commenting.
You are in my thoughts and prayers.
One in the same?
Henry Saint Clair Fredericks
clture.org
Taj Mahal (born Henry Saint Clair Fredericks in New York City on May 17, 1942) is an American Grammy Award-winning blues musician who incorporates elements of world music into his music. A self-taught singer, songwriter, and film composer who plays the guitar, banjo and harmonica (among many
Thanks for the song and the music, Paul and Mr. Reighard. I would have put Sunday go-to meetin clothes on it to and am glad you did. Feller needs to be consistent if he wants to prove anything by demonstration.
AW, praying for you. You know how we are around here, kinda “members one of another” as the bible says. From Tipper’s interview with Pastor Stange I think she likes that and her asking prayer for us just shows it. I need you because seems to me like maybe mine and your Appalachian is close but a bit different from western NC. Too soon to.say, but strikes me that way.
Love the fine picking!! Sending healing prayers to AWGRIFF. God bless you and your family.
Larry (awgriff)
Fifteen years ago I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Hearing your doctor say the word cancer is devastating. Thankfully God put some remarkable people in my life to help me deal with it. I decided to have the robotic surgery and all went well. I will be praying for you.
I love good claw hammer banjo picking, and that was good! We always called claw hammer picking, over hand picking.
I’m overwhelmed by all the concern for me, and all prayers are appreciated!!
Always love to see and hear Sonny Reighard, what a treat this morning.
AWGRIFF, I also love your comments and am praying for you.
I have never heard this song. For the last hour I have been listening to Pap and other family members singing some of the old hymns. I found one of Pap singing I Must Tell Jesus and have been playing it over and over. It fits the the way I feel this morning.
Larry (AWGRIFF) I am praying for you and your family.
Wow, that is some fine picking! I thoroughly enjoyed that picking and singing!
Love it! Dirk Powell,Tim O’Briien, and John Herrmann did this one on an album called “Songs from the Mountain”. Thats where i first heard the words. That album has a lot of good old tunes. Great job Sonny and Josh!
What a great song to hear this morning! Helped to start my day on a better note since we’re now without power for 16 hours due to a vicious storm that went through here yesterday afternoon. We are so thankful we bought a generator to run the fridge and freezer. Praying for Awgriff to feel better today!
A little like a Flatt and Scruggs tune, “Loafers Glory”, that has this verse: “His old hen refused to lay; he thought he would help her; ran her back’ards up the hill and fed her corn and pepper.”
I am praying for Awgriff. I enjoy reading his comments, and I am sorry he is going through this prostate cancer – and all the physical, mental and emotional ups and downs of dealing with it. I pray for strength in all areas, and that God leads the doctors to the treatments he needs. I remember that puny/icky feeling during and after receiving radiation for cancer in my left eye tear duct in 2012. I understand what you are going through. My thoughts and prayers are truly with you, Awgriff!
Behold,, God is my salvation; I will trust, and I will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.
Isaiah 12:2 ESV
I love Sonny Reighard. He and his grandson, Josh Carpenter, were very fun to listen to in this song. You guys are lucky that you count Mr. Reighard as a friend. He seems like he would be a joy to visit with. Paul always writes the best descriptions. Every song he picks to do is excellent. I have my favorites by Paul that he performs, but all the rest of the songs on your music channel are a close second. I enjoy the guest artists, too.
Donna. : )
Dude tore that banjo up!!! He’s worth his weight in banjo gold!!! I enjoyed hearing him sing and play. Excellent energy song this morning. Thanks, Paul. Here’s a prayer going up for AW GRIFF!!! May the good Lord bless and keep you in his care. Have a blessed Sunday all BP&A readers!!!
Sonny sure is a goodern!
Good Sunday morning from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Shooweee, be glad to see Monday and a respite from these unseasonably warm couple of days…..nineties in May just ain’t right.
Prayers sent up for you Larry. Hope you are getting helpful treatments and are on the road to recovery.
Thanks Paul for the Cluck Old Hen video. It’s one of my favorite BG tunes. One thing’s certain, if you’ve got any rhythm in you atall (Appalachian term),
it’ll get cranked up when someone plays that song. I enjoyed the lyrics and have have heard a couple different variations. If you wouldn’t like to hear them with a slightly different twist, google the tune by a group called the Horseflies!
For reasons that are unnecessary to relay, I spent a large part of watching 19 episodes, back to back, of your blogging about Appalachia…going back an forth from inside and meal prepping to outside adventures. What lessons that you gave in such an entertaining way. I had watched some of the episodes in a more extended way, like Matt removing his deer stand, but they were still quite interesting. What memories you are creating for the ‘twins’ . God Bless