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Sunday, May 18, 2025

Some Examples Of "I Don't Want To Go To Hollywood No More" Recreational Rhymes


CanadianQueen76, Jun 30, 2013
-snip-
Here are the words to this version of "I Don't Want To Go To Hollywood No More" (given here as the "Shame Hand Game Hollywood):

"Shame, Shame Shame
I don't want to go to Hollywood no more more more
There's a big fat policeman at the door door door
He will hang you by the head
Make you pee the bed
I don't want to go to Hollywood no more

[Try to be the first one to slap your partner on her forehead as you say]

Shame!


****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents some information about the history of the large family of children's recreational rhymes that are now known as "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico No More" (or similar words). 

This post also showcases s few examples of variant forms of those rhymes that have the title "I Don't Want To Go To Hollywood No More". Like many other variant forms of "I Don't Want To Mexico No More"  (originally "I Don't Want To Go To Macy's), these examples usually begin with the phrase "shame shame shame" and/or end with the word "shame".

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-word-shame-in-childrens-rhymes-part.html for Part I (Shame Shame Double Shame" rhymes).

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/sources-examples-of-i-dont-want-to-go.html for the 2013 pancocojams post 
"Shame Shame Shame"/"I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" Children's Rhymes (Sources & Text Examples)"

Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/video-examples-of-hand-clap-rhyme-i.html for apancocojams post that features videos of "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" that include the "shame shame shame" introductory line and/or the "shame" ending.

****
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, recreational, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Ti & Naish who are featured in this showcase YouTube video and thanks to the publisher of that video on YouTube.Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-real-origin-of-i-dont-to-go-to.html for the closely related 2017 pancocojams post entitled "The REAL Origin Of "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" Rhymes".

WARNING: Some websites whose links are provided in this post includes examples & comments that include profanity, explicit sexual content, homophobic references, and other content that I consider to be inappropriate for children. There is also a Hip Hop record that has a title that is the same or similar to this. I consider that record to be very inappropriate for children.

****
HISTORY AND OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT "I DON'T WANT TO GO TO MEXICO" RHYMES
[I originally wrote this section of this post in 2023 as an update for the 2013 pancocojams post 
"Shame Shame Shame"/"I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" Children's Rhymes (Sources & Text Examples) whose link is given above. This is a May 2025 update of that section.

"Original" version of this rhyme

"I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" is a large family of playground rhymes. The earliest version of these rhymes “I Won’t Go To Macy’s Any More, More More” was chanted as a jump rope jingle in 1938:
"I won't go to Macy's any more, more, more!
I won't go to Macy's any more, more, more!
There's a big fat policeman at the door, door, door!
He will squeeze me like a lemon.
A chalachke zol em nehmen.*
I won't go to Macy's any more, more, more!"
-http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/i_wont_go_to_macys_any_more_more_more_jump_rope_jingle_1938

*No information is given about the meaning of this line.

That post indicates that that rhyme is "also in the book Rimbles: A book of children's classic games, rhymes, songs, and sayings (1955, 1956, 1960, 1961) by Patricia Evans, pg. 30."

That post also includes this 14 April 1946, New York Times, "Jump-Rope Jingles," pg. 109 version of "I Don't Want To Go To Macys":

"I won't go to Macy's any more, more, more.
There's a big fat policeman at the door, door, door.
He takes me by the collar, and makes me pay a dollar.
So, I won't go to Macy's any more. more. more."
-snip-
That example is closer to many contemporary [1980 - to date] versions of "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" rhyme than the 1938 version.

Why children changed the word "Macys" to the word "Mexico"

It's my position that the title "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" came about because children substituted the word "Mexico" for the word "Macys" since they weren't familiar with the "Macys" store or the word “Macys”. This is an example of “folk etymology”. Folk etymology occurs when people change foreign words or unfamiliar words into familiar words or sounds that are similar to the word they don’t know.

This rhyme is not meant to disparage Mexicans or the nation of Mexico.


For what it's worth, I don't think that "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" rhyme is meant to disparage Mexicans or the nation of Mexico in any way. And just because a written or spoken composition mentions not wanting to go to Mexico, that doesn't mean that that composition is about immigration. [I've read both of these opinions online.]

