The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

WORK CHANT

WHEN LINING TRACK FOR THE RAILROAD THE MEN WOULD LINE UP AGAINST THE
TRACKS WITH TOOLS CALLED LINING BARS. WHEN THEY RECEIVED THE SIGNAL
FROM THE FOREMAN, ONE OF THE MEN OF THE CREW WOULD HOLLER,
"GIMME MUD." AT THIS POINT THEY'D ALL DIG THEIR LINING BARS
INTO THE GROUND NEXT TO THE TRACK. THEN ONE OF THE MEN WOULD
HOLLER, "CALL ON UNCLE JOE." WITH THIS SIGNAL, THEY'D ALL YELL
TOGETHER, "JOE," WHILE THEY PUSHED THE BAR AGAINST THE RAIL TO BEND
IT. IF THEY'D GO TOO FAR THE FOREMAN WOULD SIGNAL THE OTHER WAY.
WHEN THIS WOULD HAPPEN, THE MAN WHO INITIALLY HOLLERED WOULD STOP
THE CREW BY SAYING, "CHANGED OUR MINDS} TALK TO 'EM (MARTIN)."
THE CREW WOULD THEN SET THEIR LINING BARS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
RAIL, AND THE NEW MEN WOULD CHANT OUT THE SAME REFRAIN.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT IS MY UNCLE WHO IS ONLY TWO AND A HALF YEARS OLDER THAN
ME. HE LEARNED THIS CHANT WHILE ACTUALLY WORKING ON THE RAILROAD
FOR A FEW SUMMERS UP IN WISCONSIN AROUND A TOWN CALLED BURLINGTON,
WHILE HE WAS STILL IN COLLEGE.

Date learned: 06-00-1965