Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series presents information about and YouTube examples of the song "Ragg Mopp".
Selected comments from some of these examples are also included in this post.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/11/examples-of-ragg-mopp-from-ames.html for Part II of this series. Part II presents examples of the song "Ragg Mopp" from The The Ames Brothers, The Treniers, and the Beany and Cecil television cartoon series.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-song-get-mop-and-its-much-more.html for Part I of this series. Part I presents information about and examples of the song "Get The Mop" and its adaptation - the much more widely known song "Ragg Mopp".
Selected comments from some of the discussion thread for the "Ragg Mopp" sound file are also included in that post.
The content of this post is provided for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
Thanks to the composer/s of these songs and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in YouTube examples that are embedded in this post and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
Example #1: Rag Mop by the Ames Brothers 1950
jukejointjohnny48, Published on May 4, 2014
-snip-
Here are selected comments from this sound file's discussion thread, with numbers added for referencing purposes:
1. J Boog, 2017
"wow this sounds really hip for 1950. one of the first early rock n roll songs?"
**
REPLY
2. Dario Witer, 2017
"It's not a rock song at all; it's more like a bluesy boogie woogie."
**
REPLY
3. Pottergoggles, 2017
"It's a style called Western Swing. Been around since the 40s. Buncha C+W players who could play jazz."
**
4. Leon Childs jr, 2017
"The version that went to no.1."
****
Example #2: RaggMopp
anw52, Published on Feb 23, 2008
-snip-
Here's information about The Treniers
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Treniers
"The Treniers were an American R&B and jump blues musical group[1] led by identical twins Cliff and Claude Trenier. They were originally billed as The Trenier Twins, who performed alongside the Gene Gilbeaux Quartet, but shortened their name to The Treniers when Gilbeaux and other musicians became integral members of the group....
[...]
One of the first times rock and roll appeared on national television was in May 1954 when the Treniers appeared on the Colgate Comedy Hour, hosted by Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. During the playing of their songs, Martin and Lewis participated in the antics, and when the drummer got up and stepped aside, Jerry Lewis sat down and played drums for one song."
-snip-
Here's information about that above mentioned television appearance:
From https://www.metafilter.com/114299/The-Treniers
"Do you know The Treniers? Back in the 40s and 50s, they straddled the lines between jump blues, swing, early rock'n'roll, jazz dance, hep jive and comedy. They were a whole hella fun, and they happened to be the backing band for what must be the best dance performance Jerry Lewis ever gave the world. That particular clip, BTW, from a Dean Martin/Jerry Lewis "Colgate Comedy Hour" in 1954, is purported to be the first rock'n'roll performance on national television, and it may well have been."
posted by flapjax, March 28, 2012
****
Example #3: The Treniers - Rag Mop (1963)
vintage video clips, Published on Jun 21, 2018
****
Example #4: Time For Beany - Cecil and Harry Truman Do "Raggmopp"
TheBeanyandCecil, Published on Jun 14, 2011
Harry Truman accompanies on piano as Cecil the Sea Sick Sea Serpent sings "Raggmopp." An energetic Stan Freberg helps Cecil give it all he's got on live television at its best! Circa 1950.
-snip-
Here are two comments from this video's discussion thread:
1. Nora Steel, 2015
"Wow! Thank you for posting this..I loved Beanie and Cecil, the sea sick serpent! I STILL remember Cecil singing rap mop! lol a million thank you's for the memories!! <3"
**
2. Bartholomew, 2017
"Beany and Cecil his Obedient Serpent Freemason Harry Truman (Bob Clampett). 1953."
-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkqmrwPAh08 for a short 1962 clip of an animated Cecil singing this song.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Translate
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
The Song "Get The Mop" And Its Much More Widely Known Adaptation "Ragg Mopp"
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series presents information about and YouTube examples of the song "Ragg Mopp".
Part I presents information about and examples of the song "Get The Mop" and its adaptation - the much more widely known song "Ragg Mopp".
Selected comments from the discussion thread for the "Ragg Mopp" sound file are also included in this post.
Part II presents YouTube examples of the song "Ragg Mopp" from The Ames Brothers, The Treniers, and the Beany and Cecil television cartoon series.
The content of this post is provided for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
Thanks to the composer/s of these songs and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in YouTube examples that are embedded in this post and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
****
WHAT IS A RAG MOP?
From https://www.thespruce.com/what-are-rag-mops-1901105
"Rag mops are a more old-fashioned style of mop that uses rags or strings on the mop head to absorb mop water and clean the floor. Both string and strip style mops fall into this category. Usually, the strips of absorbent fabric or thick strings are attached by being sewn onto the mop head. This is necessary since glue could disintegrate with different kinds of floor cleaner.”...
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE OF THE SONG "GET THAT MOP" : Henry Red Allen 1946 Get The MOP w. Higginbotham soundie
hoffmannjazz, Published on Jan 16, 2012
in 1951 Red Allen had won on trial being alone composer in music and lyrics of Get The Mop (The Ignorant stick) = MOP = identical at all with Rag Mop , first played at the Garrick Stage, Chicago 1/21/46, NYC., R.C.A. Victor Studios (411 Fifth Avenue,) Soundies Distributing Corp. Of America, Inc. each 1 reel , ad., dir.:William F.Crouch - HENRY "RED" ALLEN & HIS ORCH.: Red Allen (t,v) Jay C.Higginbotham (tb) Don Stovall (as) Bill Thompson (p) Benny Moten (b) Alvin Burroughs (d) & Johni Weaver & Harry Turner (dancing); different stage-backgrounds; The sideline photography was done during the week commencing either January 21 and/or 28, 1946 , (probably the former), probably Filmcraft Studios (2826 Decatur Avenue, Bronx, New York City).Henry "Red" Allen and the combo were paid $210.00 for their soundtrack work in this series of soundies. The group was possibly paid and additional $300.00 for their sideline work in the five soundies in this series...
-snip-
The first sentence in that summary reads "in 1951 Red Allen had won [the] trial being [declared the lone] composer in music and lyrics of Get The Mop" was first [and] is identical to "Rag Mop"...
****
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "GET THAT MOP"
From https://secondhandsongs.com/work/136205/all
"Get the Mop 59th in 1946
Written by Henry Allen
Language: English
ISWC : T-070.064.002-3
Published by INTERNATIONAL-MUSIC INC
First recording by Henry "Red" Allen and Orchestra featuring J. C. Higginbotham (January 14, 1946)
First release by Henry "Red" Allen and Orchestra featuring J. C. Higginbotham (1946)
ADAPTATIONS
An adaptation is a musical work which uses most of the music or lyrics of another musical work.
Get the Mop written by Henry Allen English 1946
Rag Mop written by Johnnie Lee Wills, Deacon Anderson English December 1949
Rat Fink written by Allan Sherman English 1963
-snip-
As a matter of information: Henry “Red” Allen was African American.
Johnnie Lee Willis, Deacon Anderson were White Americans and Allan Sherman was White American.
****
LYRICS: "GET THAT MOP"
(Henry Allen, 1946)
Various Artists – Get The Mop - Henry Red Allen Lyrics
(a prestissimo boogie!)
'Wamp-wamp'
(horns)
M
M-O
M-O-P
M-O-P-P, get the mop!
M-O-P-P
Mop, mop, mop, mop
M
M-O
M-O-P
M-O-P-P, get the mop!
M-O-P-P
Mop, mop, mop, mop
(sax, trumpet)
M
M-O
M-O-P
M-O-P-P, get the mop!
M-O-P-P
Mop, mop, mop, mop
M
M-O
M-O-P
M-O-P-P, get the mop!
