I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground

DESCRIPTION: "I wish I (was/were) a mole in the ground (x2), If I was a mole in the ground, I'd root that mountain down...." The singer complains of Kempy's expensive tastes and his troubles with drink and/or the law. He may wish to be other things.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1921 (Brown)
KEYWORDS: animal money hardtimes floatingverses dancetune
FOUND IN: US(SE,So)
REFERENCES (6 citations):
BrownIII 173, "Mole In the Ground" (1 text)
Botkin-AmFolklr, pp. 900-901, "I Wish I Wuz a Mole in the Ground" (1 text, 1 tune)
Courlander-NFM, p. 144, "(I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground)" (1 text)
Lomax-ABFS, pp. 152-153, "I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground" (1 text, 1 tune)
Silber-FSWB, p. 394, "Mole In The Ground" (1 text)
DT, WISHMOLE*
Roud #4957
RECORDINGS:
Green Bailey, "I Wish I Were A Mole In The Ground" (Conqueror 7255 [as Amos Baker], 1929; rec. 1928; on KMM)
Frank Bode, "Tempy" (on FBode1)
Chancey Bros., "I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground" (on FolkVisions2)
Eugene Jemison, "Girls, Quit Your Rowdy Ways" (on Jem01)
Bascom Lamar Lunsford, "I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground" (OKeh 40155, 1924); (Brunswick 219B, 1928; on AAFM3, BLLunsford01); (BLLunsford02, FMUSA)
Pete Seeger, "Mole in the Ground" (on PeteSeeger09, PeteSeegerCD02)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "I Don't Like No Railroad Man" (floating lyrics)
cf. "My Last Gold Dollar" (floating lyrics)
cf. "New River Train" (tune, floating lyrics)
cf. "Oh, Honey, Where You Been So Long?" (lyrics)
File: BAF900

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