August 29, 2005

S' called "Desert Pete" by the Kingston Trio

Yep.
"You've got to prime the pump
You've got to have faith and believe.
You've got to give of yourself
before you're worthy to receive.
Drink all the water you can hold,
wash your face, cool your feet -
just leave the bottle full for others,
thank you kindly, Desert Pete."

Just be thankful it wasn't a tune from The Wiggles or the Brady Bunch theme or something like that. THAT'll drive you insane after a few hours!

quack
quack
quack
quack
quack - cock-a-doodle-do....

Yep, I had the same one a few days ago. I dunno what brought it on. I ended up doing a search on the words I could remember and got Desert Pete.

Yup. Kingston Trio matches my memories. Must have been on Ed Sullivan, Smothers Brothers, or that Hootenany program back in the 60s.

Anyone know the song in the new Pantene commercial?

Hey, A-man, you might have heard that from Don Edwards. I have and play a tape with him and Waddie Mitchell, called the Bard and the Balladeer. If ya don't know who he is, he does old cowboy songs.

When I was abouit five, we lived in a house in atown called Eagle Butte So. Dak. that didn't have indoor plumbing. There was a cast iron pump on the counter next to the sink. There was a quart mason jar next to it for priming that pump. One night, feeling all grown up I got up to get my own drink of water and used the priming water. When my dad got up in the morning to pump water for coffee, there was no priming water in the jar. I got my butt blistered and dad made me go with him to lift the lid on the cistern in the back yard and get water to prime the pump with.

Why's it so memorable? A. Sore butt. B. Pissed off Father, C. It was about 20 below out there, and blowing hard. No, I never did it again.

Cool Water by the Sons of Pioneers will drive many a sane man around the corner . " Keep a movin', Dan. Don't ya listen to 'em, Dan . . .". So will that song about a Mexican radio station.

Desert Pete

Artist: The Kingston Trio (peak Billboard position # 33 in 1963)
Words and Music by Billy Edd Wheeler

I was travellin’ West a buckskin on my way to a cattle run
Cross a little cactus desert under a hot blisterin’ sun
I was thirsty down to my toenails, stopped to rest me on a stump
But I tell ya I just couldn’t believe it when I saw that water pump
I took it to be a mirage at first, it’ll fool a thirsty man
Then I saw a note stuck in a bakin’ powder can
“This pump is old”, the note began, “but she works so give’r a try”
“I put a new sucker washer in ‘er, you may find the leather dry”

“You’ve got to prime the pump, you must have faith and believe”
“You’ve got to give of yourself ‘fore you’re worthy to receive”
“Drink all the water you can hold, wash your face, cool your feet”
“Leave the bottle full for others, Thank You kindly, Desert Pete”

“Yeah, you’ll have to prime the pump, work that handle like there’s a fire”
“Under that rock you’ll find some water I left in a bitters jar”
“Now there’s just enough to prime it with so dontcha go drinkin’ first”
“You just pour it in and pump like mad, buddy, you’ll quench your thirst”

“You’ve got to prime the pump, you must have faith and believe”
“You’ve got to give of yourself ‘fore you’re worthy to receive”
“Drink all the water you can hold, wash your face, cool your feet”
“Leave the bottle full for others, Thank You kindly, Desert Pete”

Well I found that jar and I tell ya nothin’ was ever prettier to my eye
And I was tempted strong to drink it, cuz that pump looked mighty dry
But the note went on “have faith my friend, there’s water down below”
“You got to give until you get—I’m the one who ought to know”
So I poured in the jar and I started pumpin’ and I heard a beautiful sound
Of water bubblin’ and splashin’ up outta that hole in the ground
I took off my shoes and I drunk my fill of that cool refreshing treat
I thank the Lord and thank the pump and I thank old Desert Pete

“You’ve got to prime the pump, you must have faith and believe”
“You’ve got to give of yourself ‘fore you’re worthy to receive”
“Drink all the water you can hold, wash your face, cool your feet”
“Leave the bottle full for others, Thank You kindly, Desert Pete”

“Drink all the water you can hold, wash your face, cool your feet”
“Leave the bottle full for others, Thank You kindly, Desert Pete”

Transcribed by Ronald E. Hontz
ronhontz@worldnet.att.net

i'm trying to help - still in beta

cool cool water