M-O-P-P
Mop, mop, mop, mop
(trombone)
'Oh, get the mop! '
'Watch that thing with chicks'"
From https://www.lyricsfreak.com/v/various+artists/get+the+mop+henry+red+allen_10170293.html
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: RAGG MOPP Johnny Lee Wills & His Boys
MissIvy, Published on Jan 13, 2011
RAGG MOPP Johnny Lee Wills & His Boys
-snip-
Here are some comments from this sound file's discussion thread with numbers added for referencing purposes only:
1. lyon406, 2011
"1949"
**
2. Mack thornton, 2012
"deacon anderson wrote this song not Johnny Lee Wills. I know him and played with him on several occasions. He was a great steel man. Played 6 string lap steel."
**
REPLY
3. Brazilian Atlantis, 2014
"deacon anderson wrote this song not Johnny Lee Wills." Henry Allen wrote it and copyrighted it in 1946 as "Get The Mop."
**
4. King Bee, 2014
"Beany and Cecil brought me here! Just kiddin'-love Western Swing...jazzy piano breaks and all"
-snip-
Beany and Cecil is the name of an American televised cartoon series in which that the sea monster Cecil often song this song. An example of this song from Beany & Cecil is found in Part II of this pancocojams series.
**
5. Dinkys Workshop, 2016
"not as entertaining as the black group who recorded it also, but the hair is the same in both bands."
**
REPLY
6. pattycakes smith, 2016
"+Dinkys Workshop what black group? all i know is the ames brothers and now this one , the ames brothers were jewish , let me know another one if you have it"
-snip-
An example of this song from The Ames Brothers and an example from The Treniers are found in Part II of this pancocojams series.
**
REPLY
7. Shawn Hawkins, 2016
"+pattycakes smith the treniers"
**
8. Ian Blakesley, 2016
"The Treniers performed this on a "Colgate Comedy Hour" in the early 1950s. I believe Jerry Lewis (co-host with Dean Martin) joined in with the band .
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "RAGG MOPP"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rag_Mop
" "Rag Mop" was a popular American song of the late 1940s-early 1950s.
The song, a 12-bar blues, was written by Tulsa Western Swing bandleader Johnnie Lee Wills and steel guitarist Deacon Anderson and published in 1949. Considered a novelty song, the lyrics consisted mostly of spelling out the title of the song; because of the spelling used in the song, it is sometimes referred to as "Ragg Mopp".
While Johnnie Lee Wills and his band recorded it for Bullet Records in 1950, the most popular version of this song was recorded by The Ames Brothers, and released by Coral Records as catalog number 60140. The song was part of a double-sided hit; the flip side was "Sentimental Me." The record first reached the Billboard magazine charts on January 6, 1950 and lasted 14 weeks on the chart, peaking at #1.[1] The song was re-released in 1951 by Coral as catalog number 60397, with the flip side "Hoop-Dee-Doo".[2] The group re-recorded the song several times. The 1950 recording is considered an example of proto-rock and roll as it contained elements that would later go into the defining of the genre.
In popular culture
On The Honeymooners episode "Battle of the Sexes" Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton sing the song as they dance and clean the Kramden's apartment.[3]
On the Beany and Cecil cartoon show, Cecil the sea-sick sea serpent would frequently sing the song.
Alvin and the Chipmunks covered the song for their 1965 album The Chipmunks Sing with Children.
This song was played on M*A*S*H in Season 9, Episode 6 ("A War for All Seasons"), after Hawkeye and BJ ordered a radio from the Sears Catalog. The song irritates Major Winchester, as he is a strict classical music lover ("Those people can neither sing nor spell!"). In Season 11, episode 1 ("Hey, Look Me Over"), Nurse Kellye accuses Hawkeye of treating her like a rag mop; when he is taken aback by her comment, she elaborates "That's right! R-A-G-G M-O-P-P, rag mop!" ”...
-snip-
That Wikipedia page doesn't include any information about Henry Allen's 1946 song "Get The Mop" and the law suit that Henry Allen won which concluded that the 1949 song "Ragg Mobb" was based on that 1946 song.
****
LYRICS: RAGG MOPP
M
I say M-O
M-O-P
M-O-P-P
Mop
M-O-P-P
Mop Mop Mop Mop
R
I say R-A
R-A-G
R-A-G-G
Rag
R-A-G-G M-O-P-P
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
R-A-G-G M-O-P-P
Rag Mop!
A
I say A-B
A-B-C
A-B-C-D
A-B-C-D-E
A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H
I
I say M-O
M-O-P
M-O-P-P
Mop
M-O-P-P
Mop Mop Mop Mop
R
I say R-A
R-A-G
R-A-G-G
Rag
R-A-G-G M-O-P-P
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
R-A-G-G M-O-P-P
Rag Mop!
Source: https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/17331089/The+Ames+Brothers/Rag+Mop
-snip-
"Ragg Mopp" is usually credited to Johnnie Lee Wills and Deacon Anderson. However, there's no doubt that that song's tune and words owe a lot to Henry "Red" Allen's song "Get That Mop".
****
This concludes Part I of this two part series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series presents information about and YouTube examples of the song "Ragg Mopp".
Part I presents information about and examples of the song "Get The Mop" and its adaptation - the much more widely known song "Ragg Mopp".
Selected comments from the discussion thread for the "Ragg Mopp" sound file are also included in this post.
Part II presents YouTube examples of the song "Ragg Mopp" from The Ames Brothers, The Treniers, and the Beany and Cecil television cartoon series.
The content of this post is provided for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
Thanks to the composer/s of these songs and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in YouTube examples that are embedded in this post and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
****
WHAT IS A RAG MOP?
From https://www.thespruce.com/what-are-rag-mops-1901105
"Rag mops are a more old-fashioned style of mop that uses rags or strings on the mop head to absorb mop water and clean the floor. Both string and strip style mops fall into this category. Usually, the strips of absorbent fabric or thick strings are attached by being sewn onto the mop head. This is necessary since glue could disintegrate with different kinds of floor cleaner.”...
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE OF THE SONG "GET THAT MOP" : Henry Red Allen 1946 Get The MOP w. Higginbotham soundie
hoffmannjazz, Published on Jan 16, 2012
in 1951 Red Allen had won on trial being alone composer in music and lyrics of Get The Mop (The Ignorant stick) = MOP = identical at all with Rag Mop , first played at the Garrick Stage, Chicago 1/21/46, NYC., R.C.A. Victor Studios (411 Fifth Avenue,) Soundies Distributing Corp. Of America, Inc. each 1 reel , ad., dir.:William F.Crouch - HENRY "RED" ALLEN & HIS ORCH.: Red Allen (t,v) Jay C.Higginbotham (tb) Don Stovall (as) Bill Thompson (p) Benny Moten (b) Alvin Burroughs (d) & Johni Weaver & Harry Turner (dancing); different stage-backgrounds; The sideline photography was done during the week commencing either January 21 and/or 28, 1946 , (probably the former), probably Filmcraft Studios (2826 Decatur Avenue, Bronx, New York City).Henry "Red" Allen and the combo were paid $210.00 for their soundtrack work in this series of soundies. The group was possibly paid and additional $300.00 for their sideline work in the five soundies in this series...
-snip-
The first sentence in that summary reads "in 1951 Red Allen had won [the] trial being [declared the lone] composer in music and lyrics of Get The Mop" was first [and] is identical to "Rag Mop"...
****
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "GET THAT MOP"
From https://secondhandsongs.com/work/136205/all
"Get the Mop 59th in 1946
Written by Henry Allen
Language: English
ISWC : T-070.064.002-3
Published by INTERNATIONAL-MUSIC INC
First recording by Henry "Red" Allen and Orchestra featuring J. C. Higginbotham (January 14, 1946)
First release by Henry "Red" Allen and Orchestra featuring J. C. Higginbotham (1946)
ADAPTATIONS
An adaptation is a musical work which uses most of the music or lyrics of another musical work.
