Videos Of "Four White Horses" Caribbean Hand Clap Rhyme (Part II)

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest Update: May 6, 2024

This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series on the Caribbean folk song "Four White Horses" that is often used as a children's hand clapping rhyme.

This post showcases five videos of "Four White Horses" hand clap games. The Addendum to this post provides several suggested performance instructions for this hand clapping game.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/07/four-white-horses-caribbean-song-hand.html for Part I of this series. Part I presents selected comments from Mudcat folk music discussion thread and from other online sources about the origin of the song/rhyme "Four White Horses". Text (word only) examples of this song's lyrics are also included in this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the unknown composers of "Four White Horses" and thanks to all those who have collected this song. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, thanks to all those who are featured in these videos, and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
Judging from its presence on the internet-including lyrics pages, questions about its origin and meaning, and YouTube videos, the song "Four White Horses" appears to be relatively familiar in the United States, at least compared to many other Caribbean songs. Although there is general agreement that "Four White Horses" is a Caribbean song, some websites give its origin as the United States Virgin Islands while others indicate that this song comes from Jamaica. Given the number and quality of the sources that say that this song is from the United States Virgin Island, I believe that origin is the correct one.

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
These videos are given in chronological order based on their publishing date on YouTube, with the oldest dated video given first. All of these videos are from the United States.

Example #1: Four White Horses



Vincent Bates Published on Mar 23, 2011

Four white horses on a river. Ay, ay, ay, up tomorrow. Up tomorrow is a rainy day. Come on, join in our shadow play. Shadow play is a ripe banana. Ay, ay, ay, up tomorrow. Up tomorrow is a rainy day

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Example #2: Four White Horses Clapping Games



Julie Jacobsma Published on Nov 3, 2011

6th Graders create 4 or 8-beat clapping patterns to go with the Jamaican song, "Four White Horses" and perform them for the class.

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Example #3: Four White Horses clapping game



Clover Ridge Music, Published on May 19, 2014

Learn the clapping game to the Caribbean folk song, then make up your own pattern!

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Example #4: Four White Horses Clapping Game



Josh Manfroni, Published on Jun 22, 2016

Some of our 2nd grade students demonstrating the clapping game for "Four White Horses." Great job ladies!

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May 6, 2024 - This video replaces one that is no longer available. 

 Example #5: -  GSUP Four White Horses

Green Sally Up Project, Jan 4, 2017

This is a singing game with with clapping of African American origin that was collected by Floice Lindgren Lund, Virgin Islands, 1960.  This song is suitable for Grades 4-8, and should be played with four players per group.
-snip-
My guess is that the referent "African American" in this summary is used to include Black people from the United States Virgin Islands since that geographical place is a part of the United States.

Here's a comment from this video's discussion thread: 

@InspirateConLynn, 2022
"I grew up in th USVI . Thank you for sharing. This brought me memories." 

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ADDENDUM: SUGGESTED PERFORMANCE INSTRUCTIONS
These performance instructions are given in no particular order.
Quote #1:
From http://kodaly.hnu.edu/song.cfm?id=723
"Four White Horses"....

Kodály Center. The American Folk Song Collection ... Four White Horses. Analysis Share .... Collected by Floice Lindgren Lund, Virgin Islands, 1960. Informant

Directions: Two sets of partners form a square ("ones" and "twos"),
each person standing across from his or her partner.
On first 8 beats all clap hands out to the side, clapping each neighbors' palm.
For the remaining 8-beat phrases, the pattern is as follows. (One number = one beat)
1. The "ones" clap partners palms above shoulder level, the "twos" below.
2. All clap own hands together.
3. The "ones" clap partners palms below, and the "twos" above.
4. All clap own hands together.
5. The "ones" clap palms of neighbor on the right, the "twos" to the left.
6. All clap own hands together.
7. Reverse 5. (the "ones" turning to the left, etc.)
8. All clap own hands together"

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Quote #2
From http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=2200
"Four White Horses

Game Instructions

A Four Player Game

Four kids stand in a cross. Two kids face each other on one line of the cross, while the others face each other on the other line of the cross. One pair claps high in the air and the other pair claps low down. Then they switch.

Clapping Instructions:

On the First 4 Lines: Clap partner's hands, clap your hands, clap partner's hands, clap your hands.

On the 5th line: Go to the side partner - clap side partner's hands, clap your hands.

On the 6th Line: Go to the other side partner - clap side partner's hands, clap your hands."

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Quote #3
From https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2012/02/four-white-horses.html
"...Hand Clapping Game
Two sets of partners to form a square, partners stand across from each other.
Each number = 8 claps on the beat
Person with his/her back to the chalkboard & partner = A
Other two students = B

Students “A” do high five, Students “B” do “low five”
All clap own hands
“A” – low five, “B” – high five
All clap own hands
Turn to corner person, high five
Clap own hands
All clap “side five” "
-snip-
That page also includes this song's text (lyrics) and a musical score.

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This concludes Part II of this series on "Four White Horses"

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

"Four White Horses" Caribbean Song & Hand Clap Rhyme, Part I: Speculative Origins & Lyric Examples

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series on the Caribbean folk song "Four White Horses" that is often used as a children's hand clapping rhyme.

This post presents selected comments from Mudcat folk music discussion thread and from other online sources about the origin of the song/rhyme "Four White Horses". Text (word only) examples of this song's lyrics are also included in this post.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/07/videos-of-four-white-horses-caribbean.html for Part II of this series. Part II showcases five video examples of "Four White Horses" hand clap games. The Addendum to this post provides several suggested performance instructions for this hand clapping game.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the unknown composers of "Four White Horses" and thanks to all those who have collected this song. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE-
Judging from its presence on the internet-including lyrics pages, questions about its origin and meaning, and YouTube videos, the song "Four White Horses" appears to be relatively familiar in the United States, at least compared to many other Caribbean songs. Although there is general agreement that "Four White Horses" is a Caribbean song, some websites give its origin as the United States Virgin Islands while others indicate that this song comes from Jamaica. Given the number and quality of the sources that say that this song is from the United States Virgin Island, I believe that origin is the correct one.

"Four White Horses" is described as an "old Caribbean song". Since that song has no known composers and no known composition date (or even century or decade that I've found), it can properly be considered a "traditional" Caribbean song and a "folk song". I have, however, found two collection dates for this song: Floice Lindgren Lund, Virgin Islands, 1960 http://kodaly.hnu.edu/song.cfm?id=723 and Karen Ellis, 1976 on St. Croix, United States Virgin Island http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=9634.