Substituting the word "Mexico" for some other location

Since at least the 1980s, the word "Mexico" has been replaced in some versions of this rhyme with "college" such as "I Don't Want To Go To College" in Barbara Michel's and Bettye White's 1983 book of Houston, Texas African American children's rhymes Apple On A Stick.... 

Here's the version of  "I Don't Want To Go To College" rhyme that is found in the 1983 book Apple On A Stick:

I don’t want to go to college
Anymore more more.
There’s a big fat policeman
At the door, door, door.
He’ll pull you by the collar
Make you pay a dollar.
See what I mean,
Jelly Bean.
Wash your face with gasoline.
Jump in a lake.
Swallow a snake.
Come back home with a tummy ache."

Substituting "policeman" for some other person or for some animal

Also, since at least the 1980s, the words "big fat policeman" has been retained in some examples of "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" (and similarly titled rhymes). However, in other examples, the policeman has been replaced with "a big fat boy" or "a big fat person named ______ " or "a big mean lady", "a big fat lizard", "a big fat gorilla", "a cute little boy", "two cute boys", "a big fat Michael Jackson" or "a skinny Michael Jackson" etc.

Furthermore, the lines "he'll grab you by the collar/make you pay a dollar" has morphed into such variants as "he'll grab you by the collar, boy you better holler", "he'll grab you by the hips/make me kiss his lips", "he'll grab you buy the pants/make you do a dance" and a number of other versions.

Beginning this rhyme with the words "shame shame shame" and sometimes ending this rhyme with the word "shame" 

Another significant development that has occurred with versions of "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico rhymes (originally "I Don't Want To Go To Macy's") rhymes is the inclusion of the beginning introductory phrase "shame shame shame" and/or the ending word "shame". In the context of these rhymes, the word "shame" means "shame on you" (i.e. "You should be ashamed for what you did". Example #15 of "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" given below ends with the words "Shame on you". 

Among African Americans, the rhyme "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" is commonly known as "Shame Shame Shame" or "Shame" because the introductory words "Shame Shame Shame" is often found in African American versions of that rhyme. However, some other African American derived playground rhymes also include this "shame shame shame" introductory line. Part IV of this series features examples of those rhymes.

The earliest date that I've found thus far for an example of "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" which begins with the words "shame shame shame" is the mid 1980s (North Carolina). .... Note that the "I Don't Want To Go To College" example from the 1983 book Apple On A Stick which I previously referred has no introductory line and no ending word/s such as "Shame" or "Shut the door".

My guess is that the use of the words "shame shame shame" as an introductory phrase was inspired by the title of the 1974/1975 R&B record "Shame Shame Shame" by Shirley & Company. In turn, the "shame shame shame" title & that phrase -but not other parts of that song's lyrics- might have been influenced by the "shame shame double shame" line in the playground rhyme "Water Water Wallflower". However, I believe that in the context of these "I Don't Want To Go To Mexico" (and variant words) rhymes, the words "shame shame shame" probably originally meant something like "Aren't you ashamed?". 

The ending word "shame" or its alternative end line "Shut the door!" serve a similar lightly competitive function as the ending word "Freeze!" which appears in many hand clap rhymes. However, instead of "freezing in place" as is done when the word "Freeze!" is chanted, the partners compete to be the first person to say the end word "Shame!" or the end line "Shut the door!". While chanting that line the hand clap partners attempt to be the first one to poke or push their partner. Or, instead of that action, the partners may just compete to be the first one to say that word or line with the person saying it first being considered the "winner".


Introductory phrases are a common feature of some African Americans playground rhymes. In addition to "shame shame shame", other African American derived introductory phrases for playground rhymes are "Zing Zing Zing And The Deep Blue Sea", "Zing Zing Zing" At The Bottom Of The Sea", "1 2 3 Hit It" and "ABC Hit It". The introductory phrase "Uno Dos Siesta: and similar phrases" can also be considered in this category although it is a folk etymology form of the Spanish numbers Uno Dos Tres" (1, 2, 3).