Get the Mop written by Henry Allen English 1946
Rag Mop written by Johnnie Lee Wills, Deacon Anderson English December 1949
Rat Fink written by Allan Sherman English 1963
-snip-
As a matter of information: Henry “Red” Allen was African American.
Johnnie Lee Willis, Deacon Anderson were White Americans and Allan Sherman was White American.
****
LYRICS: "GET THAT MOP"
(Henry Allen, 1946)
Various Artists – Get The Mop - Henry Red Allen Lyrics
(a prestissimo boogie!)
'Wamp-wamp'
(horns)
M
M-O
M-O-P
M-O-P-P, get the mop!
M-O-P-P
Mop, mop, mop, mop
M
M-O
M-O-P
M-O-P-P, get the mop!
M-O-P-P
Mop, mop, mop, mop
(sax, trumpet)
M
M-O
M-O-P
M-O-P-P, get the mop!
M-O-P-P
Mop, mop, mop, mop
M
M-O
M-O-P
M-O-P-P, get the mop!
M-O-P-P
Mop, mop, mop, mop
(trombone)
'Oh, get the mop! '
'Watch that thing with chicks'"
From https://www.lyricsfreak.com/v/various+artists/get+the+mop+henry+red+allen_10170293.html
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: RAGG MOPP Johnny Lee Wills & His Boys
MissIvy, Published on Jan 13, 2011
RAGG MOPP Johnny Lee Wills & His Boys
-snip-
Here are some comments from this sound file's discussion thread with numbers added for referencing purposes only:
1. lyon406, 2011
"1949"
**
2. Mack thornton, 2012
"deacon anderson wrote this song not Johnny Lee Wills. I know him and played with him on several occasions. He was a great steel man. Played 6 string lap steel."
**
REPLY
3. Brazilian Atlantis, 2014
"deacon anderson wrote this song not Johnny Lee Wills." Henry Allen wrote it and copyrighted it in 1946 as "Get The Mop."
**
4. King Bee, 2014
"Beany and Cecil brought me here! Just kiddin'-love Western Swing...jazzy piano breaks and all"
-snip-
Beany and Cecil is the name of an American televised cartoon series in which that the sea monster Cecil often song this song. An example of this song from Beany & Cecil is found in Part II of this pancocojams series.
**
5. Dinkys Workshop, 2016
"not as entertaining as the black group who recorded it also, but the hair is the same in both bands."
**
REPLY
6. pattycakes smith, 2016
"+Dinkys Workshop what black group? all i know is the ames brothers and now this one , the ames brothers were jewish , let me know another one if you have it"
-snip-
An example of this song from The Ames Brothers and an example from The Treniers are found in Part II of this pancocojams series.
**
REPLY
7. Shawn Hawkins, 2016
"+pattycakes smith the treniers"
**
8. Ian Blakesley, 2016
"The Treniers performed this on a "Colgate Comedy Hour" in the early 1950s. I believe Jerry Lewis (co-host with Dean Martin) joined in with the band .
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "RAGG MOPP"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rag_Mop
" "Rag Mop" was a popular American song of the late 1940s-early 1950s.
The song, a 12-bar blues, was written by Tulsa Western Swing bandleader Johnnie Lee Wills and steel guitarist Deacon Anderson and published in 1949. Considered a novelty song, the lyrics consisted mostly of spelling out the title of the song; because of the spelling used in the song, it is sometimes referred to as "Ragg Mopp".
While Johnnie Lee Wills and his band recorded it for Bullet Records in 1950, the most popular version of this song was recorded by The Ames Brothers, and released by Coral Records as catalog number 60140. The song was part of a double-sided hit; the flip side was "Sentimental Me." The record first reached the Billboard magazine charts on January 6, 1950 and lasted 14 weeks on the chart, peaking at #1.[1] The song was re-released in 1951 by Coral as catalog number 60397, with the flip side "Hoop-Dee-Doo".[2] The group re-recorded the song several times. The 1950 recording is considered an example of proto-rock and roll as it contained elements that would later go into the defining of the genre.
In popular culture
On The Honeymooners episode "Battle of the Sexes" Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton sing the song as they dance and clean the Kramden's apartment.[3]
On the Beany and Cecil cartoon show, Cecil the sea-sick sea serpent would frequently sing the song.
Alvin and the Chipmunks covered the song for their 1965 album The Chipmunks Sing with Children.
This song was played on M*A*S*H in Season 9, Episode 6 ("A War for All Seasons"), after Hawkeye and BJ ordered a radio from the Sears Catalog. The song irritates Major Winchester, as he is a strict classical music lover ("Those people can neither sing nor spell!"). In Season 11, episode 1 ("Hey, Look Me Over"), Nurse Kellye accuses Hawkeye of treating her like a rag mop; when he is taken aback by her comment, she elaborates "That's right! R-A-G-G M-O-P-P, rag mop!" ”...
-snip-
That Wikipedia page doesn't include any information about Henry Allen's 1946 song "Get The Mop" and the law suit that Henry Allen won which concluded that the 1949 song "Ragg Mobb" was based on that 1946 song.
****
LYRICS: RAGG MOPP
M
I say M-O
M-O-P
M-O-P-P
Mop
M-O-P-P
Mop Mop Mop Mop
R
I say R-A
R-A-G
R-A-G-G
Rag
R-A-G-G M-O-P-P
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
R-A-G-G M-O-P-P
Rag Mop!
A
I say A-B
A-B-C
A-B-C-D
A-B-C-D-E
A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H
I
I say M-O
M-O-P
M-O-P-P
Mop
M-O-P-P
Mop Mop Mop Mop
R
I say R-A
R-A-G
R-A-G-G
Rag
R-A-G-G M-O-P-P
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
Rag Mop
Doo-doo-doo-DAH-dee-ah-dah
R-A-G-G M-O-P-P
Rag Mop!
Source: https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/17331089/The+Ames+Brothers/Rag+Mop
-snip-
"Ragg Mopp" is usually credited to Johnnie Lee Wills and Deacon Anderson. However, there's no doubt that that song's tune and words owe a lot to Henry "Red" Allen's song "Get That Mop".
****
This concludes Part I of this two part series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Monday, November 19, 2018
"Chicken In The Car And The Car Can't Go", "M Crooked Letter", & Other Similar Rhymes And Lyrics
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents examples of rhymes or lyrics about ways to spell the names of certain cities and/or states in the USA.
Some of the content of this post is from this 2012 pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/chicken-in-car-and-car-cant-go-rhyme.html and from selected comments from the discussion thread for that post.
Some of the content of this post also comes from this 2016 pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/07/m-i-crooked-letter-in-country-music.html "M I Crooked Letter" In Country Music, Jump Rope Rhymes, R&B, & Hip Hop".
The content of this post is presented for folkloric and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
****
INFORMATION AND EXAMPLES OF "CHICKEN IN THE CAR" (SPELL CHICAGO) AND SOME OTHER CITY/STATE RHYMES
[Numbers added for referencing purposes only.]
1.
From https://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/chicken_in_the_car_and_the_car_wont_go_chicago_spelling_rhyme/ "Chicken in the car and the car won’t go” (Chicago spelling rhyme), August 21, 2016
“Chicken in the car and the car won’t go” (Chicago spelling rhyme)
"A chicken in the car and the car won’t go, that’s the way to spell Chicago” is a popular Chicago rhyme that has been cited in print since at least 1926. The children’s rhyme was used in games and activities, such as jump rope and hopscotch.
“A knife and a fork, a bottle and a cork; that’s the way to spell New York” is a similar rhyme.
Old Fulton NY Post Cards
1 April 1926, Harlem Valley Times (Amenia, NY), pg. 1, col. 6:
F. D. Philip With Chicken
In Car Has Narrow Escape
“A chicken in the car and the car won’t go; that’s the way to spell Chicago,” according to the rhymes which the kids pass out.