In addition, this comment about the collection of the song "Four White Horse" was posted to a YouTube discussion thread for a video of that hand clap rhyme: "elorenz57, June 2017: "Lois Choksy, the amazing Kodaly music educator who taught at the University of Calgary for many years, collected this song and game from the Caribbean island where she had a home..." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aqr44wfy9lA

As is the case with most if not all folk songs and rhymes, there are many different versions of "Four White Horses" and there are various meanings that have been attributed to this song's (rhyme's) lyrics.
I'm not interested in judging whether one version or another is correct or incorrect. However, it seems to me that it might be possible to determine which versions may be older than others, if not "the oldest known" versions. And it also seems to me that it's appropriate to speculate about the early origins of this folk song whether those speculations can be proven or not.

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SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT "FOUR WHITE HORSES" FROM MUDCAT DISCUSSION THREAD
From http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=9634 Four White Horses??

Pancocojams Editor:
These selected comments are numbered for referencing purposes only.

1.
"Subject: Four White Horses??
From: Cleo
Date: 13 Mar 99 - 01:05 AM

I once heard a group of kids sing this song...
Four white horses on the river,
aye, aye, aye, up tomorrow,
up tomorrow is a rainy day.
Come and join our shadow play.
Shadow play is a ripe banana,
aye, aye, aye, up tomorrow,
up tomorrow is a rainy day.
I just wondered where it came from and if it's only supposed to be a nonsense song, or it actually means something. Any help?

Thanks, Cleo"

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2.
"Subject: RE: Four White Horses??
From: GUEST,Sheila
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 01:36 PM

Karen Ellis collected this in 1976 on St. Croix, USVI. A live sound field recording was made and submitted to the Folk Archive at the Library of Congress at that time. The words at that time were:
4 white horses on a rainbow
Hey hey hey up tomorrow
Up tomorrow is a rainy day
Come on out and let's shadow play
Shadow play is a ripe banana
Hey hey hey up tomorrow. (a salty sexy rhyme).
Still another version goes "4 white horses on the river" and "Come on up to the shallow bay/ Shallow bay is a ripe banana." "

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3.
"Subject: RE: Four White Horses??
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Mar 05 - 04:01 PM

Here are the original lyrics to the song:

Four white horses, on the river,
hey, hey, hey, up tomorrow.
Up tomorrow is a rainy day,
come on up to the shallow bay.
Shallow bay is a ripe banana,
up tomorrow is a rainy day!

It is an old carribean folk song"

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4.
"Subject: RE: Four White Horses??
From: GUEST,Ripe Banana
Date: 16 Dec 05 - 04:48 AM

This jaunty tune actually originated in 1963 in the Caribbean, and is closer to the version posted by Cleo:

Four white horses, on the river
Aye, aye, aye, up tomorrow
Up tomorrow is a rainy day
Come on and join the Shadow Gay
Shadow Gay in the last cabana
Aye, aye, aye, up tomorrow
Bite my banana."

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5.
"Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Four White Horses
From: MickyMan
Date: 10 Jan 06 - 06:25 PM

When I learned this children's game in the late 70s as a graduate level music educationn student at the Kodaly Musical Training Institute, we were told that the "up tomorrow" was derived from an erlier lyric of "hope tomorrow". These Kodaly Method people sourced their stuff bigtime ... and the lyric makes more sense when you know this. I taught it as a children's clapping game song similar to the one listed earlier. I'll bet there are many variants, one for every neighborhood girl gang in the Carribean. Great kid's game song!"

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6.
"Subject: RE: Four White Horses??
From: GUEST,k
Date: 19 Apr 09 - 05:35 PM

well im caribbean and it seem to me as if it is said differently then the way i learned it when i was a child for i've learned it as

4 white horses on a rainbow
hey hey hey up tomorrow
up tomorrow is a rainy day
come on down to the shallow bay
a shallow bay is a rotten banana
hey hey hey down tomorrow"

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7.
"Subject: RE: Four White Horses??
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 20 Apr 09 - 05:19 PM

GUESTk, that sure sounds like the folk process at work!"

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8.
"Subject: RE: Four White Horses??
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 01 Aug 09 - 07:18 AM

This is pure uninformed guesswork, but might the song be descended from a shanty? I've never heard it, but on reading the words one of those 'Sally Brown' sort of tunes seemed to be struggling for utterance.

Could 'Shadow day is a ripe banana' once have been 'Sally Brown's a bright mulatta?'

'Four white horses' appear in versions of 'Jordan', which is sometimes a spiritual and sometimes closer to a shanty.

Valmai"
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_shanty:
"A shanty (also spelled "chantey," "chanty") is a type of work song that was once commonly sung to accompany labor on board large merchant sailing vessels".

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/04/sally-brown-sally-sue-brown-sea-shanty.html for information about and some examples of "Sally Brown" (also known as "Shallow Brown") shanties.

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9.
"Subject: RE: Four White Horses??
From: Dave Hunt
Date: 02 Aug 09 - 04:51 AM

I learnt this song in Barbados when I was there a couple of years ago as a visiting artist - looking at how they teach their traditions in school. The words they use are

Three white horses, in a stable
hey hey we go up tomorrow
Up tomorrow at the break of day
Come along with your shallow plate
Shallow plate is a white mulatto
hey hey we go - up tomorrow
Up tommorrow at the break of day
Come along with your shallow plate

Tendency noew to sing green banana in place of white mulsatto - in fact they have fun changing the coloutr of the banana - blue, gold, red, whatever one child shouts out."

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10.
"Subject: RE: Four White Horses??
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 29 Jan 10 - 12:52 PM

Valmai said exactly what I was thinking! I was immediately reminded by

Shallow Bay is a ripe banana

Shadow play is a ripe banana

Shadow Gay in the last cabana


of "Sally (Shallow) Brown is a bright mulatta" and the shanty. Dave's hearing of the song seems to confirm this. I would love to hear the tune this is sung to."

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11.
"Subject: RE: Four White Horses??
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Apr 16 - 08:02 AM

four white horses
in the stable
hey hey we go
off tomorrow
off tomorrow is a break up day
come along with your shallow plate
shallow plate is a white banana
hey hey we go
off tomorrow"

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ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ABOUT "FOUR WHITE HORSES" (INCLUDING OTHER LYRIC VERSIONS) FROM OTHER ONLINE SITES
Pancocojams Editor:
These selected comments are numbered for referencing purposes only.

1. From http://www.newworldrecords.org/liner_notes/80427.pdf
"31. FOUR WHITE HORSES ON A RAINBOW
Schoolgirls, St. Thomas, 6/8/82
This hand-clapping game was performed by eight- and nine-year-old girls during recess
at school.