The usual performance activities for these rhymes

The editors of the Apple On A Stick book didn't specify what type of performance activity accompanied these rhymes (such as jumping rope or doing partner of group hand clap routines.) However, since at least the 1980s, it appears to me that partner hand clapping routines or some other form of hand clapping routines became the activity of choice for African American girls chanting recreational rhymes.]    

Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZwisYKgKRw for a video of that "Shame, Shame, Shame" song. Also, click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shame,_Shame,_Shame_(Shirley_%26_Company_song) for information about that song & its singers

Friday, May 16, 2025

Online Comments About The Overall Meaning(s) Of The Song "Pick Poor Robin Clean"


Traveler Into The Blue, Nov 2, 2011

Luke Jordan............Pick Poor Robin Clean....

 August 16,  1927
-snip-
WARNING- This 1927 song includes "the n word" and the word "coon" which is used as another offensive referent for Black people.  

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part V of a multi-part pancocojams series on the pre-Blues song "Pick Poor Robin Clean".

This pancocojams series presents selected online excerpts and comments about the overall meaning(s) of the song "Pick Poor Robin Clean". The sound file that is embedded in this post showcases Luke Jordan. African American vocalist and guitarist Luke Jordan was the first person to record the song "Pick Poor Robin Clean" in 1927. This song may have been sung by Luke Jordan and/or by other people before that date. Interest in this old song has been revived by its inclusion in the 2025 hit Ryan Coogler movie Sinners.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/05/luke-jordan-pick-poor-robin-clean-take.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post showcases the first recording of "Pick Poor Robin Clean" in 1927 by Luke Jordan.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/05/geeshie-wiley-elvie-thomas-pick-poor.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post showcases the 1931 recording of "Pick Poor Robin Clean" by Geechie Wiley and Elvie Thomas.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/05/larry-johnson-pick-poor-robin-clean.html for Part III of this pancocojams series. That post showcases the 1970 recording of "Pick Poor Robin Clean" by Larry Johnson.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/05/ryan-cooglers-2025-sinners-movie.html for Part IV of this pancocojams series. That post showcases the version of the song "Pick Poor Robin Clean" that is part of Ryan Coogler's 2025 movie Sinner.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Luke Jordan for his musical legacy and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

****
COMMENTS ABOUT THE  OVERALL MEANING(S) OF THE SONG "PICK POOR ROBIN CLEAN'
The sources for these quotes are given in no particular order and are numbered for references purposes only.

Source #1- 
https://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=7159.0 Meaning of Geechie Wiley lyrics
[Pancocojams Editor's Note- These letters are assigned to selected comments from that weenie campbell.com source for referencing purposes but aren't the same as the numbers that are given in that discussion thread.

These comments in this compilation are usually presented without any quotes which that comment is replying to. However, when I include a quote, I've added the words [end of quote] in brackets and in italics to indicate that fact.]

a)
"Stumblin

Re: Meaning of Geechie Wiley lyrics

December 29, 2010, 06:14:42 AM »

I'm intrigued by the origins of Pick Poor Robin Clean, it's a great tune and the refrain seems to hint at quite a deep ancestry - to my way of thinking anyway.

Or, it could be about the logical response to a ludicrously undersized festive avian sacrificial meal.

Thoughts?"

**
b)

"dj

Re: Meaning of Geechie Wiley lyrics

December 29, 2010, 07:27:25 AM »

Quote

Or, it could be about the logical response to a ludicrously undersized festive avian sacrificial meal.

[end of quote]

Mance Lipscomb, in I Say Me For A Parable, talks about hunting robins and other songbirds in the winter when there wasn't much else to eat.  I've always assumed that hunting and eating robins was, in fact, one of several layers of meaning in the song."

**
c)

"Chezztone

Re: Meaning of Geechie Wiley lyrics

December 30, 2010, 01:04:25 PM »

…Re: "Pick Poor Robin Clean"...Almost all songs are about people, even when they seem to be about animals. Sure, there could be more than one meaning, and people have eaten robins if they managed to catch them. But the primary meaning of this lyric (as my friend and colleague Lauren Sheehan, who also sings this song, first explained to me) is probably about a john (or a mark, if a man is singing it) named Robin. The protagonist wants to pick poor Robin clean, not leave a cent on him."