Old Fulton NY Post Cards
29 December 1937, New York (NY) Sun, pg. 23, col. 1:
JINGLE BELL INFLUENCE.
Foolish Rimes That Pop Into a Head Occasionally.
What Do You Think Editor—Sir: In addressing a letter to Chicago, recently, there flashed into my mind a saying which I used to hear in my childhood—“A chicken in the car, the car won’t go; that’s the way to spell Chicago.” For New York there was a similar verse: “A knife and a fork, a bottle and a cork; that’s the way to spell New York.” “...
**
2.
From the book: Harlem Photographs 1932-1940 edited by Aaron Siskind.
"Chicken in the car
Car wouldn't go
Chicken jump out
The car went slow."
-snip-
This rhyme was found in this book of photographs of Harlem (New York, New York) which a reviewer wrote was "perhaps the first time a white photographer documented this black community." http://www.absolutearts.com/artsnews/1999/08/13/25807.html.
**
3.
From Anonymous, July 16, 2013; http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/chicken-in-car-and-car-cant-go-rhyme.html
"My grandpa used to sing:
Chicken in the car,
Car won't go,
Chicken fell out
and broke his toe
That's how you spell
Chi-ca-go"
**
4.
From Unknown, November 18, 2018; http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/chicken-in-car-and-car-cant-go-rhyme.html
"My dad taught me a similar rhyme in the early 50's in Charleston, SC: Chicken in a car; car can't go, chicken fell out and stomped his toe; that's how you spell Chicago.
I don't know if he made it up."
**
5.
From Odis Smokeyrib, March 2, 2016; http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/chicken-in-car-and-car-cant-go-rhyme.html
"Chicken in the corn
Corn won't grow
That's the way you spell
Chicago
Knife and a fork
And a plate of greens
The way you spell
New Orleans
We go together
Hand in hand
Like a bowleg woman and a knock knee man
I've heard that sung as a blues a million times"
**
6.
From någon, November 24, 2016; http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/chicken-in-car-and-car-cant-go-rhyme.html
"Washing on the line and the line weighs a ton.
That's how you spell Washington."
**
7.
From Unknown, November 18, 2018; http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/chicken-in-car-and-car-cant-go-rhyme.html
"My dad taught me a similar rhyme in the early 50's in Charleston, SC: Chicken in a car; car can't go, chicken fell out and stomped his toe; that's how you spell Chicago.
I don't know if he made it up."
****
"M CROOKED LETTER" (SPELL MISSISSIPPI) RHYMES
1950 HITS ARCHIVE: M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I - Red Foley (#1 C&W hit)
MusicProf78, Published on Sep 21, 2013
M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I (Williams-Simmons) by Red Foley with The Dixie Dons (CD audio source)
If the title looks unfamiliar, you may recall the lyrics, which spelled out "M-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I, etc"). Written by Curley Williams ("Half As Much"), this crossover hit reached #2 on the country music charts and also got some 'pop' action in recordings by Kay Starr, Art Mooney, and Bill Darnel.
-snip-
A comment from this sound file's discussion thread posted by Barry I. Grauman (2018) indicates that this song was "Recorded on April 4, 1950.".
Here's a portion of that song's lyrics:
"By The M I crooked letter, crooker letter, I crooked letter, crooked letter I
Hump-back, hump-back I of Mississippi flowing down to New Orleans
It flows right by my Tennessee home where history was make by Steamboat Bill
M-E-M-P-H-I-S, Memphis is the town I mean
Way down yonder in the land of cotton, folks like mine are ne’er forgotten
What a wonderful thrill just to be down in Memphis, Tennessee
By The M I crooked letter, crooker letter, I crooked letter, crooked letter I
Hump-back, hump-back I of Mississippi flowing down to New Orleans"...
Source: http://www.songlyrics.com/red-foley/m-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-p-p-i-1950-lyrics/
-snip-
The letter "s" is the "crooked letter" because of the way that it is written. The letter "p" is called "hump back" (in standard English "hunchback") because that letter is written like a stylized drawing of a person with a hump on his or her back.
**
Example of a children's rhyme:
From http://www.buyjumpropes.net/resources/jump-rope-rhymes-songs-buyjumpropesnet/ "The Great List Of Jump Rope Rhymes & Skipping Songs"
"How do you spell Mississippi?
M (cross arms over chest)
I (point to your eye)
Crooked letter (cross legs and jump)
Crooked letter (cross legs and jump)
I (point to eye)
Hunch back
Hunch back
I!
-Ellen Mason, AACS Music Teacher"
-snip-
Although this example includes actions that are done by a person (usually a girl) who is jumping inside a rope that is swung by two people at each end, nowadays "M Crooked Letter" (Spells Mississippi) may not be done with any other body movement but imitative actions.
****
NEW WAY OF SPELLING MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
1.
From https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=40621#582183 [record] State Of Tennessee Blues", posted by Jim Dixon 29 Oct 01
..."I got a new way of spelling the dear old state of Tennessee.
I got a new way of spelling the state of Tennessee.
Double-E-double-R-O-double-E-double-N-O-C.
[As recorded by the Memphis Jug Band, 1927, Jennie Clayton and Will Shade, vocalists.]"
-snip-
Here's some comments about this spelling in that song:
From https://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5324.0 "A new way of spelling"
arlotone, January 08, 2009
"In "State of Tennessee Blues" by the Memphis Jug Band (a duet between Will Shade and his wife Jennie Mae Clayton), Shade sings "I got a new way of spelling the state of Tennessee" and then says something like, "double-E-double-R-double-E-double-N-O-C."
EEREENOC? What the heck is that supposed to mean?
I've heard this verse in other songs with slightly different "spellings," but they don't make sense either."
**
2.
From https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=31008#1046121 "Good Morning Blues" Leadbelly; source: The Leadbelly Songbook (edited by Moses Ash & Alan Lomax, Oak Publications, 1962"; posted by Joe Offer,
Date: 02 Nov 03.
"I got a new way of spelling, Memphis, Tennessee,
Aw... Memphis, Tennessee,
Double E, double T, Lord, N, X-Y-Z."
Joe Offer wrote that ..."Google Search will show how many versions of this song you can find - Bessie Smith, Ella Fitzgerald, Van Morrison, Louis Jordan, and many others."
-snip-
Leadbelly first released this song in 1941. https://secondhandsongs.com/work/119832/all
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post presents examples of rhymes or lyrics about ways to spell the names of certain cities and/or states in the USA.
Some of the content of this post is from this 2012 pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/chicken-in-car-and-car-cant-go-rhyme.html and from selected comments from the discussion thread for that post.
Some of the content of this post also comes from this 2016 pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/07/m-i-crooked-letter-in-country-music.html "M I Crooked Letter" In Country Music, Jump Rope Rhymes, R&B, & Hip Hop".
The content of this post is presented for folkloric and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
****
INFORMATION AND EXAMPLES OF "CHICKEN IN THE CAR" (SPELL CHICAGO) AND SOME OTHER CITY/STATE RHYMES
[Numbers added for referencing purposes only.]
1.
From https://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/chicken_in_the_car_and_the_car_wont_go_chicago_spelling_rhyme/ "Chicken in the car and the car won’t go” (Chicago spelling rhyme), August 21, 2016
“Chicken in the car and the car won’t go” (Chicago spelling rhyme)
"A chicken in the car and the car won’t go, that’s the way to spell Chicago” is a popular Chicago rhyme that has been cited in print since at least 1926. The children’s rhyme was used in games and activities, such as jump rope and hopscotch.
“A knife and a fork, a bottle and a cork; that’s the way to spell New York” is a similar rhyme.
