Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post provides information about and examples of the large family of African American* children's rhyme that either begin with the line "Ooh-ah*, I Wanna Piece Of Pie" (or similar wording), or include those words and subsequent distinctive verses within other children's rhymes.
The content of this post is presented for cultural and recreational purposes.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
The "Ooh" in "ooh-ah" is usually pronounced to rhyme with the English words "too" and "you".
I believe that these rhymes come from African American culture, However, they can be (and are) also chanted by children who aren't African American.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT AN EARLY VERSION OF THIS RHYME FOUND IN A SHORT STORY BY RICHARD WRIGHT
An early version of what I refer to as the "oo ah I wanna piece of pie" family of rhymes is found in the story "Big Boy Leaves Home," from Uncle Tom's Children by Richard Wright (1938). That story concerns a group of Black boys who entertain themselves on a walk by singing and chanting rhymes.
Here's information about the book Uncle Tom's Children
From https://www.amazon.com/Uncle-Toms-Children-Richard-Wright/dp/0061450200
[...]
"Set in the American Deep South, each of the powerful novellas collected here concerns an aspect of the lives of black people in the post-slavery era, exploring their resistance to white racism and oppression. Originally published in 1938, Uncle Tom's Children was the first book from Richard Wright, who would continue on to worldwide fame as the author of numerous works, most notably the acclaimed novel Native Son and his autobiography, Black Boy."...
-snip-
Here's that example:
"Bye n bye
Ah wanna piece of pie
Pies too sweet
Ah wanna piece of meat
Meats too red
Ah wanna piece of bread
Breads too brown
Ah wanna go t town
Towns too far
Ah wanna ketch a car
Cars too fas
Ah fall n break mah ass
Ah'll understan it better bye n bye"
-snip-
It's possible that Richard Wright composed this rhyme, but he may have heard it chanted and then included it in his "Big Boy Leaves Home" story.
That said, the 1940 song performed by Fats Waller is probably the source of the words "Oh ah, I wanna piece of pie".
I call the subsequent verses "trading rhymes" as one item is traded for another item because something is wrong with the first item. For example, "pies too sweet/I want a piece of meat; meat too read"/I wanna a piece of bread".
****
LYRICS TO THE FATS WALLER SONG "EEP IPE WANNA PIECE OF PIE"
Quoting from https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=119521#2594206
Subject: Lyr Add: EEP, IPE, WANNA PIECE OF PIE (Fats Waller
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 21 Mar 09 - 06:12 PM
"This is the song that I was reminded of when reading the thread Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie, and which in turn inspired me to start this thread about eephing.
This is my transcription from Fats Waller and His Rhythm, on the 78-rpm record MIGHTY FINE (Razaf, Waller) b/w EEP, IPE, WANNA PIECE OF PIE (Blaine, Dann), Bluebird 10744, 1940:
EEP, IPE, WANNA PIECE OF PIE
By Jerry Blaine and Artie Dann (some sources add: Nick Catamas)
J. R. LaFleur & Son Ltd., 1940.
Eep*, ipe*, wanna piece of pie.
Eep*, ipe*, wanna bowl of soup.
Eep*, ipe*, let your tongue turn.
Eep*, ipe*, easy to learn.
Eep*, ipe*, clock is on the wall.
Eep*, ipe*, sounds like doubletalk.
Eep*, ipe*, ippy ippy way.
Eep*, wop*, wop*, wop*, you do it all day.
If your fire* on the copembagger* is worthwhile,
Then the fire* eeply*, op*, op* sets the style,
If you burrrowackasacki* and you hold real tight,
You need fop*, rop*, rop*, rop*, rop*, I guess'll do all right.
You pucker up your lips and then you hold real tight.
Let it go. It's bound to do all right.
Come on, children, one, two, three,
Together, come on, follow me:
Ah, eep*, ipe*, want a piece of pie?
Eep*, ipe*, want a bowl of soup?
A bowl of soup, bup*, bup*, bup*, piece of pie,
Sip*, sip*, sip*, sip*, sip*, sip*, yes, yes.
Aw, eep*, ipe*, wanna piece of pie?
Oop*, eep*, ipe*, wanna bowl of soup?
Eep*, ipe*, let your tongue turn.
Eep*, ipe*, eep*, easy to learn, yes,
Eep*, ipe*, clock is on the wall.
Eph*, eep*, yeah, sounds like doubletalk.
Yessiree.... [The recording I transcribed from breaks off at this point, but I don't think it's complete; it came from a "mix tape."]
[*Note: I have retained the spelling "Eep, ipe" because that is the spelling in the title, but that is only an approximation of how the words are pronounced. In fact, all the asterisked words are nonsense, and the spelling is approximate, and wherever I have used a "p" in them, Waller is more or less "blowing a raspberry." Even in the words that are intelligible English words, Waller frequently mumbles, slurs, or lisps in a manner that is surely intentional and quite unlike his other recordings, where his diction is normally clear as a bell.
[The line "if you burrrowackasacki* and you hold real tight" is apparently a reference to the song HOLD TIGHT (WANT SOME SEAFOOD, MAMA) made famous by the Andrews Sisters.]"
-snip-
Pancocojams Editor's Note: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eefing provides this definition of "eephing": "Eefing (also written eeephing, eephing, eeefing, eefin,[1] or eefn'[2]) is an Appalachian (United States) vocal technique similar to beatboxing, but nearly a century older. NPR's Jennifer Sharpe describes it as "a kind of hiccupping, rhythmic wheeze that started in rural Tennessee more than 100 years ago."[3]"...
Read that Mudcat discussion thread whose link is given above for more information about and examples of "eephing".
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z61bvAdlM4o
for a sound file of Fats Waller singing this song.
****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
This post isn't meant to be a comprehensive compilation of children's rhymes that begin with or include the line "Oh ah, I wanna piece of pie" or similar wording. The "source" for each rhyme is provided after that example. These examples are given relative chronological order with the oldest examples given first.
These examples are numbered consecutively for referencing purposes only. When it is given, the "title" of the rhyme is capitalized and the "oh Ah, I wanna piece of pie" line (or similar wording) is given in italic to highlight it.
****
EXAMPLES OF "OH AH, I WANNA PIECE OF PIE" FAMILY OF CHILDREN'S RHYMES
1. SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE
Shake, shake, shake
Eeny meeny
That's a queeny
Ooh ba Yhumbalina
Ah cha ca che Liberace
Oh baby I love you
Yes I do.
Take a peach
Take a plum
Take a piece of bubble gum
No peach
No plum
Just a piece of bubble gum
Oooshe ahshe
Oooshe ahshe
I want a piece of pie
The pie too sweet
I want a piece of meat
The meat too tough
I want to ride the bus
The bus too full
I want to ride the bull
The bull too black
I want my money back
The money too green
I want a diamond ring.
-Barbara Michels, Bettye White, Apples On A Stick, The Folklore of Black Children {Houston, Texas 1983, p. 17}
**
2. [NO TITLE GIVEN]
I learned it at summer camp as a clapping game:
Winston tastes good just like a cigarette should
Just like an - ooh, ah, I want a piece of pie
Pie too sweet, I want a piece of meat
Meat too brown, I want to go to town
Town too far, I'll have to take a car
Car too black, I want my money back
Money too green, I want a limosine
..... I want some lemonade
Lemonade too sour, by now we have the power
To close our eyes and count to ten
Whoever messes up has to do it again.
And at this point, the clapping pattern got more complicated and the players closed their eyes and counted to ten.
-GUEST,Chocolate Pi, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926, "Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie" [This Mudcat folk music forum discussion thread includes a lot of examples from this family of rhymes. I was very active in that discussion and posted some other examples that are found in this pancocojams post in that Mudcat discussion thread.]
**
3. TAKE A PEACH TAKE A PLUMB
...here's one we used to play at school. ( some words are not really words but are pronounced that way, this is not really the beginning to the song but the middle because I didn't know how to pronounce those words)
Take a peach take a plumb take a piece of bubble gum
No peach no plumb just a piece of bubble gum
Oche Iche, I want a piece of pie
The Pie to sweet
i want a piece of meat
the meat to rough
i wanna ride the bus
the bus to full
i wanna ride the bull
the bull to black
i want my money back
my money to green
i want a jelly bean
the jelly bean to white
goodnight sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite
if they do get a shoe an beat the black and blue
down by the river with the hangy pangy
where the bulldog jumped from bang to bang
there set a
A
E
I
O
U
That's all there set a
A
E
I
O
U
Listen to the beat
-R.S.; http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php ; November 7, 2003 [This blog is no longer available.]
**
4. [NO TITLE GIVEN]
A B C
it's easy as 1 2 3
yer mama's got funky feet
oosh ahsh I want a piece of squash
sqhash too sweet I want a piece of meat
meat too tough I wanna ride a bus
Buss too full I wana buy a bull
bull too black I want my money back
money too green I want a limosine
Limosine too long
I wanna write a song
song too old I want a pot of gold
gold to yella' I wanna kiss a fella
fella too fat
and that's the end of that
or
gold too yellow I'll Tickle you with a feather (and you reach out and try to tickle the person who you're playing with)
that's all I can remember right now...
-Reebob; 2/12/2004; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300&messages=155 ; Children's Street Songs; 2/12/2004
**
5. [NO TITLE GIVEN]
abc is easy as 123 my mama takes care of me my daddy watches MTV
oh my
i wanna piece of pie
pie too sweet, wanna piece of meat
meat too tough, wanna ride a bus
bus too full, wanna ride a bull
bull too fat, want my money back
money too green, wanna jelleybean
jelly bean not cooked, wanna read a book
book not read, wanna go to bed
bed not made, want some lemonade
lemonade too sour, wanna take a shower
shower too cool, wanna go to school
school too dumb, wanna suck my thumb
thumb to dirty, wanna ride a birdy
birdy to slow, and thats all i know
so close your eyes and count to ten
and if you mess up, start all over again!
-Jessie, https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/are-you-familiar-with-%E2%80%9Cwant-to-read-a-book-book-done-read/, August 6th, 2006
**
6. A-B-C
abc, easy as 123, my momma takes care of me, my daddy watches mtv, ooh ahh i want a piece of pie, pie to sweet i wanna piece of meat, meat to rough i wanna ride a bus, bus too full i wanna ride a bull, bull not black i want my money back, money back too green i wanna jelly bean, jelly bean not cooked i wanna read a book, book not read i wanna go to bed, bed not made i want some lemonade, lemonade too sour i wanna take a shower, shower too cool i wanna go to school, school too dumb i wanna suck my thumb, thumb to dirty i wanna ride a birdie, birdie too slow and thats all i know, so close your eyes and count to ten, whoever messes up starts all over again, 12345678910...noone messed up so thats the end!
-elle ; 4/3/2007; http://cocojams.com/handclap_rhymes.htm ["Cocojams" is the name of my cultural website which I deactivated in October 2014. A lot of the children's rhyme content from cocojams.com is available on my cocojams2 blog.]
**
7. [NO TITLE GIVEN]
want a piece of pie, pie too sweet
want a piece of meat, meat too rough
want to ride a bus, bus too full
want to ride a bull, bull too black
want my money back
money too green
makes me mean
here comes the lady with the bald headed baby
hot dog baby, sugar and gravy!
Chris W, https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/are-you-familiar-with-%E2%80%9Cwant-to-read-a-book-book-done-read/, March 17th, 2008
**
8. [NO TITLE GIVEN]
owww iiiiii,
i wanna peice of pie,
pie to sweet i wanna peice of meat,
meat to red i wanna go to bed,
bed not made i want some lemonade,
lemonade is sour to give us the power to try to count to ten,
who ever messes up must start over again!
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10!
-GUEST,MG, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926, "Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie", 23 Dec 08
**
9. [NO TITLE GIVEN]
I found this thread trying to remember the rhyme myself.
If I'm not mistaken the version I learned went like this:
ABC!
As easy as 123!
My mama takes care of me.
Ooh. Ah. I wanna piece of pie.
Pie's too sweet; I wanna piece of meat.
Meat's too tough; I wanna ride the bus.
Bus too full; I wanna ride a bull.
Bull too black; I want my money back.
Money too green; I wanna jelly bean.
Jelly bean ain't cooked; I wanna read a book.
Book ain't read; I wanna go to bed.
Bed ain't made; I want some lemonade.
Lemons too sour; I wanna take a shower.
Shower too cold; I wanna piece of gold.
Gold too shiny, so kiss my behiny!
GUEST,Sarahlu, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926, "Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie" 27 Jan 09
-snip-
"A-B-C-, easy as 1-2-3" versions of "Oh Ah, I Wanna Piece Of Pie" come from the Jackson Five's 1970 #1 hit R&B record entitled "ABC".