Four white horses on a rainbow,
Eh, eh, eh, up tomorrow,
Up tomorrow is a rainy day,
Come on down to the shadow play,
Shadow play is a ripe banana, Eh, eh, eh, up tomorrow...."
-snip-
This is the 31st song that is featured in this pdf file. That file also includes a rather extensive write up about the history of the United States Virgin Island as well as information about certain music forms including "Quadrille", "Masquerades" and "Scratch bands (also called "Fungi music" in the British Virgin
Islands).

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2. From http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=2200 "Four White Horses"
"This is a traditional Caribbean song. In one interpretation, it's about four white horses traveling on a river in a boat or on a barge. It's going to rain the next day, so they'd better come back up river to where it's safe in the shallow bay.

Four White Horses
Hand Clapping Rhyme
Four white horses, on the river,
Hey, hey, hey, up tomorrow,
Up tomorrow is a rainy day.
Come on up to the shallow bay,
Shallow bay is a ripe banana,
Up tomorrow is a rainy day.

Notes
Alternate lyrics:

Four white horses on a rainbow,
Hey, hey, hey, up tomorrow*
Up tomorrow is a rainy day,
Come on down to the shadow play,
Shadow play is a ripe banana,
Hey, hey, hey, up tomorrow.

*"Up tomorrow" may have originally been "hope tomorrow". There are versions with it as "for tomorrow"....
-snip-
This page also includes performance instructions. Those instructions are posted in Part II of this pancocojams series.

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3. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aqr44wfy9lA
sysphus13, 2012
"Great video, thanks. Being my kids even thought both of these versions were strange and senseless, as did I , i'm changing it to: Hey, Hey, Hey, Hope tomorrow, hope tomorrow is a rainy day, come on up to the shallow bay, shallow bay has some ripe bananas, hope tomorrow is a rainy day. :)"

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From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aqr44wfy9lA
Elorenz57, June 2017
"Lois Choksy, the amazing Kodaly music educator who taught at the University of Calgary for many years, collected this song and game from the Caribbean island where she had a home. The words were: "Come on up to the shallow bay. Shallow bay is a ripe banana, Up tomorrow is a rainy day." "Shallow Bay" was the name of the bay close to her home. It was in the shape of a banana, hence "Shallow bay is a ripe banana."Thought you might be interested in the history of the text. Enjoy."

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This concludes Part I of this pancocojams series on "Four White Horses".

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

The Black Roots Of The Folk Song "Oh Shenandoah", Part I

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a three part series on the folk song "Oh Shenandoah". This post provides information about the origin of this song and a sound file of Paul Robinson singing that song.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-black-roots-of-song-shenandoah-part.html for Part II of this series.

Part II provides transcripts of two 1930 "The Times" letters to the editor about "Oh Shenandoah" and one synopsis of another 1930 "Times" letter to the editor letter about that song.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-black-roots-of-song-shenandoah-part_18.html for Part III of this series.

Part III provides comments about and lyrics to Caribbean songs that are derived from "Oh Shenandoah". These songs are known by the title "This World Of Misery", "Oh My Rolling River", "Solid Fas'" ("Solid Fast'), and other titles.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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FEATURED YOUTUBE EXAMPLE: Paul Robeson "Shenandoah"



Addiobelpassato Published on Dec 22, 2012

Paul Robeson sings "Shenandoah"
with piano

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GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "OH SHENANDOAH"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh_Shenandoah
"Oh Shenandoah" (also called simply "Shenandoah", or "Across the Wide Missouri") is a traditional American folk song of uncertain origin, dating at least to the early 19th century. The song is number 324 in the Roud Folk Song Index, but is not listed amongst the Child Ballads.

History
Shenandoah was first printed[1] as part of William L. Alden's article "Sailor Songs", in the July 1882 issue of Harper's New Monthly Magazine.[2][3]

The song had become popular as a sea chanty with sailors by the 1880s.[4]

...Sea Songs and Shanties, Collected by W.B. Whall, Master Mariner (First edition in Nov 1910), states that the song probably originated from American or Canadian "voyageurs", who were great singers. Thomas Moore drew inspiration from them in his Canadian Boat Song. The author further goes on and states that he heard it sung over fifty years prior to publishing the book, which place its origin at least a fair bit earlier than 1860. Besides sung at sea, this song figured in old public school collections. (info taken from page one in the sixth edition of the book)

...A Mr. J.E. Laidlaw of San Francisco reported hearing a version sung by a black Barbadian sailor aboard the Glasgow ship Harland in 1894, which went:

Oh, Shenandoah! I hear you calling!
Away, you rolling river!
Yes, far away I hear you calling,
Ha, Ha! I'm bound away across the wide Missouri.

My girl, she's gone far from the river,
Away, you rolling river!
An' I ain't goin' to see her never.
Ha, Ha! I'm bound away, " &c.

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From http://www.songofamerica.net/cgi-bin/iowa/song/3.html
"Shenandoah
(1800)
Music by Traditional; Text by Traditional
The origins of "Shenandoah," perhaps one of America's most recognizable folk tunes, are not so easily deciphered. Like many folk songs, it is impossible to determine exactly when the song was composed, yet the song probably did not originate later than the Civil War. In any case, by the end of the 19th century, "Shenandoah" had achieved widespread popularity, both on land and at sea.
…As unclear as the song's origin is, so is the definitive version and interpretation of its text. Some believe that the song refers to the river of the same name. Others suggest that it is of African-American origin, for it tells the tale of Sally, the daughter of the Indian Chief Shenandoah, who is courted for seven years by a white Missouri river trader. Regardless of these textual mysteries, "Shenandoah" remains an American classic.
by Library of Congress "

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From http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4257 "Origin: Shenandoah"
From: Barry Finn
Date: 04 Mar 98 - 07:23 PM
"...Scholars & collectors have yet to nail down it's origins. It's been collected by Lomax, Sandburg, Hugill, Whall, Bullen, Colcord, Doerflinger, Abrahams, Shay, Bone, etc,etc,etc. It's been found aboard ships as The Wide Missouri, The Wild Mizzourye, The World Of Misery-Solid Fas (West Indies, rowing shanty, although collected recently by Abrahams, it may be as old as most other versions), Shenandoah (& it's many spellings), The Oceanida, Rolling River. It's been claimed as a river song a sea shanty, a US Army song & by the cavalry & wagon soldiers, a song of the Caadian & American mountain men, traders, voyageurs & trappers. It's been the name of a few shanties, The Gals Of Dublin Town or The Harp Without The Crown or The Shenandoah, also The Saucy Arabella or The Davy Crockett or The Shenandoah. It's been used on board with the windlass, capstan, & winches for loading cargo. In the West Indian version, it was used at the oars while chasing the whale (Blackfish)."

