Story Behind The Song

Sweet Janine won best bluegrass song the Walnut Valley Festival in 2002, the oldest and largest bluegrass competition/festival in the country -- known as Winfield. I wrote this when I was playing a lot of bluegrass and one night the sentiment came to me. This recording has the country's finest bluegrass players including Stuart Duncan on fiddle and others.

Song Description

This is one of those old/trad sounding, yet fresh, tunes. As one listener put it, "The song was an old friend before it was over."

Lyrics

Sweet Janine

I went into the kitchen and I grabbed me a pear
Skipped to the mirror and I combed my hair
Last I checked it was pouring rain
Look out the window and it's still the same

CHORUS
Ooh wee unbutton my sleeve
Waitin on my sweet Janine
Oh, she gonna rock my tree
Waitin on my sweet Janine

Like a little lemon right in my soup
Like a little pickin right on my stoop
Like a little honey right in my tea
But I love that woman sittin on my knee

CHORUS

Been a good while since he passed away
When he hit them strings lord he sure could play
Whatever he got he sure did the trick
And I sure do miss them old sweet licks

CHORUS

Little gray squirrel said to old black crow
I can see you better in the drivin snow
Cut out the fussin said the big-eyed toad
I'm watchin that girl skippin down this road

CHORUS

I think I'm gonna write me a big old book
Bout a skinny old man and a jugglin cook
The ham and the chicken and the fryin pan
Go round and round they ain't never gonna land

CHORUS

To hell with the dishes and the dirty spoon
To hell with the britches all around my room
If I can't find that matchin sock
Gonna be barefootin when I hear that knock knock knock knock

CHORUS

I went into the kitchen and I grabbed me a pear
Skipped to the mirror and I combed my hair
Last I checked it was pouring rain
Look out the window and it's still the same

CHORUS