**
10. OOH! AHH!
OK, I gotta join in because I came looking for just this discussion, and am surprised to not see the version I learned. I grew up in the Anacostia district of SE Washington, D.C. I was born in 1961 and vaguely recall that I learned this one from my older brother maybe between 1967 and 1970. I always assumed he got it from school, but we were pretty much the only whites on our street and the black girls next door spent a lot of time doing some skilled rope jumping with songs and chants, so maybe it came from them. The rhythm seems much too slow for skipping rope, though, unless they jumped at twice the meter or something. But it had a truly "boy sound" to it, always with a deep, growling voice like an alcoholic bum or something...can't imagine girls doing this one!
OOOH! AHH!
Wanna piece o' pie!
Pie too sweet,
Wanna piece o' meat!
Meat too tough,
Wanna ride a bus!
Bus too full,
Wanna ride a bull!
Bull too black,
Want ma' money back!
Money too green,
Go get Mr. Clean!
(with emphasis...)
Mr. CLEEAAN SEZ...(pause)
(start over at top and repeat, endlessly)
I had to do it for my 7-year-old son tonight, as I always do, when I got out the Mr. Clean to clean up a mess of his. Who knows, maybe I picked up some kind of marketing version of it!
And, BTW, we sometimes did this as we played penny-ante tunk, but that is another thread somewhere, I am sure!
-GUEST,Robert, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926, "Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie", 15 Apr 09
**
11. [NO TITLE GIVEN]
It starts out:
Winston tastes good
Like a cigarette should
Tastes like "Ooh, ahh! Want a piece of pie?...
Pie to sweet? I want a piece of meat
Meat too rough? I want to ride a bus
Bus too full? I want to ride a bull.
Bull too fat, want my money back
Money too green? Want a jelly bean
Jelly bean too red? Want to go to bed
Now close your eyes and count to 10
If you miss start all over again...
*close eyes while still clapping together*
1....2....3...4...etc
-Boston, http://forum.blackhairmedia.com/childhood-songs-or-rhymes_topic205958_page5.html Aug 06 2009 [Warning: Some examples in that discussion page include profanity and sexualized references.]
**
12. [NO TITLE GIVEN]
A, B, C! It's easy as 1-2-3!
My mama drinks cold coffee!
My papa takes care of me.
Ooh, aah
Want a piece of pie
Pie too sweet?
Want a piece of meat.
Meat too tough?
Wanna ride a bus.
Bus too full?
Wanna go to school? [etc.]
-posted by simulacra at 7:26 AM on May 19, 2009, https://ask.metafilter.com/122487/Teddy-Bear-Teddy-Bear-turn-aroundand-then-what
**
13. [NO TITLE GIVEN]
abc, easy as 123, my momma takes care of me, my daddy watches mtv, ooh ahh i want a piece of pie, pie to sweet i wanna piece of meat, meat to rough i wanna ride a bus, bus too full i wanna ride a bull, bull not black i want my money back, money back too green i wanna jelly bean, jelly bean not cooked i wanna read a book, book not read i wanna go to bed, bed not made i want some lemonade, lemonade too sour i wanna take a shower, shower too cool i wanna go to school, school too dumb i wanna suck my thumb, thumb to dirty i wanna ride a birdie, birdie too slow and that's all i know, so close your eyes and count to ten, whoever messes up starts all over again, 12345678910..no one messed up so that's the end!
-danielle !, https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090615174236AAP762T, 2009
**
14. OOH AHH, WANNA PIECE OF PIE
This is how I remember it from 1969 in Western NYS- and after seeing the other posts I have to laugh because we always said Pa instead of pie and it never made any sense to me-but most of these didn't anyway.....And I also can see a reference to the times-related to the bus being too black....
Ooh Ahh, Wanna piece of Pa
Pa too sweet
Wanna piece of meat
Meat too tough
Wanna ride a bus
Bus too black
Want my money back
Money too green
Make me wanna scream
"Your father's got a head like a submarine!"
-GUEST,cknick, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926, "Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie", 21 Sep 10
**
15.[NO TITLE GIVEN]
ew ah i want a piece of pie,
the pie to sweet i want a piece or meat,
the meat to tough,
so ill just ride the bus,
the buss to fulll.ill just ride a bull,
if the bulls to black i want my money back,
if the bull is to white i want it out of sight,
if the bull is to yellow,
then its not mellow,
the bull to green,
then its not clean,
the bull to purple,
it looks like erkle,
the bull to red,
its now done and said!
GUEST,Dezzy Short chicka, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926, "Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie", 25 Sep 10
**
16. [NO TITLE GIVEN]
Sugar sweet just like a cinnamon treat
Just like a I I I wanna piece of pie
Pie to sweet wanna piece of meat
Meat to rough wanna ride a bus
Bus to full wanna ride a bull
Bull to black Want my money back
Money to green wanna jellybean
Jellybean not red wanna go to bed
Bed not made want some lemonade
Lemonade to sour now I have the power
To close my eyes and count to 10 then we can do it all over agian
-GUEST, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926, "Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie", 28 Jun 12
**
17. A-B-C, IT'S EASY AS 1-2-3
A-B-C, it’s easy as 1-2-3.
My mama takes care of me.
My daddy watches MTV
Oh, ah, I wanna piece of pie.
Pie too sweet, I wanna piece of meat.
Meat too tough, I wanna ride a bus.
Bus too full, I wanna ride a bull.
Bull too black, I want my money back.
Money back too green, I wanna a jelly bean.
Jelly bean not cooked, I wanna read a book.
Book not read, I wanna go to bed.
Bed not made, I want some lemonade.
Lemonade too sour, I wanna take a shower.
Shower too cool, I wanna go to school.
School too dumb, I wanna suck my thumb.
Thumb too dirty, I wanna ride a birdy.
Birdy too slow, and wanna blow my nose..
Close your eyes and count to ten
Whoever messes up, start all over again.
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10.
=sarah ware, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8akgLh6rxE&feature=emb_logo, Published on Jun 7, 2013
-snip-
This is my transcription of this version that is chanted in this YouTube video.
**
18. [NO TITLE GIVEN]
ABC, as easy as 123
My mama s got the allergies
Oh, ah, I wanna piece of pie
Pie too sweet, I wanna piece of meat
Meat to tough, I wanna ride a bus
Bus too full, I wanna ride a bull
Bull too black, I want my money back
Money too green, I wanna jelly bean
Jelly bean not cooked, I wanna read a book
Book not read, I wanna go to bed
Bed not made, I want some lemonade
Lemonade too sour, I wanna take a shower
Shower too cool, I wanna go to school
School too dumb, I wanna suck my thumb
Thumb too dirty, I wanna ride a birdie
Birdie too slow and that s all I know
So close your eyes and count to 10
Whoever messes up starts all over again!
-Colleen N, https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090615174236AAP762T, 2014
**
19. [NO TITLE GIVEN]
A-B-C, it’s easy as 1-2-3.
My mama takes care of me.
My papa plays do-re-mi.
Ohh, ah, I wanna piece of pie.
Pie too sweet, I wanna piece of meat.
Meat too tough, I wanna ride a bus.
Bus too full, I wanna ride a bull.
Bull too black, I want my money back.
Money back too green, I wanna lima bean.
Lima bean not cooked, I wanna read a book.
Book not read, I wanna go to bed.
Bed not made, I want some lemonade.
Lemonade too sour, I wanna take a shower.
Shower too cold, I wanna piece gold.
Gold too shiny, I wanna kiss my hiney.
Hiney too dirty, I wanna count to 30.
30 too high, I wanna say goodbye.
Goodbye too sad, I wanna talk to dad.
Dad too tall, I wanna go to the mall.
Mall too cheap, I wanna ride a jeep.
Jeep goes BEEP BEEP!
-Shana Newman, https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-lyrics-to-the-ABC-hand-game, Jul 12, 2016
**
20. [NO TITLE GIVEN]
ABC it's easy as 1,2,3,
My momma takes care of me (or it can be my momma sings do,re,mi)
My papa watched MTV,
My granny says:
Ooh, aaah, I wanna piece of pie.
Pie too sweet, i wanna piece of meat.
Meat too ruff I wanna ride a bus.
Bus too full, I wanna ride a bull.
Bull too black I want my money back.
Money back too green, I wanna a Lima bean.
Lima bean not cooked, I wanna read a book.
Book not read I want to go to bed.
Bed not made I want some lemonade
Lemonade too sour I wanna take a shower.
Shower too cool, I wanna go to school.
School too dumb, I wanna suck my thumb.
Thumb too dirty, I wanna ride a birdie.
Birdie too slow and that's all I know so close your eyes and count to ten, Whoever messes up starts all over again.....
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
-Sanjay Sondhi, https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-lyrics-to-the-ABC-hand-game, Oct 18, 2017
**
21. [NO TITLE GIVEN]
The version I remember is sung to the old Winston cigarette jingle.
Winston taste good like. A cigarette should . Winston taste. Like ahh I want a. A piece of Pie. Pie too sweet. Want a piece of . meat. meat too tough. Want to ride the bus. . bus too full. Want to ride a bull. Bull too black Want to go back to my old Cadillac. Bonk Bonk.
We sang this along with clapping like patty cake. And I learned this version sometime between 1971 & 1973, when I was in the 5th and 6th grade.
-Sandra, https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/are-you-familiar-with-%E2%80%9Cwant-to-read-a-book-book-done-read/,
July 25th, 2018
****
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Showing posts with label Fats Waller. Show all posts
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Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Friday, February 7, 2020
Fats Waller & Ada Brown - "That Ain't Right" (Blues song from the 1943 African American movie "Stormy Weather")
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post provides information about the 1943 African American movie "Stormy Weather" and showcases the song "That Ain't Right" which was performed in that movie by Ada Brown and Fats Waller.
A YouTube video of that song is included in this post along with song lyrics and selected comments from the discussion thread of that video (movie clip).
****
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Fats Waller and Ada Brown for their musical legacies. Thanks also to all those who were associated with the movie "Stormy Weather" and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to bessjazz for publishing this movie clip on YouTube.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Fats Waller & Ada Brown - That Ain't Right - Stormy Weather (1943)
bessjazz, Apr 21, 2010
Fats Waller & Ada Brown : That Ain't Right (Nat 'King' Cole & Irving Mills), with Lena Horne, dancer , Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, drummer Zutty Singleton, bassist Slam Stewart, Trumpeter Benny Carter...
in "Stormy Weather" (1943) by Andrew L. Stone, for Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.
http://bessjazz.blogspot.com/
****
INFORMATION ABOUT "STORMY MONDAY" MOVIE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stormy_Weather_(1943_film)
"Stormy Weather is a 1943 American musical film produced and released by 20th Century Fox. The film is considered one of the best Hollywood musicals with an African-American cast, the other being MGM's Cabin in the Sky (1943). The film is considered a primary showcase of some of the top African-American performers of the time, during an era when African-American actors and singers rarely appeared in lead roles in mainstream Hollywood productions, especially those of the musical genre.
Overview
Stormy Weather takes its title from the 1933 song of the same title, which is performed near the end of the film. It is based upon the life and times of its star, dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. Robinson plays "Bill Williamson", a talented born dancer who returns home in 1918 after serving in World War I and tries to pursue a career as a performer. Along the way, he approaches a beautiful singer named Selina Rogers, played by Lena Horne in one of her few non-MGM film appearances (and one of only two films from the 1930s-1940s in which Horne played a substantial role). The character of Selina was invented for the film; Robinson did not have such a romance in real life. Dooley Wilson co-stars as Bill's perpetually broke friend and Emmett ‘Babe’ Wallace co-stars as the antagonist vying for Lena’s hand.
Other performers in the movie were Cab Calloway and Fats Waller (both appearing as themselves), the Nicholas Brothers dancing duo, comedian F. E. Miller, singer Ada Brown, and Katherine Dunham with her dance troupe. Despite a running time of only 77 minutes, the film features some 20 musical numbers. This was Robinson's final film (he died in 1949); Waller died only a few months after its release.
The film's musical highlights include Waller performing his composition "Ain't Misbehavin'", Cab Calloway leading his band in his composition "Jumpin' Jive", and a lengthy sequence built around the title song, featuring the vocals of Lena Horne and the dancing of Katherine Dunham. Horne also performs in several dance numbers with Robinson. Ford Dabney was a consultant on the music for the film.[2]
[...]
The original release prints of Stormy Weather were processed in sepiatone.[3] In 2001, Stormy Weather was selected for the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." It was released on DVD in North America in 2005"....
-snip-
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fats_Waller for information about Thomas "Fats" Waller.
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ada_Brown for information about Ada Brown.
****
LYRICS- THAT AIN'T RIGHT
(written by Fats Waller, performed by Ada Brown & Fats Waller in Stormy Weather movie)
Baby, baby
What is the matter with you?
(Ain't nothing wrong with me, babes; nothing at all)
Baby, baby
What is the matter with you?
(One never knows, do one?)
You got the world in a jar (Yeah, but where's the stopper?)
