CARVE DAT POSSUM

Old-Time, Song. ARTIST: African-American collector Thomas Talley, in his book 
Negro Folk Rhymes (reprinted in 1991, edited by Charles Wolfe), gave the title as 
"An Opossum Hunt". CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes. DATE: Minstrel piece 
from late 1800’s. RECORDING INFO: Macon, Uncle Dave. Go 'Long Mule, County 545, 
LP (1981), cut# 5 . Macon, Uncle Dave; & the/his Fruit Jar Drinkers. 
Going Down The Valley; Vocal & Instrumental Music from the South, New1 World1 NW 236, 
LP (1977), cut# 9. 

OTHER NAMES: - Possum Meat; Carve That Possum Lucas, "'Possum Pie" SOURCES: Thede’s 
Fiddle Book, Oak, Bk (1967), p 69 (Possum Pie) Randolph 276, "The Possum Song" 
(3 texts, 2 tunes). NOTES: Similar melody to Boil 'Em Cabbage Down. . 
Charles Wolfe (1991) identifies this as a piece written and performed by black minstrel 
Sam Lucas about 1870, that appears in a few collections of minstrel songs.


Possum meat is good an' sweet 
Carve him to de heart,
I always finds it good to eat, 
Carve him to de heart.

Chorus: Carve dat possum!
Carve dat possum!
Carve dat possum!
Oh charve 'im to de heart!

My dog tree, I went to see 
Carve him to de heart,
A great big possum up dat tree 
Carve him to de heart,
I retch up an' pull him in, 
Carve him to de heart,
Dat ol' possum 'gin to grin, 
Carve him to de heart,

I tuck him home an' dressed him off 
Carve him to de heart,
Dat night I laind him in de' fros', 
Carve him to de heart,
De way I cooked dat possum sound, 
Carve him to de heart,
I fust parboiled, den baked him brown 
Carve him to de heart,
I put sweet taters in de pan, 
Carve him to de heart,
'Twas de bigges' eatin' in de lan' 
Carve him to de heart.