I have a treat for you today. While poking around on the Digital Library of Appalachia website, I stumbled upon a jewel. In 1978 the Foddrell Brothers were recorded singing and picking at Berea College’s Celebration of Traditional Music. One of the songs they recorded was Haunted House. As soon as I seen the title I thought it would be perfect for my Spooky October series-but after I listened to it I knew it was perfect for anytime-its outstanding.
Check out the words:
Just moved in my new house today Thought I got things all squared away Well the bells started ringing and lights went out Knew right then I bought a hainted house
Just made up my mind to stay Nothings going to drive me away Something standing in the hallway give me the creeps One big eye and a two big feet
Stood right still and I done the freeze He come a strolling up to me He looked at me and said you better run And a don’t be here when the morning come
Be here Be here when the morning come Be right here they ain’t going to run Well I bought this house and now I’m the boss Ain’t no haint going to run me off
In the kitchen my stove was blazing hot I had a pot of coffee ready up hot Well I had hot meat in my hand I had hot grease in a frying pan
Out of that space there stood a man On the red hot stove with the pots and pans He looked at me and said you better run Don’t be here when the morning come
Be here Be here when the morning come Be right here they ain’t going to run Well I bought this house and now I’m the boss Ain’t no haint going to run me off
Be here Be here when the morning come Be right here they ain’t going to run Well I bought this house and now I’m the boss Ain’t no haint going to run me off
Be here Be here when the morning come
———————–
Now you must listen for yourself. Click here to go to the page with the song Haunted House on it.
Now wasn’t that a real treat?
Tipper
Appalachia Through My Eyes – A series of photographs from my life in Southern Appalachia.
Rob Masburn used this slogan Ain’t no haunt going run me offing one of his songs. I wrote a Ghost Story took place in the Robinsville mountains with ole Blue and his Master. It s a red head Ghost
I remember that song, but I have only heard the rockabilly version by Jumpin’ Gene Simmons. Till now. Love them both!
Those are fun lyrics!
Tipper,
When I read the lyrics to the Haunted House I knew I had heard it somewhere…Couldn’t get the website version to play so I Googled the Gene Simmons version. I immediately recognized the song..I hadn’t heard it in years…Another one of that era was Purple People Eater…One-eyed, one-horned flying purple people eater…that all he wanted to do was play in a rock-n-roll band! Lol
They just don’t make’m like that anymore…
Thanks for a fun post Tipper,
I always learn something new when I come around your blog! Fantastic!
That’s a good one, Tipper!
I’ll remember this song the next time I imagine I hear a haint:)
Tipper (and Ken)–I hadn’t heard the description of a frost so heavy you could track a rabbit through it in a ‘coon’s age. It made my day and, while doing so, solidly established Ken’s credentials as a well-versed son of the Smokies. Mind you, I didn’t have any doubt about that, although to my knowledge is is the only mountain man ever to set a goat on fire. You’ve got to get him to share that tale one of these days. If it is half as funny in print as it was when he related it in person, he’ll have your readers entranced.
Jim Casada
http://www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com
Tipper,
That was pretty neat. But I prefer
Elvis’ fellow Mississippian,
jumpin’ Gene Simmons version.
In my younger days that song was
very popular and played throughout
the year.
This morning the frost was so thick, you could track a rabbit in
it. Now this is my kind of weather…Ken
Tipper—-what a cool story and I think the add-on of the actual song was a great touch—how about having the ‘KITCHEN BOYS’ do there take? Linda Kerlin
This was so much fun. I hopped on over and listened to the song. It was perfect for spooky October!
The oldies radio station I listen to has worn out the Gene Simmons version of that song in the last week or so as they always do around Halloween. Thanks for sharing the website and words to the song.
I went back and caught up on your spooky October stories before I went to bed last night. Not a good idea as I live alone way back in the boonies! Ewee, it’s getting scary on here.
Thanks, Tipper, that was indeed a treat. I recognize the chorus, don’t be here when the morning comes. I must have heard the song Jim is talking about.
this song sure fits your spooky October theme. a new one to me. that is a cool site
Here’s another great Halloween-y song. Google the YouTube version of:
Austin Lounge Lizards sing Hillbillys in a Haunted House.
The lyrics are too good!! Have a fun weekend…. and don’t let the haints chase you off!
Wow, what a tune, bit of a toe tappin’ & knee slapper. That was fun, thank you Tipper. You’re right, how perfect could that be for your Spooky October 🙂
Tipper–Jumpin’ Gene Simmons had a good run with an upbeat version of this song decades ago (likely in the 1960s, although I’m not sure). It was for sure “before your time.” I liked his version better than the one you have here.
All of this spooky stuff has me thinking about whistling and spooks. I’ve always heard that it was wise to whistle when you walked near or through a graveyard at dusk. The whistle would keep the haints at bay.
On a different tack, I suspect anyone who visits here regularly and is old enough to remember when quail and rabbits were plentiful will be aware of the fact that they were always plentiful around country graveyards. I think the real reason was the graveyards offered fine habitat for small game, but one thing for certain–as a boy I always went on red alert when out hunting and we wandered across an abandoned graveyard.
Finally, and the Deer Hunter will appreciate this, there’s a new call for turkey hunters scheduled to be released on January 1. It is named “The Haint” and is a tube-type call which produces the finest gobbles I have ever heard. Two good old boys from Kentucky have developed it.
Jim Casada
http://www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com
Yup, you sure picked a good one there for a post.
Can’t get it to play their song–maybe it’s just me! Do remember it well after reading the words to it.Seems like it got alot of air play back then and i thought it was a funny song.
That was a treat!
I’ve been looking for autumnal folk songs – I will add this one to my list. Thanks for sharing.
What a memory!! I haven’t heard the word haint in forever!!! Thanks Tipper!!