The Frozen Logger

"The Frozen Logger" (Roud 5470) is an American folk song, written by James Stevens. It is a tall tale song which makes reference to a logger being identifiable by the habit of stirring coffee with his thumb.

Renditions

The song has been recorded and/or performed by several musicians:

• The Weavers 1951
• Odetta & Larry The Tin Angel 1954
• Cisco Houston Hard Travellin 1954
• Homer and Jethro "Barefoot Ballads" 1957
• Jimmie Rodgers 1960
• Odetta At the Town Hall 1963
• Rolf Harris Man With The Microphone 1966
• Alex Campbell Way Out west 1967
• Johnny Cash "Country & Western Classics" 1982
• The Wakami Wailers River Through the Pines 1999
• Oscar Brand

The first verse or the first two verses were sometimes played as a snippet during instrument tuning breaks by the Grateful Dead in concert, mainly in 1970. It was usually sung by Bob Weir and Phil Lesh.

Cinema

An animated version is available as The Frozen Logger 1963 directed by Gene Deitch

Published

• Bunk Shanty Ballads and Tales, James Stevens, Oregon Historical Quarterly, volume 50, number 4. December 1949.
• Rise Up Singing 1988 page 137
• Lyrics at Folk Song Collector

Parody

The Frozen Jogger.

References