Turkey in the Straw
from the MMF! Songbook

History
Turkey in the Straw is a popular American minstrel tune. The earliest version of the lyrics were written by Dan Bryant, the leader of Bryant's Minstrels, and published in 1861.

Lyrics
As I was a-goin'
On down the road
With a tired team
And a heavy load
I cracked my whip
And the leader sprung
I says day-day
To the wagon tongue.

Turkey in the straw,
Turkey in the straw,
Roll 'em up and twist 'em up
A high tuck a-haw
And hit 'em up a tune called
'Turkey in the Straw'.

Went out to milk
And I didn't know how
I milked the goat
Instead of the cow
A monkey sittin'
On a pile of straw
A-winkin' at
His mother-in-law.

Turkey in the straw
Turkey in the straw
Roll 'em up and twist 'em up
A high tuck a-haw
And hit 'em up a tune called
'Turkey in the Straw'.

I came to the river
And I couldn't get across
So I paid five dollars
For a big bay hoss
Well, he wouldn't go ahead
And he wouldn't stand still
So he went up and down
Like an old saw mill.

Turkey in the straw,
Turkey in the straw,
Roll 'em up and twist 'em up
A high tuck a-haw
And hit 'em up a tune called
'Turkey in the Straw'.

Did you ever go fishin'
On a warm summer day
When all the fish
Were swimmin' in the bay
With their hands in their pockets
And their pockets in their pants
Did you ever see a fishie
Do the Hootchy-Kootchy Dance?

Turkey in the straw,
Turkey in the straw,
Roll 'em up and twist 'em up
A high tuck a-haw
And hit 'em up a tune called
'Turkey in the Straw'.

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