The Old Man Below
Public domain - full karaoke IMMHA-L221
Credit: Traditional (sheet credits Gaither Carlton & Doc Watson) · year not shown
Origin: Traditional song; the sheet credits Gaither Carlton & Doc Watson, who recorded it. Typed sheet, 4/4, key of D.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaither_Carlton
Lyrics sheet: courtesy of Country Roads Folk Music Camp, Mount Madonna County Park, California (about the camp)
Original scan: from John's songbook (scan to be posted on @IMMHACAL)
Chords as printed on the original song sheet. 4/4 time, key of D (typed sheet, as written).
[Intro] D C D If you want to get married I'll tell you where to go C D Go to the old man that lives down below C D The old folks is gone and the girls all at home C D They want to get married but their heads not combed D C D Children, children a cryin' for bread C D Go and build on a fire just as high as your head C D Then you rake in the ashes for to lie in the dough C D And the name that you give them is dough boy dough D C D They call me into supper and I thought I'd go eat C D I went to the table for to carve on the meat C D Had an old dull knife and I had not a fork C D I sawed about an hour and I never made a mark [Break] D C D I sawed another hour and I got him in my plate C D Then the girls said, "Young man, I think you'd better wait C D Young man, young man, you better run C D For the old man's a-comin' with his double barreled gun" D C D The old man a-grinnin' as he came a-walkin' in C D Patches on his britches and whiskers on his chin C D He had an old hat that he wore the year around C D But he had neither hat nor the brim, nor the crown D C D I stood right there just as brave as a bear C D And I wiggled my finger in the old man's hair C D Then he says, "Young man, I think you're the best C D Pull up a chair, boy, and set down and rest [Repeat 1st verse]