HE WAS JUST A ROOKIE TROOPER,
AND HE SURELY SHOOK WITH FRIGHT.
HE CHECKED OFF HIS EQUIPMENT,
AND MADE SURE HIS PACK WAS TIGHT.
HE HAD TO SIT AND LISTEN TO THOSE
AWFUL ENGINES ROAR.
AND HE AIN'T GONNA JUMP NO MORE. MM
(CHORUS) GORY, GORY WHAT A HELLUVA WAY TO DIE.
GORY, GORY WHAT A HELLUVA WAY TO DIE.
GORY, GORY WHAT A HELLUVA WAY TO DIE.
AND HE AIN'T GONNA JUMP NO MORE. MM
IS EVERYBODY HAPPY,
CRIED THE SERGEANT LOOKING UP?
OUR HERO FEEBLY ANSWERED, YES,
AND THEN THEY STOOD HIM UP.
HE JUMPED INTO THE ICY BLAST,
HIS STATIC LINE UNHOOKED.
AND HE AIN'T GONNA JUMP NO MORE. MM
(CHORUS) MM
HE COUNTED LOUD, HE COUNTED LONG,
HE WAITED FOR THE SHOCK.
HE FELT THE WIND, HE FELT THE COLD,
HE FELT THE AWFUL DROP.
HE JERKED THE CORD, THE SILK SPILLED OUT,
AND WRAPPED AROUND HIS LEGS.
AND HE AIN'T GONNA JUMP NO MORE. MM
(CHORUS) MM
THE RISERS SWUNG AROUND HIS NECK,
CONNECTORS CRACKED HIS DOME.
SUSPENSION LINES WERE TIED IN KNOTS,
AROUND HIS SKINNY BONES.
HIS CANOPY BECAME HIS SHROUD,
AND HE HURLED INTO THE EARTH.
AND HE AIN'T GONNA JUMP NO MORE. MM
(CHORUS) MM
THE DAYS HE LIVED AND LOVED AND LAUGHED,
KEPT RUNNING THROUGH HIS MIND.
HE THOUGHT ABOUT THE GIRLS BACK HOME,
THE ONES HE LEFT BEHIND.
HE THOUGHT ABOUT THE MEDICS,
AND HE WONDERED WHAT THEY'D FIND.
AND HE AIN'T GONNA JUMP NO MORE. MM
(CHORUS) MM
THE AMBULANCE WAS ON THE SPOT.
THE JEEPS WERE RUNNING WILD.
THE MEDICS JUMPED AND SCREAMED WITH GLEE,
AND ROLLED THEIR SLEEVES AND SMILED.
FOR IT HAD BEEN A WEEK OR SO
SINCE LAST A CHUTE HAD FAILED.
AND HE AIN'T GONNA JUMP NO MORE. MM
(CHORUS) MM
HE HIT THE GROUND, THE SOUND WAS SPLAT.
HIS BLOOD WENT SPURTING HIGH.
HIS COMRADES THEN WERE HEARD TO SAY,
WHAT A HELLUVA WAY TO DIE.
HE LAY THERE ROLLING TO AND FRO,
IN THE WELTER OF HIS GORE.
AND HE AIN'T GONNA JUMP NO MORE. MM
(CHORUS) MM
THERE WAS BLOOD UPON THE RISERS.
THERE WAS BRAIN UPON THE CHUTE.
INTESTINES WERE A'DANGLIN' FROM
THIS PARATROOPER'S BOOTS.
THEY PICKED HIM UP STILL IN THE CHUTE,
AND POURED HIM FROM HIS BOOTS.
AND HE AIN'T GONNA JUMP NO MORE. MM
(CHORUS)