And you've got nothin' to do
(Do you hear that mess? She's always layin' it on me!)
You know I always told ya
You'd be the death of me
And when I'm always with you
I get the third degree
That ain't right
(Aw, tell these folks anything, but tell me the truth!)
Oh, that ain't right at all
(What's wrong wid her? What's wrong wid her?)
Yes, you're takin' all my money
And going out havin' a ball
(Baby, I was born ballin' and I'm gonna ball the rest o' my life!)
I took you to a night club
I bought you that pink champagne
You rode home in a taxi
While I caught that subway train
That ain't right!
Oh, that ain't right at all!
That you're takin' all my money
And goin' out havin' yourself a ball
(Oh, beef to me, momma, beef to me! I don't like pork no how...)
I went to a fortune teller (Yeah?)
And had my fortune told (What'd she say?)
She said you didn't love me
All you wanted was my gold (She was right! How did she know?)
That ain't right!
Oh, t'ain't right at all! (Everyone wants some gold, baby!)
Yeah, you're takin' all my money
And goin' out havin' yourself a ball
(Suffer! Suffer, excess baggage, suffer!)
Source: http://www.songlyrics.com/fats-waller/that-ain-t-right-lyrics/
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD
(Numbers are added for referencing purposes only)
1. Michael Klein, 2014
"Fats Waller---one of those select dozen or so artists that were unique and one-of-a-kind; thank the stars for records and film, that's all I can say!"
**
2. FiveMusic, 2017
"Anyone notice the unreasonable amount of hats on top the piano?"
**
REPLY
3. caleb murray, 2017
"FiveMusic well now that you point it out, there does seem to be an unreasonable amount of hats on the piano."
**
REPLY
4. MilkyCheeseMan, 2017
"it's the band's and people's hats"
**
REPLY
5. 4Youalone3, 2018
"It was deemed impolite to wear a hat inside."
**
REPLY
6. Bill Holt, 2018
"Everybody wore hats in 1943. Church pews even had a hook for every seat just to hang your hat. Derbys were out but porkpies and especially fedoras were in."
**
REPLY
7. Narvelan Coleman, 2020
"@Bill Holt Also....when a couple was in a church service; it was customary for the lady to hold her man's hat in her lap."
****
8. calvin jackson, 2018
"Sing it Ada!!! That lady is laying this song down!!!! Thank you for this post!! I love seeing black singers from the 1930's and 40's because this brings me close to my dad. This was his time of youth and its just great to see what music and singing and songs were like at this time of jim crow and segregation."
**
REPLY
9. Sparkle Canada, 2019
"It also gives these performers the much long overdue recognition they did not get at the time.🙌💓
It allows too, future generations access to their works.
Thank You for Posting this video."
**
10. Mark M, 2019
"This is a terrific piece of musical history."
**
11. Renserin, 2019
"I love the back and forth here between the singer and the man at the piano. There's just such a spark there, and I think it's yet another talent that's sadly become a lost art, these days."
**
REPLY
12. Ichijoe2112, 2019
"The lost art of call, and response."
**
REPLY
13. grodhagen, 2020
"The "man at the piano" is Fats Waller, and it's sad that few today know his music. The guy was a musical genius. So many of his songs became jazz standards still sung today."
**
14. Lionel Gray, 2019
"Was that Bill Robinson as the waiter ?"
**
REPLY
15. Sparkle Canada, 2019
"Yes🙌👌💓"
**
16. Robert Lee, Countertenor, 2019
" "One never knows, do one?" And "ballin" go back THAT FAR to 1940s???"
**
REPLY
17. Tyler Baldwin, 2019
"The phrase "Ballin'" goes back to at least 1913 when the song "Ballin' The Jack" was published, but I assume the phrase goes back further."
**
18. Shrutika Mithbavkar, 2020
"Respect the classics man🙌👏"
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post provides information about the 1943 African American movie "Stormy Weather" and showcases the song "That Ain't Right" which was performed in that movie by Ada Brown and Fats Waller.
A YouTube video of that song is included in this post along with song lyrics and selected comments from the discussion thread of that video (movie clip).
****
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Fats Waller and Ada Brown for their musical legacies. Thanks also to all those who were associated with the movie "Stormy Weather" and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to bessjazz for publishing this movie clip on YouTube.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Fats Waller & Ada Brown - That Ain't Right - Stormy Weather (1943)
bessjazz, Apr 21, 2010
Fats Waller & Ada Brown : That Ain't Right (Nat 'King' Cole & Irving Mills), with Lena Horne, dancer , Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, drummer Zutty Singleton, bassist Slam Stewart, Trumpeter Benny Carter...
in "Stormy Weather" (1943) by Andrew L. Stone, for Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.
http://bessjazz.blogspot.com/
****
INFORMATION ABOUT "STORMY MONDAY" MOVIE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stormy_Weather_(1943_film)
"Stormy Weather is a 1943 American musical film produced and released by 20th Century Fox. The film is considered one of the best Hollywood musicals with an African-American cast, the other being MGM's Cabin in the Sky (1943). The film is considered a primary showcase of some of the top African-American performers of the time, during an era when African-American actors and singers rarely appeared in lead roles in mainstream Hollywood productions, especially those of the musical genre.
Overview
Stormy Weather takes its title from the 1933 song of the same title, which is performed near the end of the film. It is based upon the life and times of its star, dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. Robinson plays "Bill Williamson", a talented born dancer who returns home in 1918 after serving in World War I and tries to pursue a career as a performer. Along the way, he approaches a beautiful singer named Selina Rogers, played by Lena Horne in one of her few non-MGM film appearances (and one of only two films from the 1930s-1940s in which Horne played a substantial role). The character of Selina was invented for the film; Robinson did not have such a romance in real life. Dooley Wilson co-stars as Bill's perpetually broke friend and Emmett ‘Babe’ Wallace co-stars as the antagonist vying for Lena’s hand.
Other performers in the movie were Cab Calloway and Fats Waller (both appearing as themselves), the Nicholas Brothers dancing duo, comedian F. E. Miller, singer Ada Brown, and Katherine Dunham with her dance troupe. Despite a running time of only 77 minutes, the film features some 20 musical numbers. This was Robinson's final film (he died in 1949); Waller died only a few months after its release.
The film's musical highlights include Waller performing his composition "Ain't Misbehavin'", Cab Calloway leading his band in his composition "Jumpin' Jive", and a lengthy sequence built around the title song, featuring the vocals of Lena Horne and the dancing of Katherine Dunham. Horne also performs in several dance numbers with Robinson. Ford Dabney was a consultant on the music for the film.[2]
[...]
The original release prints of Stormy Weather were processed in sepiatone.[3] In 2001, Stormy Weather was selected for the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." It was released on DVD in North America in 2005"....
-snip-
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fats_Waller for information about Thomas "Fats" Waller.
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ada_Brown for information about Ada Brown.
****
LYRICS- THAT AIN'T RIGHT
(written by Fats Waller, performed by Ada Brown & Fats Waller in Stormy Weather movie)
Baby, baby
What is the matter with you?
(Ain't nothing wrong with me, babes; nothing at all)
Baby, baby
What is the matter with you?
(One never knows, do one?)
You got the world in a jar (Yeah, but where's the stopper?)
And you've got nothin' to do
(Do you hear that mess? She's always layin' it on me!)
You know I always told ya
You'd be the death of me
And when I'm always with you
I get the third degree
That ain't right
(Aw, tell these folks anything, but tell me the truth!)
Oh, that ain't right at all
(What's wrong wid her? What's wrong wid her?)
Yes, you're takin' all my money
And going out havin' a ball
(Baby, I was born ballin' and I'm gonna ball the rest o' my life!)
I took you to a night club
I bought you that pink champagne
You rode home in a taxi
While I caught that subway train
That ain't right!
Oh, that ain't right at all!
That you're takin' all my money
And goin' out havin' yourself a ball
(Oh, beef to me, momma, beef to me! I don't like pork no how...)
I went to a fortune teller (Yeah?)
And had my fortune told (What'd she say?)
She said you didn't love me
All you wanted was my gold (She was right! How did she know?)
That ain't right!
Oh, t'ain't right at all! (Everyone wants some gold, baby!)
Yeah, you're takin' all my money
And goin' out havin' yourself a ball
(Suffer! Suffer, excess baggage, suffer!)
Source: http://www.songlyrics.com/fats-waller/that-ain-t-right-lyrics/
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD
(Numbers are added for referencing purposes only)
1. Michael Klein, 2014
"Fats Waller---one of those select dozen or so artists that were unique and one-of-a-kind; thank the stars for records and film, that's all I can say!"
**
2. FiveMusic, 2017
"Anyone notice the unreasonable amount of hats on top the piano?"
**
REPLY
3. caleb murray, 2017
"FiveMusic well now that you point it out, there does seem to be an unreasonable amount of hats on the piano."
**
REPLY
4. MilkyCheeseMan, 2017
"it's the band's and people's hats"
**
REPLY
5. 4Youalone3, 2018
"It was deemed impolite to wear a hat inside."
**
REPLY
6. Bill Holt, 2018
"Everybody wore hats in 1943. Church pews even had a hook for every seat just to hang your hat. Derbys were out but porkpies and especially fedoras were in."
**
REPLY
7. Narvelan Coleman, 2020
"@Bill Holt Also....when a couple was in a church service; it was customary for the lady to hold her man's hat in her lap."
****
8. calvin jackson, 2018
"Sing it Ada!!! That lady is laying this song down!!!! Thank you for this post!! I love seeing black singers from the 1930's and 40's because this brings me close to my dad. This was his time of youth and its just great to see what music and singing and songs were like at this time of jim crow and segregation."
**
REPLY
9. Sparkle Canada, 2019
"It also gives these performers the much long overdue recognition they did not get at the time.🙌💓
It allows too, future generations access to their works.
Thank You for Posting this video."
**
10. Mark M, 2019
"This is a terrific piece of musical history."
**
11. Renserin, 2019
"I love the back and forth here between the singer and the man at the piano. There's just such a spark there, and I think it's yet another talent that's sadly become a lost art, these days."
**
REPLY
12. Ichijoe2112, 2019
"The lost art of call, and response."
**
REPLY
13. grodhagen, 2020
"The "man at the piano" is Fats Waller, and it's sad that few today know his music. The guy was a musical genius. So many of his songs became jazz standards still sung today."
**
14. Lionel Gray, 2019
"Was that Bill Robinson as the waiter ?"
**
REPLY
15. Sparkle Canada, 2019
"Yes🙌👌💓"
**
16. Robert Lee, Countertenor, 2019
" "One never knows, do one?" And "ballin" go back THAT FAR to 1940s???"
**
REPLY
17. Tyler Baldwin, 2019
"The phrase "Ballin'" goes back to at least 1913 when the song "Ballin' The Jack" was published, but I assume the phrase goes back further."
**
18. Shrutika Mithbavkar, 2020
"Respect the classics man🙌👏"
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Thursday, January 10, 2019
Fats Waller & Ada Brown Performing "That Ain't Right" (Clip From 1943 Movie "Stormy Weather")
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube clip from the 1943 movie Stormy Weather that features Fats Waller and Ada Brown performing "That Ain't Right".
The lyrics of this song-including Fats Waller's word play (comebacks) are included in this post along with selected comments from the discussion thread of this YouTube video.
The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Fats Waller, Ada Brown, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, and all others who are featured in this movie clip and thanks for their musical legacies. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO:
Fats Waller & Ada Brown - That Ain't Right - Stormy Weather (1943)
bessjazz, Published on Apr 21, 2010
Fats Waller & Ada Brown : That Ain't Right (Nat 'King' Cole & Irving Mills), with Lena Horne, dancer , Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, drummer Zutty Singleton, bassist Slam Stewart, Trumpeter Benny Carter...in "Stormy Weather" (1943) by Andrew L. Stone, for Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.
-snip-
The sign on the "nightclub" reads "Fats Waller and the Beale Street Boys". "Beale Street Boys" were an actual band which was rather popular for a short time. Click bealestreetboys.html for information about this band.
Here are selected comments from this "video's" discussion thread. Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.:
Michael Klein, 2015
"Fats Waller---one of those select dozen or so artists that were unique and one-of-a-kind; thank the stars for records and film, that's all I can say!"
1. Vicki Buoy, 2011
"i JUST LOVE THIS NUMBER .. Fats is so good with his comebacks and Ada is just great"
**
2. napoleonalex1, 2013
"A piece of history great clip!!!"
**
3. alphasun1, 2013
"This film was packed with talent, led by Waller."
**
3. Great Pianists, 2013
"Back in those days, there was no good method for recording sound and action at the same time (or at least music and action, I think they could do dialogue), so these old "soundies" and music scenes in movies, etc. are almost all generally overdubbed. In other words, they'd record this in a studio, and then once on-set, the recording would be played back off-camera, and the musicians would have to mime as best as possible along with what was played. Stupid, but the way it was for awhile."