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From Bruce O.
Date: 05 May 98 - 08:23 PM
"JFSS, II, (#9), 1906.
II Chanties [collected by Annne Geddes Gilchrist]
Shangadore (Pumping Chanty) Sung by Mr. W. Bolton, Southport, Jan., 1906
O' Shang-ga-dore, I love your daughter, [solo
A-ray, ye rolling river! [Cho.
I love my grog.. much more than water, [solo
Ah-ha-ha! I'm bound away, Cross the wide Missouri [cho.
'Mr. Bolton refused to give me the rest of the words! .... Two versions, with variants of the tune, are given in an article by W. J. Alden in 'Harper's Magazine', 1882, and another under the title of "The Wide Missouri" in Tozer's 'Sailor's Songs'; another in a small collection of "Old Sea Chanties," by Messrs. Bradford and Fagge. The tune appears to be of negro origin; it is at least of negro character.....
[Now why wouldn't Mr. Bolton sing the rest of the words?]"

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From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 06 Aug 00 - 12:00 AM
"I went to a house concert abt 10 years ago where a man and wife named Nash sang songs of the sea. He was retired Navy, and they've been collecting for years. He sang a version of Shenandoah which he got from a sailor over 90 years old, and the sailor's last line went:
away, I'm bound away, across this wide world of mis'ry.
Makes more sense than the Missouri any day.
Hey, I live on the Missouri, and I know that going across it doesn't get you anywhere but Kansas, the beginning of the Great American Desert..."

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From: John Minear
Date: 19 Aug 02 - 07:22 PM
"Frank T. Bullen's SONGS OF SEA LABOUR has two short versions of "Shenandoah". He says that he "was before the mast in sailing ships from 1869 to 1880." He goes on to say why he only gives the opening verse and a chorus:
"The stubborn fact is that they had no set words beyond a starting verse or two and the fixed phrases of the chorus, which were very often not words at all. For all Chanties were impromptu as far as the words were concerned. Many a Chantyman was prized in spite of his poor voice because of his improvisations. Poor doggerel they were mostly and often very lewd and filthy, but they gave the knowing and appreciative shipmates, who roared the refrain, much opportunity for laughter."
He says, "Being possessed of a strong and melodious voice and a tenancious memory, Chanty singing early became a passion with me, and this resulted in my being invariably made Chantyman of each new vessel I sailed in, a function I performed until I finally reached the quarter-deck, when of course it ceased."

Bullen calls the first version a "negro Chanty" and he may have learned it while discharging "general cargo in the Demerara River off Georgetown", when he was a "first voyage laddie". He says that he had "never heard them anywhere else. They are negro chanties all right enough, but they were not in common use on board ship." (Bullen is referring to the first four Chanties in his collection, of which this song is the fourth).

[Chantyman] O Shenandoh my bully boy I long to hear you holler;
[Chorus]Way ay ay ay ay
[Chantyman] Shenando I lub ter bring er tot er rum en see ye make a swoller;
[Chorus] Way ay ay ay Shenandoh.

The tune is "brisk" and quite different from the more widely known one.

The other Chanty is called "Rolling-River". It is sung "slow, and with expression". It has the more familiar tune. He says that this "is a fine Chanty of the ordinary windlass or pump type, the main word of which is again Shanandoah, the old Southern name that the negroes would drag in, on account of its melody I suspect."

[Chantyman] Shanandoh, I long ter hear ye;
[Chorus] Away, you rolling river;
[Chantyman] Oh Shanandoh-o I can't get near ye
[Chorus] Ha ha! I'm bound away on the wide Missouri!"

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From: GUEST,knowitall
Date: 20 Jun 08 - 06:16 PM
"Shenandoah is PROBABLY an early 19th century shanty song that has evolved lyrically through the past two centuries to fit the needs of the musician performing the piece. The intoduction of the word Missouri into the piece most likely stems from the western migration of early pioneers, most probably from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. It is inconcievable that such a popular old song would not have changed at all from its beginnings until now. It is impossible to portray an accurate history of such a piece without any verifiable written documentation "

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GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 12 Feb 10 - 12:14 PM
"Anything that lasts this long and is so pervasive in the musical repertoire must contain very special qualities. "Shenandoah" seems a great example of the "folk process." Its roots may be lost in obscurity; perhaps originally an adaptation using the melody of a familiar nautical song. It has been "gentrified" with strings and choruses added, made into a theatrical and motion picture theme, played on a harmonica in numerous olf "B" westerns of the 1930's and '40's and sung around campfires ad nauseum.

Yet, though many verses and variants have undoubtedly been added, it remains a stalwart part of the folk song book and is still much loved. The melody is the key, at least to me. It speaks lyrically of longing and lonliness and could, even without words, convey those feelings."

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EDITORIAL COMMENTS:
The Mudcat thread whose link is given above includes a number of text versions of the lyrics to "Oh Shenandoah". This post is not meant to imply that every person posting to that discussion thread agreed with the belief that "Oh Shenandoah" derived from Black people in either the United States or the Caribbean.

The word "negro" used above is an outdated referent for people of Black African descent in the United States -and/or in this context-in the Caribbean (West Indies). Prior to it being replaced by the term "black [or "Black"] people", for contemporaneous usages of the referent "Negro", the first letter of that referent was and is spelled with a capital letter.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_shanty
"A shanty (also spelled "chantey," "chanty") is a type of work song that was once commonly sung to accompany labor on board large merchant sailing vessels...

Capstan shanty:[26]
Raising the anchor on a ship involved winding its rope around a capstan, a sort of giant winch, turned by sailors heaving wooden bars while walking around it. Other heavy tasks might also be assisted by using a capstan. Being a continuous action, shanties sung to accompany these tasks might have longer solo verses and, frequently, a "grand chorus," in addition to the call-and-response form. Examples: "Santianna", "Paddy Lay Back," "Rio Grande," "Clear the Track, Let the Bulgine Run," "Shenandoah", and "John Brown's Body." "

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This concludes Part I of this series.

Thanks to Paul Robinson for his musical legacy and thanks to the publisher of that sound file.
Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

(Bajan Caribbean Folk Song) "Everytime Ah Pass" (with lyrics & video)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a version of the Caribbean song "Everytime Ah Pass (You look at me)".

This serves as a companion piece to this earlier pancocojams post about a version of that song:
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/03/bajan-folk-song-every-time-she-pass.html. The comment given under a video of that song which is included in that post identifies that song as "Sweet Bajan Folk music from the 60's and 70's."

