Deprecated: The each() function is deprecated. This message will be suppressed on further calls in /var/www/libs/inc/cfa/cfa-search.inc.php on line 473

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /var/www/libs/inc/cfa/cfa-item.inc.php on line 327

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /var/www/libs/inc/cfa/cfa-item.inc.php on line 327

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /var/www/libs/inc/cfa/cfa-item.inc.php on line 327

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /var/www/libs/inc/cfa/cfa-item.inc.php on line 327

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /var/www/libs/inc/cfa/cfa-item.inc.php on line 327

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /var/www/libs/inc/cfa/cfa-item.inc.php on line 327

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /var/www/libs/inc/cfa/cfa-item.inc.php on line 327
The James T. Callow Computerized Folkore Archive | University of Detroit Mercy Libraries Back to Top
Top Nav content Site Footer
University Home
James T. Callow Computerized Folklore Archive
search for

Offensive content Filter is ON

Your search for returned 13057 results.

prev | items
| next

TRUE FRIENDS ARE LIKE DIAMONDS--
PRECIOUS AND RARE.
FALSE ONES ARE LIKE LEAVES--
FOUND EVERYWHERE.

Submitter comment: THIS USED TO BE ONE OF MY PEN PALS (1957). THIS WAS
ONE OF HER CLEVER SAYINGS.

Data entry tech comment: OFTEN FOUND IN AUTOGRAPH BOOKS.

Where learned: Wyoming ; ROCK SPRINGS

Keyword(s): FRIENDSHIP JEWELS ; METER: TROCHAIC ; QUATRAIN FUNCTION AUTOGRAPH VERSE ; RHYME: MASCULINE, ABCB

James Callow Keyword(s): AUTUMN LEAVES SCATTERED EVERYWHERE--AMA BARR

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

View just this record

TWO'S A COUPLE,
THREE'S A CROWD,
FOUR ON THE SIDEWALK,
IS NEVER ALLOWED.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): METER: TROCHAIC ; REFRAIN NUMBERS ; RHYME: MASCULINE, ABCB ; VARIATION: FOUR'S TOO MANY, FIVE'S NOT ALLOWED.

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

View just this record

CHEER

UMBA SASSA, UMBA SASSA,
HIT 'EM IN DA HEAD WITH A BIG KILBASA.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT USED IN POLISH HIGH SCHOOL.

Data entry tech comment: KIELBASA=POLISH SAUSAGE

Where learned: ILLINOIS ; CHICAGO

Keyword(s): DIALECT, SLANG THREAT FOOD ; METER: TROCHAIC ; RHYME: FEMININE

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse

View just this record

WE DON'T HAVE OUR BACKHOUSE ANYMORE,
THINGS ARE MIGHTY DIFFERENT THAN BEFORE.
ONCE I HAD TO GO IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT,
I WAS SUCH A LITTLE FELLOW, I DIDN'T FIT RIGHT.
I TIPPED THE DARN THING OVER AND GOD! WAS I A SIGHT!
WE DON'T HAVE OUR BACKHOUSE ANYMORE.

Submitter comment: MY DAD OFTEN RECITED THE FOLLOWING NURSERY RHYME TO
MY SISTERS AND ME WHEN WE WERE SAD. IT ALWAYS BROUGHT
A SMILE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ACCIDENT TOILET ; BACKHOUSE=PRIVY OUTHOUSE ; REPETITION SLANG HUMOR ; RHYME: MASCULINE, AABBBA ; UNDERSTATEMENT OBSERVATION

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

View just this record

WE MUST, WE MUST,
WE MUST IMPROVE THE BUST.
THE BIGGER THE BETTER,
THE TIGHTER THE SWEATER,
WE MUST IMPROVE THE BUST.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ANATOMY ; BOSOM BREAST ; FUNCTION GROWING UP ; MONOLOGUE SLANG DIALECT ; REFRAIN, QUATRAIN? ; RHYME: FEMININE, INTERNAL ; RHYME: IMPERFECT, AABBA