**
d)

"dj

Re: Meaning of Geechie Wiley lyrics

December 31, 2010, 06:06:10 AM »

Absolutely.  But why Robin?  Why not Sammy or Arthur?  I think that what made the image so strong to an audience in the days before songbirds were protected from hunting was the memory of being poor, having no other source of protein, and picking every morsel of the scarce meat off a songbird."

**
e)

"uncle bud

Re: Meaning of Geechie Wiley lyrics

December 31, 2010, 09:03:05 AM »

Interesting theory, though I'm not sure what evidence there is that the Robin would be a john targeted by a prostitute. Did Lauren mention any source? Luke Jordan of course recorded the song four years earlier than Wiley and Thomas. The Victor advertisement for Jordan's song points to gambling/hustling as the primary meaning of the song. See attached image. Basically, I'm taking your money, your family, your auntie, your great grandma, everything."

****
Source #2
https://www.elijahwald.com/songblog/pick-poor-robin/ Pick Poor Robin Clean (Larry Johnson) June 6, 2016 Elijah Wald 
..."As for the song itself, there seems to be a good deal of confusion and disagreement about what it means. The original ad for Jordan’s version in the Chicago Defender suggests it’s about gambling, and he certainly refers to “gambling for Sadie,” but then there’s the recurring refrain about “I’ll be satisfied having your family” and the verse that is mistranscribed in that ad, which is an obvious example of the dozens, the Black tradition of verbal battling that often involved insults directed at mothers and other female relatives:

If you have that gal of mine, I’m gonna have your ma
Your sister, too; your auntie, three
If your great-grandmammy do the shiveree, I’m gonna have her four…”

In my book about The Dozens, now titled Talking ‘Bout Your Mama, I note this theme and suggest that the reference to picking poor robin clean may be similar to the French “Alouette,” which uses the metaphor of picking feathers from a bird as a stand-in for disrobing a woman… but that’s just a guess."...
-snip-
This post refers to a portion of a Victor Record ad about Luke Jordan singing "Pick Poor Robin Clean. That ad is partly shown in that post and includes an illustration of two birds on either side of a dead bird (presumably a robin) laying on the ground. The birds are eating the entrails of that bird. 

The ad includes these words, some of which are lyrics from Luke Jordan's version of that song and some of which are comments about that song:

. “I picked his head. I picked his feet, I would have picked his body, but it wasn’t fit to eat.”….

Everybody knows some snappy version of this roving song of the gambler.

“Now if you have it gentlemine, I’m gonna have your mon’…

Luke Jordan sings the rollicking words with that careless abandon the song needs.
A deep voiced guitar rolls along in accompaniment”.

****
Source #3 
http://uncensoredhistoryoftheblues.purplebeech.com/2007/07/show-28-weird-lyrics.html Uncensored History of the Blues - A discussion of the best in early recorded blues.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

"Show 28 - Weird Lyrics
I thought I'd take a look at a few songs that I don't really understand but that I find very intriguing. Some of these are songs that seem to be from the minstrel tradition and they use lyrics with meanings that are lost to time or at least lost on me. Or maybe the songs were just always weird, even at the time they were made.

[…]

Luke Jordan's “Pick Poor Robin Clean” features music and lyrics, particularly the lyrics with what we now consider racist language reveal the probable minstrel show origin of the song:

Get off my money and don't get funny
'Cause I'm a ni-ger*, don't cut no figure
Gambling for Sadie, she is my lady
I'm a hustling coon that's just what I am


But it's the chorus that features the lyrics that confuse me:


You better pick poor robin clean
Pick poor robin clean
I picked his head, I picked his feet
Would have picked his body, but it wasn't fit to eat
You'd better pick poor robin clean
Pick poor robin clean
But I'll be satisfied having your family

It seems picking the robin is a metaphor, but I'm not sure for what. The song was also recorded by the female duo Geeshie Wiley and Elvie Thomas and it almost seems to take on a different meaning being sing by a woman.”…
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in that post.

[Pancocojams Edtor's Note: That post continues with a discussion of other songs.

