Lyrics: Traditional
Music: Traditional
Played by Jerry Garcia with the Sleepy Hollow Hog Stompers in San Carlos in June 1962.
Thanks to Matt Schofield for the lyrics - the majority of the song is spoken over a musical accompaniment with only the chorus sung.
[Spoken]
Well you know how the old lady is in the mornings. She gets up and she's feeling pretty bad. Says to the old man, "if I had a rabbit this morning, I think maybe, I might feel a little better." Old man says to the old woman, "you know I love you and anything I can do for you I will." Says "sit down under the hill and fetch me a rabbit."
Well the old man sits down beside and his ears prick up just like a Kentucky mule. Old man hasn't seen a rabbit in 40 years. Old woman hasn't seen one in fifty. So the old man calls down the old dog and says, "come on we're going to have some fun," he says.
[Sung]
Here, here, here
Yonder he goes
Yonder he goes
Yonder he goes
Can't you see
[Spoken]
Well the old dog is sitting down behind the house in the sunshine, the way a dog usually does in winter time. Hears the old man calling out to him. Lifts his old head to listen. He's giving him something like this, he says
[Sung]
Ruff, ruff, ruff
Yonder he goes
Yonder he goes
Yonder he goes
Can't you see
[Spoken]
Well the old man puts a lead on the backtrack, the old dog running so fast you kind of hate to call him back. Want to give him a straight trail to see how fast he could run in his old days and he says
[Sung]
Here, here, here
Yonder he goes
Yonder he goes
Yonder he goes
Can't you see
[Spoken]
Well you know how little children are in the morning, sitting around and being mad an' all. Don't know what's the matter with 'em. There's one little boy been sitting around all morning and he hasn't said a word. All of a sudden he says, "Ma", "What is it son?"
[Sung]
Pa's gonna catch a rabbit ma
Pa's gonna catch a rabbit ma
Pa's gonna catch a rabbit ma
Yonder he goes
Yonder he goes
Yonder he goes
Can't you see
Ruff, ruff, ruff
Yonder he goes
Yonder he goes
Yonder he goes
Can't you see