Turkey in the Straw

Midi 1(G221)      Midi 2(G140)     Midi 3 (163)
Minstrel Song  Written By: Unknown
This is a tough one for many people to pick up on.  It's played fast.
For Diatonic harmonica

My preferred version:
8 -8 7 7 -8 7  5 -5 6 -6 6 5 6     7 -7 8 8 8 -8 7 -8 8 -8 -8

8 -8 7 7 -8 7 5 -5 6 -6 6 5 6     7 -8 8 8 8 -8 7 -8 8 -8 7

7 -8 7 -8 -8  7 -8 7 -8         8 -9 8 -9 -9 8 -9 8 -9

9 9 -8 -8 8 8 7   7  -8 8 8 8 -8 7 -8  8 -8 7

Verses
   8  -8 7   7  -8  7   5   -5  6 -6   6 5   6
Well I had an old hen and she had a wooden leg.
  7   -8   8   8   8    7   -8    8  -8  -8
Just the best old hen that ev'r laid an egg.
  8   -8   7  7 -8   7    5 -5 6  -6  6  5   6  
Well she laid more eggs than any hen on the farm,
 7  -8 8 -9  9 -9    9     8  7    8  7 -8-7   7
But another little drink wouldn't do her any harm.
 5  6   6  6   6    5    6    6
Turkey in the hay, hey, hey, hey.
 -5 -6 -6  -6   -5    -6   -6   -6
Turkey in the straw, haw, haw, haw.
 -6   -7  7    7    7   6  6 6  5   5  -4
Pick 'em up, shake 'em up, any way at all,
4 -4 5   6 6   6   5  4  -4  5  4  -4  -3    4
And hit up a tune called a' Turkey in the Straw.

Extra verses:
As I was a-goin' on down the road with a tired team and a heavy load
I cracked my whip and the leader sprung I says day-day to the wagon tongue

Turkey in the straw (Whistle) Turkey in the straw (Whistle)
Roll 'em up and twist 'em up A high tuck a-haw
And hit 'em up a tune called "Turkey in the Straw"

Well, if frogs had wings and snakes had hair,
And automobiles went a flying thro' the air,
Well if watermelons grew on a huckleberry vine,
We'd have winter in the summer time

Turkey in the straw (Whistle) Turkey in the straw (Whistle)

Roll 'em up and twist 'em up
A high tuck a-haw

And hit 'em up a tune called "Turkey in the Straw"


Went out to milk and I didn't know how.
I milked the goat instead of the cow

A monkey sittin' on a pile of straw a-winkin' at his mother-in-law.


Turkey in the straw (Whistle) Turkey in the straw (Whistle)

Roll 'em up and twist 'em up a high tuck a-haw

And hit 'em up a tune called "Turkey in the Straw"


I came to the river and I couldn't get across

So I paid five dollars for a big bay hoss.

Well, he wouldn't go ahead and he wouldn't stand still

So he went up and down like an old saw mill.


Turkey in the straw (Whistle) Turkey in the straw (Whistle)

Roll 'em up and twist 'em up a high tuck a-haw

And hit 'em up a tune called "Turkey in the Straw".


Did you ever go fishin' on a warm summer day.

When all the fish were swimmin' in the bay?

With their hands in their pockets and their pockets in their pants

Did you ever see a fishie so the Hootchy-Kootchy Dance?


Turkey in the straw (Whistle) Turkey in the straw (Whistle)

Roll 'em up and twist 'em up a high tuck a-haw

And hit 'em up a tune called "Turkey in the Straw".

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From June 30, 2006