I Saw a Man at the Close of Day

Written by: [Traditional]
Language: English
Comments: This song is typically known as "I Saw a Man at the Close of Day" after Grayson & Whitter's 1929 recording. They credited themselves on the release and it is generally attributed to them but in actuality Ted Chesnut recorded a 1928 version he called "The Drunkard's Doom" which is virtually identical. His release just said he arranged the traditional song. Synopsis - The singer sees a man at a "grog shop door" (i.e. a disreputable bar). The man's son begs him to come home; his wife is ill and his children starving. The drunkard man instead takes another drink. A year later, the singer learns the drunkard is dead.

The January 12, 1901 issue of "The Buffalo Evening News" (New York) has a reference to "Drunkard's Doom." in a section called Songs and Poems Asked For. A person named A.A.O. asks for an old song called the "Drunkard's Child," commencing like this:

I saw a man at the close of day,
Close by a grog-shop door;
His eye was sunk, his cheek was pale,
I viewed him o'er and o'er.
Licensing: Request a synchronization license

Versions

Title	Performer	Release date	Info
The Drunkard's Doom	Ted Chesnut	December 1928	First recording on August 23, 1928 First release
I Saw a Man at the Close of Day	Grayson and Whitter	November 21, 1930
I Saw a Man at the Close of Day	The New Lost City Ramblers	1962
I Saw a Man at the Close of Day	Clint Howard & Fred Price	1972
I Saw a Man at the Close of Day	Wade Mainer	1976
I Saw a Man at the Close of Day	Doc Watson, Clint Howard and Fred Price	1977	Live
I Saw a Man at the Close of Day	Swamp Cats	1980
I Saw a Man at the Close of Day	Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley	1994	Released more than 10 years after its recording
I Saw a Man at the Close of Day	Mark Graham	2000
I Saw a Man at the Close of Day	Dry Branch Fire Squad	April 24, 2001
I Saw a Man at the Close of Day	The Freight Hoppers	August 15, 2010
I Saw a Man at the Close of Day	Josh Oliver	2014

		Title	Performer	Release date	Info
	i	I Saw a Man at the Close of Day	South Carolina Broadcasters	October 13, 2019