Old Joe Clark is a type of folk song that originated in the US. The song is believed to have been written in the 19th century but there are no printed records that predate 1900. One of the earliest published versions can be found in Virginia in 1918.
Despite being sung as a children’s tune, Old Joe Clark has dark origins. Unlike many other rhymes, Joe Clark was a real person, a mountaineer from Kentucky who was born in 1839 and murdered in 1885. The song is a ballad that became popular with soldiers during the First World War as they sang it when they marched.
The playful and upbeat lyrics don’t hint at the sinister origins, and it’s one of the most popular fiddle songs from the US. It continues to be a popular choice today and has undergone a number of modern adaptations and recordings that people enjoy across the US.
Old Joe Clark Lyrics
Fare thee well, old Joe Clark. Good-bye, Mitzi Brown.
Fare thee well, old Joe Clark. I’m gonna leave this town.
Fare thee well, old Joe Clark. I’m gonna leave this town.
Old Joe Clark used to clean the bar. Liquor was his pay.
Never saved a golden eagle. Drank it all away.
Fare thee well, old Joe Clark. Good-bye, Mitzi Brown.
Fare thee well, old Joe Clark. I’m gonna leave this town.
Fare thee well, old Joe Clark. I’m gonna leave this town.
I don’t want your old time religion or what you got to say, say.
But pass me down that barley jug and I’ll be on my way. A singin’
Fare thee well, old Joe Clark. Good-bye, Mitzi Brown.
Fare thee well, old Joe Clark. I’m gonna leave this town.
Fare thee well, old Joe Clark. I’m gonna leave this town.
Old Joe Clark walked downtown backwards. People asked him, “Why?”
I come back for one more drink while wavin’ you good-bye!
Fare thee well, old Joe Clark. Good-bye, Mitzi Brown.
Fare thee well, old Joe Clark. I’m gonna leave this town.
Fare thee well, old Joe Clark. I’m gonna leave this town.