Hand me down my walking cane

[Mike Bunting]

I've done the requisite Googling etc, but can't find the lyrics. Anyone have them. #(I will play it on the mando)
Thanks.

[JimRichter]

This is one I learned awhile back. These are the lyrics as I recall them:

Hand me down my walking cane
Hand me down my walking cane
Hand me down my walking cane
I’m going to leave on the morning train
My friends they have all forsaken me

Well I got drunk and I got in jail
I got drunk and I got in jail
I got drunk and I got in jail
Got no money for to go my bail
My friends they have all forsaken me

Well the beans were tough and the meat was fat
The beans were tough and the meat was fat
The beans were tough and the meat was fat
Oh go Lord I couldn’t eat that
My friends they have all forsaken me

I called my ma, please go my bail
I called my ma, please go my bail
I called my ma, please go my bail
Get me out of this Nashville jail
My friends they have all forsaken me

If I die in Tennessee
If I die in Tennessee
If I die in Tennessee
Ship my body back COD
My friends they have all forsaken me

Hand me down that bottle of corn
Hand me down that bottle of corn
Hand me down that bottle of corn
We’ll get drunk as sure as you’re born
My friends they have all forsaken me

I never can remember if the last line of each verse is as I have it, or “My sins they have overtaken me,” so I tend to exchange them freely.

Jim

[Mike Bunting]

Thanks, Jim. (Twice http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif)
I've got a zillion versions now (from coMando). Thanks everone.

[Peter Hackman]

Yonder comes a man across the field
Yonder comes a man across the field
Yonder comes a man across the field
kicking up dust like an automobile
all my sins are taken away, taken away

[Don Christy]

I've always heard the last line as ...
"My sins have overtaken me"

Which i believe is a line from a Psalm.

Here's how Robert Earl Keen sang it (according to google result).


I got high and I got in jail
I got high and I got in jail
I got high and I got in jail
Weren’t nobody to pay my bail
My sins they have overtaken me

Chorus:
Hand me down my walkin’ cane
Hand me down my walkin’ cane
Hand me down my walkin’ cane
I’m a gonna leave on the mornin’ train
My sins they have overtaken me

If I die in Tennessee
If I die in Tennessee
If I die in Tennessee
Ship me back by C.O.D.
My sins they have overtaken me

(Repeat Chorus)

Hand me down my bottle of corn
Hand me down my bottle of corn
Hand me down my bottle of corn
I’m gonna get drunk as sure as you’re born
My sins they have overtaken me

(Repeat Chorus)

[Don Christy]

Here's another version with some verses I commonly hear. Try googling: hand me down cane sins have overtaken - you should find plenty of results.

Hand Me Down My Walking Cane


I got high and I got in jail
I got high and I got in jail
I got high and I got in jail
Had nobody for to go my bail
My sins they have overtaken me.

Chorus:
Hand me down my walkin' cane
Hand me down my walkin' cane
Hand me down my walkin' cane
I'm a gonna leave on the morning train
My sins they have overtaken me

The beans was tough and the meat was fat
The beans was tough and the meat wass fat
The beans wass tough and meat was fat
Oh Good Got I couldn't eat that
My sisn they have overtaken me.

Come on Mom and go my bail
Come on Mom and go my bail
Come on Mom and go my bail
Get me out of this Nashville jail
My sins they have overtaken me.

If I die in Tennessee
If I die in Tennessee
If I die in Tennessee
Ship me back by C O D
My sins they have overtaken me.

Hand me down my bottle of corn
Hand me down my bottle of corn
Hand me down my bottle of corn
Gonna get drunk as sure as you're born
My sins they have overtaken me.

Chorus

[allenhopkins]

Some other odd verses:

Hell is deep and hell is wide (3X)
Ain't got a bottom and it ain't got a side
All my sins are taken away

If I die in New York State (3X)
Send my body back by freight
All my sins are taken away

If I'd-of listened what my Mama said (3X)
I'd of been sleeping in my feather bed
All my sins are taken away

Add up all the verses, and you could probably sing it for half an hour...

[Mike Bunting]

With all those extra verses and variations thereof, I can stretch this tune out to 15 minutes or so! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[John Millring]

With all those extra verses and variations thereof, I can stretch this tune out to 15 minutes or so! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif


#

...you're leaving out the solo?

[Mike Bunting]

OK, 30 minutes then. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif