Cuckoo's Nest

**fatt-dad** · Mar-08-2005, 7:23pm

I've been learning the tune Cuckoo's Nest and then somebody told me about the lyrics - whew!

f-d

**John Flynn** · Mar-09-2005, 8:06am

Whoa! That is pretty unambiguous! There seem to be a number of tunes that originally had bawdy lyrics, but time has all but lost or "updated" the lyrics. I heard that "Sugar in the Gourd" was originally a methaphor similar to "Cuckoo's Nest," but I have never seen the original lyrics.

**Darren** · Mar-09-2005, 9:28am

I guess Hartford added lyrics to this tune as well. #I haven't heard his version but here is a copy of the lyrics that a friend sent me.

dream a dream a little dream of you
with your golden hair and your eyes so blue
Like a song Tczhovski plays
that makes me come on slowly

Your raven hair that makes me mad
It's your insane smile that makes me glad
It's the California dreamin'
And the Mississippi smile
That makes me come on slowly

Trying to be real cool and soft
So I won't take a chance of turning you off
Watchin' how you're operating when the chips are down
That makes me come on slowly

It isn't that I wanna wanna make it all come true
Baby if I had a chance to be in love with you
Watchin' how you're operating when the chips are down
That makes me come on slowly

**Moose** · Mar-09-2005, 10:11am

I'm still think'in about "Salty Dog"...!?

**John Flynn** · Mar-09-2005, 10:13am

Does "Louie, Louie" qualify as old time yet?

**fatt-dad** · Mar-09-2005, 2:38pm

Originally Posted by (Darren @ Mar. 09 2005, 10:28)

I guess Hartford added lyrics to this tune as well. #I haven't heard his version but here is a copy of the lyrics that a friend sent me.

dream a dream a little dream of you
with your golden hair and your eyes so blue
Like a song Tczhovski plays
that makes me come on slowly

Your raven hair that makes me mad
It's your insane smile that makes me glad
It's the California dreamin'
And the Mississippi smile
That makes me come on slowly

Trying to be real cool and soft
So I won't take a chance of turning you off
Watchin' how you're operating when the chips are down
That makes me come on slowly

It isn't that I wanna wanna make it all come true
Baby if I had a chance to be in love with you
Watchin' how you're operating when the chips are down
That makes me come on slowly

I have also seen these lyrics, but not sure they are to the same tune. You see the Hartford tune posted above does not have a chorus and does not seem to fit with the meter of the old-time version of Cuckoo's Nest that I'm learning.

More research - maybe tonight. . . .

f-d

**David M.** · Mar-09-2005, 3:26pm

Dang.

**Milan Christi** · Mar-09-2005, 3:41pm

Those lyrics are a hoot!! Kinda like the Carmina Burana done bluegrass style!

**Martin Jonas** · Mar-09-2005, 4:24pm

For those who want to have a vocal recording of "Cuckoo's Nest", bawdy lyrics and all, it's on the classic album Morris On, which I can't recommend highly enough (even though it doesn't have any mandolin on it). You won't be able to stop yourself singing it after a couple of pints...

And for a similar song, try The Bonny Black Hare -- highly recommended in the version on Fairport Convention's mandolin-heavy album "Angel Delight".

Martin

**fatt-dad** · Mar-09-2005, 5:41pm

For Darren,

The Hartford song uses the same melody as the old-time Cuckoo's Nest. I listened to a sample on Amazon.com and there's no doubt it's the same melody.

f-d

**PaulD** · Mar-10-2005, 12:42pm

Thanks for the lyrics, f-d... Mando Johnny's right, that doesn't leave much question as to its meaning! Does anybody know what the origins of the song are?

I was learning Cuckoo's Nest out of the Fiddler's Fakebook after listening to the Nickel Creek version and it wasn't making any sense to me.

I finally realized that The Fakebook has the A & B parts reversed. I was able to match up what I was reading and hearing much better once I made that realization!

It's a fun tune... especially on the fiddle.

