September 11, 2007
Feed them babies on shortnin' bread!
There was something familiar about the lyrics Jason Kottke posted for the Rhubarb Pie song, so I went ahead and listened to the audio (the song begins right around the 4:00 mark). The tune for that song (along with some of the lyrics) comes from this traditional plantation song:
Two little darkies, lyin' in bed,Also, it occurs to me now that a popular preschool song derives from the same place, even though it's usually performed as spoken rhyme rather than a song:
One was sick and the other 'most dead.
Sent for the doctor, the doctor he said
"Feed them babies on shortnin' bread!"Mama's little chillun love shortnin', shortnin',
Mama's little chillun love shortnin' bread.
Five little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off an bumped his head.
Mama called the doctor, and the doctor said,
No more monkeys jumping on the bed!Four little monkeys...
It's interesting how music changes. I just discovered yesterday that "St. James Infirmary" started as an English song sung to the tune of what we now know as "The Streets of Laredo".
whoa. unsettling association.
yeah, for sure.
Post a comment