Old Fulton NY Post Cards
1 April 1926, Harlem Valley Times (Amenia, NY), pg. 1, col. 6:
F. D. Philip With Chicken
In Car Has Narrow Escape
“A chicken in the car and the car won’t go; that’s the way to spell Chicago,” according to the rhymes which the kids pass out.
Old Fulton NY Post Cards
29 December 1937, New York (NY) Sun, pg. 23, col. 1:
JINGLE BELL INFLUENCE.
Foolish Rimes That Pop Into a Head Occasionally.
What Do You Think Editor—Sir: In addressing a letter to Chicago, recently, there flashed into my mind a saying which I used to hear in my childhood—“A chicken in the car, the car won’t go; that’s the way to spell Chicago.” For New York there was a similar verse: “A knife and a fork, a bottle and a cork; that’s the way to spell New York.” “...
**
2.
From the book: Harlem Photographs 1932-1940 edited by Aaron Siskind.
"Chicken in the car
Car wouldn't go
Chicken jump out
The car went slow."
-snip-
This rhyme was found in this book of photographs of Harlem (New York, New York) which a reviewer wrote was "perhaps the first time a white photographer documented this black community." http://www.absolutearts.com/artsnews/1999/08/13/25807.html.
**
3.
From Anonymous, July 16, 2013; http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/chicken-in-car-and-car-cant-go-rhyme.html
"My grandpa used to sing:
Chicken in the car,
Car won't go,
Chicken fell out
and broke his toe
That's how you spell
Chi-ca-go"
**
4.
From Unknown, November 18, 2018; http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/chicken-in-car-and-car-cant-go-rhyme.html
"My dad taught me a similar rhyme in the early 50's in Charleston, SC: Chicken in a car; car can't go, chicken fell out and stomped his toe; that's how you spell Chicago.
I don't know if he made it up."
**
5.
From Odis Smokeyrib, March 2, 2016; http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/chicken-in-car-and-car-cant-go-rhyme.html
"Chicken in the corn
Corn won't grow
That's the way you spell
Chicago
Knife and a fork
And a plate of greens
The way you spell
New Orleans
We go together
Hand in hand
Like a bowleg woman and a knock knee man
I've heard that sung as a blues a million times"
**
6.
From någon, November 24, 2016; http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/chicken-in-car-and-car-cant-go-rhyme.html
"Washing on the line and the line weighs a ton.
That's how you spell Washington."
**
7.
From Unknown, November 18, 2018; http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/chicken-in-car-and-car-cant-go-rhyme.html
"My dad taught me a similar rhyme in the early 50's in Charleston, SC: Chicken in a car; car can't go, chicken fell out and stomped his toe; that's how you spell Chicago.
I don't know if he made it up."
****
"M CROOKED LETTER" (SPELL MISSISSIPPI) RHYMES
1950 HITS ARCHIVE: M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I - Red Foley (#1 C&W hit)
MusicProf78, Published on Sep 21, 2013
M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I (Williams-Simmons) by Red Foley with The Dixie Dons (CD audio source)
If the title looks unfamiliar, you may recall the lyrics, which spelled out "M-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I, etc"). Written by Curley Williams ("Half As Much"), this crossover hit reached #2 on the country music charts and also got some 'pop' action in recordings by Kay Starr, Art Mooney, and Bill Darnel.
-snip-
A comment from this sound file's discussion thread posted by Barry I. Grauman (2018) indicates that this song was "Recorded on April 4, 1950.".
Here's a portion of that song's lyrics:
"By The M I crooked letter, crooker letter, I crooked letter, crooked letter I
Hump-back, hump-back I of Mississippi flowing down to New Orleans
It flows right by my Tennessee home where history was make by Steamboat Bill
M-E-M-P-H-I-S, Memphis is the town I mean
Way down yonder in the land of cotton, folks like mine are ne’er forgotten
What a wonderful thrill just to be down in Memphis, Tennessee
By The M I crooked letter, crooker letter, I crooked letter, crooked letter I
Hump-back, hump-back I of Mississippi flowing down to New Orleans"...
Source: http://www.songlyrics.com/red-foley/m-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-p-p-i-1950-lyrics/
-snip-
The letter "s" is the "crooked letter" because of the way that it is written. The letter "p" is called "hump back" (in standard English "hunchback") because that letter is written like a stylized drawing of a person with a hump on his or her back.
**
Example of a children's rhyme:
From http://www.buyjumpropes.net/resources/jump-rope-rhymes-songs-buyjumpropesnet/ "The Great List Of Jump Rope Rhymes & Skipping Songs"
"How do you spell Mississippi?
M (cross arms over chest)
I (point to your eye)
Crooked letter (cross legs and jump)
Crooked letter (cross legs and jump)
I (point to eye)
Hunch back
Hunch back
I!
-Ellen Mason, AACS Music Teacher"
-snip-
Although this example includes actions that are done by a person (usually a girl) who is jumping inside a rope that is swung by two people at each end, nowadays "M Crooked Letter" (Spells Mississippi) may not be done with any other body movement but imitative actions.
****
NEW WAY OF SPELLING MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
1.
From https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=40621#582183 [record] State Of Tennessee Blues", posted by Jim Dixon 29 Oct 01
..."I got a new way of spelling the dear old state of Tennessee.
I got a new way of spelling the state of Tennessee.
Double-E-double-R-O-double-E-double-N-O-C.
[As recorded by the Memphis Jug Band, 1927, Jennie Clayton and Will Shade, vocalists.]"
-snip-
Here's some comments about this spelling in that song:
From https://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5324.0 "A new way of spelling"
arlotone, January 08, 2009
"In "State of Tennessee Blues" by the Memphis Jug Band (a duet between Will Shade and his wife Jennie Mae Clayton), Shade sings "I got a new way of spelling the state of Tennessee" and then says something like, "double-E-double-R-double-E-double-N-O-C."
EEREENOC? What the heck is that supposed to mean?
I've heard this verse in other songs with slightly different "spellings," but they don't make sense either."
**
2.
From https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=31008#1046121 "Good Morning Blues" Leadbelly; source: The Leadbelly Songbook (edited by Moses Ash & Alan Lomax, Oak Publications, 1962"; posted by Joe Offer,
Date: 02 Nov 03.
"I got a new way of spelling, Memphis, Tennessee,
Aw... Memphis, Tennessee,
Double E, double T, Lord, N, X-Y-Z."
Joe Offer wrote that ..."Google Search will show how many versions of this song you can find - Bessie Smith, Ella Fitzgerald, Van Morrison, Louis Jordan, and many others."
-snip-
Leadbelly first released this song in 1941. https://secondhandsongs.com/work/119832/all
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Archie Roach - "Took The Children Away" (with information About Australia's Stolen Generations)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases the Australian song "Took The Children Away" by Archie Roach
The lyrics of that song are included in this post along with selected comments from that YouTube sound file.
The Addendum to this post presents information about Australia's child removal policies that resulted in what is called "stolen generations" of indigenous Australians.
The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Archie Roach for composing and performing this song. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.
****
LYRICS- TOOK THE CHILDREN AWAY
(Archie Roach)
This story's right, this story's true
I would not tell lies to you
Like the promises they did not keep
And how they fenced us in like sheep.
Said to us come take our hand
Sent us off to mission land.
Taught us to read, to write and pray
Then they took the children away,
Took the children away,
The children away.
Snatched from their mother's breast
Said this is for the best
Took them away.
The welfare and the policeman
Said you've got to understand
We'll give them what you can't give
Teach them how to really live.
Teach them how to live they said
Humiliated them instead
Taught them that and taught them this
And others taught them prejudice.
You took the children away
The children away
Breaking their mothers heart
Tearing us all apart
Took them away
One dark day on Framingham
Come and didn't give a damn
My mother cried go get their dad
He came running, fighting mad
Mother's tears were falling down
Dad shaped up and stood his ground.