Submitter comment: THIS IS A MARCHING CADENCE SUNG TO THE TUNE
OF "BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC." UNITED
STATES ARMY AIRBORNE SCHOOL IS A THREE-WEEK
COURSE OF INSTRUCTION AT FORT BENNING,
GEORGIA. THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF INSTRUCTION
CONSIST OF GROUND AND TOWER TRAINING. THE
THIRD WEEK CONSISTS ENTIRELY OF SUCCESSFULLY
COMPLETING FIVE PARACHUTE JUMPS FROM AN AIRCRAFT
IN FLIGHT. AFTER SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF
GROUND AND TOWER TRAINING, BUT PRIOR TO JUMP
WEEK, "BLOOD ON THE RISERS" RECORDINGS ARE
PLAYED ON LOUDSPEAKERS THROUGHOUT THE STUDENT
COMPANY AREA AS A FORM OF GOOD-NATURED INTIMIDATION
BY THE CADRE.
"RISERS" REFERS TO HEAVY NYLON STRAPS WHICH
EXTEND FROM THE PARACHUTE HARNESS TO THE SUSPENSION
LINES. "STATIC LINE" IS A CORD WHICH IS SNAPPED
TO A WIRE RUNNING THE LENGTH OF THE INTERIOR OF
THE AIRCRAFT, AND WHICH OPENS THE CHUTE
AUTOMATICALLY AS THE JUMPER EXITS THE AIRCRAFT.
THE "COUNT" REFERS TO THE JUMPER'S SILENTLY
COUNTING TO FOUR AND AWAITING THE OPENING SHOCK
OF THE PARACHUTE, LETTING HIM KNOW THAT THE
PARACHUTE HAS DEPLOYED SAFELY. THE "CONNECTORS"
ARE HEAVY ALUMINUM CLIPS WHICH ATTACH THE RISERS
SECURELY TO THE PARACHUTE HARNESS AT CHEST LEVEL.
"SUSPENSION LINES" ARE THE SEVERAL NARROW NYLON
CORDS WHICH RUN FROM THE RISERS TO THE EDGE OF
THE PARACHUTE CANOPY.
THE SONG IS SUNG BY THE STUDENT COMPANY
AT THE GRADUATION CEREMONY AS THE PARACHUTIST
WINGS ARE PINNED ON AFTER THE FIFTH QUALIFYING
JUMP.

Where learned: GEORGIA ; FORT BENNING

James Callow Keyword(s): INITIAL ITERATION (STANZA 3). ; MEDIAL ITERATION (STANZA 3).

Subject headings:

Favorites
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Ballad, Song, Verse
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Ill humor Ridicule Mockery
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- War cries
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F535

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DONT PUT YOUR PURSE ON THE FLOOR OR YOUR MONEY WILL BE LOW.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LIVES BY THIS ONE.

Where learned: DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC

Subject headings:

BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth
BELIEF -- Good luck Money
BELIEF -- Bad luck Money

Date learned: 00001950S

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THE INFORMANT BELIEVES THAT DREAMS CAN LEAD TO FORTUNES.
WHEN SHE HAS A DREAM SHE CAN VIVIDLY RECALL, SHE GETS
A DREAM BOOK AND FINDS THE CORRESPONDING NUMBERS FOR
THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF THE DREAM. SHE THEN
PLAYS THESE NUMBERS IN THE LOTTERY.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT HAS WON IN THE LOTTERY NUMEROUS TIMES AND
ATTRIBUTES HER WINNINGS TO THE DREAMS. SHE SAYS SOMETIMES
WHEN SHE DREAMS OF A DECEASED RELATIVE THEY WILL GIVE HER
THE NUMBERS TO PLAY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): NUMEROLOGY

Subject headings:

