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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, IN ALEXANDRIA, GEORGIA, MOST
OF THE PEOPLE COULD NEITHER READ NOR WRITE. AT
GATHERINGS, AT CHURCH AFFAIRS, ETC., HE, A BOY AT
THAT TIEM, WOULD RECITE PIECES AND SING SONGS. (HE=
MR. WRIGHT, THE INFORMANT.)
RECITATION:
GOODBYE LITTLE BIRDIE FLYING TO THE SKY,
SINGING AND SINGING A MERRY GOOD BYE.
TELL ALL THE BIRDIES FLYING ABOVE,
NELL IN THE GARDEN, SENDS THEM HER LOVE.
TELL HOW I FOUND YOU HURT IN A TREE
ALTHOUGH YOU'LL WANDER, YOU COME BACK TO ME.
IT'S WRONG TO BE SORRY I OUGHT TO BE GLAD
YOU ARE THE BEST LITTLE BIRDIE I EVER HAD.
(THE GOODBYE IS TO A SWALLOW FROM NELL. THE BIRD
ANSERS):
(NELL) GOODBYE LITTLE BIRDIE,
WHERE DID YOU GO?
(BIRD) I WENT SOUTH FOR THE WINTER
AND ALWAYS DO YOU KNOW
THE SOUTH HOW DO YOU LIKE IT?
I LIKE THE SUNNY SKIES,
AROUND THE ORANGE BLOSSOMS
I CAUGHT THE NICEST FLIES.
(THIS IS ALL MR. WRIGHT COULD REMEMBER).) MR. WRIGHT
ALSO SAID HE ALSO RECITED SOME ORIGINAL THINGS OF HIS
OWN:
DON'T GIVE UP
MEN ARE EVER RUNNING AND NEVER FIRE A GUN
THEY NEVER THINK OF WINNING BUT ALWAYS THINK TO RUN
THERE'S NO NEED OF GIVING UP, THAT'S A WEAKLIN'S WAY
IF YOU'VE LOST THE DAY BEFORE, YOU MAY GAIN TODAY.
ALL DAYS AREN'T JUST ALIKE; THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
SOME ARE JUST AS CLEAR AND BRIGHT,
OTHERS DARK AND CLOUDY.
THERE'S NO NEED OF GRUMBLING, THERE'S NO NEED TO WHINE,
HAVE FAITH, GO FORWARD UNTIL YOU WILL HAVE PLUCKED
THE MELONS FROM THE VINE.
(THERE IS AN ALTERNATE ENDING)
NEVER THINK OF GIVING UP, ALWAYS BE A TRYING
TILL AT LAST YOU WILL HAVE PLUCKED
THE MELONS FROM THE VINE.
LITTLE WILLIE AND I HAD A FIGHT LAST NIGHT.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT BOY IS A SIGHT.
HE WAS COURTING MISS JANIE THEN
WHEN HE WALKED OUT, I WALKED IN.
I KNOW THIS WAS A GREAT BIG SIN.
SO WHEN I CAME HOME THAT NIGHT
HE ASKED ME WOULD I FIGHT.
HE SAID TO ME, "I'LL WHIP YOU SURE."
I SHOOK MY HEAD, "NO, NO."
I'M A GREAT BIG MAN, YOU SEE
AND HE ONLY TOUCHED ME 'BOUT THE KNEE.
BUT HE KNOCKED ME SO BLAZING HARD,
I FELL A WINDING IN THE YARD.
UP AGAINST THOSE RAILROAD CARS,
I THINK I SAW THE SEVEN STARS.
TWAS ONE MORNING JUST A LIGHT,
IT WAS WILLY'S, NOT MY FIGHT.
AND HE DID ME JUST 'BOUT RIGHT.
Submitter comment:
ENCOURAGEMENT
WHEN MR. WRIGHT VISITS THE SOUTH, EVEN TODAY, HE RECITES
ESSAYS, SPEECHES, ETC. AT CHURCH GATHERINGS.
ANOTHER ORIGINAL RECITATION:
Where learned: HOME
Date learned: 11-00-1967
TINY TIM
I HAD A LITTLE BROTHER,
HIS NAME WAS TINY TIM.
I PUT HIM IN THE BATHTUB
TO TEACH HIM HOW TO SWIM.
HE DRANK UP ALL THE WATER,
HE ATE UP ALL THE SOAP,
HE DIED LAST NIGHT,
WITH A BUBBLE IN HIS THROAT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
VERSE
WHEN I CLIMBED UP AND DOWN A PINE, I TORE MY PANTS RIGHT BEHIND.