Comments about this post are noted using letters from the alphabet. Times but no dates are given for these comments. Presumably, they are from the same year as that post.]

a)
"Anonymous said...

Hi Mike,
Great podcast, as always.

Re: Pick Poor Robin Clean - I don't think there's a metaphor going on here... I think it's just a reference to eating birds. This seems to have been fairly common in the south; Mance Lipscomb mentions doing so in his biography.

2:59 PM"

**
b) 

"Anonymous said...

I've puzzled over Pick Poor Robin Clean too, and came across this post while Googling it. So, rather late in the day, here's my contribution to the debate!

The way I see it, the speaker is gambling to get even with someone who stole his woman (Sadie). There's plenty of overt threats being made: "get off my money"; "don't act funny";
jaybird suggesting the speaker is a jailbird, etc. "Pick poor Robin clean" is another, metaphorical threat to ruin his opponent financially.

 

I suspect "You better pick..." is a garbled version of what should be "You bet I'll pick...".
"I picked his head, I picked his feet" could mean the speaker won his opponent's shoes
and hat. That the body "wasn't fit to eat" wryly suggests he has no use for his opponent's body
- though he'll happily take his opponent's female relatives!

6:37 PM"

**
c)

"
Daniel said...

Thanks for this great post! About poor robin: check out Ralph Ellison's great novel Invisible Man, which spends some time on this song. After being hustled, the narrator puzzles over the song, and ultimately comes to imagine himself as the robin being picked clean. First mention page 193 in chapter 9.

9:04 AM"

**
d)
"Ed said...

The book "The Dozens" by Elijah Wald claims that the metaphor in "Pick Poor Robin Clean" is the same as in the French "Allouette". Picking the feathers from the bird is like removing the clothes from a lady, piece by piece.

 2:42 PM"

****
This concludes Part V of this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Ryan Coogler's 2025 Sinners Movie Version Of The Song "Pick Poor Robin Clean"


Release - Topic, 146,557 views  Apr 17, 2025

Provided to YouTube by Masterworks

Pick Poor Robin Clean · Jack O'Connell · Lola Kirke · Peter Dreams · Sinners Movie

Sinners (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

℗ 2025 Proximity Media LLC, under exclusive license to Sony Masterworks, a label of Sony Music Entertainment

Released on: 2025-04-18

Composer: Geeshie Wiley
Associated Performer, Producer: Ludwig Göransson
Associated Performer: Noah Gorelick
Mixing Engineer: Riley Mackin
Mastering Engineer: Emily Lazar
Associated Performer: Charlie Bisharat

Auto-generated by YouTube.
-snip-
Regarding the statement given above that the composer of this song was Geeshie Wiley", actually Geeshie Wiley wasn't the first person to record "Pick Poor Robin Clean". That honor goes to Luke Jordan in 1927 which was three years before Wiley recorded that song and Luke Jordan may not have been the composer of that "Pick Poor Robin Clean".

Furthermore, while the Sinners movie version of "Pick Poor Robin Clean" has the same tune as the other versions of that song, some of its lyrics are different from Geechie Wiley's version of that song (and from any other version of that song).

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part IV of a multi-part pancocojams series on the pre-Blues song "Pick Poor Robin Clean" (also given as "Picked Poor Robin Clean"). 

African American vocalist and guitarist Luke Jordan was the first person to record the song "Pick Poor Robin Clean" in 1927. This song may have been sung by Luke Jordan and/or by other people before that date. Interest in this old song has been revived by its inclusion in the 2025 hit Ryan Coogler movie Sinners.

This pancocojams post presents information about Ryan Coogler's movie Sinner and showcases a YouTube sound file of that movie's version of "Pick Poor Robin Clean". The lyrics of the Sinners' movie version of "Pick Poor Robin Clean" are also included in this post. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/05/luke-jordan-pick-poor-robin-clean-take.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post showcases the first recording of "Pick Poor Robin Clean" in 1927 by Luke Jordan.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/05/geeshie-wiley-elvie-thomas-pick-poor.html
 for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post showcases the 1931 recording of "Pick Poor Robin Clean" by Geechie Wiley and Elvie Thomas.

