Lyrics: Traditional
Music: Traditional
Played by Jerry Garcia and David Nelson at the College of San Mateo in San Mateo on 10 November 1962. Garcia introduced it as a Clarence Ashley song. Thanks to Matt Schofield for the lyrics.
Bob Weir also sang the first verse at a Ratdog concert on 2 September 2001 (thanks to Jonathan Rabhan for confirming this).
Oh the cuckoo she'a pretty birdA more traditional version of the song is:
She wobbles as she flies
She don't never holler cuckoo
'Til the fourth day of July
Gonna build me log cabin
On the mountain so high
So that I can see Willie
As he goes on by
Jack of Diamonds, Jack of Diamonds
I know you of old
You done robbed my poor pockets
Of my silver and gold
I've played cards in England
I've played cards in Spain
I bet you ten dollars
I'll beat you again
Oh the cuckoo she'a pretty bird
She wobbles as she flies
She don't never holler cuckoo
'Til the fourth day of July
The cuckoo she's a pretty bird
She sings as she flies
She brings us glad tidings
And tells us no lies
She sucks all sweet flowers
To make her voice clear
She never sings cuckoo
Till summer is near
She flies the hills over
She flies the world about
She flies back to the mountain
She mourns for her love
The cuckoo she's a pretty bird
She sings as she flies
She brings us glad tidings
And tells us no lies