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse

View just this record

WHEN I'M DEAD AND IN MY GRAVE,
NO MORE WHISKEY SHALL I CRAVE,
FOR ON MY TOMBSTONE SHALL BE WROTE,
MANY A QUART'S WENT DOWN MY THROAT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GARDEN CITY

Keyword(s): DRINKING ; METER: ANAPESTIC DIMETER ; MONOLOGUE QUATRAIN EPITAPH EUPHEMISM ; POOR GRAMMAR ; RHYME: MASCULINE, AABB

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

View just this record

WHEN YOU ARE OLD AND ABOUT TO DIE,
CALL ME UP SO I CAN CRY.
(TELEPHONE NUMBER).

Where learned: SCHOOL ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ANTICLIMAX IRONY COUPLET ; AUTOGRAPH VERSE? ; METER: ANAPESTIC ; PREPARATION FOR DEATH OLD AGE FRIENDSHIP ; RHYME: MASCULINE

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

View just this record

YOU SCREAM, I SCREAM,
WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): METER: IAMBIC ANAPESTIC ; REPETITION FOOD REFRAIN CACOGRAPHY ; RHYME: MASCULINE

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse

View just this record

FLOWERS MAY WITHER,
SONGS MAY DIE,
SOME WILL FORGET YOU,
BUT NEVER WILL I...

Where learned: LOUISIANA ; BATON ROUGE

Keyword(s): AUTOGRAPH VERSE? ; RHYME: MASCULINE, ABCB ; SINCERITY INDIRECTION PLEDGE FRIENDSHIP

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse C730.325

View just this record

THE MAIDEN

THERE ONCE WAS A MAIDEN SO FAIR,
HER BRIGHT BLUE EYES AND GOLDEN HAIR;
BUT HER LIFE WAS RUINED BY A TWIST OF FATE,
THE STORY'S AWFUL, I'M SAD TO RELATE.
YES, THE TALE IS TRUE, FOR I WOULD NOT LIE,
I HEARD IT ONE NIGHT WHILE I WAS STILL HIGH;
I HAVE WRITTEN IT JUST AS SHE TOLD IT TO ME,
AND THE PAIN HAS MADE ME SICK AS CAN BE.
"I LEFT HIM FLAT; FOR HE TREATED ME CRUEL;
FOR NOW I SEE THAT I WAS A FOOL,
HE'S UGLY AND DIRTY AND SMELLS LIKE A HORSE,
AND THAT'S WHY I DECIDED TO GET A DIVORCE."
"I WAS JUST TWENTY WHEN THE MESS DID START,
HE SAID HE WOULD LOVE ME TILL DEATH DO US PART;
LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT THE DAY WOULD SOON COME,
WHEN I WOULD GET WISE TO THAT NO-GOOD BUM.
"NOW I AM HAPPY AND FINALLY FREE,
TO THINK, DO, AND SAY WHAT I PLEASE;
SO FOR A LITTLE ADVICE BEFORE YOU MARRY,
BE SURE YOUR HUSBAND IS NOT BIG AND HAIRY."
"SO WHEN THE MAN OF YOUR DREAMS TURNS TO A FINK,
GET A DIVORCE OR MAKE A BIG STINK;
BUT IF YOU SEE HE'S NO GOOD FROM THE START,
DROP HIM FAST OR HE'LL BREAK YOUR HEART."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): LAMENT ADVICE ; METER: IAMBIC TRIMETER ; RHYME: MASCULINE, AABB ; SIMILE INDIRECTION HUMOR MARRIAGE

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse C730.325

View just this record

WHEN I WAS YOUNG AND HAD NO SENSE,
THEY RAISED ME UP FOR TWENTY PENCE.
NOW THEY SAY I'M OLD AND GRAY,
AND THEY SAY I'M IN THE WAY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): AGING