I ASKED/ MY MOTHER IF SHE'D BE KIND AND SEW MY PANTS UP BEHIND.
Submitter comment: THIS VERSE WAS ALSO TAKEN FROM THE INFORMANT'S AUTOGRAPH BOOK.
Where learned: DETROIT ; TOLD IN
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse |
Date learned: 06-09-1944
THE SEWER
BY THE SEWER I LIVED,
BY THE SEWER I DIED,
THEY CALLED IT MURDER,
BUT IT WAS SEWER-CIDE.
Submitter comment: GRADE SCHOOL AUTOGRAPH BOOK
Data entry tech comment: ADDED TITLE AND COMMAS
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): SUICIDE
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Translations, plays on words, symbol writing |
FLYLEAF-FRIENDSHIP
SHIRLEY HAD A LITTLE LAMP,
SHE HAD IT TRAINED NO DOUBT.
EVERTIME HER BOYFRIEND CAME,
THE LITTLE LAMP WENT OUT.
Submitter comment: FROM MY AUTOGRAPH BOOK, DATE 1939. MY GIRLFRIENDS WROTE IN IT.
Data entry tech comment: ADDED COMMAS WHERE NECESSARY
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; NORTHVILLE
Keyword(s): LIGHT
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Humorous allusion to love |
Date learned: 08-00-1964
AUTOGRAPH FROM NADYNE ORLOFF
HE WALKED HER HOME WHEN THE NIGHT WAS DARK,
HE RAN AHEAD TO OPEN THE GATE.
SHE WANTED TO THANK HIM, BUT SHE DIDN'T KNOW HOW,
'CUZ HE WAS THE FARMER, AND SHE WAS THE COW/
Submitter comment:
ENTRY DATED 1963 IN AUTOGRAPH BOOK, KEPT IN OADK PARK, MICHIGAN
1963 - 1972
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; OAK PARK
Keyword(s): RHYME
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Wisecracks, gags, silly stories, insults |
Date learned: 00-00-1963
JUMP-ROPE RHYME
JACK AND JILL WENT UP THE HILL
TO FETCH A PAIL OF WATER.
BUT JILL STILL STAYED ON THE HILL.
HOW MANY DOCTORS DID IT TAKE
FOR TO MEND JACK'S BROKEN CROWN?
COUNT OFF.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 11-00-1974
JUMP-ROPE RHYME
NOT LAST NIGHT BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE,
24 ROBINS CAME KNOCKIN' AT MMY DOOR.
AS I WENT OUT, THEY WENT IN,
HIT ME OVER THE HEAD WITH A BOTTLE OF GIN.
I ASKED THEM WHAT THEY WANTED
AND THIS IS WHAT THEY SAID:
SPANISH DANCER , JUMP SO HIGH.
SPANISH DANCER, DO THE SPLITS.
SPANISH DANCER, DO THE TWIST.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): ROBBERS
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 11-00-1974
JUMP-ROPE RHYME
I'M A PRETTY LITTLE, PRETTY LITTLE, DUTCH GIRL.
AS PRETTY, AS PRETTY CAN BE.
AND ALL THE BOYS AROUND WAY GO CRAZY OVER ME. MY
MY BOYFRIEND'S NAME IS SKIPPY.
HE COMES FROM MISSISSIPPI.
WITH A BOOGIE IN HIS NOSE AND TWENTY-FOUR TOES,
THAT'S THE WAY MY STORY GOES,
ONE DAY WHEN I WAS WALKING, I HEARD MY BOYFRIEND TALKING
TO THE PRETTY LITTLE GIRL WITH THE STRAWBERRY CURLS
AND THIS IS WHAT HE SAID TO HER:
I L-O-V-E LOVE YOU. I W-A-N-T WANT YOU.
I K-I-S-S KISS YOU.
AND THAT IS WHAT HE SAID TO HER.
MY FATHER GAVE ME A NICKLE. MY MOTHER GAVE ME A DIME.
MY SISTER GAVE ME A LOVERBOY TO KISS ME ALL THE TIME.
MY FATHER DIME. TOOK HIS NICKEL, MY MOTHER TOOK HER
MY SISTER TOOK HER LOVERBOY AND GAVE ME FRANKENSTEIN!!
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 11-00-1974
JUMP-ROPE RHYME
MISS LUCY HAD A BABY, SHE NAMED HIM TINY TIM,
SHE PUT HIM IN THE BATHTUB TO SEE IF HE COULD SWIM,
HE DRANK UP ALL THE WATER,
HE ATE UP ALL THE SOAP,
HE TRIED TO EAT THE BATHTUB,
BUT IT WOULDN'T GO DOWN HIS THROAT.
