We’ve got a fun song for everyone to sing along with at folk club. This is a true old folk song, with dozens of different versions out in the world. Please print out your lyrics and bring along. It’s a two-chord wonder, G and D, and very simple to play, so feel free to bring your instrument of choice and play along.

“The Cabbage Head Song” (Key of G)

Men:
I come home the first night, drunk as I could be
There was a horse there in the barn, where my horse orta be
Now come here little wifey, explain this thing to me
How come a horse there in the barn, where my horse orta be?

Women:
You old fool, you blind fool, can’t you plainly see
That’s nothin’ but a milk cow your momma gave to me?

Men:
Well, I’ve traveled the whole world over, ten thousand miles and more
And a saddle on a milk cow I ain’t never seen before

Well, I come home the second night, drunk as I could be
And there was a hat there on the peg, where my hat orta be
Now come here little wifey, explain this thing to me
How come a hat’s there on the peg, where my hat orta be?

Women:
You old fool, you blind fool, can’t you plainly see
That’s nothin’ but a chamber pot your momma gave to me?

Men:
I’ve traveled the whole world over, ten thousand miles and more
And a John B. Stetson chamber pot I ain’t never seen before

Well, I come home the third night, drunk as I could be
A pair of pants there on the chair, where my pants orta be
Now come here little wifey, explain this thing to me
How come these pants there on the chair, where my pants orta be?

Women:
You old fool, your blind fool, can’t you plainly see
That’s nothin’ but a dish towel your momma gave to me?

Men:
Well, I’ve traveled the whole world over, ten thousand miles and more
And a zipper on a dish towel I ain’t never seen before

Well, I come home the last night, drunk as I could be
There was a head there on the pillow, where my head orta be
Now come here little wifey, explain this thing to me
How come a head’s there on the pillow, where my head orta be?

Women:
You old fool, you blind fool, can’t you plainly see
That’s nothin’ but a cabbage head your momma gave to me?

Men:
Well, I’ve traveled the whole world over, ten thousand miles and more
And a moustache on a cabbage head I ain’t never seen before!

You can find plenty of videos of the Cabbage Head Song on Youtube, and some are better than others. But this one fills me with the most love. How can you not love this old fella and his granddaughter saving this treasure for herself, her family and the rest of us?