Lyrics to "The Old Cow Died in the Forks of the Branch"

[Ray Alden]

Dear Friends and Fellow Musicians;

I received this request today and hope someone out there might be able
to answer this person's urgent request about lyrics, as follows;
*******************************************************************************
Field Recorders' Collective - C/O Ray Alden,

I know this is an awkward request. But it would mean the world to me
and my dying father.

My father is 87-years of age. Soon be 88. Knowing he quit smoking 45-
years ago. He was diagnosed this year with and is suffering with lung
cancer from all of the chemo and radiation.But I remember as a young
boy, when working beside dad on the ranch in Meyersville Texas. He
used to sing these words, "The Old Cow Died in the Forks of the
Branch" over and over. He claimed he didn't remember any of the
remaining lyrics because it was so long ago. But he stated that his
grandfather and father used to sing this when they worked in the
fields as children up in North Texas (Breckenridge) where he is from.
I have been searching the internet off and on to find the complete
words to this song and possibly some chords. The closest I have been
was your internet web page talking about "Mr. Clyde Davenport" and how
he played this song and carried it on from his father as well.

What I would usually hear over and over was this. "The Old Cow Died in
the
Forks of the Branch, the Blue Birds Whistled and the Buzzards Danced.
"

I would be very appreciated if there is any way I can have you provide
me
the lyrics to this old tune or a link to where I can retrieve it, for
I can give it to my father to perk up his spirits and bring back some
golden memories of that era in his life?

I work rotations from Meyersville Texas to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea,
West
Africa to where I am at the moment, 6-times a year. I can be reached
at the
number below or replied back to this email address.

Thanks again very much..
Best Regards,
Ross Dean Williamson
******************************************************************************
If you know of these lyrics, you could respond directly to my personal
e-mail at rgamusic at bestweb.net and I will get Mr. Williamson the
words.
Thanks, Ray Alden

[Merle Barnes]

You can find a little more of the song here:
http://www.lyon.edu/wolfcollection/songs/harrellfed1274.html

Sorry I can't be of more help.

Take Care
Merle

"Ray Alden" <rgam...@bestweb.net> wrote in message
news:1187182824.4...@b79g2000hse.googlegroups.com...

[carlbaron]

Ray Alden wrote:
>He
> used to sing these words, "The Old Cow Died in the Forks of the
> Branch" over and over. He claimed he didn't remember any of the
> remaining lyrics because it was so long ago. But he stated that his
> grandfather and father used to sing this when they worked in the
> fields as children up in North Texas (Breckenridge) where he is from.

Couldn't find anything in the songbooks I own. On the internet I found
the following:

http://www.jimrowell.com/makepage.asp?DisplayLinks=TblLinks1&TName=TblArticle&ArticleIn=Stories%20With%20Son
The Old Cow Died

"The old cow died in the fork of the branch,
while the jaybirds whistled and the buzzards danced."

http://www.lyon.edu/wolfcollection/songs/harrellfed1274.html
FED MY HORSE
Sung by: John Harrell
Recorded in Marshall, AR 6/14/63

Click here to listen to the original recording

Fed my horse in the poplar trough,
And the old cow died with the whooping cough.
The old cow died in the fork of the branch;
The buzzards had them a public dance.

(??: "And the part about the old . . . No, that's . . ."
Mr. Harrell: "I've heard all them when I was a kid, but I couldn't think
of a one.")

All Songs Recorded by John Quincy Wolf, Jr., unless otherwise noted

The John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection
Lyon College, Batesville, Arkansas
Back to the Song Index
Back to the Wolf Collection Homepage
ŠCopyright 2002 Lyon College

http://www.ihaystack.com/authors/a/work_projects_administration/00013700_slave_narratives_a_folk_history_of_slavery_in_the_un/00013700_english_ascii_p004.htm
Old Cow died in the fork of the branch
Baby, Ba, Ba.
Dock held the light, Kimbo skinned it.
Ba, Ba, Ba.
Old cow lived no more on the ranch and frank no more from
branch, Kinba a pair of shoes, he sewed from the old cows hide
he had tanned.
Baby, Ba, Ba.

Carl

[tonyg]

Have not listened lately, but what about Old Cow Died from
Altamont:String Band Music from the L/C.

[masha]

I found this with absolutely no other info, don't know if it's of any
help:

The old sow died in the forks of the branch,
the Jay birds whistled and the Buzzards danced!
I was raised in the back woods,suckled by a bear,
I have two sets of jaw teeth and four coats of hair!

All down in dark dungeons I saw a bright light,
all silk was the saddles all bright was the bows,
I've said your name four times and you still don't know!

[Dan T]

Clyde Davenport recorded it on his Puncheon Camps LP/Cassette. It is
probably out of print but you may be able to find it used.

He plays it as a banjo piece, in a distinctive up-picking style, and
only words, as far as I can make out, are:

The old cow died in the forks of the branch
Forks of the branch
The old cow died in the forks of the branch
Oh them buzzards how they dance

[Lyle Lofgren]

I'm terrible at riddles. Anyone know the answer? If there were one
more "all", that would be it.

Lyle

[Some Guy]

"Was". Spelled backwards in line 5 . . .
Marc P.

[Lyle Lofgren]

Thanks. That's why I'm terrible at riddles. I even got fooled by:

As I was going to St. Lo's
I met a pimp with seven hos ...

Or something like that -- I can't remember exactly.

Lyle