Elwood. SheetMusic(pdf), midi
Little black bull came down in the meadow / F/ F /
Hoosen Johnny, Hoosen Johnny /C7 / C7 /
Little black bull came down in the meadow / F / F /
A long time ago. / F C7 / F /
Long time ago, Long time ago / F B / F / F / F/
Little black bull came down in the meadow / F / F /
A long time ago. / F C7 / F /
(similarly)
First he'd paw /- and then he'd bellow
And he ate up all /- the good red clover
Then he wacked his horn on a white oak sapling
And he stamped his hoof, /- he jarred the river
Then he kicked the dirt up in the heifer's faces
Source: Carl Sandburg, The American Songbag, 1927. “Lawyers sat around the wood stoves of the taverns and hotels of the Eighth Circuit in Illinois and sang this on many a winter night. Lincoln heard it often. It was a favorite of his singing friend with the banjo, Ward Hill Lamon. Col. Clark E. Carr, who came to Illinois in 1852 and was a first settler of Galesburg, tells us in his book ‘The Illini’ of these verses, "The improvisor would go on singing as long as he could. The solo is a sort of droning chant; but the chorus, when sung by good voices, is superb. The song became a favorite with lawyers traveling the circuit in those days, and was often sung on convivial occasions. It is said that at one time, at Knoxville in our country, when some good news that caused universal rejoicing had been received, the court was adjourned, and judge, lawyers, jury, spectators, paraded around the public square singing, 'De ol' black bull kem down de medder'.”