**
REPLY
4. Tommy Black, 2018
"You can see that it's mimed, because you can hear a right-hand piano tremolo when Fats's hand is still."
**
5. ChristopherClarkArt, 2014
" "Suffer, excess baggage, suffer!" Wow, Fats Waller is hysterical."
**
6. jakeyake1992, 2014
"Beef to me mama beef to me. I dont like pork nohow"
**
7. MaabudZ, 2014
"I've loved Fats Waller for years. It's great music no question. I suppose we have to take into the context of the time the whole "shine" smiling darkies aura presented, It is an unfortunate legacy of slavery and prejudice. Clearly Fats and some others created a place for themselves in the world through their talent and genius and I'm grateful for their gifts. It's just that I find some of the behavior in this clip embarassing at the same time as I enjoy it. Lest we forget."
**
REPLY
8. Joe Harkins, 2014
"I understand the comments of concern about the "shine' aspects of this clip. But let's look at the whole film and you will see it is not the blaxploitation trifle that some think. Start with the Wikipedia entry for "Stormy Weather" the movie). How boorish of YT not to allow links.
**
REPLY
9. Ewerb7, 2014
"This is just classic. I know some people think this is demeaning to blacks, but I think this is quite the opposite. It shows what incredible brilliance in music, acting, dance, and humor blacks have contributed to society. I just love this stuff."
**
REPLY
10. Surixurient, 2015
"I suppose we have to take into the context of the time the whole "shine" smiling darkies aura presented, It is an unfortunate legacy of slavery and prejudice."
Actually, that is just how people acted in these type of films, smiling and happy go lucky. Watch TCM or something. There is no need to find racism in everything.
**
REPLY
11. Cosmicblast77, 2015
"I love it, yes one can bring up the race issue and the sterotypical attitudes of the early part of the century, but you have to admit, the music and their talent was great. Great music."
**
REPLY
12. The film is based on the life of a legend whose work survives in early films and clips with Shirley Temple. Then consider who participated in this film. It might be asked, who is funning who?"
**
REPLY
13. Joanne Smith, 2017
"To the person who says theres no need to find racism in everything...
U r ignorant to the facts:
Hollywood producers MADE Little Rascals black characters speak bad grammar, they wore the raggediest clothing, & played SUBservient roles.
Willie Best & Steppin Fechit deplorable stereotypical roles were imposed upon them by white Hollywood film makers. But I guess if I were white I'd probably b in denial of racism too. As is the case w 95% white population.
**
REPLY
14. Billy Desmond, 2018
"You live now, not 1936, things were different back then. It's amazing how Fats Waller talant shines through so strongly. This shows he was truly one of the greats!. What a marvelous - talented musician."
**
REPLY
15. GOLIATHdominates, 2018
"Wait, what? How could blues and stride piano possibly be demeaning to black people? The entire American songbook is based on what was going on in New Orleans...
**
REPLY
16. adam barnes, 2018
"Ewerb7 you gotta be white..smh..ur racism is showing.
**
17. Christopher Calloway Brooks, 2015
"It's the killer diller!"
**
18. Garoosh, 2015
"Now thats an alto!"
**
19. Goblintrain, 2015
"OMFW... I know Fats, but who is that deep voiced woman? OMFW What a great singer!!!"
**
REPLY
20. Brandon H, 2015
"Ada Brown. Pioneer of the Kansas City blues scene."
**
REPLY
21. Kevin Boone, 2016
"@Brandon H Thank you. I asked a gentleman on this site if he knew who she was...and I scroll down...and I have my answer. Ada and her twin performed at the Cotton Club. Did you know she is the mother of jazz trumpeter Eddie Henderson, who is also a medical doctor, Julliard and Oberlin Conservatory of Music educator, and former figure skating champion?
xuereb, 2017
"Ada had some chops!"
**
22. Michael Klein, 2015
"Fats Waller---one of those select dozen or so artists that were unique and one-of-a-kind; thank the stars for records and film, that's all I can say!"
**
23. m3tafunj, 2018
"I didn't know the phrases "ballin'" and "beefin'" went back this far!"
**
24. Iain Wilson, 2018
"It's a pun "I was born bawling (like a baby) and I'm gonna ball the rest of my life"
**
25. Chris Lund, 2018
"2:17 "Ah, beef to me mama, beef to me. I don't like pork no how."
My favorite line."
**
26. Carrie L Cody, 2018
"The amount of talent on that screen at one time is INSANE!"
**
27. calvin jackson, 2018
"Sing it Ada!!! That lady is laying this song down!!!! Thank you for this post!! I love seeing black singers from the 1930's and 40's because this brings me close to my dad. This was his time of youth and its just great to see what music and singing and songs were like at this time of jim crow and segregation.
**
28. Art Gray, 2018
"WIBC radio in Indianapolis had a dj who used "Take It Easy" as his theme music. It reminds me of afternoons with my Grandmother after school. The lyrics also gave me some words to live by. Thanks, Mr. Waller!"
**
29. M A, 2018
"The caliber of improv and ad-libbing :)"
**
30. FiveMusic, 2018
"Anyone notice the unreasonable amount of hats on top the piano?"
**
REPLY
31. MilkyCheeseMan, 2018
"it's the band's and people's hats"
**
REPLY
32. 4Youalone3, 2018
"It was deemed impolite to wear a hat inside."
**
REPLY
33. Bill Holt, 2018
"Everybody wore hats in 1943. Church pews even had a hook for every seat just to hang your hat. Derbys were out but porkpies and especially fedoras were in.
**
34. Jerry Johnson, 2018
"May 21st: Happy birthday Jazz Pianist-Composer-Singer-Actor Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (1904-1943) Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame; songs: "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Ain't Misbehavin'" inducted into Grammy Hall of Fame. Thank you and God bless. RIP Icon. Thanks for the upload, bessjazz. Blessings"
**
35. Veronica Grey, 2018
"Is it Bill 'Bojangles' ?"
**
REPLY
36. lsmyp Lsmyp, 2019
"Yes Bill "Bo Jangles" Robinson he also starred in many of Shirley Temple Movies."
-snip-
This exchange is in reference to the Black janitor who near the end of this movie clip said "I wish someone would book me someplace".
**
37. Crossphase, 2018
“You’ve got the world in a jar..- yeah and where’s the stopper.” I love this play on words. Unless it literally meant ajar in which.. well damn"
**
38. NoirReine, 2018
"Black Excellence!"
**
39.Carrie L Cody
"The entire film is like that. I don't think they could make this movies equal these days."
****
LYRICS: THAT AIN'T RIGHT
(Fats Waller)
Baby, baby
What is the matter with you?
(Ain't nothing wrong with me, babes; nothing at all)
Baby, baby
What is the matter with you?
(One never knows, do one?)
You got the world in a jar (Yeah, but where's the stopper?)
And you've got nothin' to do
(Do you hear that mess? She's always layin' it on me!)
You know I always told ya
You'd be the death of me
And when I'm always with you
I get the third degree
That ain't right
(Aw, tell these folks anything, but tell me the truth!)
Oh, that ain't right at all
(What's wrong wid her? What's wrong wid her?)
Yes, you're takin' all my money
And going out havin' a ball
(Baby, I was born ballin' and I'm gonna ball the rest o' my life!)
I took you to a night club
I bought you that pink champagne
You rode home in a taxi
While I caught that subway train
That ain't right!
Oh, that ain't right at all!
That you're takin' all my money
And goin' out havin' yourself a ball
(Oh, beef to me, momma, beef to me! I don't like pork no how...)
I went to a fortune teller (Yeah?)
And had my fortune told (What'd she say?)
She said you didn't love me
All you wanted was my gold (She was right! How did she know?)
That ain't right!
Oh, t'ain't right at all! (Everyone wants some gold, baby!)
Yeah, you're takin' all my money
And goin' out havin' yourself a ball
(Suffer! Suffer, excess baggage, suffer!)
Source: https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Fats-Waller/That-Ain-t-Right
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube clip from the 1943 movie Stormy Weather that features Fats Waller and Ada Brown performing "That Ain't Right".
The lyrics of this song-including Fats Waller's word play (comebacks) are included in this post along with selected comments from the discussion thread of this YouTube video.
The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Fats Waller, Ada Brown, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, and all others who are featured in this movie clip and thanks for their musical legacies. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO:
Fats Waller & Ada Brown - That Ain't Right - Stormy Weather (1943)
bessjazz, Published on Apr 21, 2010
Fats Waller & Ada Brown : That Ain't Right (Nat 'King' Cole & Irving Mills), with Lena Horne, dancer , Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, drummer Zutty Singleton, bassist Slam Stewart, Trumpeter Benny Carter...in "Stormy Weather" (1943) by Andrew L. Stone, for Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.
-snip-
The sign on the "nightclub" reads "Fats Waller and the Beale Street Boys". "Beale Street Boys" were an actual band which was rather popular for a short time. Click bealestreetboys.html for information about this band.
Here are selected comments from this "video's" discussion thread. Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.:
Michael Klein, 2015
"Fats Waller---one of those select dozen or so artists that were unique and one-of-a-kind; thank the stars for records and film, that's all I can say!"
1. Vicki Buoy, 2011
"i JUST LOVE THIS NUMBER .. Fats is so good with his comebacks and Ada is just great"
**
2. napoleonalex1, 2013
"A piece of history great clip!!!"
**
3. alphasun1, 2013
"This film was packed with talent, led by Waller."
**
3. Great Pianists, 2013
"Back in those days, there was no good method for recording sound and action at the same time (or at least music and action, I think they could do dialogue), so these old "soundies" and music scenes in movies, etc. are almost all generally overdubbed. In other words, they'd record this in a studio, and then once on-set, the recording would be played back off-camera, and the musicians would have to mime as best as possible along with what was played. Stupid, but the way it was for awhile."
**
REPLY
4. Tommy Black, 2018
"You can see that it's mimed, because you can hear a right-hand piano tremolo when Fats's hand is still."
**
5. ChristopherClarkArt, 2014
" "Suffer, excess baggage, suffer!" Wow, Fats Waller is hysterical."
**
6. jakeyake1992, 2014
"Beef to me mama beef to me. I dont like pork nohow"
**
7. MaabudZ, 2014
"I've loved Fats Waller for years. It's great music no question. I suppose we have to take into the context of the time the whole "shine" smiling darkies aura presented, It is an unfortunate legacy of slavery and prejudice. Clearly Fats and some others created a place for themselves in the world through their talent and genius and I'm grateful for their gifts. It's just that I find some of the behavior in this clip embarassing at the same time as I enjoy it. Lest we forget."
**
REPLY
8. Joe Harkins, 2014
"I understand the comments of concern about the "shine' aspects of this clip. But let's look at the whole film and you will see it is not the blaxploitation trifle that some think. Start with the Wikipedia entry for "Stormy Weather" the movie). How boorish of YT not to allow links.
**
REPLY
9. Ewerb7, 2014
"This is just classic. I know some people think this is demeaning to blacks, but I think this is quite the opposite. It shows what incredible brilliance in music, acting, dance, and humor blacks have contributed to society. I just love this stuff."
**
REPLY
10. Surixurient, 2015
"I suppose we have to take into the context of the time the whole "shine" smiling darkies aura presented, It is an unfortunate legacy of slavery and prejudice."
Actually, that is just how people acted in these type of films, smiling and happy go lucky. Watch TCM or something. There is no need to find racism in everything.
**
REPLY
11. Cosmicblast77, 2015
"I love it, yes one can bring up the race issue and the sterotypical attitudes of the early part of the century, but you have to admit, the music and their talent was great. Great music."
**
REPLY
12. The film is based on the life of a legend whose work survives in early films and clips with Shirley Temple. Then consider who participated in this film. It might be asked, who is funning who?"
**
REPLY
13. Joanne Smith, 2017
"To the person who says theres no need to find racism in everything...
U r ignorant to the facts:
Hollywood producers MADE Little Rascals black characters speak bad grammar, they wore the raggediest clothing, & played SUBservient roles.
Willie Best & Steppin Fechit deplorable stereotypical roles were imposed upon them by white Hollywood film makers. But I guess if I were white I'd probably b in denial of racism too. As is the case w 95% white population.
**
REPLY
14. Billy Desmond, 2018
"You live now, not 1936, things were different back then. It's amazing how Fats Waller talant shines through so strongly. This shows he was truly one of the greats!. What a marvelous - talented musician."
**
REPLY
15. GOLIATHdominates, 2018
"Wait, what? How could blues and stride piano possibly be demeaning to black people? The entire American songbook is based on what was going on in New Orleans...
**
REPLY
16. adam barnes, 2018
"Ewerb7 you gotta be white..smh..ur racism is showing.
**
17. Christopher Calloway Brooks, 2015
"It's the killer diller!"
**
18. Garoosh, 2015
"Now thats an alto!"
