“Wildwood Weed” is a 1974 hit song written by Don Bowman and recorded by Jim Stafford. It was the fourth of four U. S. Top 40 singles from his eponymous debut album. Musically, the song takes its inspiration from The Carter Family’s instrumental recording “Wildwood Flower”. The lyrics in the verses are spoken, rather than sung. The song is a story about farmers who take a sudden interest in a common wildflower on their farm, and soon discover and enjoy its hallucinogenic and mind-altering properties after one of them begins to chew on one. They begin to cultivate the plant in earnest, however, federal agents raid their property and destroy their crop. Nevertheless, the men are undeterred by the destruction of their plants as they have saved a supply of seeds which was overlooked by the agents. “Wildwood Weed” reached number seven on the U. S. Billboard Hot 100, number five on Cash Box and number three on the Canadian pop singles chart. It was a crossover hit onto the Adult Contemporary charts of both nations (reaching number two in Canada), as well as the U. S. Country chart. more »
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Jim Stafford
James Wayne “Jim” Stafford (born January 16, 1944, Eloise, Florida) is an American comedian, musician, and singer-songwriter. While prominent in the 1970s for his records “Spiders and Snakes”, “Swamp Witch”, and “My Girl Bill”, Stafford has headlined at his own theater in Branson, Missouri since 1990. Stafford is self-taught on guitar, fiddle, piano, banjo, organ and harmonica. more »
Weed song sitting on a bag of seeds
Lyr Req: Wildwood Weed (Jim Stafford, Don Bowman)
DigiTrad: I’LL TWINE ‘MID THE RINGLETS THE MAN WHO PICKED THE WILDWOOD FLOWER WILDWOOD FLOWER
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Subject: Lyr Add: WILDWOOD WEED (Jim Stafford, Don Bowman) From: Gene Date: 26 Jan 98 – 03:02 PM
WILDWOOD WEED Words and music by Jim Stafford and Don Bowman As recorded by Jim Stafford on “Jim Stafford” (1974)
Wildwood flower grew wild on the farm And we never knowed what it was called Some said it was a flow’r and some said it was a weed I didn’t give it much thought One day I was out there talkin’ to my brother And I reached down for a weed to chew on Things got fuzzy and things got blurry And then ev’rything was gone Didn’t know what happened, but I knew It beat the hell out of sniffing burlap.
I come to and my brother was there And he said, “What’s wrong with your eyes?” I said, “I don’t know, I was chewin’ on the weed” He said, “Let me give it a try” We spent the rest of that day and most of that night Try’n to find my brother Bill Caught up with him about six o’clock the next mornin’ Naked, singin’ on the windmill (He said he flew up there) I had to fly up there and get him down He was about half crazy.
The very next day we picked a bunch of them weeds And we put ’em in the sun to dry Then we mashed ’em up and we cleaned ’em off Put ’em in the corn cob pipe Smokin’ them wildwood flowers got to be a habit We never seen no harm We thought it was kind-a handy Take a trip and never leave the farm Big ol’ puff of that wildwood weed next thing you know You’re just wand’ring ’round behind the little animals.
All good things got to come to end It’s the same with the wildwood weeds One day this feller from Washington come by And spied one and turned white as a sheet And they dug and they burned and they burned and they dug And they killed all our cute little weeds And then they drove away, we just smiled and waved Sittin’ there on that sack o’ seeds.
I’m looking for the words to the song sung to the melody of Wildwood Flower by Jim Stafford a number of years ago. He called it Wildwood Flower, and it was typically Jim Stafford tongue-in-cheek.
Duplicate threads combined. This messsage and messages below are from a new thread. -Joe Offer-
I remember it! Don’t recallmany of the words but it was a good novelty type song. I looked at Cowpie and didn’t find it there, but I’m sure somebody will come up with it!
The wildwood flower grew wild on the farm, And we never knowed what it was called. Some said it was a flower and some said it was weed, I never gave it much thought . One day I was out there talking to my brother, Reached down for a weed to chew on, Things got fuzzy and things got blurry, And then everything was gone! Didn’t know what happened, But I knew it beat the hell out of sniffin’ burlap.
I come to and my brother was there, And he said, What’s wrong with your eyes? I said, I don’t know, I was chewing on a weed. He said, Let me give it a try. We spent the rest of that day and most of that night, Trying to find my brother, Bill. Caught up with him, ’bout six o’clock the next morning, Naked, swinging on the wind mill! He said he flew up there. I had to fly up there and bring him down, He was about half crazy .
The very next day we picked a bunch of them weeds, And put ’em in the sun to dry. Then we mashed ’em up and chopped ’em up, And put ’em in the corncob pipe. Smokin’ that wildwood flower got to be a habit, We didn’t see no harm. We thought it was kind of handy, Take a trip and never leave the farm!
All good things gotta come to an end, And it’s the same with the wildwood weed. One day this feller from Washington came by, And he spied and turned white as a sheet. Then they dug and they burned, And they burned and they dug, And they killed all our cute little weeds. Then they drove away, We just smiled and waved . Sittin’ there on that sack of seeds!
At the moment I can’t find confirmation, (though I have looked) but I would almost bet money that it was written by Don Bowman, though Jim Stafford performs it.
Wow does that song take me back. Those were the days when pot was perceived as just good fun, and not the threat to civilization that it is today. We certainly have come a long way! LEJ
Tune is not really a factor. It is performed mostly as a recitation, with music in the background. At least that is the way Don Bowman did it. You have to give it a bit of hillbilly twang, too.
All seem to agree they have at one time or another heard the song, sung the song but does anybody remember doing the song? I can sure remember those days, haven’t for quite some time, probably wouldn’t anymore if I could, but unlike Bill Clinton who “Didn’t inhale”, I did. Like LEJ said, it was considered fun back then.
Thank you Gene. I have been searching all over for the Lyrics to this song. My grandfather in law used to sing it all the time. It was his favorite song.