When I die ...

[rollhead]

I'm having some problems here, and I thought you guys might be able to help me.

I am learning to sing "St. James Infirmary," but I can't really decide what I should wear at my funeral.

Should I wear a "Stetson hat" or a "$20 hat"?

Should the $20 gold piece be in my pocket, or should it be on my watch chain?

How about shoes?

Any and all ideas will be greatly appreciated.

[rollhead]

Louis Armstrong preferred a Stetson and the $20 gold piece on his watch chain.



I went down to the st james infirmary
Saw my baby there
Stretched out on a long white table
So sweet...so cold...so fair

Let her go...let her go...god bless her
Wherever she may be
She can look this wide world over
But shell never find a sweet man like me

When I die want you to dress me in straight lace shoes
I wanna a boxback coat and a stetson hat
Put a twenty dollar gold piece on my watch chain
So the boysll know that I died standing flat

[Gentle Giant]

Take that badge off of you.
You won't need it anymore.


But try to die with your boots on.

[rollhead]

The White Stripes prefer "straight-leg" britches. Is that opposed to bell bottoms?

Folks, I'm goin' down to St. James Infirmary,
See my baby there;
She's stretched out on a long, white table,
She's so sweet, so cold, so fair.

Let her go, let her go, God bless her,
Wherever she may be,
She will search this wide world over,
But she'll never find another sweet man like me.

Now, when I die, bury me in my straight-leg britches,
Put on a box-back coat and a stetson hat,
Put a twenty-dollar gold piece on my watch chain,
So you can let all the boys know I died standing pat.

Folks, now that you have heard my story,
Say, boy, hand me another shot of that booze;
If anyone should ask you,
Tell 'em I've got those St. James Infirmary blues.

[rollhead]

Van Morrison wants "straight lace" shoes. What exactly are those?

When I die, I want you to dress me in straight lace shoes
I want a box back coat and a stetson hat
I want a 20 dollar gold piece on my watch chain

[Scott Dolan]

The White Stripes prefer "straight-leg" britches. Is that opposed to bell bottoms?

Good lord, rollie. Straight-leg is opposite of boot-cut.

[Scott Dolan]

But try to die with your boots on.

"In 13 the beast is rising
The frenchman did surmise
Through earthquakes and starvation
The warlord will arise
Terror, death, destruction
Pour from the eastern sands
But the truth of all predictions
Is always in your hands

If youre gonna die, die with your boots on
If youre gonna try, just stick around
Gonna cry, just move along
If youre gonna die, youre gonna die"

[walto]

I think this would be a nice look for you, Rollie:


(Obviously, you can thank Rostasi.)

[Chris D]

Don't wanna die uneasy.

[Robert de St. Loup]

Van Morrison wants "straight lace" shoes. What exactly are those?

When I die, I want you to dress me in straight lace shoes
I want a box back coat and a stetson hat
I want a 20 dollar gold piece on my watch chain

"Strait" (not "straight") means "narrow" or "tight", as in "the Bering Strait," "dire straits," "strait-jacket" and "strait is the gate and narrow the way." Hence, the term is "strait-laced" and just means tightly laced.

[rollhead]

Snooks Eaglin does my favorite version of St. James Infirmary. What's everyone else's favorite?

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Teagarden

[groover]

Should the $20 gold piece be in my pocket, or should it be on my watch chain?

I think the purpose of the $20 gold piece is to show that you weren't a net debtor when you passed, so it should be visible.

[chuckyd4]

Teagarden

word

[rollhead]

I think the purpose of the $20 gold piece is to show that you weren't a net debtor when you passed, so it should be visible.

Okay, then.. would putting a couple of $20 gold pieces on my eyes be an option?

[groover]

Okay, then.. would putting a couple of $20 gold pieces on my eyes be an option?

Sure, just beware of grave robbers!