**
19. Goblintrain, 2015
"OMFW... I know Fats, but who is that deep voiced woman? OMFW What a great singer!!!"
**
REPLY
20. Brandon H, 2015
"Ada Brown. Pioneer of the Kansas City blues scene."
**
REPLY
21. Kevin Boone, 2016
"@Brandon H Thank you. I asked a gentleman on this site if he knew who she was...and I scroll down...and I have my answer. Ada and her twin performed at the Cotton Club. Did you know she is the mother of jazz trumpeter Eddie Henderson, who is also a medical doctor, Julliard and Oberlin Conservatory of Music educator, and former figure skating champion?
xuereb, 2017
"Ada had some chops!"
**
22. Michael Klein, 2015
"Fats Waller---one of those select dozen or so artists that were unique and one-of-a-kind; thank the stars for records and film, that's all I can say!"
**
23. m3tafunj, 2018
"I didn't know the phrases "ballin'" and "beefin'" went back this far!"
**
24. Iain Wilson, 2018
"It's a pun "I was born bawling (like a baby) and I'm gonna ball the rest of my life"
**
25. Chris Lund, 2018
"2:17 "Ah, beef to me mama, beef to me. I don't like pork no how."
My favorite line."
**
26. Carrie L Cody, 2018
"The amount of talent on that screen at one time is INSANE!"
**
27. calvin jackson, 2018
"Sing it Ada!!! That lady is laying this song down!!!! Thank you for this post!! I love seeing black singers from the 1930's and 40's because this brings me close to my dad. This was his time of youth and its just great to see what music and singing and songs were like at this time of jim crow and segregation.
**
28. Art Gray, 2018
"WIBC radio in Indianapolis had a dj who used "Take It Easy" as his theme music. It reminds me of afternoons with my Grandmother after school. The lyrics also gave me some words to live by. Thanks, Mr. Waller!"
**
29. M A, 2018
"The caliber of improv and ad-libbing :)"
**
30. FiveMusic, 2018
"Anyone notice the unreasonable amount of hats on top the piano?"
**
REPLY
31. MilkyCheeseMan, 2018
"it's the band's and people's hats"
**
REPLY
32. 4Youalone3, 2018
"It was deemed impolite to wear a hat inside."
**
REPLY
33. Bill Holt, 2018
"Everybody wore hats in 1943. Church pews even had a hook for every seat just to hang your hat. Derbys were out but porkpies and especially fedoras were in.
**
34. Jerry Johnson, 2018
"May 21st: Happy birthday Jazz Pianist-Composer-Singer-Actor Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (1904-1943) Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame; songs: "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Ain't Misbehavin'" inducted into Grammy Hall of Fame. Thank you and God bless. RIP Icon. Thanks for the upload, bessjazz. Blessings"
**
35. Veronica Grey, 2018
"Is it Bill 'Bojangles' ?"
**
REPLY
36. lsmyp Lsmyp, 2019
"Yes Bill "Bo Jangles" Robinson he also starred in many of Shirley Temple Movies."
-snip-
This exchange is in reference to the Black janitor who near the end of this movie clip said "I wish someone would book me someplace".
**
37. Crossphase, 2018
“You’ve got the world in a jar..- yeah and where’s the stopper.” I love this play on words. Unless it literally meant ajar in which.. well damn"
**
38. NoirReine, 2018
"Black Excellence!"
**
39.Carrie L Cody
"The entire film is like that. I don't think they could make this movies equal these days."
****
LYRICS: THAT AIN'T RIGHT
(Fats Waller)
Baby, baby
What is the matter with you?
(Ain't nothing wrong with me, babes; nothing at all)
Baby, baby
What is the matter with you?
(One never knows, do one?)
You got the world in a jar (Yeah, but where's the stopper?)
And you've got nothin' to do
(Do you hear that mess? She's always layin' it on me!)
You know I always told ya
You'd be the death of me
And when I'm always with you
I get the third degree
That ain't right
(Aw, tell these folks anything, but tell me the truth!)
Oh, that ain't right at all
(What's wrong wid her? What's wrong wid her?)
Yes, you're takin' all my money
And going out havin' a ball
(Baby, I was born ballin' and I'm gonna ball the rest o' my life!)
I took you to a night club
I bought you that pink champagne
You rode home in a taxi
While I caught that subway train
That ain't right!
Oh, that ain't right at all!
That you're takin' all my money
And goin' out havin' yourself a ball
(Oh, beef to me, momma, beef to me! I don't like pork no how...)
I went to a fortune teller (Yeah?)
And had my fortune told (What'd she say?)
She said you didn't love me
All you wanted was my gold (She was right! How did she know?)
That ain't right!
Oh, t'ain't right at all! (Everyone wants some gold, baby!)
Yeah, you're takin' all my money
And goin' out havin' yourself a ball
(Suffer! Suffer, excess baggage, suffer!)
Source: https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Fats-Waller/That-Ain-t-Right
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Fats Waller - Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece Of Pie (sound file, lyrics, & information)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases Fats Waller's 1938-1940 Jazz record "Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece of Pie".
This pancocojams post showcases Fats Waller's 1938-1940 Jazz record "Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece of Pie".
Special attention is given in this post to the vocal technique "eephing" that is referenced in the title of this song.
The Addendum to this post showcases a bonus sound file of King Coleman's "The Boo Boo Song" [1967] along with a transcription of a portion of that record that features a version of the "Eep Ipe I Wanna Piece Of Pie" rhyme.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Fats Waller for his musical legacy. Thanks also to King Coleman for his musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these sound files on YouTube.
Special thanks to Jim Dixon from Mudcat' folk music forum for sharing information about eephing and for transcribing this Fats Waller song.
****
SHOWCASE SOUND FILE: Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece of Pie
Fats Waller - Topic Published on Aug 23, 2015
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Historical Jazz Recordings: 1938-1940
The Addendum to this post showcases a bonus sound file of King Coleman's "The Boo Boo Song" [1967] along with a transcription of a portion of that record that features a version of the "Eep Ipe I Wanna Piece Of Pie" rhyme.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Fats Waller for his musical legacy. Thanks also to King Coleman for his musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these sound files on YouTube.
Special thanks to Jim Dixon from Mudcat' folk music forum for sharing information about eephing and for transcribing this Fats Waller song.
****
SHOWCASE SOUND FILE: Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece of Pie
Fats Waller - Topic Published on Aug 23, 2015
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Historical Jazz Recordings: 1938-1940
[Update: October 30, 2020]
****
COMMENTS AND LYRICS
From http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=119521
Subject: Lyr Add: EEP, IPE, WANNA PIECE OF PIE (Fats Waller
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 21 Mar 09 - 06:12 PM
"This is the song that I was reminded of when reading the thread Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie*, and which in turn inspired me to start this thread about eephing.
This is my transcription from Fats Waller and His Rhythm, on the 78-rpm record MIGHTY FINE (Razaf, Waller) b/w EEP, IPE, WANNA PIECE OF PIE (Blaine, Dann), Bluebird 10744, 1940:
EEP, IPE, WANNA PIECE OF PIE
By Jerry Blaine and Artie Dann (some sources add: Nick Catamas)
J. R. LaFleur & Son Ltd., 1940.
Eep*, ipe*, wanna piece of pie.
Eep*, ipe*, wanna bowl of soup.
Eep*, ipe*, let your tongue turn.
Eep*, ipe*, easy to learn.
Eep*, ipe*, clock is on the wall.
Eep*, ipe*, sounds like doubletalk.
Eep*, ipe*, ippy ippy way.
Eep*, wop*, wop*, wop*, you do it all day.
If your fire* on the copembagger* is worthwhile,
Then the fire* eeply*, op*, op* sets the style,
If you burrrowackasacki* and you hold real tight,
You need fop*, rop*, rop*, rop*, rop*, I guess'll do all right.
You pucker up your lips and then you hold real tight.
Let it go. It's bound to do all right.
Come on, children, one, two, three,
Together, come on, follow me:
Ah, eep*, ipe*, want a piece of pie?
Eep*, ipe*, want a bowl of soup?
A bowl of soup, bup*, bup*, bup*, piece of pie,
Sip*, sip*, sip*, sip*, sip*, sip*, yes, yes.
Aw, eep*, ipe*, wanna piece of pie?
Oop*, eep*, ipe*, wanna bowl of soup?
Eep*, ipe*, let your tongue turn.
Eep*, ipe*, eep*, easy to learn, yes,
Eep*, ipe*, clock is on the wall.
Eph*, eep*, yeah, sounds like doubletalk.
Yessiree.... [The recording I transcribed from breaks off at this point, but I don't think it's complete; it came from a "mix tape."]
[*Note: I have retained the spelling "Eep, ipe" because that is the spelling in the title, but that is only an approximation of how the words are pronounced. In fact, all the asterisked words are nonsense, and the spelling is approximate, and wherever I have used a "p" in them, Waller is more or less "blowing a raspberry." Even in the words that are intelligible English words, Waller frequently mumbles, slurs, or lisps in a manner that is surely intentional and quite unlike his other recordings, where his diction is normally clear as a bell.
[The line "if you burrrowackasacki* and you hold real tight" is apparently a reference to the song HOLD TIGHT (WANT SOME SEAFOOD, MAMA) made famous by the Andrews Sisters.]
http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926
-snip-
*Click http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926 for the Mudcat thread on the children's rhyme "Oh my, I want a piece of pie" that Jim Dixon mentioned in the beginning of his comment.
Some examples of that children's rhyme contain the eephing vocalizations that are found in Fats Waller's "Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece of Pie" song. I believe that the standard beginning verse for another widely known children's rhyme "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" also was heavily influenced by this Fat Waller song.
Visit these three pancocojams posts for examples of the above mentioned rhymes:
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/06/abc-its-easy-as-1-2-3-playground-rhyme.html
"ABC It's Easy As 1, 2, 3" Playground Rhyme & Its R&B Record Source
**
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/06/aunt-maria-jumped-in-fire-there-was-man.html (for information about the Fats Waller song and for other examples of "ABC It's Easy As One Two Three")
**
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/05/song-sources-for-down-by-banks-of-hanky.html Song Sources For Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE VOCAL TECHNIQUE OF EEPHING
From http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=119521
Eephing (type of vocal technique or 'mouth music')
Subject: Eephing
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 02:00 PM
"Eephing is an old-time country style of vocal percussion somewhat similar to the recent "beatboxing" performed by hip-hop artists.
It is sometimes spelled eaphing, eefing, or eafing, but it is not related to effing or F'ing, a euphemism for f**king.
I call it percussion only because it sounds like percussion—it is much more rhythmic than melodic. It doesn't literally involve hitting anything, but it is often accompanied by truly percussive techniques like hamboning....
**
Subject: RE: Eephing (type of vocal technique or 'mouth music')
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Mar 09 - 08:12 AM
"From Dictionary of American Regional English by Frederic Gomes Cassidy and Joan Houston Hall (Cambridge, Mass: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1985): https://books.google.com/books?id=vAr2T4Bh7nkC&pg=PA275
Eephing vbl n [Echoic] Cf hoodling, whoop B
Creating wordless vocal music made up of nonsense syllables and percussive sounds; also n eaf such music.
1971 in 1978 I'm on My Journey Home (Phonodisc) wTN, [My maternal uncle] called it hoodlin'; they call it eephin' now. He [=the uncle] got it from somebody at a dance up at Dyersburg, Tennessee. 1978 Wolfe I'm on My Journey Home 2/1, [Liner notes:] Eephing (or hoodling) is one of a number of vocal-percussive effects still found in the mid-South....[It can be]...created by tickling...[the] throat...altering...[the] mouth cavity...tapping the cheeks....It has been reported in Arkansas, Kentucky, and Mississippi....Eephing has also been found among Afro-Americans. It is customarily performed informally in relaxed social situations. 1978 Dance Shuckin' & Jivin' 323 VA [Black], Have you ever heard this thing called "The Eaf"? Ee-poop-se-de-da-pa-de-da....Well, Bill Robinson [1878-1949, also known as "Mr. Bojangles"] and I used to go around and say that thing [=a long rhyme]...And then we start singing, "Ee-doop, se-da-da-pa-de-da-pa-pop!""
****
ADDENDUM: KING COLEMAN - THE BOO BOO SONG
King Coleman The Boo Boo Song [1967]
nightimelady, Uploaded on Nov 2, 2009
Hang on to your wigs its dance time!
If you like this then buy the album, in fact buy everything this guy did, hes amazing! :D
this can be found on the "king Coleman - It's Dance Time" compilation on Norton Records.