I've seen this song credited online as a Bajan song, a song from Monserrat, and a song from Trinidad & Tobago*

*These nations are given in alphabetical order).

Of course, anybody anywhere can sing any folk song. But from which nation did "Everytime Ah Pass" originate?

Also, is there a known composer for this song? Or does "Everytime Ah Pass" have a known composer, but people still (erroneously or not) consider it as a folk song (erroneously if you the definition of folk songs as "old" songs without any known composers).

A commenter on this Caribbean blog http://www.islandmix.com/backchat/f6/whey-de-island-folk-songs-dem-222598/index3.html wrote that this song is "ah trini folk classic"

A commenter on this website http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/limers/message/7748 "[Limers] every time I pass" credits this song to "Olive Walke" and I've seen that same credit given on another Caribbean song website whose link I didn't document.

Another commenter on that same website gives this source for the lyrics that are given above: "Source is from Folk Songs of Trinidad & Tobago by Boosey & Hawkes". The comments to that post make for interesting reading.

**
Here's a comment about Olive Walke from another website http://www.ecaroh.com/folk/la_petite_musicale.htm
"La Petite Musicale is a Caribbean institution. Founded in Trinidad in 1940 by Olive Walke, the choir has defined a style of performance that has become almost inseparable from the music itself. This is a collection of folk numbers ranging from the very familiar (Every Time Ah Pass, Après Carnival La, O Belem, Boykin) to the (to me, at least) more obscure — testimony to the extensive research carried out by the group over the years"...
-snip-
From reading that comment, I'm unsure if the commenter meant that Olive Walke collected those songs or composed those songs.

If you know any information about this song please share it. Thanks in advance.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

****
LYRICS: EVERYTIME AH PASS (EVERYTIME I PASS)
Every time ah pass You look at me

Every time ah pass You look at me

Ah gonna tell mah mama do' sen me down dey
You better tell yo' mama do' sen yo' down here
Ah gonna tell me mama do'sen me down dey
You better tell yo' mama do' sen yo ' down here.

Repeat as above, but substitute the following after “Every time ah pass”:
2. You smile at me
3. You wink at me
4. You whistle me
5. You sutin me
6. You teasin me

Source http://silvertorch.com/trinisongs.html Some folk songs of Trinidad & Tobago
-snip-
What does "sutin" mean?

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FEATURED VIDEO: Voices Concert 3 (The Journey of Life, Caribbean Style)



Tavez Aymer, Uploaded on Apr 16, 2009
Songs- Everytime I Pass, Run Buddy Run, Blow Sweet West Indian Breeze & Poor Me
-snip-
In response to a question about where this song is from, the publisher of this video wrote “Montserrat”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIqr5Rb_M-Q.

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UPDATE: July 7, 2016
Here's another rendition of this song:

Every Time She Pass (The Standpipe Song) - Sing Out Barbados



bajanmusicfan, Published on Mar 13, 2012

Sweet Bajan Folk music from the 60's and 70's.

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EDITOR'S COMMENT
This song takes a lighthearted look at what can be a troubling and dangerous experience- males oogling and "cat calling" and/or "wolf whistling" at females at females as those females walk pass by them. It's more the norm than the exception that females don't interpret that attention as compliments.

Click http://www.npr.org/2013/06/12/190993438/catcalling-ignore-it-or-enjoy-it for a discussion that aired on NPR radio about this phenomenon.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composer of this song, and thanks to the vocalists and musicians who are featured in this video. My thanks also to those who I quoted and thanks to publisher of this video.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Bajan (Barbados) Folk Song - "Every Time She Pass" ("The Sandpipe Song") with Lyrics

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a video of & lyrics to the Bajan (Barbados) folk song "Everytime She Pass" (also known as "The Sandpipe Song").

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Update: Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/08/caribbean-folk-song-everytime-ah-pass.html for another post on this song. From most of the comments about this song that I've read online, "Everytime Ah Pass" may have originally been form Trinidad & Tobago.

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FEATURED VIDEO
Every Time She Pass (The Standpipe Song) - Sing Out Barbados



bajanmusicfan,Published on Mar 13, 2012

Sweet Bajan Folk music from the 60's and 70's.

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LYRICS - EVERY TIME SHE PASS (THE SANDPIPE SONG]
[Bajan Folk Song]

[to moderately fast tempo]
Men- Every day she come down here.
She lookin so good, good.
And every time she pass by here
I like to touch-a she boomsie.
I like to touch-a she boomsie.

Men- Everyday she come down here.
She lookin so good, good.
And every time she pass by here

I like- a touch-a she boomsie.
I like- a touch-a she boomsie.
I like- a touch-a she boomsie.
I like- a touch-a she boom-

[moderately slow tempo]
Lead female - Every time I pass they pull at me.
Every time I pass they pull at me.
I’m gonna to tell me mama don't send me down there.
[Men overlapping after the word “gonna”] – Tell she mama, don’t send she down here.
Lead female- I’m gonna to tell me mama don't send me down there.

Lead female - Every time I pass they trouble me.
Every time I pass they trouble me.
I’m gonna tell me Mamma don't send me down there.
[Men overlapping after the word “gonna”] – Tell she mama, don’t send she down here.
Lead female- I’m gonna tell me Mamma don't send me down there.

Females: Every time she pass you trouble she.
Every time she pass you trouble she.

[to moderately fast tempo]
Females- I’m gonna tell she mama don't send she down there.

Men - Tell she mama don't send she down here.
Females - I’m gonna tell she mama don't send she down there.
Men - Tell she mama don't send she down here.

[to moderately fast tempo]
Every day she come down here
She lookin so good, good.
And every time she pass by here
She make me feel good, good.
Tell she mama come down here.
Females- You trouble she.
Male-Tell she auntie come down here.
Males-Tell she sister come down here
Females- You trouble she.
Males- And every time she pass by here.
Females –You trouble she.
Men-Tell she mama don’t send her down here.
Females – I’m gonna tell she mama don’t send she down there.
Lead singer [with other females]- Tell me mama don’t send me down there.

[to moderately slow tempo]
Lead female- Every time I pass they clap at me.
Every time I pass they clap at me.
Males – [clap their hands]
Females- You clap at she. You clap at she.
Lead female – Every time I pass they clap at me.
Males – [clap their hands]
Females- You clap at she. You clap at she.
Lead female –I’m gonna tell me Mamma don't send me down there.
[Men overlapping after the word “gonna”] – Tell she mama, don’t send she down here.
Lead female –I’m gonna tell me Mamma don't send me down there.
[Men overlapping after the word “gonna”] – Tell she mama, don’t send she down here.