BELIEF -- Dreams
BELIEF -- Good luck

Date learned: 03-00-1983

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JACK HAGGERTY

MY NAME IS JACK HAGGERTY, FROM GREENVILLE I CAME.
MY VIRTUE'S DEPARTED, AT LAST I PROCLAIM.
THE STRONG DARTS OF CUPID HAVE CAUSED ME MUCH GRIEF.
MY HEART'S TORN ASUNDER, I GET NO RELIEF. MM MM
MY STORY I'LL TELL YOU WITHOUT NO DELAY,
HOW A SWEET LITTLE LASSIE, MY HEART STOLE AWAY.
SHE WAS THE BLACKSMITH'S OWN DAUGHTER, ON THE FLAT RIVER SIDE
AND I ALWAYS INTENDED TO MAKE HER MY BRIDE. MM MM
I WORKED ON THE RIVER, I EARNED QUITE A STEAK.
I WAS STEADFAST AND STEADY, I NE'ER PLAYED THE RAKE.
FROM TOP BAR TO HOUSE TOP, I WAS VERY WELL KNOWN.
THEY CALLED ME JACK HAGGERTY, THE PRIDE OF THE TOWN. MM MM
ONE DAY ON THE RIVER, A LETTER I RECEIVED.
IT CAME FROM MY TRUE LOVE, FROM ME SHE WAS RELIEVED.
SHE'D MARRIED AN OLD LOVE, SHE HAD LONG TIME DELAYED
AND THE NEXT TIME I'D SEE HER, SHE'D NOT BE A MAID. MM MM
TO HER MOTHER JANE TUCKER, I LAY ALL THE BLAME.
SHE CAUSED HER TO FORSAKE ME, GO BACK ON MY NAME.
SHE CAST OFF THE LOGGER, THAT GOD WOULD SOON TIE
AND LEFT ME A WANDERER TO THE DAY THAT I DIE. MM MM
SO ITS FAREWELL FLAT RIVER, FOR ME THERE'S NO REST.
I'LL SHOULDER MY PEEVE, AND I WILL GO WEST.
I'LL GO TO MUSKEGON, SOME COMFORT TO FIND
AND I'LL LEAVE THIS FLAT RIVER AND ITS GAY GIRLS BEHIND. MM MM
COME ALL YOU BOLD RAFTMEN, WITH HEARTS KIND AND TRUE.
DON'T DEPEND ON A WOMAN, YOU'LL GET LEFT IF YOU DO.
BUT IF YOU EVER MEET ONE WITH DARK CHESTNUT CURL,
JUST REMEMBER JACK HAGGERTY AND THE FLAT RIVER GIRL. MM MM
THE SONG JACK HAGGERTY WAS ABOUT A YOUNG MAN FROM OVER BY
THE GREENVILLE AND GRAND RAPIDS AREA. HIS GIRL, THAT HE
THOUGHT HE WAS TO MARRY, RAN OFF AND MARRIED ANOTHER. SO
THIS SONG WAS FORMED AS A WARNING TO THE OTHER RIVER BOYS
TO BEWARE OF WHAT THE GIRLS MIGHT DO TO THEM. AT THAT AGE
IN HISTORY, MANY EVENTS AND LORE WERE LEFT BEHIND IN THE
FORM OF SONGS OR POEMS.

Submitter comment: THIS IS A VERY POPULAR VERSION OF A VERY POPULAR LUMBER-
JACK BALLAD. THERE ARE ABOUT SIX OTHER VERSIONS OF THIS
SHANTY-BOY BALLAD. IT IS MOST COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE FLAT
RIVER GIRL."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HOUGHTON LAKE

Keyword(s): LINE 91900 STAKE FOR STEAK ; LINE 94300 RAFTSMEN FOR RAFTMEN

James Callow Keyword(s): LUMBERJACK

Subject headings:

Favorites
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- C230

Date learned: 00001930S

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WHEN A FEMALE IS IN HER CYCLE, SHE SHOULDN'T TOUCH
ANY PLANT OR CROPS BECAUSE IF SHE DOES THEN THEY WILL
DIE. THE REASON FOR THIS IS BECAUSE GOD CURSED WOMEN WITH
THIS CURSE BECAUSE EVE NED AND SO THE CURSE IS SIN
SINFUL AND CAN KILL LIVING PLANTS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): MENSTRUATION

Subject headings:

BELIEF -- Gods
BELIEF -- Creation and Order of Human Life
BELIEF -- Plant
BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal

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YOU SHOULD NEVER MENTION A DEAD PERSON'S NAME IN VAIN
BECAUSE THEY WILL COME AND PUNISH YOU FOR IT BY HAUNTING
YOUR HOUSE OR BY PLAYING MEAN TRICKS ON YOU.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): NAME TABU

Subject headings:

Person / Nickname
BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter
BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal

Date learned: 04-00-1983

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Entry filtered.

Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE POLLOCK WHO LOCKED HIS KEYS IN HIS CAR?
HE ASKED THE GAS STATION ATTENDANT FOR A COAT HANGER SO HE COULD
GET HIS FAMILY OUT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Mount Clemens

James Callow Keyword(s): IGNORANCE OF MECHANICS

Subject headings: