THE DRUMMER AND THE COOK
(learned from Harry Belafonte album in the 1950s)
There was a little drummer and he loved a one-eyed cook
He loved her, oh, he loved her, though she had a cockeyed look
With her one eye on the pot, and the other up a chimney
With a bow-wow-wow, fa-la-la-la-la-la-dee-dee
Bow-wow-wow!
When this couple went to courtin' for to walk along the shore
Said the drummer to the cookie, "You're the one that I adore."
With her one eye on the pot,(etc.)
Said the drummer to the cookie, Will you buy the wedding ring?
Said the cookie, Now you're talking, that will be the very thing,
With her one eye on the pot,(etc.)
Said the drummer to the cookie, Will you name the wedding day?
Said the cookie, We'll be married in the merry month of May,
With her one eye on the pot,(etc.)
When they went to church to say, I will, the drummer got a knock--
Her one eye killed the parson, and the other stopped the clock,
With her one eye on the pot,(etc.)
(from miriam berg's folksong collection)