[to moderately fast tempo]
Every day she come down here
She lookin so good, good.
And every time she pass by here
She make me feel good, good.
Tell she mama come down here.
Females- You trouble she.
Male-Tell she auntie come down here.
Males-Tell she sister come down here
Females- You trouble she.
Males-And as she come by here.
Females –You trouble she.
Men-Tell she mama don’t send her down here.
Females – I’m gonna tell she mama don’t send she down there.
Lead singer [with other females]- Tell me mama don’t send me down there.

[same pattern] - “you teases she”

Ends with alternating males and females singing several times with moderately fast tempo:
Males -Tell she mama don’t send she down here
Females- I’m gonna tell she mama don’t send she down there.
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell. Additions & corrections welcome.
*boomsie=butt, booty

****
RELATED LINK
Click http://crs-sato.tripod.com/bajanopera.html "Songs for Bajan Opera" for another text version of (lyrics to) this song. That link also includes other Bajan folk songs.

Also, click this link to a page on my cultural blog which includes videos and text versions of other Caribbean folk songs: http://cocojams.com/content/caribbean-folk-songs.

****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composer of this song, and thanks to the vocalists and musicians who are featured in these videos. My thanks also to the publisher of this video.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Lord Invader, Andrew Sisters - Rum And Coca Cola (sound files, lyrics, comments)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a sound file of and lyrics to the Calypso song "Rum & Coca Cola" as composed & performed by Lord Invader. Comments about that song are also included in this post.

For comparison's sake, this post also includes a sound file and lyrics of this song as performed by the Andrews Sisters.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

FEATURED EXAMPLE: Lord Invader - "Rum and coca cola"



Uploaded by calypzombie85 on Oct 1, 2009

LYRICS: RUM AND COCA COLA
(Lyrics: Lord Invader [Rupert Grant, 1943], melody: Lionel Belasco, based on a Martinique folk song)

And when the Yankees first went to Trinidad,
Some of the young girls were more than glad,
They said that the Yankees treat them nice,
And they give them a better price.

Chorus.
They buy rum and Coca-Cola,
Went (going) down Point Cumana,
Both mothers and daughters,
Working for their Yankee dollars (repeated)

Ah, look I had a little chick the other day,
But her mother came and took her away,
Herself, her mother and her sisters,
Went in a cab with some soldiers. (Chorus)

Chorus sings:
Rum and Coca-Cola,
Go down Point Cumana.

They have some aristos*
in Port of Spain,
I know a lot, but I won't call name,
And in the day they wouldn't give you a right*
But you might see them with the foreigners late at night,
drinking (chorus)

I know a couple who got married one afternoon,
And was to go Miami on their honeymoon,
But the bride run away with a soldier lad,
And the stupid husband went staring mad. (Chorus)

*aristo- aristocrat or rich person.
* right- from right hand; handshake on a deal, i. e., wouldn't traffic with the local people (distinctions based on degree of color and money were very strong in island communities).

COMMENTS ABOUT THIS SONG
From Booklet notes with the cd "Calypso at Midnight," a "Midnight Special" concert at Town Hall, New York City, 1946.
Introductions by Alan Lomax. [posted online by Q, February 21, 2004, from http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=66111

Remarks by Lord Invader: "Diplomatically you ask me what is calypso, Mr. Lomax? Calypso is folklore of Trinidad, a style of poetry telling about current events in song.

With regard to the song "Rum and Coca-Cola," you want to ask me how I happened to compose it, Mr. Lomax? (laughter) Ladies and Gentlemen, back home in the West Indies- Trinidad- where I'm from- I'm from a small island. I'm proud of it, thank you! I was traveling on a bus to some place they call Point Cumana, bathing resort, and I happened to see the GIs since the American social invasion in the West Indies, Trinidad. (laughter) You know the girls used to get their candies and stuff like that and they go to the (laughter), they go to the canteens with the boys and so on, have fun. So I notice since the GIs came over there that we generally chase with soda, ordinary soda. But they chaser was rum and coke; they drink rum, and they like the Coca-Cola as a chaser. So I studied that as an idea of song, and Morey Amsterdam had the nerve to say that he composed that song back here (laughter).

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. And I am going to sing you "Rum and Coca-Cola" for my first number. Thank You." "

NOTE- Since the case was not yet settled, Rounder Records still cited the song "Morey Amsterdam, Paul Baron, Jerry Sullivan. CPP/Belwin." Rounder 11661-1840-2.

-snip-
From

Rum and Coca-Cola” is the title of a popular calypso. Originally composed by Lord Invader and Lionel Belasco, it was copyrighted in the United States by entertainer Morey Amsterdam and became a huge hit in 1945 for the Andrews Sisters, spending ten weeks at the top of Billboard's U.S. Pop Singles chart.

Although the song was published in the United States with Amsterdam listed as the lyricist and Jeri Sullavan and Paul Baron as musical composers, the melody had been previously published as the work of Trinidadian calypso composer Lionel Belasco on a song titled “L'Année Passée,” which was in turn based on a folksong from Martinique. The original lyrics to “Rum and Coca-Cola” were written by Rupert Grant, another calypso musician from Trinidad who went by the stage name of Lord Invader. (The true credits for music and lyrics were restored in a plagiarism lawsuit won by attorney Louis Nizer, the account of which can be read in his book, My Life in Court.)

-snip-
Both Lord Invader & Lionel Belasco were from Trinidad.

RELATED LINK
Click http://www.rumandcocacolareader.com/RumAndCocaCola/Calypso_on_Trial.html for lots more information about the "Rum And Coca Cola" trail.

SOUND FILE & LYRICS OF "RUM & COCA COLA" AS PERFORMED BY THE ANDREWS SISTERS
This sound file & lyrics are presented for the sake of comparison with Lord Invader's lyrics and sound file.

The Andrews Sisters - Rum and Coca Cola



beyoncetyratina, Uploaded on Oct 15, 2010

Update (08/18/11): This song WAS originally by a Trinidadian by the name "Lord Invader". His version is quite great too, but the lyrics are much different...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMWUF3LYd88
And you guys stop fighting about it... What ever you are fighting about, both versions were WONDERFUL in their own rights. And yes, they went to court, Lord Invader won.