He said 'You touch my kids and you fight me'
And they took us from our family.
Took us away
They took us away
Snatched from our mother's breast
Said this was for the best
Took us away.
Told us what to do and say
Told us all the white man's ways
Then they split us up again
And gave us gifts to ease the pain
Sent us off to foster homes
As we grew up we felt alone
Cause we were acting white
Yet feeling black
One sweet day all the children came back
The children come back
The children come back
Back where their hearts grow strong
Back where they all belong
The children came back
Said the children come back
The children come back
Back where they understand
Back to their mother's land
The children come back
Back to their mother
Back to their father
Back to their sister
Back to their brother
Back to their people
Back to their land
All the children come back
The children come back
The children come back
Yes I came back.
Songwriters: Archibald William Roach
Took The Children Away lyrics © O/B/O Apra Amcos
From
TheRaaaaw, Published on Apr 27, 2010
Für alle, die es wie ich verzwifelt gesucht haben.. aber nur solche blöden Versionen gefunden haben ;)
Sehr cooles Lied, ich glaube die meisten hier kennen es aus dem Englisch Unterricht :D
-snip-
Google translate from German to English: "For all who desperately wanted it like me .. but only found such stupid versions;)
Very cool song, I think most of you know it from English lessons: D"
-snip-
Here are some comments from this sound file's discussion thread, with numbers added for referencing purposes only:
1. Alissa Xo, 2012
"Such a beautiful song that touch's the soul and such a blessed voice luv he's music =)
**
2. TheMimifur,2014
"This is not just a song. It's Archie's story and his life. The music was used in a film called Rabbit Proof Fence - a story about these children. This happened in our life time. Be outraged."
**
REPLY
3. Glenda Pospisil, 2017
"Yes certainly in my time but I was totally unaware of it and grew up beside an indigenous family. They were very close friends of mine."
**
REPLY
4. Anythya Silvadragon, 2018
"My great grandmother was one of those children stolen, I'm proud to be Koori, but sad that they white washed us."
**
5. Rebecca Jones, 2016
"my kids play this song all the time it makes us cry all the pain that our children have because they took way from there morther and farther this is never go to end"
**
6. Russell Lean, 2016
"I met Archie in 1993 at the last ever Maleny festival. What a beautiful voice, beautiful generous spirited man. Such stories of truth. The history white Australia doesn't want to hear. the stories we need to hear. Blessings Archie."
**
REPLY
7. Erin Redford, 2017
"im an Aussie and we learnt about this song In school!"
**
8. sallie6, 2016
"children (black and white) are still being taken from their families without realising the long term effects when these children become
adults"
**
9. Marche Singleton, 2016
"The sad thing is this is universal. In America it was the American Indian children. Now it is African American and Spanish. Social service will pay an unfit foster parent to raise someone's child, but will not give that same help to the parent. Sex, money and abuse too often falls on the child. You have to wonder about the evil intent of this madness."
**
REPLY
10. Gabby Thommo, 2017
"indigenous baby's got taken away for no reason"
**
11. Michelle Gillam, 2016
"where is the justice for children taken away in the 1970s because mother was single"
**
REPLY
12. TRACEY HANSHAW, 2018
"and in the 60s because their mother was single and their father was white ? Same sh&t* different decade. Nothings changed 50 years on"
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this post.
**
REPLY
13. Michelle Gillam, 2016
"i Know what its like they took my baby .White mother.Single 1970 unmarried mother they just took Queen Victoria Hospital She never came back. How about the white children they took away"
**
REPLY
14. Kenneth Kelly, 2018
"Im sorry you lost your child. As an Aboriginal son whose dad was Stolen from his mother I understand your loss. This song is for you as well."
**
15. Meri Rowe, 2017
":'( Deeply damaging to the First Nation. Thanks for the honesty in your music , Archie. I'm sorry my people did such evil to your people :'("
**
16. colin macdonald, 2017
"stumbled upon this, done lots of homework,so sorry to the peoples who were bellonging for 60,000 yrs maybe longer
please do keep singing THE TRUTH."
**
REPLY
17. Ty, 2018
"Same things that happened in Australia happened in North America, look up ‘My Country Tis Of Thy People You’re Dying’ by Buffy saint Marie, if you change some words it’s similar to Australia’s story. I think y’all should start standing up for aboriginal Australia and raise more awareness about the history, that’s what I’m doing for my tribe, good luck from the Syilx tribe of the Salish Nation of Canada!"
**
REPLY
18. Leonard Carr, 2018
"Tyler 1/32 Ngai Tahu NZ Maori,nearly makes me cry.54 yr old biker looking fella!😢"
**
19. ritenrong jusayen, 2017
"I was taken,so yeah,this,I,do relate to.thanks for sayen&singing how it is.love u brother.still crying.."
**
20. Darren, 2017
"What a disgraceful part of this nations history. Good on you Archie for writing this song."
**
21. David Barker, 2018
"My Dad, and 3 Aunties were stolen. Because they lived the old ways and the government came and said it was child abuse?! Living the way that sustained our people for 1000s of years having strong families, food and shelter since time began was all of a sudden unacceptable for our people?! And the results of their so called actions for the health and well-being of my Dad and Aunties turned out to be the most damaging and abusive things that ever happened to them!
They elders and ancestors had it way harder than we do now... But they would curse us from the dreaming if we didn't continue to stand strong against todays continued injustices! Their lives are fuel for our spirits to continue holding people accountable..."
**
REPLY
22. Angie pangie, 2018
"@David Barker I'm so sorry for what happened to your family. My sons are damaged too.politics in my state told me oneday I'm not of aboriginal decent, when I grew up in the community😞 then they took my boys. I try so hard to remember all that elders taught me as a kid so I can help my boys now they home after being abused in care. I get scared that I will forget all that the elders taught me as I try to keep it alive for my healing sons"
**
23. Delleise Exton, 2018
"love this song always brings me to tears....love my people n love this song."
**
24. Barry Brown, 2018
"Im so sorry for all the hardship u indigenous ppl of australia suffered,even tho im a native of new zealand we had similar experiences maybe not as hard but we still had to fight for wat was originally ours and we still fighting we ended up getting a treaty and are the only indigenous to have so but our land is not as vast as yours and the minerals and treasures god gave australia was incredible so the british just had to have it unfortunately and take the whole lot there"
**
25. Amanda Crocker, 2018
"My kids dad dad is 1 that was taken back in the day I do not know a lot about this but I am getting there as my kids need to know where family come from"
**
26. Anythya Silvadragon, 2018
"My great grandmother was one of those children, stolen from her family and forced into a girls camp to grow up without her mob, so this resonates with me. I'm Proud to be Koori, even if i'm milky. Lol"
**
27. Super Bolt, 2018
"I'm aboriginal like u brother"
**
28. TURN DOG QUICK TV, 2018
"Playing this song on 26th January 2018 when Aboriginal children are still being taken by the Australian Government."
****
ADDENDUM- INFORMATION ABOUT AUSTRALIA'S STOLEN GENERATIONS
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stolen_Generations
"The Stolen Generations (also known as Stolen Children) were the children of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who were removed from their families by the Australian Federal and State government agencies and church missions, under acts of their respective parliaments. The removals of those referred to as "half-caste" children were conducted in the period between approximately 1905[1] and 1967,[2][3] although in some places mixed-race children were still being taken into the 1970s.[4][5][6]
Official government estimates are that in certain regions between one in ten and one in three indigenous Australian children were forcibly taken from their families and communities between 1910 and 1970.