-snip-
Here's an excerpt from a review of this record:
http://funky16corners.blogspot.com/2006/04/king-coleman-boo-boo-song-pt1.html King Coleman - The Boo Boo Song Pt1
April 28, 2006, by Larry Grogan
...."you reach into the box and pull out something called ‘The Boo Boo Song Pts 1&2’ by a cat calling himself King Coleman. Though you are unfamiliar with the artist, you decide to give it a spin anyway, knowing that despite the suspect title, anything is possible. You unsleeve the record, place it on the turntable and absentmindedly apply needle to wax. The next few second are a blur. All you can remember is that following seemingly innocent opening, female singers chanting;
A hunting we will go A hunting we will go We will catch that fox and put him in a box And will not let him go! You momentarily figure you have a childrens record on your hands. And then, something happens that causes you to spit out your coffee and jump from your chair like your pants were on fire. There, booming out of the speakers is something that sounds like a bug-eyed madman on a caffeine bender.
Boo bo boo bo boo boo boo bo bo bo bo Bay bay buh baybay bay buh buh bay bay Bo bo bo bo bo bo bo (etc etc...)*
...[In] the late 60’s, Carlton ‘King’ Coleman laid down some of the butt-shakingest, eye-rollingest, high-stepping soul and funk 45s to ever roll down the pike. Every last one of them** is a guaranteed party starter. ‘The Boo Boo Song Pts 1&2’ is possibly the finest of them all, because it manages to rope in (barely) his explosive vocalizing, pairing it with some booming drums, blaring horns and organ, all of which make it a storming slice of soul evangelism – guaran-freaking-teed to peel off the wallflowers and send those already dancing into a sweaty trance. If you haven’t done so already, I would suggest most vociferously that when you play this track, you loosen your tie, turn the volume way up and let it wail. I would also recommend that if you have any small kids around, you play it for them too. I played it for my two-year old son, and he thought it was a hoot. Thankfully, of you’re not the type to go digging for 45s, the always brilliant folks at Norton Records have assemble the King’s best into a single compilation (see link below).
* Yeah, I know that isn't an exact transcription, but if you think I'm going to spend a half an hour, restarting the song 50 times so I can accurately count all the BOBO's and BAYBAY's, you my friend have another think coming"...
-snip-
[additional lyrics for that song at 1:57* [transcribed by Azizi Powell from that recording]
Eee eye I wanna a piece of pie
[female singers echo each line]
Pie too sweet, I wanna a piece of meat
The meat too tough I wanna ride a bus
The bus too full I wanna ride a bull
The bull won’t play, he had this to say
He said “ooh ahh ahh ooh aah ahh ooh aah ahh ooh ooh ooh
Come on baby, come on baby, show your daddy what you can do"...
-snip-
Thanks to GUEST,Fine Wine (2012) for referring to this video in the Mudcat thread Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
COMMENTS AND LYRICS
From http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=119521
Subject: Lyr Add: EEP, IPE, WANNA PIECE OF PIE (Fats Waller
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 21 Mar 09 - 06:12 PM
"This is the song that I was reminded of when reading the thread Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie*, and which in turn inspired me to start this thread about eephing.
This is my transcription from Fats Waller and His Rhythm, on the 78-rpm record MIGHTY FINE (Razaf, Waller) b/w EEP, IPE, WANNA PIECE OF PIE (Blaine, Dann), Bluebird 10744, 1940:
EEP, IPE, WANNA PIECE OF PIE
By Jerry Blaine and Artie Dann (some sources add: Nick Catamas)
J. R. LaFleur & Son Ltd., 1940.
Eep*, ipe*, wanna piece of pie.
Eep*, ipe*, wanna bowl of soup.
Eep*, ipe*, let your tongue turn.
Eep*, ipe*, easy to learn.
Eep*, ipe*, clock is on the wall.
Eep*, ipe*, sounds like doubletalk.
Eep*, ipe*, ippy ippy way.
Eep*, wop*, wop*, wop*, you do it all day.
If your fire* on the copembagger* is worthwhile,
Then the fire* eeply*, op*, op* sets the style,
If you burrrowackasacki* and you hold real tight,
You need fop*, rop*, rop*, rop*, rop*, I guess'll do all right.
You pucker up your lips and then you hold real tight.
Let it go. It's bound to do all right.
Come on, children, one, two, three,
Together, come on, follow me:
Ah, eep*, ipe*, want a piece of pie?
Eep*, ipe*, want a bowl of soup?
A bowl of soup, bup*, bup*, bup*, piece of pie,
Sip*, sip*, sip*, sip*, sip*, sip*, yes, yes.
Aw, eep*, ipe*, wanna piece of pie?
Oop*, eep*, ipe*, wanna bowl of soup?
Eep*, ipe*, let your tongue turn.
Eep*, ipe*, eep*, easy to learn, yes,
Eep*, ipe*, clock is on the wall.
Eph*, eep*, yeah, sounds like doubletalk.
Yessiree.... [The recording I transcribed from breaks off at this point, but I don't think it's complete; it came from a "mix tape."]
[*Note: I have retained the spelling "Eep, ipe" because that is the spelling in the title, but that is only an approximation of how the words are pronounced. In fact, all the asterisked words are nonsense, and the spelling is approximate, and wherever I have used a "p" in them, Waller is more or less "blowing a raspberry." Even in the words that are intelligible English words, Waller frequently mumbles, slurs, or lisps in a manner that is surely intentional and quite unlike his other recordings, where his diction is normally clear as a bell.
[The line "if you burrrowackasacki* and you hold real tight" is apparently a reference to the song HOLD TIGHT (WANT SOME SEAFOOD, MAMA) made famous by the Andrews Sisters.]
http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926
-snip-
*Click http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926 for the Mudcat thread on the children's rhyme "Oh my, I want a piece of pie" that Jim Dixon mentioned in the beginning of his comment.
Some examples of that children's rhyme contain the eephing vocalizations that are found in Fats Waller's "Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece of Pie" song. I believe that the standard beginning verse for another widely known children's rhyme "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" also was heavily influenced by this Fat Waller song.
Visit these three pancocojams posts for examples of the above mentioned rhymes:
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/06/abc-its-easy-as-1-2-3-playground-rhyme.html
"ABC It's Easy As 1, 2, 3" Playground Rhyme & Its R&B Record Source
**
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/06/aunt-maria-jumped-in-fire-there-was-man.html (for information about the Fats Waller song and for other examples of "ABC It's Easy As One Two Three")
**
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/05/song-sources-for-down-by-banks-of-hanky.html Song Sources For Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE VOCAL TECHNIQUE OF EEPHING
From http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=119521
Eephing (type of vocal technique or 'mouth music')
Subject: Eephing
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 02:00 PM
"Eephing is an old-time country style of vocal percussion somewhat similar to the recent "beatboxing" performed by hip-hop artists.
It is sometimes spelled eaphing, eefing, or eafing, but it is not related to effing or F'ing, a euphemism for f**king.
I call it percussion only because it sounds like percussion—it is much more rhythmic than melodic. It doesn't literally involve hitting anything, but it is often accompanied by truly percussive techniques like hamboning....
**
Subject: RE: Eephing (type of vocal technique or 'mouth music')
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Mar 09 - 08:12 AM
"From Dictionary of American Regional English by Frederic Gomes Cassidy and Joan Houston Hall (Cambridge, Mass: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1985): https://books.google.com/books?id=vAr2T4Bh7nkC&pg=PA275
Eephing vbl n [Echoic] Cf hoodling, whoop B
Creating wordless vocal music made up of nonsense syllables and percussive sounds; also n eaf such music.
1971 in 1978 I'm on My Journey Home (Phonodisc) wTN, [My maternal uncle] called it hoodlin'; they call it eephin' now. He [=the uncle] got it from somebody at a dance up at Dyersburg, Tennessee. 1978 Wolfe I'm on My Journey Home 2/1, [Liner notes:] Eephing (or hoodling) is one of a number of vocal-percussive effects still found in the mid-South....[It can be]...created by tickling...[the] throat...altering...[the] mouth cavity...tapping the cheeks....It has been reported in Arkansas, Kentucky, and Mississippi....Eephing has also been found among Afro-Americans. It is customarily performed informally in relaxed social situations. 1978 Dance Shuckin' & Jivin' 323 VA [Black], Have you ever heard this thing called "The Eaf"? Ee-poop-se-de-da-pa-de-da....Well, Bill Robinson [1878-1949, also known as "Mr. Bojangles"] and I used to go around and say that thing [=a long rhyme]...And then we start singing, "Ee-doop, se-da-da-pa-de-da-pa-pop!""
****
ADDENDUM: KING COLEMAN - THE BOO BOO SONG
King Coleman The Boo Boo Song [1967]
nightimelady, Uploaded on Nov 2, 2009
Hang on to your wigs its dance time!
If you like this then buy the album, in fact buy everything this guy did, hes amazing! :D
this can be found on the "king Coleman - It's Dance Time" compilation on Norton Records.
-snip-
Here's an excerpt from a review of this record:
http://funky16corners.blogspot.com/2006/04/king-coleman-boo-boo-song-pt1.html King Coleman - The Boo Boo Song Pt1
April 28, 2006, by Larry Grogan
...."you reach into the box and pull out something called ‘The Boo Boo Song Pts 1&2’ by a cat calling himself King Coleman. Though you are unfamiliar with the artist, you decide to give it a spin anyway, knowing that despite the suspect title, anything is possible. You unsleeve the record, place it on the turntable and absentmindedly apply needle to wax. The next few second are a blur. All you can remember is that following seemingly innocent opening, female singers chanting;
A hunting we will go A hunting we will go We will catch that fox and put him in a box And will not let him go! You momentarily figure you have a childrens record on your hands. And then, something happens that causes you to spit out your coffee and jump from your chair like your pants were on fire. There, booming out of the speakers is something that sounds like a bug-eyed madman on a caffeine bender.
Boo bo boo bo boo boo boo bo bo bo bo Bay bay buh baybay bay buh buh bay bay Bo bo bo bo bo bo bo (etc etc...)*
...[In] the late 60’s, Carlton ‘King’ Coleman laid down some of the butt-shakingest, eye-rollingest, high-stepping soul and funk 45s to ever roll down the pike. Every last one of them** is a guaranteed party starter. ‘The Boo Boo Song Pts 1&2’ is possibly the finest of them all, because it manages to rope in (barely) his explosive vocalizing, pairing it with some booming drums, blaring horns and organ, all of which make it a storming slice of soul evangelism – guaran-freaking-teed to peel off the wallflowers and send those already dancing into a sweaty trance. If you haven’t done so already, I would suggest most vociferously that when you play this track, you loosen your tie, turn the volume way up and let it wail. I would also recommend that if you have any small kids around, you play it for them too. I played it for my two-year old son, and he thought it was a hoot. Thankfully, of you’re not the type to go digging for 45s, the always brilliant folks at Norton Records have assemble the King’s best into a single compilation (see link below).
* Yeah, I know that isn't an exact transcription, but if you think I'm going to spend a half an hour, restarting the song 50 times so I can accurately count all the BOBO's and BAYBAY's, you my friend have another think coming"...
-snip-
[additional lyrics for that song at 1:57* [transcribed by Azizi Powell from that recording]
Eee eye I wanna a piece of pie
[female singers echo each line]
Pie too sweet, I wanna a piece of meat
The meat too tough I wanna ride a bus
The bus too full I wanna ride a bull
The bull won’t play, he had this to say
He said “ooh ahh ahh ooh aah ahh ooh aah ahh ooh ooh ooh
Come on baby, come on baby, show your daddy what you can do"...
-snip-
Thanks to GUEST,Fine Wine (2012) for referring to this video in the Mudcat thread Lyr Req: Oh my, I want a piece of pie http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=26926
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Fats Waller - My Mommie Sent Me To The Store (sound file & lyrics)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases Fats Waller's 1940 recording "My Mommie Sent Me To The Store". The lyrics to this song are included in this post, as well as information about a Parker Brothers board game that may have been the inspiration for this song.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: MY MOMMIE SENT ME TO THE STORE by Fats Waller 1940
cdbpdx, Uploaded on Apr 25, 2011
Just finished recording a collection of Fats Waller tunes from 1935 - 1942. Most are tunes you don't hear very much. Here is MY MOMMIE SENT ME TO THE STORE, recorded in 1940. Enjoy!
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fats_Waller
"Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943) was an influential jazz pianist, organist, composer, singer, and comedic entertainer, whose innovations to the Harlem stride style laid the groundwork for modern jazz piano, and whose best-known compositions, "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Honeysuckle Rose", were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame posthumously, in 1984 and 1999."
****
LYRICS: MY MOMMIE SENT ME TO THE STORE
(composers: Ken Hecht and Sid Bass)*
My mommy sent me to the store, to the store, to the store.
But what my mommy sent me for
I really can’t remember.
I think it was the grocery
Let me see, let me see.
Oh gee. Oh gosh. Oh gosh. Oh gee.
I don’t remember.
I forgotten what she needed
For the pantry shelf.
All I know is that she said
To keep a nickel for myself
And I got that.
