Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases Hambone Willie Newbern's 1929 Blues song "She Could Toodle-oo". Lyrics for this song are included in this post. Information about Hambone Willie Newbern is also included in this post.
The Addendum to this post features two novelty songs that I think sound somewhat like "She Could Toodle-oo". I'd love to know if you agree.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic reasons.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Hambone Willie Newbern for his musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the publisher of this song on YouTube.
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INFORMATION ABOUT HAMBONE WILLIE NEWBERN
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hambone_Willie_Newbern
"Hambone Willie Newbern (1899–1947)[1] was an American guitar-playing country blues musician.[2] His home community was in the Brownsville, Tennessee area along Tennessee State Route 19.[3] He was reported to have played with Yank Rachell and Sleepy John Estes (from whom most of our knowledge of Hambone was gained) in the 1920s and 1930s.[1] He recorded one of the earliest known versions of the blues standard "Rollin' and Tumblin'" in 1929. He only recorded six tracks in total, which also included, "She Could Toodle-Oo" and "Hambone Willie's Dreamy-Eyed Woman's Blues."[1]
Newbern was a hot-tempered man who eventually was beaten to death in a prison brawl, around 1947."
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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: Hambone Willie Newbern, She coul toodle-oo
Edith de Ronde. Published on Apr 25, 2013
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LYRICS- SHE COULD TOOTLE OO
(Hambone Willie Newbern)
I once knew a little girl.
She wore a hole in her britches
Come walkin right down the street.
Every time she go she go toodley oodley.
She goes to everybody she meets.
I was walkin down the street the other day.
I seen the same ole girl myself/
And I give that girl a tote no nickel short.
"A toodle oo" said that gal.
Aw, she could toodle oodle.
Aw she toodle oodle.
That’s all the poor girl do.
Aw, she could toodle oodle.
Yes she toodle oodle.
That’s all she could do.
Her mama phoned the doctor
Says come here quick
Cause I believe I got to have my daughter check‑a‑check.
Yes she toodle oodle.
Yes she toodle oodle.
Toodle oodle oodle oo.
Aw, she could toodle oodle.
Boy she toodle oodle.
Toodle oodle oodle oo.
Aw, she could toodle oodle oo.
Yes she toodle oodle oo.
Toodle oo oo oo
Well the doctor came
Says "I never seen such.
Your daughter got the fever.
She toodle‑oo too much.
She could toodle oodle.
Yes, she toodle oodle.
Toodle oodle oodle oo.
[instrumental]
Yes she toodle oo.
Aw, she can toodle.
Boy, she can toodle oo.
Aw, she could toodle oodle oo.
Toodle‑oo in the summer, in the fall.
Got so cold she couldn't toodle‑oo at all.
Aw, she could toodle oodle.
Yes she toodle oodle.
That’s all the poor girl do.
Her mama's in the kitchen cooking in a stew
Me around the house just a toodle‑oodle‑oo
[instrumental]
Aw she toodle oo.
Yes she toodle oo.
toodle oodle oodle oo.
Aw she toodle oo.
Boy, she can toodle oo.
That’s all the poor girl do
Well she went to leave me.
Went and stumped her shoe.
Fell down and broke her little toodle oodle oo.
She can toodle oo.
She can toodle oo.
Toodle oodle oo.
-snip-
Transcription from the sound file. Additions and corrections are welcome.
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NOTES ABOUT THIS SONG
This song is about a female street walker (a prostitute).
The word "toodle oo" usually means "good bye" and sometimes it means "hello". However, in most of the song "She Could Toodle-oo", that word is a society acceptable substitute for the curse word that means "engaging in sexual intercourse".
In the sentence "broke her little toodle oodle oo", "toodle oodle oo" means her butt.
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ADDENDUM
Here's an American Rock 'n Roll novelty song that reminds me of "She Could Toodle-oo". Do you think they are similar?
The Marathons - Peanut Butter (1961, Arvee Records)
Huggy1959, Uploaded on Jan 24, 2009
-snip-
The 1960 novelty Rock 'n Roll song "Alley Oop" also reminds me a little of "She Could Toodle-oo". What do you think?
Alley Oop - The Hollywood Argyles
DayGloClam, Uploaded on Nov 21, 2009
Hit song for The Hollywood Argles from 1960.
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In researching information about the body patting movment "Hambone", I came across this very interesting article http://bluesjunctionproductions.com/hambone Hambone: An ingredient for delicious soup,or an instrument for scorn, or for strong rhythm,or for hot sex?" by Erwin Bosman.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the possible meaning for "hambone" listed last in that title, Bosman writes " In Southern vernacular, hambone is associated with the act of having sexual intercourse and/or with the genitals.... The word surfaced in this meaning in several early blues songs. Flipping through the pages of early blues, I found the sexual allusion popping up in at least four songs".
Bosman mentions Hambone Willie Newbern but doesn't specifically say that his nickname/stage name "Hambone" has that same sexual connotation. But I think it probably did.