“Cluck Old Hen”

Description

"Cluck old hen, cluck and squall, you ain't laid an egg since way last fall." The exploits (?) of the hen are listed: "She laid eggs for the railroadmen." "The old hen cackled, cackled in the lot. Next time she cackled, she cackled in the pot"

Supplemental text

Cluck Old Hen
  Complete text(s)

          *** A ***

Cluck old hen,
Cluck and squall,
You ain't laid an egg
Since away last fall.

Chorus
Cluck old hen,
Cluck and sing,
You an't laid an egg
Since away last spring.

I have got
A good old hen.
She lays eggs
For railroad men.
   Chorus

My old hen,
She wont do.
She lays eggs
And 'taters too.
   Chorus

The old hen cackled,
Cackled in the lot.
Next time she cackled,
She cackled in the pot.
   Chorus.

          *** B ***

Loosely and incompletely remembered from a local old-time
band, perhaps Bob Bovee and Gail Heil (now of Spring Grove,
Minnesota). - RBW

My old hen's a good old hen,
She lays eggs for the railroad men.
Sometimes one, sometimes ten,
That's enough for the railroad men.

Chorus:
Cluck old hen, cluck and sing,
Ain't laid an egg since way last spring.
Cluck old hen, cluck and squall,
Ain't laid an egg since way last fall.

The old hen cackled, she cackled in the lot;
Next time she cackled, she cackled in the pot.
The old hen cackled, she cackled down the well;
The next time she cackled, she cackled [...].*

* I can probably guess this line as well as you can, but
I don't explicitly remember it.

Cross references

• cf. "Hen Cackle" (lyrics)
• cf. "Henhouse Door (Who Broke the Lock?)" (floating verses)
• cf. "Higgledy Piggledy, My Black Hen" (floating verses)

Recordings

• Clarence Ashley & Tex Isley, "Cluck Old Hen" (on Ashley01)
• Clarence Ashley, Clint Howard & Doc Watson, "Cluck Old Hen" [instrumental version] (WatsonAshley01)
• Banjo Bill Cornett, "Cluck Old Hen" (on MMOK, MMOKCD)
• [G. B.] Grayson & [Henry] Whitter, "Cluck Old Hen" (Gennett 6656/Champion 15629, 1928)
• Al Hopkins & his Buckle Busters, "Cluck Old Hen" ((Brunswick 175, 1927; on CrowTold02; Vocalion 5179 [as the Hill Billies], 1927; on LostProv)
• Vester Jones, "Cluck Old Hen" (on GraysonCarroll1)
• Fiddlin' Powers & Family, "Cluck Old Hen" (Edison 52083, 1927; rec. 1925) (CYL: Edison [BA] 5246 [as, "Cluck, Old Hen"], c. 1926)
• Wade Ward, "Cluck Old Hen" [instrumental] (on LomaxCD1702)
• Wade Ward & Bogtrotters, "Cluck Old Hen" (on Holcomb-Ward1) (AFS, 1937; on WWard1)

References

1. Warner 120, "Cluck Old Hen" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. DT, CLUCKHEN*
3. ST Wa120 (Full)
4. Roud #4235
5. BI, Wa120