LYRICS: ANDREW SISTERS' VERSION OF RUM AND COCA COLA
Rum and coca-cola

If you ever go down Trinidad
They make you feel so very glad
Calypso sing and make up rhyme
Guarantee you one real good fine time

Drinkin' rum and Coca-Cola
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar

Oh, beat it man, beat it

Since the Yankee come to Trinidad
They got the young girls all goin' mad
Young girls say they treat 'em nice
Make Trinidad like paradise

Drinkin' rum and Coca-Cola
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar

Oh, you vex me, you vex me

From Chicachicaree to Mona's Isle
Native girls all dance and smile
Help soldier celebrate his leave
Make every day like New Year's Eve

Drinkin' rum and Coca-Cola
[- From: http://www.elyrics.net -]
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar

It's a fact, man, it's a fact

In old Trinidad, I also fear
The situation is mighty queer
Like the Yankee girl, the native swoon
When she hear der Bingo croon

Drinkin' rum and Coca-Cola
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar

Out on Manzanella Beach
G.I. romance with native peach
All night long, make tropic love
Next day, sit in hot sun and cool off

Drinkin' rum and Coca-Cola
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar

It's a fact, man, it's a fact

Rum and Coca-Cola
Rum and Coca-Cola
Workin' for the Yankee dollar

[posted on http://www.elyrics.net/read/a/andrews-sisters-lyrics/rum-and-cocacola-lyrics.html

ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composers & performers of this song. Thanks also to the uploaders of these featured sound files and thanks to those whose comments & transcriptions that I featured in this post.

Also, thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

The Real Meaning Of The Jamaican Folk Song "Cudelia Brown" ("Cordelia Brown")

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provide information & comments about as well as lyrics and sound files of the Jamaican Mento song "Cudelia Brown" (also known as "Cordelia Brown").

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT MENTO MUSIC
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mento:
"Mento is a style of Jamaican folk music that predates and has greatly influenced ska and reggae music...

Mento is often confused with calypso, a musical form from Trinidad and Tobago. Although the two share many similarities, they are separate and distinct musical forms...

Mento uses topical lyrics with a humorous slant, commenting on poverty and other social issues. Sexual innuendos are also common. Mento was strongly influenced by calypso, the musical traditions of the Kumina religion and Cuban music. During the mid-20th century, mento was conflated with calypso, and mento was frequently referred to as calypso, kalypso and mento calypso; mento singers frequently used calypso songs and techniques.

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CUDELIA BROWN
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcUNWfxCfko for a sound file of Cudelia Brown sung by Louise Bennett.
[embedding disabled]
-snip-
ZACK MATALON & THE SONNY BRADSHAW QUARTET - Cordelia brown (MRS Uk press)



Published on Sep 19, 2012 by mightydoctorbird
MORE ON
http://mightydoctorbird.blogspot.fr
-snip-
LYRICS - CUDELIA BROWN
(Jamaica Mento [folk song], no known composer)

O Cudelia Brown,
Wha mek yu head so red? (Yu head so red!)
O Cudelia Brown,
Wha mek yu head so red? (Yu head so red!)
Yu si' dung eena di sunshine wit' nut'n 'pon yu head,
O Cudelia Brown,
Wha mek yu head so red? (Yu head so red!)
On a moonshine night, on a moonshine night,
I met Missa Ivan, an' Missa Ivan tol' me,
Sey dat 'im gi Neita di drop, Jamaica flop, and di moonshine drop,
Ee-hee-aw, haw; Ee-hee-aw, haw; Ee-hee-aw, haw.
-from Noel Dexter and Godfrey Taylor: Mango Time: Folk Songs of Jamaica (Ian Randle Publishers ; 2007)
-snip-
Editor: This version of "Cordelia Brown" was included in Louise Bennett's 1954 record Jamaican Folk Songs", an LP on the Folkways label [F-6846]... http://www.akh.se/lyrics/cordelia_brown.htm

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CORDELIA BROWN

Cordelia Brown



Uploaded by Cupa42 on Mar 7, 2010
-snip-
LYRICS: CORDELIA BROWN
(Traditional folk song adapted by Mento composer Lord Burgess)
Oh, Cordelia Brown, although' you never tell,
Oh, Cordelia Brown, still I know your secret well
Yes you fell in love with Ned
And when he left, your head turned red
And right well you know,
That what I say is true

Oh, Cordelia Brown, what make your head so red
Oh, Cordelia Brown, what make your head so red
You say you come out in the sunshine
With nothing on your head
Oh, Cordelia Brown, what make your head so red

Oh, Cordelia Brown, yes I've been far and wide
Now I'm telling you, every girl wants to be a bride
So I know what happen to you
And please strike me down if it isn't true
He said he never would wed,
And that when your head turned red

Oh, Cordelia Brown, what make your head so red
Oh, Cordelia Brown, what make your head so red
You say you come out in the sunshine
With nothing on your head
Oh, Cordelia Brown, what make your head so red

Oh, Cordelia Brown, Saw you waiting' at the train,
Yes, he's gone away, might never return again
Now miss Brown may I confess,
I've yearned this long for your caress
Since your head so red
I think I'll marry Mabel instead

Oh, Cordelia Brown, what make your head so red
Oh, Cordelia Brown, what make your head so red
You say you come out in the sunshine
With nothing on your head
Oh, Cordelia Brown, what make your head so red

Reposted from http://www.nomorelyrics.net/harry_belafonte-lyrics/176355-cordelia_brown-lyrics.html
-snip-
* This version was popularized by Harry Belafonte in 1957.

****
COMMENTARY: HOW CUDELIA BROWN'S (CORDELIA BROWN) HAIR BECAME RED
Traditional Version
From http://dianebrowneblog.blogspot.com/, an excerpt from an April 17, 2011 post by Diane Brown about her award winning children's book Cordelia Finds Fame and Fortune*:
"O Cordelia Brown whe mek you head so red?
O Cordelia Brown whe mek you head so red?
For you siddung ina de sunshine
Wid nuttin' pon you head
O Cordelia Brown dats why you head so red.

...The story is about a little girl who is teased because she has red hair, in a village where everyone else has chocolate coloured skin like her, but they do not have red hair. She survives the teasing, and in fact, her red hair becomes something of importance in her 'fame and fortune'. It stands out...

It’s a diss [a snap, a rip, a taunt] The other children are “rippin on” (teasing Cordelia Brown in an unkind way) by saying that her hair is red hair because she stood in the sunshine when they actually know her hair is that color because of her mixed racial heritage...

Mento draws on musical traditions brought over by African slaves. The influence of European music is also strong, as slaves who could play musical instruments were often required to play music for their masters. They subsequently incorporated some elements of these traditions into their own folk music. The lyrics of mento songs often deal with aspects of everyday life in a light-hearted and humorous way. Many comment on poverty, poor housing and other social issues. Thinly-veiled sexual references and innuendo are also common themes. Although the treatment of such subjects in mento is comparatively innocent, their appearance has sometimes been seen as a precursor of the slackness found in modern dancehall."
* The book Cordelia Finds Fame and Fortune was first published in Jamaica in 1990 and was also published in the USA in 1994.
-snip-
Diane Brown's conclusions about how Cudelia (Cordelia) Brown's came to have naturally red hair is the same conclusion that I reached. The singers taunt a female named Cordelia because her hair's naturally red hair color is different from the hair color of others in her village. They ask her "What makes your hear red?" knowing that it is because she is mixed race. The second verse of that traditional version of "Cudelia Brown" gives an account of Mr. Ivan (a White man) "having relation" with Cordelia's mother Neita (Nita").

