OLD JOE CLARK

“Old Joe Clark” is a folk song, a mountain ballad that was “sung during World War I and

later by soldiers from eastern Kentucky”. An early version was printed in 1918, as sung

in Virginia at that time. Joe Clark was born in 1839, a mountaineer who was murdered in

1885. There are about 90 stanzas in various versions of the song.

Wished I had a dime

Wished I had a pretty girl

To kiss and call her mine

Fare thee well old joe clark

Fare thee well I say

Fare the well old joe clark

I’m a goin’ away

I will not marry an old maid

I’ll tell you the reason why

Her neck is so long and stringy

I’m afraid she’ll never die

I asked my girl to marry me

And what do you think she said

Time enough to marry you

When all the rest are dead

Old joe clark did take sick

And what do you think ailed him

He drank a churn of buttermilk

And then his stomach failed him

Old joe clark did get drunk

And not a word could he utter

He fell down on the supper table

And stove his nose in the butter

Banjo Mountain