Emergence of the child removal policy
Numerous 19th- and early 20th-century contemporaneous documents indicate that the policy of removing mixed-race Aboriginal children from their mothers related to an assumption that the Aborigines were dying off. Given their catastrophic population decline after white contact[7], whites assumed that the full-blood tribal Aboriginal population would be unable to sustain itself, and was doomed to extinction. The idea expressed by A. O. Neville, the Chief Protector of Aborigines for Western Australia, and others as late as 1930 was that mixed-race children could be trained to work in white society, and over generations would marry white and be assimilated into the society.[8][9][10]
Some European Australians considered any proliferation of mixed-descent children (labelled "half-castes", "crossbreeds", "quadroons", and "octoroons",[9][11]:231, 308 terms now considered derogatory to indigenous Australians) to be a threat to the stability of the prevailing culture, or to a perceived racial or cultural "heritage".[11]:160 The Northern Territory Chief Protector of Aborigines, Dr. Cecil Cook, argued that "everything necessary [must be done] to convert the half-caste into a white citizen".[12]
[...]
Feature film and television drama
The Australian film Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002), directed by Phillip Noyce, was based on the book Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington Garimara. It concerns the author's mother and two other mixed-race Aboriginal girls who ran away from Moore River Native Settlement, north of Perth, and returned to their Aboriginal families. In a subsequent interview with the ABC, Doris recalled her removal in 1931 from her mother at age three or four, and subsequent rearing at the settlement. She was not reunited with her mother until she was 25; all those years, she believed that her mother had given her away. When the two women were reunited, Doris was no longer able to speak her native language and had been taught to regard Indigenous culture as evil.[79]”...
****
From https://www.australianstogether.org.au/discover/australian-history/stolen-generations The Stolen Generations
The forcible removal of Indigenous children from their families.
"Between 1910-1970, many Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families as a result of various government policies. The generations of children removed under these policies became known as the Stolen Generations. The policies of child removal left a legacy of trauma and loss that continues to affect Indigenous communities, families and individuals.
What happened and why?
The forcible removal of Indigenous children from their families was part of the policy of Assimilation. Assimilation was based on the assumption of black inferiority and white superiority, which proposed that Indigenous people should be allowed to “die out” through a process of natural elimination, or, where possible, should be assimilated into the white community.[1]
Children taken from their parents as part of the Stolen Generation were taught to reject their Indigenous heritage, and forced to adopt white culture. Their names were often changed, and they were forbidden to speak their traditional languages. Some children were adopted by white families, and many were placed in institutions where abuse and neglect were common.[2]
Assimilation policies focused on children, who were considered more adaptable to white society than Indigenous adults. “Half-caste” children (a term now considered derogatory for people of Aboriginal and white parentage), were particularly vulnerable to removal, because authorities thought these children could be assimilated more easily into the white community due to their lighter skin colour.[3]
Assimilation, including child removal policies, failed its aim of improving the lives of Indigenous Australians by absorbing them into white society. This was primarily because white society refused to accept Indigenous people as equals, regardless of their efforts to live like white people.
[...]
What has been done about this?
In 1995, the Australian government launched an inquiry into the policy of forced child removal. The report was delivered to Parliament on the 26th May 1997. It estimated that between 10 per cent and 33 per cent of all Indigenous children were separated from their families between 1910-1970.
The report, Bringing Them Home, acknowledged the social values and standards of the time, but concluded that the policies of child removal breached fundamental human rights. The Keating government commissioned the inquiry into the Stolen Generations, but the Howard government received the report. Howard’s government was skeptical of the report’s findings, and largely ignored its recommendations.”...
****
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This pancocojams post showcases the Australian song "Took The Children Away" by Archie Roach
The lyrics of that song are included in this post along with selected comments from that YouTube sound file.
The Addendum to this post presents information about Australia's child removal policies that resulted in what is called "stolen generations" of indigenous Australians.
The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Archie Roach for composing and performing this song. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.
****
LYRICS- TOOK THE CHILDREN AWAY
(Archie Roach)
This story's right, this story's true
I would not tell lies to you
Like the promises they did not keep
And how they fenced us in like sheep.
Said to us come take our hand
Sent us off to mission land.
Taught us to read, to write and pray
Then they took the children away,
Took the children away,
The children away.
Snatched from their mother's breast
Said this is for the best
Took them away.
The welfare and the policeman
Said you've got to understand
We'll give them what you can't give
Teach them how to really live.
Teach them how to live they said
Humiliated them instead
Taught them that and taught them this
And others taught them prejudice.
You took the children away
The children away
Breaking their mothers heart
Tearing us all apart
Took them away
One dark day on Framingham
Come and didn't give a damn
My mother cried go get their dad
He came running, fighting mad
Mother's tears were falling down
Dad shaped up and stood his ground.
He said 'You touch my kids and you fight me'
And they took us from our family.
Took us away
They took us away
Snatched from our mother's breast
Said this was for the best
Took us away.
Told us what to do and say
Told us all the white man's ways
Then they split us up again
And gave us gifts to ease the pain
Sent us off to foster homes
As we grew up we felt alone
Cause we were acting white
Yet feeling black
One sweet day all the children came back
The children come back
The children come back
Back where their hearts grow strong
Back where they all belong
The children came back
Said the children come back
The children come back
Back where they understand
Back to their mother's land
The children come back
Back to their mother
Back to their father
Back to their sister
Back to their brother
Back to their people
Back to their land
All the children come back
The children come back
The children come back
Yes I came back.
Songwriters: Archibald William Roach
Took The Children Away lyrics © O/B/O Apra Amcos
From
TheRaaaaw, Published on Apr 27, 2010
Für alle, die es wie ich verzwifelt gesucht haben.. aber nur solche blöden Versionen gefunden haben ;)
Sehr cooles Lied, ich glaube die meisten hier kennen es aus dem Englisch Unterricht :D
-snip-
Google translate from German to English: "For all who desperately wanted it like me .. but only found such stupid versions;)
Very cool song, I think most of you know it from English lessons: D"
-snip-
Here are some comments from this sound file's discussion thread, with numbers added for referencing purposes only:
1. Alissa Xo, 2012
"Such a beautiful song that touch's the soul and such a blessed voice luv he's music =)
**
2. TheMimifur,2014
"This is not just a song. It's Archie's story and his life. The music was used in a film called Rabbit Proof Fence - a story about these children. This happened in our life time. Be outraged."
**
REPLY
3. Glenda Pospisil, 2017
"Yes certainly in my time but I was totally unaware of it and grew up beside an indigenous family. They were very close friends of mine."
**
REPLY
4. Anythya Silvadragon, 2018
"My great grandmother was one of those children stolen, I'm proud to be Koori, but sad that they white washed us."
**
5. Rebecca Jones, 2016
"my kids play this song all the time it makes us cry all the pain that our children have because they took way from there morther and farther this is never go to end"
**
6. Russell Lean, 2016
"I met Archie in 1993 at the last ever Maleny festival. What a beautiful voice, beautiful generous spirited man. Such stories of truth. The history white Australia doesn't want to hear. the stories we need to hear. Blessings Archie."
**
REPLY
7. Erin Redford, 2017
"im an Aussie and we learnt about this song In school!"
**
8. sallie6, 2016
"children (black and white) are still being taken from their families without realising the long term effects when these children become
adults"
**
9. Marche Singleton, 2016
"The sad thing is this is universal. In America it was the American Indian children. Now it is African American and Spanish. Social service will pay an unfit foster parent to raise someone's child, but will not give that same help to the parent. Sex, money and abuse too often falls on the child. You have to wonder about the evil intent of this madness."
**
REPLY
10. Gabby Thommo, 2017
"indigenous baby's got taken away for no reason"
**
11. Michelle Gillam, 2016
"where is the justice for children taken away in the 1970s because mother was single"
**
REPLY
12. TRACEY HANSHAW, 2018
"and in the 60s because their mother was single and their father was white ? Same sh&t* different decade. Nothings changed 50 years on"
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this post.
