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Rabbit Chase
Composer: Traditional

Rabbit Chase was performed by the Sleepy Hollow Hog Stompers in San Carlos on June 11th 1962. The Sleepy Hollow Hog Stompers were a trio formed by Jerry Garcia, Marshall Leicester and Dick Arnold in May 1962.

Rabbit Chase has often been listed on Sleepy Hollow Hog Stompers setlists and tapes as Yonder He Goes. This title does not appear to be used elsewhere for the song.



Recordings

no info Single, Charlie Parker and Mack Woolbright, 1927
info Old Timey Songs for Children, New Lost City Ramblers, 1959
info A Day In The Mountains: 1928, Various Artists (Charlie Parker), 196?
info New Lost City Ramblers: The Early Years: 1958-1962, The New Lost City Ramblers, 1991
info Way Down in North Carolina, Mike Seeger and Paul Brown, 1996
info The Cornshucker's Frolic, Vol. 1, Various Artists (Charlie Parker and Mack Woolbright), 1999
info 40 Years of Concert Performances, New Lost City Ramblers, 2001
info Mountain Frolic: Rare Old Timey Classics 1924-37, Various Artists (Charlie Parker and Mack Woolbright), 2008
info 50 Years: Where Do You Come from, Where Do You Go?, The New Lost City Ramblers, 2009

Lyrics

The Sleepy Hollow Hog Stompers perform the song in the traditional manner. The majority of the song is spoken over a musical accompaniment with only the chorus sung. The lyrics used are as follows;

(Spoken)
Well you know how the old lady is in the mornings. She gets up and she's feeling pretty bad. Says to the old man, "If I had a rabbit this morning, I think maybe, I might feel a little better." Old man says to the old woman, "You know I love you and anything I can do for you I will." Says "Sit down under the hill and fetch me a rabbit."

Well the old man sits down beside and his ears prick up just like a Kentucky mule. Old man hasn't seen a rabbit in 40 years. Old woman hasn't seen one in fifty. So the old man calls down the old dog and says, "Come on we're going to have some fun," he says,

(Sung)
Here..., here..., here...,
Yonder he goes,
Yonder he goes,
Yonder he goes,
Can't you see.

(Spoken)
Well the old dog is sitting down behind the house in the sunshine, the way a dog usually does in winter time. Hears the old man calling out to him. Lifts his old head to listen. He's giving him something like this, he says,

(Sung)
Ruff..., ruff..., ruff...,
Yonder he goes,
Yonder he goes,
Yonder he goes,
Can't you see.

(Spoken)
Well the old man puts a lead on the backtrack, the old dog running so fast you kind of hate to call him back. Want to give him a straight trail to see how fast he could run in his old days and he says,

(Sung)
Here..., here..., here...,
Yonder he goes,
Yonder he goes,
Yonder he goes,
Didn't you see.

(Spoken)
Well you know how little children are in the morning, sitting around and being mad an' all. Don't know what's the matter with 'em. There's one little boy been sitting around all morning and he hasn't said a word. All of a sudden he says, "Ma", "What is it son?"

(Sung)
Pa's gonna catch a rabbit ma,
Pa's gonna catch a rabbit ma,
Pa's gonna catch a rabbit ma,
Yonder he goes,
Yonder he goes,
Yonder he goes,
Can't you see.

Ruff..., ruff..., ruff...,
Yonder he goes,
Yonder he goes,
Yonder he goes,
Can't you see.

 
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