Summary: How do I download this Mp3?Mp3: Old Riley Painting by: William H. Johnson Chain Gang National Museum of American Art Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. This song is actually made up of two traditional songs combined by Lead Belly. They are prison work songs used for flat weeding. 'Rattler' was the name generally given to the lead search dog on a prison farm. The name 'Old Riley' comes up in at least one other prison song. The line 'Believe I'll do like Old Riley, Old Riley walked de Brazos' appears in 'Ain't No More Cane on the Brazos.' When an inmate tried to break out of prison, he would make his way up the river bed through the shallow water, to lose his scent to the blood hounds who were in hot pursuit. This was called 'walking the water.' Apparently Old Riley was one prisoner who got away. Lyrics: OLD RILEY [G] Old Riley walked the [C] water, [G] Old Riley walked the [C] water [G] In them long hot [D] summer [G] days. Old Riley he is gone, Old Riley he is gone In them long hot summer days. [G] Riley walked the [C] water; [G] Here, [D] Rattler, [G] here [G] Old Riley walked the [C] water; [G] Here, [D] Rattler, [G] here. Old Riley's gone like a turkey in the corn Here, Rattler, here. Old Riley's gone like a turkey in the corn Here, Rattler, here. Rattler come when I blow my horn Here, Rattler, here. Old Rattler come when I blow my horn Here, Rattler, here. Old Rattler's got him a marrow bone, Here, Rattler, here. Old Rattler's got him a marrow bone, Here, Rattler, here. Old Riley's gone like a turkey in the corn, Here, Rattler, here. Old Riley's gone like a turkey through the corn, Here, Rattler, here. Old Riley walked the water Old Riley walked the water In them long hot summer days. Combination of traditional Words & Music by Huddie Ledbetter. Another variation is here: Here Rattler Here Old Riley crossed the water, On them long hot summer days Old Riley crossed the water. On them long hot summer days, Oh Sic 'im, oh sic 'im Oh sic 'im done gone, here rattler here Oh sic 'im, oh sic 'im. Oh sic 'im done gone, Here rattler here Riley crossed the water; On dem long hot summer days Riley crossed the water On dem long hot summer days He's headed for the river; As sure as your born. Here, Rattler, here. He can hear the sheriff blowin his horn Here, Rattler, here. Here old rattler Here rattler here Hey old rattler Here rattler here Oh Sic 'im, oh sic 'im Oh sic 'im done gone, here rattler here Oh sic 'im, oh sic 'im. Oh sic 'im done gone, Here rattler here Riley crossed the water; On dem long hot summer days Riley crossed the water On dem long hot summer days He's headed for the river; Where we can't go. Here, Rattler, here. Headed up north for freedom land Here, Rattler, here. Hey old rattler Here rattler here Hey old rattler Here rattler here Oh Sic 'im, oh sic 'im Oh sic 'im done gone, here rattler here Oh sic 'im, oh sic 'im. Oh sic 'im done gone, Here rattler here Old Riley crossed the water In them long hot summer days. Old Riley crossed the water; In them long hot summer days.