But mommy sent me to the store to the store, to the store
But what my mommy sent me for
I really can’t remember.
Can you boys help me out?
(Male voices: Did she send you out for pie?)
No, you know she didn’t ask for pie.
(Male voices: Did she want a loaf of rye?)
You know my mama didn’t like no liquid. No!
[Instrumental]
It wasn’t pie.
It wasn’t rye.
Oh, what was I supposed to buy?
[Drum roll]
Oh I really can’t,
Really can’t
Remember.
[Spoken]- My memory is so unreliable.
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell. At the end of the sound file Fats Waller says something that I can't decipher. Additions and corrections welcome.
Update: Hat tip to Silvio: The word I couldn't decipher at the end is "Mercy!"
* Update -Thanks to Old corpsman for the names of this song's composers.
****
ADDENDUM - "MY MOTHER SENT ME TO THE GROCERY STORE" CARD GAME
I think that it's very likely that Fats Waller's 1940 Jazz song "My Mommie Sent Me To The Store" was inspired by the card game "My Mother Sent Me To The Grocery Store". That memory game was first produced by Parker Brothers around 1902. Here are two quotes about that game:
From http://www.zandkantiques.com/Antique_American_Game_Parker_Brothers_My_Mother_Sent_Me_Grocery_Store_For_Sale.html
"My Mother Sent Me to the Grocery Store
Parker Brothers, Salem Mass, NY & London Circa 1902
This nice early American antique game from Parker Brothers features a charming image of a toddler galloping home from the grocery story on his imaginary steed, a tiny whip in one hand and a basket of apples on the opposite arm. This game includes its original instructions and many of its original playing cards and is a great value for the money."
****
From http://www.americanchristmassongs.com/2013/11/02/my-mother-sent-me-to-the-grocery-store-parker-brothers-1887/
Ronnie says:
November 2, 2013 at 11:34 am
"Here’s a description I found:
“In this game, players take turns reading the big card in front of them (“My mother sent me to the grocery store to get…”) and then drawing a slip from the pile in the center of the table. If the object drawn would be available at the location read, they keep the slip. Play continues around until every player has drawn for one location, and then a new location is pulled. Once all the big cards have been used, the player with the most slips wins the game.” "
****
RELATED LINK
A pancocojams post of children's rhymes that include the line "my mommy sent me to the store"
will be published ASAP.
****
Thanks to Fats Waller for his musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This post showcases Fats Waller's 1940 recording "My Mommie Sent Me To The Store". The lyrics to this song are included in this post, as well as information about a Parker Brothers board game that may have been the inspiration for this song.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: MY MOMMIE SENT ME TO THE STORE by Fats Waller 1940
cdbpdx, Uploaded on Apr 25, 2011
Just finished recording a collection of Fats Waller tunes from 1935 - 1942. Most are tunes you don't hear very much. Here is MY MOMMIE SENT ME TO THE STORE, recorded in 1940. Enjoy!
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fats_Waller
"Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943) was an influential jazz pianist, organist, composer, singer, and comedic entertainer, whose innovations to the Harlem stride style laid the groundwork for modern jazz piano, and whose best-known compositions, "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Honeysuckle Rose", were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame posthumously, in 1984 and 1999."
****
LYRICS: MY MOMMIE SENT ME TO THE STORE
(composers: Ken Hecht and Sid Bass)*
My mommy sent me to the store, to the store, to the store.
But what my mommy sent me for
I really can’t remember.
I think it was the grocery
Let me see, let me see.
Oh gee. Oh gosh. Oh gosh. Oh gee.
I don’t remember.
I forgotten what she needed
For the pantry shelf.
All I know is that she said
To keep a nickel for myself
And I got that.
But mommy sent me to the store to the store, to the store
But what my mommy sent me for
I really can’t remember.
Can you boys help me out?
(Male voices: Did she send you out for pie?)
No, you know she didn’t ask for pie.
(Male voices: Did she want a loaf of rye?)
You know my mama didn’t like no liquid. No!
[Instrumental]
It wasn’t pie.
It wasn’t rye.
Oh, what was I supposed to buy?
[Drum roll]
Oh I really can’t,
Really can’t
Remember.
[Spoken]- My memory is so unreliable.
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell. At the end of the sound file Fats Waller says something that I can't decipher. Additions and corrections welcome.
Update: Hat tip to Silvio: The word I couldn't decipher at the end is "Mercy!"
* Update -Thanks to Old corpsman for the names of this song's composers.
****
ADDENDUM - "MY MOTHER SENT ME TO THE GROCERY STORE" CARD GAME
I think that it's very likely that Fats Waller's 1940 Jazz song "My Mommie Sent Me To The Store" was inspired by the card game "My Mother Sent Me To The Grocery Store". That memory game was first produced by Parker Brothers around 1902. Here are two quotes about that game:
From http://www.zandkantiques.com/Antique_American_Game_Parker_Brothers_My_Mother_Sent_Me_Grocery_Store_For_Sale.html
"My Mother Sent Me to the Grocery Store
Parker Brothers, Salem Mass, NY & London Circa 1902
This nice early American antique game from Parker Brothers features a charming image of a toddler galloping home from the grocery story on his imaginary steed, a tiny whip in one hand and a basket of apples on the opposite arm. This game includes its original instructions and many of its original playing cards and is a great value for the money."
****
From http://www.americanchristmassongs.com/2013/11/02/my-mother-sent-me-to-the-grocery-store-parker-brothers-1887/
Ronnie says:
November 2, 2013 at 11:34 am
"Here’s a description I found:
“In this game, players take turns reading the big card in front of them (“My mother sent me to the grocery store to get…”) and then drawing a slip from the pile in the center of the table. If the object drawn would be available at the location read, they keep the slip. Play continues around until every player has drawn for one location, and then a new location is pulled. Once all the big cards have been used, the player with the most slips wins the game.” "
****
RELATED LINK
A pancocojams post of children's rhymes that include the line "my mommy sent me to the store"
will be published ASAP.
****
Thanks to Fats Waller for his musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Song Sources For Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky
Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest Update - April 29, 2025
This pancocojams post showcases nine examples of songs or rhymes that influenced the development of the playground rhyme "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" or versions of that rhyme.
I don't mean to indicate or imply that the featured songs in this post are the only songs or the only creative works that influenced the development of the huge family of playground rhymes known as "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" (or similar first lines/titles).
Significantly, this post only includes two "frog in the well" songs, although many more of these very very old songs are important to the development of the playground rhyme "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky".
The content of this post is presented for historical, educational, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes. The copyrights remain with their owners.
My thanks to the composers and performers of this music. My thanks also to the videographers and uploaders of these featured videos, and thanks to Joseph Scott for the information given below in the Feb 11, 2014 update to this post.
****
SHORT FORMS AND LONG FORMS OF "DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY" RHYMES
In analyzing "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes (including examples in this rhyme family with similar titles), I've categorized those examples as having a short form or a long form.
Short Form:
There are numerous versions of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" (or similar titles). One standard short version of this rhyme is:
down by the river of the hanky banky
where the bullfrog jumps from bank to bank
say eeps oops soda pop
He missed the lilypad
And went KERPLOP!
-snip-
Long Form:
An example of the long version of this rhyme often mentions Pop music singer Michael Jackson.
Here's one example of the long version of "Down By The Banks..."
Down by the river with the hanky bankys
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
say an
epp
opp
epp
bop
bop
Skittle dittle curly pop
I pledge allegence to the flag
That Micheal jackson makes me gag
Diet Pepsi came to town
Coca-Cola pushed him down
Orange soda picked him up
Now I'm drinking 7 up
7up caught the flu
Now I'm drinking Moutain Dew
Moutain Dew fell off the moutain
Now I'm drinking from a fountian
Foutain Broke
Now I'm drinking plain old Coke
-Guest; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=940347/15/2007 "Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky", July 15, 2007
-snip-
That example is included in this pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/04/folk-etymology-forms-of-references-to.html
Forms Of The Name "Billie Jean" In "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" Rhymes
****
FEATURED EXAMPLES
These examples are presented in chronological order based on the song's recording date, and not the date that the video was posted on YouTube.
Note that there are earlier examples of songs that influenced "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes. One of those songs is May Irwin's "Foolish Frog", 1907.
Click http://www.fresnostate.edu/folklore/ballads/Br3189.html
"DESCRIPTION: A bull frog "with nothin else to do" falls, jumps around, and falls in a well. The preacher warns that the Devil is looking for folks with "nothin else to do" If you want your wings, stay home with your family instead of going to other frogs' farms
The example given as #3 below may have the same or similar lyrics and tune as the song that May Irwin sung, a song that is documented that she got from Black American sources.
****
Example #1: Chubby Parker & His Old Time Banjo - King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-Me-O [1928)
misterbamboostick, Published on Jul 23, 2012
Chubby Parker & His Old Time Banjo - King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-Me-O (from Harry Smith's 'Anthology of American Folk Music : Ballads'). Support your favourite artists : buy vinyl, cd's or legal downloads. I don't own the rights to this song, I just want to share good music.
****
Example 2: Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece of Pie
Fats Waller - Topic Published on Aug 23, 2015
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece of Pie · Fats Waller
Historical Jazz Recordings: 1938-1940
[Update: October 30, 2020]
The sound file that was originally embedded in this post is no longer available.
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcv1NJeP-SU&ab_channel=OnlyJazzHQ
for a sound file of this Jazz tune.
****
Example #3: "Foolish Frog" by Blind Blake (1952)
Uploaded by folkgrassboy on Jul 30, 2008
Featured on VOLUME 2 of his Art Records releases. Calypso from the Bahamas.
Featured on VOLUME 2 of his Art Records releases. Calypso from the Bahamas. Here are the lyrics with slight variation: Away down yonder in Yankety Yank A bullfrog jumped from bank to bank Cause there wasn't nothin' else to do; He stubbed his to and in he fell An' de neighbors all say that he went to...well, 'Cause he hadn't nothin' else to do. cho: An' jus' lots of folks is like dis foolish frog of mine, A-runnin' into trouble jus' to pass de time. An' de devil's allus loafin' 'round jus' to grab de kind That never hasn't nothin' else to do. When dey buried dat frog, de preacher said, "De reason why dis young frog is dead, "'Cause there wasn't nothin 'else to do." An' all you frogs jus' a listen to me, Yo' bettah stay at home wid yo' family, When you hav'nt nothin' else to do. Some frogs I know is pow'ful fond Of spendin' dey time in' nother frog's pond, 'Cause dey hasn't nothin'else to do. But dis consolation, de Good Book brings, De frog of dem habits won't wear no wings, 'Cause he hasn't nothin' else to do. Now all of yo' people dat heah dis song, Yo' knows why dis po' frog went wrong, 'Cause he hadn't nothin' else to do. You'd bettah keep busy on any kind of pay, Till de big horn blow on de judgement day, Den you will hab somethin' else to do.
-snip-
[Added September 19, 2021:
From https://archive.org/stream/frankcbrowncolle03fran/frankcbrowncolle03fran_djvu.txt
The Frank C. Brown Collection of North Carolina Folklore; the folklore of North Carolina, collected by Dr. Frank C. Brown during the years 1912 to 1943, in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklore Society"
****
Example #4. David Seville My Friend The Witch Doctor [1958]
oldtimer874, Uploaded on Oct 20, 2011
****
Example #5: The Jetsons - Eep Opp Ork Ah-Ah [1962]
ladythatsmyskull, Uploaded on Jan 22, 2007
Originally performed by Howard Morris. Jetsons music video featuring 'Jet Screamer' from 60's TV show.
****
Example #6: Joe Perkins - Little Eeefin' Annie [1963]
Uploaded by TheLimePopsicle on Aug 15, 2009
Charted at #76 on Billboard Hot 100 in September 1963. Vocal by Joe and the "eefin" is performed by Jimmie Riddle. This was Joe's only Hot 100 entry.
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eefing:
"Eefing (also written eeephing, eephing, eeefing, eefin, or eefn' and doubtless other ways) is an Appalachian (United States) vocal technique similar to beatboxing, but nearly a century older. Jennifer Sharpe describes it as "a kind of hiccupping, rhythmic wheeze that started in rural Tennessee more than 100 years ago.""...
****
Example #7. Manfred Mann Do Wah Diddy Very Good quality Live, [1964]
videosMLR, Uploaded on Jul 6, 2011
-snip-
The lyrics "do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do" are found in some post 1982 versions of "Down By The Banks..." This line is particularly found when the "Coca Cola came to town" rhyme is combined with certain versions of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" that mention Michael Jackson.