**
REPLY
13. Michelle Gillam, 2016
"i Know what its like they took my baby .White mother.Single 1970 unmarried mother they just took Queen Victoria Hospital She never came back. How about the white children they took away"
**
REPLY
14. Kenneth Kelly, 2018
"Im sorry you lost your child. As an Aboriginal son whose dad was Stolen from his mother I understand your loss. This song is for you as well."
**
15. Meri Rowe, 2017
":'( Deeply damaging to the First Nation. Thanks for the honesty in your music , Archie. I'm sorry my people did such evil to your people :'("
**
16. colin macdonald, 2017
"stumbled upon this, done lots of homework,so sorry to the peoples who were bellonging for 60,000 yrs maybe longer
please do keep singing THE TRUTH."
**
REPLY
17. Ty, 2018
"Same things that happened in Australia happened in North America, look up ‘My Country Tis Of Thy People You’re Dying’ by Buffy saint Marie, if you change some words it’s similar to Australia’s story. I think y’all should start standing up for aboriginal Australia and raise more awareness about the history, that’s what I’m doing for my tribe, good luck from the Syilx tribe of the Salish Nation of Canada!"
**
REPLY
18. Leonard Carr, 2018
"Tyler 1/32 Ngai Tahu NZ Maori,nearly makes me cry.54 yr old biker looking fella!😢"
**
19. ritenrong jusayen, 2017
"I was taken,so yeah,this,I,do relate to.thanks for sayen&singing how it is.love u brother.still crying.."
**
20. Darren, 2017
"What a disgraceful part of this nations history. Good on you Archie for writing this song."
**
21. David Barker, 2018
"My Dad, and 3 Aunties were stolen. Because they lived the old ways and the government came and said it was child abuse?! Living the way that sustained our people for 1000s of years having strong families, food and shelter since time began was all of a sudden unacceptable for our people?! And the results of their so called actions for the health and well-being of my Dad and Aunties turned out to be the most damaging and abusive things that ever happened to them!
They elders and ancestors had it way harder than we do now... But they would curse us from the dreaming if we didn't continue to stand strong against todays continued injustices! Their lives are fuel for our spirits to continue holding people accountable..."
**
REPLY
22. Angie pangie, 2018
"@David Barker I'm so sorry for what happened to your family. My sons are damaged too.politics in my state told me oneday I'm not of aboriginal decent, when I grew up in the community😞 then they took my boys. I try so hard to remember all that elders taught me as a kid so I can help my boys now they home after being abused in care. I get scared that I will forget all that the elders taught me as I try to keep it alive for my healing sons"
**
23. Delleise Exton, 2018
"love this song always brings me to tears....love my people n love this song."
**
24. Barry Brown, 2018
"Im so sorry for all the hardship u indigenous ppl of australia suffered,even tho im a native of new zealand we had similar experiences maybe not as hard but we still had to fight for wat was originally ours and we still fighting we ended up getting a treaty and are the only indigenous to have so but our land is not as vast as yours and the minerals and treasures god gave australia was incredible so the british just had to have it unfortunately and take the whole lot there"
**
25. Amanda Crocker, 2018
"My kids dad dad is 1 that was taken back in the day I do not know a lot about this but I am getting there as my kids need to know where family come from"
**
26. Anythya Silvadragon, 2018
"My great grandmother was one of those children, stolen from her family and forced into a girls camp to grow up without her mob, so this resonates with me. I'm Proud to be Koori, even if i'm milky. Lol"
**
27. Super Bolt, 2018
"I'm aboriginal like u brother"
**
28. TURN DOG QUICK TV, 2018
"Playing this song on 26th January 2018 when Aboriginal children are still being taken by the Australian Government."
****
ADDENDUM- INFORMATION ABOUT AUSTRALIA'S STOLEN GENERATIONS
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stolen_Generations
"The Stolen Generations (also known as Stolen Children) were the children of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who were removed from their families by the Australian Federal and State government agencies and church missions, under acts of their respective parliaments. The removals of those referred to as "half-caste" children were conducted in the period between approximately 1905[1] and 1967,[2][3] although in some places mixed-race children were still being taken into the 1970s.[4][5][6]
Official government estimates are that in certain regions between one in ten and one in three indigenous Australian children were forcibly taken from their families and communities between 1910 and 1970.
Emergence of the child removal policy
Numerous 19th- and early 20th-century contemporaneous documents indicate that the policy of removing mixed-race Aboriginal children from their mothers related to an assumption that the Aborigines were dying off. Given their catastrophic population decline after white contact[7], whites assumed that the full-blood tribal Aboriginal population would be unable to sustain itself, and was doomed to extinction. The idea expressed by A. O. Neville, the Chief Protector of Aborigines for Western Australia, and others as late as 1930 was that mixed-race children could be trained to work in white society, and over generations would marry white and be assimilated into the society.[8][9][10]
Some European Australians considered any proliferation of mixed-descent children (labelled "half-castes", "crossbreeds", "quadroons", and "octoroons",[9][11]:231, 308 terms now considered derogatory to indigenous Australians) to be a threat to the stability of the prevailing culture, or to a perceived racial or cultural "heritage".[11]:160 The Northern Territory Chief Protector of Aborigines, Dr. Cecil Cook, argued that "everything necessary [must be done] to convert the half-caste into a white citizen".[12]
[...]
Feature film and television drama
The Australian film Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002), directed by Phillip Noyce, was based on the book Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington Garimara. It concerns the author's mother and two other mixed-race Aboriginal girls who ran away from Moore River Native Settlement, north of Perth, and returned to their Aboriginal families. In a subsequent interview with the ABC, Doris recalled her removal in 1931 from her mother at age three or four, and subsequent rearing at the settlement. She was not reunited with her mother until she was 25; all those years, she believed that her mother had given her away. When the two women were reunited, Doris was no longer able to speak her native language and had been taught to regard Indigenous culture as evil.[79]”...
****
From https://www.australianstogether.org.au/discover/australian-history/stolen-generations The Stolen Generations
The forcible removal of Indigenous children from their families.
"Between 1910-1970, many Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families as a result of various government policies. The generations of children removed under these policies became known as the Stolen Generations. The policies of child removal left a legacy of trauma and loss that continues to affect Indigenous communities, families and individuals.
What happened and why?
The forcible removal of Indigenous children from their families was part of the policy of Assimilation. Assimilation was based on the assumption of black inferiority and white superiority, which proposed that Indigenous people should be allowed to “die out” through a process of natural elimination, or, where possible, should be assimilated into the white community.[1]
Children taken from their parents as part of the Stolen Generation were taught to reject their Indigenous heritage, and forced to adopt white culture. Their names were often changed, and they were forbidden to speak their traditional languages. Some children were adopted by white families, and many were placed in institutions where abuse and neglect were common.[2]
Assimilation policies focused on children, who were considered more adaptable to white society than Indigenous adults. “Half-caste” children (a term now considered derogatory for people of Aboriginal and white parentage), were particularly vulnerable to removal, because authorities thought these children could be assimilated more easily into the white community due to their lighter skin colour.[3]
Assimilation, including child removal policies, failed its aim of improving the lives of Indigenous Australians by absorbing them into white society. This was primarily because white society refused to accept Indigenous people as equals, regardless of their efforts to live like white people.
[...]
What has been done about this?
In 1995, the Australian government launched an inquiry into the policy of forced child removal. The report was delivered to Parliament on the 26th May 1997. It estimated that between 10 per cent and 33 per cent of all Indigenous children were separated from their families between 1910-1970.
The report, Bringing Them Home, acknowledged the social values and standards of the time, but concluded that the policies of child removal breached fundamental human rights. The Keating government commissioned the inquiry into the Stolen Generations, but the Howard government received the report. Howard’s government was skeptical of the report’s findings, and largely ignored its recommendations.”...
****
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