Paul Doubek

**forestabri** · Mar-20-2005, 12:31pm

I found this link for "The Fiddler's Companion" website posted at the banjohangout clawhammer discussion board, and thought it would be of interest to you. http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/CS_CZ.htm (I hope that's how you post a link). Look for "Cuckoo's Nest (14)". Also, if anyone knows how to decipher the "dc|BABA GBdg|fdcB cedc|BABG FGAB|c2A2 A2dc|" stuff at the bottom of each article, could you please enlighten me? I think it's how Irish fiddlers break down tunes, as most of them learn aurally rather than "by the dots".
-Brian

**mandocrucian** · Mar-20-2005, 12:42pm

"Cuckoo's Nest (Hornpipe)" and the song on the MORRIS ON album are two completely different tunes. #

The hornpipe can be found on Fairport's Angel Delight album in an instrumental medley with "Hardiman The Fiddler" and "Papa Stoor". Mando on the track as well as fiddle. #(Mandolin is used on about half of the tracks on this album inc. "Sir William Gower", "Bonny Black Hare", Sickness and Diseases" and "Angel Delight").

MORRIS ON is a great album, and John Kirkpatrick is in top form on accordion.

NH

**forestabri** · Mar-20-2005, 1:46pm

Niles, are you familiar with Norman Blake's mandolin version of this? Is it the same as the hornpipe that Fairport does? It's one of my favorite mando tunes by Blake!
If you sing these lyrics (from website I posted in my previous post)to Blake's tune, they fit nicely:

The cuckoo's a bonny bird when he comes home,
The cuckoo's a bonny bird when he comes home;
He'll fley away the wild birds that hank about the throne,
My bonny cuckoo when he comes home.

Now some likes a girl that is pretty in the face,
And others likes a girl that is slender in the waist
But give me the girl with a wriggle and twist
That is pleasant and good-tempered with a cuckoo’s nest.

I have a tabledit file of Blake's version if anyone is interested.

**mandocrucian** · Mar-20-2005, 3:20pm

Originally Posted by

Now some likes a girl that is pretty in the face,
And others likes a girl that is slender in the waist
But give me the girl with a wriggle and twist
That is pleasant and good-tempered with a cuckoo’s nest.

This part is similar to the MORRIS ON song. The Fairport version is similar to what the old-time tune, but there's some difference in the chord changes and the melody reflects that.

NH

**forestabri** · Mar-20-2005, 4:12pm

I just found and downloaded an a'capella version by "The Naughty Nymphs", a women's vocal group recorded live somewhere. They sing the naughty lyrics over the "A" part melody, no "B" part, in the key of F. Pretty funny

. I think I'll change the way I do this song, like maybe stop playing and sing a couple verses (John Hartford style) then continue playing. This is a great site, I always learn something.

**Martin Jonas** · Mar-20-2005, 5:57pm

With the mentions of the Morris On version, I should say that the lyrics on that album are rather different from the ones linked above, though just as explicit. More fun to sing, too, in my opinion, but that may just be that I'm more familiar with them. The Morris On lyrics are here. This site also gives the tune.

Martin

**OdnamNool** · Mar-22-2005, 5:20am

Originally Posted by (jflynnstl @ Mar. 09 2005, 11:13)

Does "Louie, Louie" qualify as old time yet?

**OdnamNool** · Mar-22-2005, 5:31am

Originally Posted by (Moose @ Mar. 09 2005, 11:11)

I'm still think'in about "Salty Dog"...!? #

#

Get me outta this thread!

Funny, though... I went into a bar the other day and told the barkeep that I'd like a grapefruit juice and vodka... "OH!" came the reply... "Ya want a Salty Dog? Well... you could imagine my reply... He had a big smile on his face as he delivered the vodka-grape with salt around the rim of the glass... So... thar ya have it! That's what it is! I was astonished! (And a tad disappointed...) HAH HAH!

**OdnamNool** · Mar-22-2005, 6:42am

(All the while, of course... my faithful wonderdog, who accompanies me everywhere, quite innocently named, "Salty",) awaits for me in my heap... as usual... I love my dog...

He's white... Like salt...

**jefflester** · Apr-12-2005, 7:39pm

Originally Posted by (martinjonas @ Mar. 20 2005, 18:57)

With the mentions of the Morris On version, I should say that the lyrics on that album are rather different from the ones linked above, though just as explicit. #More fun to sing, too, in my opinion, but that may just be that I'm more familiar with them. #The Morris On lyrics are here. #This site also gives the tune.

That's also the version that British folk-rock band Equation (with female singer) do:
Equation - Cuckoo's Nest sample