Clickhttps://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/05/larry-johnson-pick-poor-robin-clean.html for Part III of this pancocojams series. That post showcases the 1970 recording of "Pick Poor Robin Clean" by Larry Johnson.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/05/online-comments-about-overall-meaning.html for Part V of this pancocojams series. That post presents online excerpts and comments about the meaning of the song "Pick Poor Robin Clean".  

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the unknown original composer of the song "Pick Poor Robin Clean". Thanks to the composer/s of this version of that song and thanks to all those who are featured in this sound file. Thanks also to Ryan Coogler for his cultural legacy and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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INFORMATION ABOUT RYAN COOGLER'S MOVIE SINNERS
From 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinners_(2025_film) [retrieved May 16, 2025]
"Sinners is a 2025 American musical horror film[4][5][6] produced, written, and directed by Ryan Coogler.[7] Set in 1932 in the Mississippi Delta, the film stars Michael B. Jordan in dual roles as twin brothers who return to their hometown to start again, only to be confronted by a supernatural evil. The film co-stars Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O'Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, and Delroy Lindo.

Coogler began developing the film through his production company Proximity Media by January 2024, when Jordan was cast. After a bidding war, Warner Bros. Pictures acquired distribution rights the next month, and additional roles were cast in April. Principal photography took place from April to July. Longtime Coogler collaborator Ludwig Göransson composed the film's score and served as an executive producer.

Sinners was theatrically released in the United States on April 18, 2025, by Warner Bros. Pictures.[8] Critics praised Coogler's direction, Göransson's score, and the cast performances. The film has grossed over $292.4 million worldwide, becoming the fifth highest-grossing film of 2025."...

****
LYRICS FOR THE SINNERS MOVIE VERSION OF "PICK POOR ROBIN CLEAN"

[background information] The vampires gather outside the blues joint and sing this song to taunt Grace Chow (Li Jun Li) with a threat to kill her unprotected family.


" [Verse]

I picked poor Robin clean, picked poor Robin clean

I picked his head, I picked his feet

I woulda picked his body, but it wasn't fit to eat

Oh, I picked poor Robin clean, picked poor Robin clean

And I'll be satisfied having a family

Lord, didn't that jaybird laugh when I picked poor Robin clean?

Poor Robin clean, I picked poor Robin clean

Lord, didn't that jaybird laugh when I picked poor Robin clean?

And I'll be satisfied having a family

 

[Interlude]

My name is Remmick

This here's Joan and Bert

We believe in equality and music

We just came here to play, spend some money, have a good time

Can't we just, for one night, just one night

Just all be family?

 

[Verse]

Lord, didn't that jaybird laugh when I picked poor Robin clean?

Poor Robin clean, I picked poor Robin clean

Lord, didn't that jaybird laugh when I picked poor Robin clean?

And I'll be satisfied having a family

 

[Outro]

Let's go now

Da-da-da-da, di-da

Da-da-da-da, da-da

Da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da

Mm-hmm

Da-da-da-da, di-da (Ba-da)

Da-da-da-da, da-da (Da-di)

Da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da"


Source: https://genius.com/Jack-oconnell-lola-kirke-and-peter-dreams-pick-poor-robin-clean-lyrics

****
This concludes Part IV of this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Larry Johnson - "Pick Poor Robin Clean" (A version of this 1970 record is featured in Ryan Coogler's 2025 hit movie "Sinners")


Stefan Wirz, Jun 12, 2017

Larry Johnson - Pick Poor Robin Clean

recorded. April 10, 1970 in New York, NY by Nick Perls; Larry Johnson, voc, g

... this recording first published on and taken from Blue Goose LP BG 2001 (US 1970) "Fast & Funky" --- in 1996 re-released on CD by the Baltimore Blues Society, no #

Blue Goose 2001 front cover photo by Peter Vogel...
-snip-

WARNING- The word "coon" in this song can be considered to be an offensive referent for Black people. As such, using that word as a referent for Black people nowadays is very much frowned upon.

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part Iii of a multi-part pancocojams series on the pre-Blues song "Pick Poor Robin Clean".

