Little Brown Jug
Little Brown Jug was written in 1869, four years after the end of the Civil War. It was written by R.A. Eastburn (his real name was Joseph Winner).
What's funny about this song is how jolly it is considering the subject. I think it was written as a bit of a musical joke! Considering the time in history, I think the country needed some lighthearted music to sing.
Little Brown Jug
Traditional Song
My wife and I live all alone
In a little hut we called our own;
She loves gin and I love rum,
I tell you what, we have lots of fun!
(Chorus)
Ha, ha, ha, you and me,
Little brown jug, don't I love thee!
Ha, ha, ha, you and me,
Little brown jug, don't I love thee!
'Tis you that makes my friends and foes,
'Tis you that makes me wear old clothes;
But here you are so near my nose,
So tip her up and down she goes.
(Chorus)
When I go toiling on my farm
I take the little jug under my arm;
I place it 'neath a shady tree,
Little brown jug, 'tis you and me.
(Chorus)
If all the folks in Adam's race
Were gathered together in one place,
I'd let them go without a tear
Before I'd part from you, my dear.
(Chorus)
If I'd a cow that gave such milk,
I'd dress her in the finest silk;
Feed her on the choicest hay,
And milk her forty times a day.
(Chorus)
I bought a cow from Farmer Jones,
And she was nothing but skin and bones;
I fed her up as fine as silk,
She jumped the fence and strained her milk.
(Chorus)
And when I die don't bury me at all,
Just pickle my bones in alcohol;
Put a bottle o' booze at my head and feet
And then I know that I will keep.
(Chorus)
The rose is red, my nose is too,
The violet's blue and so are you;
And yet, I guess, before I stop,
We'd better take another drop.
(Chorus)
Notes
Sometimes the chorus is sung as the entire song.
Wikipedia gives these alternate lyrics for singing "Little Brown Jug" as a children's song:
Me, my wife, and a bobtailed dog,
Crossed a creek on a hollow log,
The log, it broke, and we fell in,
And little brown jug got filled again.
Here's another version for kids...
Ha, ha, ha, hee hee hee,
Little brown jug sings quite off key.
Ha, ha, ha, hee hee hee,
Little brown jug sings quite off key.
My wife and I drink lots of pop,
Sometimes it seems we seldom stop,
She drinks from a fancy mug,
But I prefer my li'l brown jug.
Ha, ha, ha you and me,
Little brown jug how I love thee!
Ha, ha, ha you and me,
Little brown jug how I love thee!
My wife and I drink lots of pop,
Sometimes it seem we seldom stop,
She drinks from a fancy mug,
But I prefer my li'l brown jug.
Ha, ha, ha, you and me,
Little brown jug how I love thee!
Ha, ha, ha, you and me
Little brown jug how I love thee!
Thanks!