****
Example #8: Pete Seeger - The Foolish Frog [1973]
Steve Johnson, Published on Apr 12, 2013
Birds, Beasts, Bugs and Fishes (Little and Big) - 1998
-snip-
Pete Seeger's "Foolish Frog" book, song, and short animated film was first released in 1973. Those products are significant for helping to introduce children to the story of the foolish frog. Seeger learned this song from his father who based it upon May Irwin's "Foolish Frog". However, the lyrics and tune that Pete Seeger popularized are quite different from the contemporary "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky' rhymes. The tune used for "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes* is the same as or very similar to the "The Three Little Fishies" song. Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=541HKD8alfg for a 1939 sound file of that song.
*There are a number of examples of the long form "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky rhyme" in the comment threads of YouTube videos of the short form of that rhyme. However, to date, I've not come across any video of the long form of that rhyme, and I've never heard it chanted in person. Therefore, I'm not sure what tune it uses.
****
Example #9: Michael Jackson - Billie Jean [1982]
Uploaded by michaeljacksonVEVO on Oct 2, 2009
Music video by Michael Jackson performing Billie Jean. © 1982 MJJ Productions Inc.
****
Example #10: Coca cola went to town [1982?]
Published on Mar 21, 2012 by Nadia Smalling
****
UPDATE: February 11, 2014
Subject: RE: Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?
From: GUEST,Joseph Scott
Date: 11 Feb 15 - 05:37 PM
"Down by the banks of the Hanky-Panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky"
_Norfolk, The Marine Metropolis Of Virginia_ by G. Nowitsky, 1888, includes
"He came to the banks
Of the Pasquotank,
Where the bull-frogs jump
From bank to bank...."
_With The Guns In South Africa_ 1901 includes
"'Way down on the Hanky-Pank,
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank,
Because they have nuthin' else to do-oo-oo !"
An article "'Coon' Tales From The Bahamas" in _The English Illustrated Magazine_ in 1905 included
"Once 'pon a time was a berry good time,
Monkey chew terbacco en spit white lime,
Cockroach keep time.
Bullfrog jump from bank to bank,
En he hin' quattah don' touch wattah."
E.C. Perrow recalled hearing this in Tennessee in 1905:
"...
Way daown yander in China-rank
The bullfrog jumped frum bank to bank...."
Newman White (1892-1948) wrote in the 1920s: "From childhood I have known...:
'Way down yonder in Pasquotank
Bull frog jumped from bank to bank"
-snip-
In another Mudcat Folk Music forum comment, (guest) Joseph Scott identified himself as a blues researcher.
****
RELATED LINKS
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/02/down-by-banks-of-hanky-panky-video.html "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" (video & different text examples)
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Latest Update - April 29, 2025
This pancocojams post showcases nine examples of songs or rhymes that influenced the development of the playground rhyme "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" or versions of that rhyme.
I don't mean to indicate or imply that the featured songs in this post are the only songs or the only creative works that influenced the development of the huge family of playground rhymes known as "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" (or similar first lines/titles).
Significantly, this post only includes two "frog in the well" songs, although many more of these very very old songs are important to the development of the playground rhyme "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky".
The content of this post is presented for historical, educational, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes. The copyrights remain with their owners.
My thanks to the composers and performers of this music. My thanks also to the videographers and uploaders of these featured videos, and thanks to Joseph Scott for the information given below in the Feb 11, 2014 update to this post.
****
SHORT FORMS AND LONG FORMS OF "DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE HANKY PANKY" RHYMES
In analyzing "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes (including examples in this rhyme family with similar titles), I've categorized those examples as having a short form or a long form.
Short Form:
There are numerous versions of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" (or similar titles). One standard short version of this rhyme is:
down by the river of the hanky banky
where the bullfrog jumps from bank to bank
say eeps oops soda pop
He missed the lilypad
And went KERPLOP!
-snip-
Long Form:
An example of the long version of this rhyme often mentions Pop music singer Michael Jackson.
Here's one example of the long version of "Down By The Banks..."
Down by the river with the hanky bankys
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
say an
epp
opp
epp
bop
bop
Skittle dittle curly pop
I pledge allegence to the flag
That Micheal jackson makes me gag
Diet Pepsi came to town
Coca-Cola pushed him down
Orange soda picked him up
Now I'm drinking 7 up
7up caught the flu
Now I'm drinking Moutain Dew
Moutain Dew fell off the moutain
Now I'm drinking from a fountian
Foutain Broke
Now I'm drinking plain old Coke
-Guest; http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=940347/15/2007 "Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky", July 15, 2007
-snip-
That example is included in this pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/04/folk-etymology-forms-of-references-to.html
Forms Of The Name "Billie Jean" In "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" Rhymes
****
FEATURED EXAMPLES
These examples are presented in chronological order based on the song's recording date, and not the date that the video was posted on YouTube.
Note that there are earlier examples of songs that influenced "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes. One of those songs is May Irwin's "Foolish Frog", 1907.
Click http://www.fresnostate.edu/folklore/ballads/Br3189.html
"DESCRIPTION: A bull frog "with nothin else to do" falls, jumps around, and falls in a well. The preacher warns that the Devil is looking for folks with "nothin else to do" If you want your wings, stay home with your family instead of going to other frogs' farms
AUTHOR: Credited to Charles E. Trevathan
EARLIEST DATE: 1907 (recording, May Irwin); Protobilly gives
a composition date of 1896, but with no documentation."....
Also. click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRiXFErbIsY&ab_channel=JoanMorris%26WilliamBolcom-Topic for a YouTube sound file cover of this song entitled "May Irwin's "Frog" Song" [published by Joan Morris & William Bolcom - Topic Aug 26, 2014 ; from "After The Ball Plus Highlights From "Vaudeville"...
The example given as #3 below may have the same or similar lyrics and tune as the song that May Irwin sung, a song that is documented that she got from Black American sources.
****
Example #1: Chubby Parker & His Old Time Banjo - King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-Me-O [1928)
misterbamboostick, Published on Jul 23, 2012
Chubby Parker & His Old Time Banjo - King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-Me-O (from Harry Smith's 'Anthology of American Folk Music : Ballads'). Support your favourite artists : buy vinyl, cd's or legal downloads. I don't own the rights to this song, I just want to share good music.
****
Example 2: Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece of Pie
Fats Waller - Topic Published on Aug 23, 2015
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Eep, Ipe, Wanna Piece of Pie · Fats Waller
Historical Jazz Recordings: 1938-1940
[Update: October 30, 2020]
The sound file that was originally embedded in this post is no longer available.
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcv1NJeP-SU&ab_channel=OnlyJazzHQ
for a sound file of this Jazz tune.
****
Example #3: "Foolish Frog" by Blind Blake (1952)
Uploaded by folkgrassboy on Jul 30, 2008
Featured on VOLUME 2 of his Art Records releases. Calypso from the Bahamas.
Featured on VOLUME 2 of his Art Records releases. Calypso from the Bahamas. Here are the lyrics with slight variation: Away down yonder in Yankety Yank A bullfrog jumped from bank to bank Cause there wasn't nothin' else to do; He stubbed his to and in he fell An' de neighbors all say that he went to...well, 'Cause he hadn't nothin' else to do. cho: An' jus' lots of folks is like dis foolish frog of mine, A-runnin' into trouble jus' to pass de time. An' de devil's allus loafin' 'round jus' to grab de kind That never hasn't nothin' else to do. When dey buried dat frog, de preacher said, "De reason why dis young frog is dead, "'Cause there wasn't nothin 'else to do." An' all you frogs jus' a listen to me, Yo' bettah stay at home wid yo' family, When you hav'nt nothin' else to do. Some frogs I know is pow'ful fond Of spendin' dey time in' nother frog's pond, 'Cause dey hasn't nothin'else to do. But dis consolation, de Good Book brings, De frog of dem habits won't wear no wings, 'Cause he hasn't nothin' else to do. Now all of yo' people dat heah dis song, Yo' knows why dis po' frog went wrong, 'Cause he hadn't nothin' else to do. You'd bettah keep busy on any kind of pay, Till de big horn blow on de judgement day, Den you will hab somethin' else to do.
-snip-
[Added September 19, 2021:
From https://archive.org/stream/frankcbrowncolle03fran/frankcbrowncolle03fran_djvu.txt
The Frank C. Brown Collection of North Carolina Folklore; the folklore of North Carolina, collected by Dr. Frank C. Brown during the years 1912 to 1943, in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklore Society"
[page] 189
"Way Down Yonder in Pasquotank;
244. Our particular rhyme he says be has known from boyhood.
Forms of it showing the rhyme with "bank" (though
not the proper
noun Pascjuotank ) have been reported from Virginia (FSV 151
),
Tennessee (JAFL .xxvi 135), Soudi Carolina (JAFL xliv 425.
Negroes), Alabama (ANFS 244), and Mississippi (JAFL xxvi
135)-
'Pasquotank.' Contributed, probably in 191 3, by the Reverend L. D.
Haynian of Elizabeth City, Pasquotank county. ...
Way down ycmder in Pasquotank.
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank,
They jump so high they break their shank.
The old grey goose went "yankety yank.'"
-snip-
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CImi8VwNN1A for the Pete Seeger version of this 19th century song.
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Example #4. David Seville My Friend The Witch Doctor [1958]
oldtimer874, Uploaded on Oct 20, 2011
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Example #5: The Jetsons - Eep Opp Ork Ah-Ah [1962]
ladythatsmyskull, Uploaded on Jan 22, 2007
Originally performed by Howard Morris. Jetsons music video featuring 'Jet Screamer' from 60's TV show.
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Example #6: Joe Perkins - Little Eeefin' Annie [1963]
Uploaded by TheLimePopsicle on Aug 15, 2009
Charted at #76 on Billboard Hot 100 in September 1963. Vocal by Joe and the "eefin" is performed by Jimmie Riddle. This was Joe's only Hot 100 entry.
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eefing:
"Eefing (also written eeephing, eephing, eeefing, eefin, or eefn' and doubtless other ways) is an Appalachian (United States) vocal technique similar to beatboxing, but nearly a century older. Jennifer Sharpe describes it as "a kind of hiccupping, rhythmic wheeze that started in rural Tennessee more than 100 years ago.""...
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Example #7. Manfred Mann Do Wah Diddy Very Good quality Live, [1964]
videosMLR, Uploaded on Jul 6, 2011
-snip-
The lyrics "do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do" are found in some post 1982 versions of "Down By The Banks..." This line is particularly found when the "Coca Cola came to town" rhyme is combined with certain versions of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" that mention Michael Jackson.
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Example #8: Pete Seeger - The Foolish Frog [1973]
Steve Johnson, Published on Apr 12, 2013
Birds, Beasts, Bugs and Fishes (Little and Big) - 1998
-snip-
Pete Seeger's "Foolish Frog" book, song, and short animated film was first released in 1973. Those products are significant for helping to introduce children to the story of the foolish frog. Seeger learned this song from his father who based it upon May Irwin's "Foolish Frog". However, the lyrics and tune that Pete Seeger popularized are quite different from the contemporary "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky' rhymes. The tune used for "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes* is the same as or very similar to the "The Three Little Fishies" song. Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=541HKD8alfg for a 1939 sound file of that song.
*There are a number of examples of the long form "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky rhyme" in the comment threads of YouTube videos of the short form of that rhyme. However, to date, I've not come across any video of the long form of that rhyme, and I've never heard it chanted in person. Therefore, I'm not sure what tune it uses.
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Example #9: Michael Jackson - Billie Jean [1982]
Uploaded by michaeljacksonVEVO on Oct 2, 2009
Music video by Michael Jackson performing Billie Jean. © 1982 MJJ Productions Inc.
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Example #10: Coca cola went to town [1982?]
Published on Mar 21, 2012 by Nadia Smalling
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UPDATE: February 11, 2014
Subject: RE: Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes?
From: GUEST,Joseph Scott
Date: 11 Feb 15 - 05:37 PM
"Down by the banks of the Hanky-Panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky"
_Norfolk, The Marine Metropolis Of Virginia_ by G. Nowitsky, 1888, includes
"He came to the banks
Of the Pasquotank,
Where the bull-frogs jump
From bank to bank...."
_With The Guns In South Africa_ 1901 includes
"'Way down on the Hanky-Pank,
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank,
Because they have nuthin' else to do-oo-oo !"
An article "'Coon' Tales From The Bahamas" in _The English Illustrated Magazine_ in 1905 included
"Once 'pon a time was a berry good time,
Monkey chew terbacco en spit white lime,
Cockroach keep time.
Bullfrog jump from bank to bank,
En he hin' quattah don' touch wattah."
E.C. Perrow recalled hearing this in Tennessee in 1905:
"...
Way daown yander in China-rank
The bullfrog jumped frum bank to bank...."
Newman White (1892-1948) wrote in the 1920s: "From childhood I have known...:
'Way down yonder in Pasquotank
Bull frog jumped from bank to bank"
-snip-
In another Mudcat Folk Music forum comment, (guest) Joseph Scott identified himself as a blues researcher.
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RELATED LINKS
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/02/down-by-banks-of-hanky-panky-video.html "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" (video & different text examples)
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