MISS LUCY CALLED THE DOCTOR,
THE DOCTOR CALLED THE NURSE,
THE NURSE CALLED THE LADY WITH THE ALLIGATOR PURSE.
NOTHING SAID THE DOCTOR. NOTHING SAID THE NURSE.
NOYHING SAID THE LADY WITH THE ALLIGATOR PURSE.
OUT WENT THE DOCTOR, OUT WENT THE NURSE,
OUT WENT THE LADY WITH THE ALLIGATOR PURSE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 11-00-1974
JUMP ROPE RHYME
NOT LAST NIGHT/ BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE/ 25 ROBBERS CAME A KNOCKING
AT MY DOOR/ AS I WALKED OUT, THEY WALKED IN/ AND HIT ME ON THE
HEAD WITH A ROLLING PIN
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MADISON HEIGHTS
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 10-00-1973
LIMERICK
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY FROM YETTA/ WHO FANCIED HERSELF IN A SWETTA/
THREE REASONS SHE HAD/ TO KEEP WARM WAS NOT BAD/ BUT THE OTHER TWO
REASONS WERE BETTA
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MADISON HEIGHTS
James Callow Keyword(s): INDIRECTION FOR BREASTS ; SWEATER
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1969
VERSE
SHE OFFERED HER HONOR
AND HE HONORED HER OFFER,
AND ALL NIGHT LONG
HE WAS HONOR AND OFFER.
James Callow comment:
ALLUSION TO SEXUAL INTERCOURSE
CN[ HARTWIG, WILLIAM 720390
C1[ 260 ALAMEDA
C2[ YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO 44504
DNC[ 1,714
******************** C FILE 1 ********************
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; RESIDENCE HALLS
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 00001960S
VERSE WITHOUT MUSIC
FIVE LITTLE SQUIRRELS SITTING IN A TREE.
FIRST ONE SAYS, "WHAT DO I SEE?"
SECOND ONE SAYS, "I SEE A GUN."
THIRD ONE SAYS, "OH LET'S RUN."
FOURTH ONE SAYS, "LET'S HIDE UNDER A TREE."
FIFTH ONE SAYS, "I'M NOT AFRAID."
POP WITH A GUN, OH YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE SQUIRRELS RUN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; RESIDENCE HALLS
James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMAL
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 00001950S AND 00001960S
VERSE
Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.
LISTEN, LISTEN, THE CAT'S PISSING.
WHERE? WHERE?
UNDER THE CHAIR.
RUN, RUN, GET YOUR GUN.
AWH SHIT, SHE'S ALL DONE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; RESIDENCE HALLS
James Callow Keyword(s): SCATALOGICAL SLANG
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Filter - Mature Content |
Date learned: 00001950S AND 00001960S
Entry filtered.
VERSE WITHOUT MUSIC
'TWAS THE NIGHT OF THANKSGIVING
DID END AND DID SPARE,
AS MY FATHER LAY MOANING,
SPROUT OUT IN HIS CHAIR. {SPRAWLED?}
HIS BELT WAS ALL THROBBING,
HIS FACE WAS ALL PLUSHED {FLUSHED?}
I KNEW IN A MOMENT
THAT HE'D SURELY BUST.
THEN OUT OF THE SILENCE,
CAME A KABOOM
TURKEY AND CRANBERRIES,
ALL OVER THE ROOM.
THE DOCTORS THEY SAVED HIM,
AND ARE STILL HERE TO SAY,
NEVER EAT A WHOLE TURKEY
ON THANKSGIVING DAY.
James Callow comment:
PARODY OF NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
CN[ HARTWIG, WILLIAM 720390
C1[ 260 ALAMEDA
C2[ YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO 44504
DNC[ 1,692
******************** C FILE 1 ********************
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; RESIDENCE HALLS
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F110 CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Autumn Fall Harvest Thanksgiving |
Date learned: 00001950S AND 00001960S
Entry filtered.
Entry filtered.
LIMERICK
THERE ONCE WAS A GIRL NAMED ANNHEISER,
WHO SAID THAT NO GUY COULD SURPRISE HER.
UNTIL A GUY NAMED GIBBONS,
UNTIED ALL HER RIBBONS,
AND NOW SHE'S SADDER BUT WISER.
Submitter comment: SOME OF THESE ITEMS ARE FRATERNAL ORGANIZATION FOLKLORE
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; NEW YORK ; ALBANY ; CAMPUS
James Callow Keyword(s): BEER BRAND NAME PUNS: ANHEISER & BUDWEISER
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 12-00-1973