Stocktime - Mississippi John Hurt

[phil]

Does anyone know the lyrics that John sings toward the end of this tune? They begin with, 'My little girl,'

Also has anyone any information about the origins of the tune?

Thanks,

Phil

[alanbalfour]

What's sung there used to drive folk nuts attempting to decipher it. Way back in the dark ages somebody came up with:

My little girl, she bust her drawers [3x]
I'm scared, of the goodies comin' from Santa Claus.

But I ain't convinced.

As a matter of interest have you heard Reece Crenshaw's 1934 Stocktime? In 1980 Bruce Bastin said that it was shorter than Hurt's....

[phil]

Thanks Alan. I'm not convinced of this either; seem more like white lyrics to me. I thought the first line was, 'My little girl beats her drum.' I'll listen to Crenshaw's version.