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse C730.325

Date learned: 04-00-1970

View just this record

THE MONKEY'S DISGRACE

THREE MONKEYS SAT UNDER A COCONUT TREE,
DISCUSSING THINGS AS THEY ARE TO BE.
SAID ONE TO THE OTHER, NOW LISTEN YOU TWO,
THERE IS A CERTAIN RUMOR THAT CANNOT BE TRUE.
THAT MAN DESCENDED FROM OUR NOBLE RACE,
THE VERY IDEA IS A DISGRACE.
NO MONKEY EVER DESERTED HIS WIFE,
STARVED A BABY OR RUINED A LIFE,
AND YOU HAVE NEVER KNOWN A MOTHER MONK
TO LEAVE HER BABIES WITH OTHERS TO BUNK.
OR PASS THEM ON FROM ONE TO ANOTHER
TILL THEY SCARCELY KNOW WHO IS THEIR MOTHER.
ANOTHER THING YOU WILL NEVER SEE;
A MONK TO BUILD A FENCE AROUND A COCONUT TREE.
AND LET THE COCONUTS GO TO WASTE,
FORBIDDING ALL OTHER MONKS TO TASTE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): IRONY SARCASM ; JUDGMENT ON HUMAN RACE

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse C730.327

View just this record

AS A BEAUTY I AM NO STAR,
THERE ARE OTHERS MUCH MORE HANDSOME BY FAR.
BUT MY FACE, I DON'T MIND IT,
BECAUSE I'M BEHIND IT.
IT'S THE FOLKS UP IN FRONT THAT I JAR.

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): SELF-CRITICISM

Subject headings: 730 Lyrical Verse

View just this record

CURLERS IN MY HAIR AT NIGHT,
HEAVENS--WHAT AN AWFUL SIGHT.
I TOSS, I TURN, WHEN WILL I LEARN--
THAT BEAUTY ISN'T WORTH THE FIGHT!

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): INTERNAL RHYME ; SELF-CRITICISM

Subject headings: 730 Lyrical Verse

View just this record

DAN, DAN, THE FUNNY WEE MAN,
WASHED HIS FACE WITH A FRYING PAN.
COMBED HIS HAIR WITH THE LEG OF A CHAIR,
DAN, DAN, THE FUNNY WEE MAN.

Data entry tech comment: OLD DAN TUCKER?

Where learned: NOT GIVEN

Keyword(s): COMPARE "OLD DAN TUCKER" ; QUATRAIN NONSENSE ; RHYME: AABA

Subject headings: 730 Lyrical Verse

View just this record

ARMY VERSE

G. I. BEANS
G. I. GRAVY,
GEE, I WISH I'D JOINED THE NAVY.

Where learned: WEST GERMANY

Keyword(s): G. I. = GOVERNMENT ISSUE ; REFERS TO THE ARMY IN GENERAL..

Subject headings: 730 Lyrical Verse

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

View just this record

HERE LIES THE BODY OF SOLOMON PEASE.
UNDER THE DAISIES, UNDER THE TREES.
BUT PEASE ISN'T HERE, ONLY THE POD.
PEASE SHELLED OUT AND WENT HOME TO GOD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): DEATH PUN ; EPITAPH RHYME: COUPLETS ; VEGETABLES: PEAS METAPHOR SLANG

Subject headings: 730 Lyrical Verse

View just this record

I AM A BEAVER,
YOU ARE A BEAVER,
WE ARE ALL BEAVERS,
WHEN WE'RE IN TROUBLE,
WE GIVE THE BEAVER CALL.
KISSING SOUND.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): FINAL ITERATION

Subject headings: 730 Lyrical Verse

View just this record

WHO CARES? NOT I.

I KNOW HOW UGLY I ARE,
MY FACE IT AIN'T NO STAR,
BUT I DON'T MIND IT,
CAUSE I'M BEHIND IT,
IT'S THE FOLKS OUT FRONT GET THE JAR.

Submitter comment: FROM CHILDHOOD

Where learned: OHIO ; MASSILLON

Keyword(s): SELF-CRITICISM

Subject headings: 730 Lyrical Verse

Date learned: 00-00-1968

View just this record

prev | items
| next

Back to Top