Four nights drunk lyrics sung by Frank Proffitt, Jr. circa 1980, NC Visiting Artist performance, Song brought over from British Isles
As part of the NC Visiting Artist Program, Frank Proffitt, Jr. performed at the college I taught at circa 1980.
One of the songs that he sang and played on his mountain banjo was “Four nights drunk” or as I remember him saying: “Four nights of the drunk.”
This song was brought over from the British Isles by immigrants who settled in or near the Appalachian Mountains.
The earliest known record of the song was in the Child Ballad collection of Francis Child in the nineteenth century.
It was recorded as ballad # 274.
Some years later I heard the British Isle version on public radio and instantly recognized it.
I carried the tune in my head for years and eventually wrote down the lyrics as I remembered Mr. Proffitt singing them.
I have a crystal clear recollection of most of the words and the manner in which they were sung. One place that I am not so clear is the 3rd stanza.
I am presenting pants and zipper and not coat and buttons.
Four Nights of the Drunk
The other night when I came home drunk as I could be
Somebody’s horse was standing in the barn where my horse ought to be.
Oh come here little wifey, explain this thing to me
Whose horse is that standing in the barn where my horse ought to be.
Oh you blind fool you drunken fool, can’t you never see
That is only a milk cow my granny sent to me.
Well, I’ve been round this whole wide world a thousand times or more
But a saddle on a milk cow I never did see before.
The next night when I came home drunk as I could be
Somebody’s hat was hanging on the door, where my hat ought to be.
Oh come here little wifey, explain this thing to me
Whose hat is that hanging on the door, where my hat ought to be.
Oh you blind fool you drunken fool, can’t you never see
That is only a chamber pot my granny sent to me.
Well, I’ve been round this whole wide world a thousand times or more
But a John B Stetson chamber pot I never did see before
The next night when I came home drunk as I could be
Somebody’s pants was layin on the chair, where my pants ought to be.
Oh come here little wifey, explain this thing to me
Whose pants is that layin on the chair, where my pants ought to be.
Oh you blind fool you drunken fool, can’t you never see
That is only a dish cloth my granny sent to me.
Well, I’ve been round this whole wide world a thousand times or more
But a zipper on a dish cloth I never did see before.
The last night when I came home drunk as I could be
Somebody’s head was layin on the bed, where my head ought to be.
Oh come here little wifey, explain this thing to me
Whose head is that layin on the bed, where my head ought to be.
Oh you blind fool you drunken fool, can’t you never see
That is only a cabbage head my granny sent to me.
Well, I’ve been round this whole wide world a thousand times or more
But a moustache on a cabbage head I never did see before.
I can still hear the song with Frank Proffitt Jr.’s voice playing in my head after all of these years.