African American vocalist and guitarist Luke Jordan was the first person to record the song "Pick Poor Robin Clean" in 1927. This song may have been sung by Luke Jordan and/or by other people before that date. Interest in this old song has been revived by its inclusion in the 2025 hit Ryan Coogler movie Sinners.

This pancocojams post presents information about Larry Johnson and showcases a YouTube sound file of Larry Johnson's version of "Pick Poor Robin Clean". (Those two sound files contain the same lyrics but slightly different guitar instrumentation.)

The lyrics of Larry Johnson's version of "Pick Poor Robin Clean" are included in this post. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/05/luke-jordan-pick-poor-robin-clean-take.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post showcases the first recording of "Pick Poor Robin Clean" in 1927 by Luke Jordan.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/05/geeshie-wiley-elvie-thomas-pick-poor.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post showcases the 1931 recording of "Pick Poor Robin Clean" by Geechie Wiley and Elvie Thomas.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/05/ryan-cooglers-2025-sinners-movie.html for Part IV of this pancocojams series. That post showcases the version of the song "Pick Poor Robin Clean" that is part of Ryan Coogler's 2025 movie Sinners.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/05/online-comments-about-overall-meaning.html for Part V of this pancocojams series. That post presents online excerpts and comments about the meaning of the song "Pick Poor Robin Clean".  

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Larry Johnson for his musical legacy and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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INFORMATION ABOUT LARRY JOHNSON
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Johnson_(musician)
"
Larry Alonzo Johnson[1] (May 15, 1938 – August 6, 2016) was an American blues singer and guitarist.[2]

Life and career

Johnson was born in Wrightsville, Georgia.[1] His father was a preacher who traveled extensively. This led to Johnson being exposed to blues records by Blind Boy Fuller, who inspired Johnson to learn the rudiments of guitar playing. He served in the Navy between 1955 and 1959, before relocating to New York City. After his befriending Brownie and Stick McGhee, Johnson found employment recording with Big Joe Williams, Harry Atkins, and Alec Seward. The latter gave Johnson an introduction to Reverend Gary Davis.[2]

Johnson's first single release was "Catfish Blues" / "So Sweet" (1962).[3] His first album was produced by iconic blues writer/producer Sam Charters on Prestige Records entitled The Blues/A New Generation (PR 7142), in 1964. Hank Adkins was his second guitarist on this record. He made numerous live appearances with Davis over that decade. In 1971, Johnson released Fast and Funky, but his live playing gradually reduced. A couple of low key albums appeared in the 1980s, before Johnson received more regular live work in the 1990s, particularly in Europe. Whilst there his output included Railroad Man (1990) and Blues for Harlem (1999). Two Gun Green followed in 2002.[2]

Johnson died on August 6, 2016, aged 78, in a nursing home in Harlem, New York.[3]"

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LYRICS OF LARRY JOHNSON'S VERSION OF "PICK POOR ROBIN CLEAN"

You bet I pick poor robin clean
You bet I pick poor robin clean
Pick his head. Pick his feet
I woulda pick his body but it wasn’t fit to eat

Oh I pick poor robin clean
Pick poor robin clean
And I be satisfied there’s my family

Get off my money and don't get funny
'Cuz I'm from Georgia, not far from Florida
I’m gamblin' for Sadie ‘cuz she’s my lady
I'm a hustling coon, that's just what I am

You bet I pick poor robin clean
Pick poor robin clean
Pick his head. Pick his feet
Ooh child I woulda pick his body but it wasn’t fit to eat

Oh I pick poor robin clean
Pick poor robin clean
And I be satisfied with my family

Oh, didn’t that jaybird laugh
When he picked poor robin clean
Pick his head, Pick his feet
Woulda pick his body but it wasn’t fit to eat

Oh, I pick poor robin clean
Oh, I pick poor robin clean
And I’ll be satisfied with my family.

You betta I pick poor robin clean
Pick poor robin clean
Pick his head, Pick his feet
Woulda pick his body but it wasn’t fit to eat

Oh, I pick poor robin clean
Oh, I pick poor robin clean
And I’ll be satisfied with my family.

 
-snip-
This is my transcription from this sound file. Additions and corrections are welcome.

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This concludes Part III of this pancocojams series.

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