Goin' Up Cripple Creek

Goin' Up Cripple Creek, also known as Cripple Creek, is an old traditional tune. The song became a very famous bluegrass standard, recorded by the Stoneman Family, Flatt and Scruggs, bluegrass master Bill Monroe but also Lynn Anderson, Johnny Cash or Glen Campbell. But prior to the bluegrass development of the early 1940's, the tune was familiar to rural fiddlers in the appalachian hills. Recorded versions by such old-time musicians were these of Gid Tanner and his Skillet Lickers, the Hill Billies, Fiddlin' John Carson or Charlie Poole and his North Carolina Ramblers, who recorded it as Shootin' Creek.

Lyrics

Cripple Creek, 1929 (version by Gid Tanner's Skillet Lickers)

Hey, I got a girl at the head of the creek
Goin up to see her about 2 times a week
Kiss her on the mouth, sweet as any wine
Wrap herself around me like a sweet potato vine

Goin up Cripple Creek, goin on a run
Goin up Cripple Creek to have a little fun
Goin up Cripple Creek, goin in a whirl
Goin up Cripple Creek to see my little girl

Now the girls up Cripple Creek about half-grown
Jump on a boy like a dog on a bone
Roll my britches up to my knees
Wade ol Cripple Creek whenever I please

Goin up Cripple Creek, goin on a run
Goin up Cripple Creek to have a little fun
Goin up Cripple Creek, goin in a whirl
Goin up Cripple Creek to see my little girl

Now, Cripple Creek's wide and Cripple Creek's deep
Wade old Cripple Creek before I sleep
Hills are steep and the roads are muddy
and I'm so dizzy that I can't stand steady I'm

Goin up Cripple Creek, goin on a run
Goin up Cripple Creek to have a little fun
Goin up Cripple Creek, goin in a whirl
Goin up Cripple Creek to see my little girl.

References

• [1] - Lyrics