I believe that the singers' suggestion that Cudelia's hair is red because she stood out in the sun too long [and thus got sunburnt] was given derisively and would have been met with a scornful "Yeah, right" response. A light skinned or White person's face can turn red due to sunburn, and brown hair may get reddish tinges due to the sun. But I think the people who offered an explanation that Cordelia's hair is red due to her hair being burnt by the sun would have done so for taunting reasons since they know that that's not the real reason for that hair color.
Click http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=76631#3159758 "Lyr Req: Cudelia Brown / Cordelia Brown" to read my comments and other comments about that song.
-snip-
Lord Burgess Version (popularized by Harry Belafonte)Version
This version of "Cordelia Brown" gives the implausible explantion for Cordelia's hair being naturally red* because she is embarrassed that the man she wanted to marry left her. In my opinion, if anyone would have actually suggested that explanation, they would have done so in a tongue in cheek, taunting manner because they would have known that the real reason that Cordelia's hair is red is that she is of Black/non-Black ancestry.

*The word "naturally" is emphasized here to distinguish hair color that is natural to a person from hair color which is changed due to the hair being chemical treated.

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RELATED LINKS
Here's a link to an instrumental version of "Cudelia Brown" ("Cordelia Brown"):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5utpgUFUeE
Dennis Haynes / Ooh cudelia brown

**
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordelia for information about the origin and meanings of the female name "Cordelia".

**
Click http://www.mentomusic.com/edricConner.htm for information about & text examples of Mento music.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND THANKS
Thanks to the unknown composer of "Cudelia Brown". Thanks to those who performed that song and its adaptation "Cordelia Brown". Thanks also to those whose quotes I featured in this post and to the uploaders of the sound files that are showcased in this post.

Finally, thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcomed.

Racial Attitudes In Caribbean Folk Songs ("Jesse Mahon" & "Bungo Moolatta" songs)

Written by Azizi Powell

Revised - January 17, 2019

In the summer of 2011 a blogger using the tag name of MorwenEdhelwenI arrived at a Folk & Blues music website called Mudcat.org. and started a number of discussion threads* about a host of very old Caribbean folk songs. That blogger indicated that she is a 17 year old Australian of Chinese ancestry whose goal in life is to be a Calypso singer in Jamaica. On one of her earlier threads I shared my suspicions that this blogger's identity might be fictitious. But whether that identity is real or not, I appreciate being able to read the lyrics and learn about the Caribbean songs and singers that Morwen has shared with the world via her posts on that Mudcat site. From 2004-2009 I was a very active poster on Mudcat. I very rarely post there now, but I've publicly thanked Morwen there & on my [no longer active] Cocojams website for helping to raise awareness about Caribbean folk songs through her postings. I've also publicly thanked Morwen for inspiring me to these pages to my Cocojams website.

An example of Morwen's Caribbean threads on Mudcat.org is Big Big Sambo Gyal

That thread focuses on various examples of Caribbean songs in which a woman is criticized because she isn't good with cooking or housework. The male voice in those songs also may threaten that he might send the woman "back to she ma" if she doesn't improve her cooking and housework skills. Here's the words to and a video example of one of the songs mentioned on that Mudcat thread "Jesse Mahon" (also known as "Pack She Back To She Ma)

CHORUS
Pack she back to she ma,
Oh, pack she hack to she ma,
Such a decent girl like Jessie Mahon,
Pack she back to she ma.

1. A pretty little girl name Jessie Mahon,
She lazy since she born, .
De girl couldn’ cook, she won’ read a book,
So pack she back to she ma.

2. A pretty little girl like Jessie Mahon.
Uh miss she now she gone
De girl couldn’ clean, she was so mean.
So, pack she back to she ma

Lyrics Of Barbados-Jessie Mahon

**
St Lucia National Youth Choir -Jessie Mahon



Uploaded by Glen Richard Morgan-Lake on Oct 13, 2007

Colors of Love Concert at Sandals Grande (2005)

-snip-

It's interesting that among the complaints about Jesse Mahone is that "De girl couldn’ cook, she won’ read a book". I wouldn't be surprised if that was a later version of this folk song. The song itself (or more accurately, a version of this traditional song was copyrighted in 1943 as "Pack She Back To She Ma" by Massie Patterson and Lionel Belasco. If I'm not mistaken, both of these individuals are of Afro-Caribbean descent, though they lived in the USA.

-snip-

These songs are more than a man's lighthearted banter about a wife who is a sloppy housewife who can't cook. Hints as to why "Jesse Mahon" may not have wanted to cook & clean or may not have known how to cook & clean are found in this similar song that was published in a 1904 book of Jamaican folk songs:

Bungo Moolatta, Bungo Moolatta
Who de go married you?
You hand full a ring an' you can't do a t'ing
Who de go married you?
Me give you me shirt fe wash
You burn up me shirt with iron
Who de go married you?
You hand full a ring an' you can't do a t'ing
-Walter Jekyll, Jamaican Song And Story 1904; Dover Reprints

-snip-

Walter Jekyll noted that ""Bungo" is "a rough, uncivilized African" and "Moolatta" is "the child of two Brown parents, Brown being the offspring of Black and White. He has rather a yellow skin."

And in the notes to another similar song that is included in his book (and whose lyrics are posted on that abovementioned Mudcat thread entitled "Big Big Sambo Gyal", Jekyll wrote that "A Sambo is a child of a brown mother and a black father, being a cross between black and white. The Sambo lady, being proud of the strain of white in her blood, turns up her nose at the black man. She wants a white man for a husband. Failing to find one, she will not marry."

-snip-

The implication here is that "Jesse Mahon" feels that she's too good to cook and clean for a Black man because of her White ancestry. Note that Jekyll described the offspring of a Brown woman and a Black man. The implication might be that a Brown man wouldn't "marry down" to a Black woman. Yet it's interesting to note that the song suggests that some White men would marry a woman of mixed Brown (or Black?)/White ancestry.

These old Caribbean songs have many more than what we may have been led to believe. It would be wonderful to say that no person of African descent nowadays has such racist (or is it classist?) attitudes about their race, but if I said that it wouldn't be true.

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