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Showing posts with label The Cannibal King camp song. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Cannibal King camp song. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

"Under the Bram Bush" (or similar titles) Hand Clap Rhymes (videos, sources, & examples)



Poppy, Muzz, and the Four, Oct. 8, 2017
-snip-
Here's my transcription of this version of "Under The Bram Bushes" Additions and corrections are welcome:

Under the bram bushes
Under the sea
Boom boom boom
True love love for you, my darling,
True love for me
Boom boom boom
When we get married
We'll raise a family
There'll be a boy for you
And a girl for me 
There'll be a boy for you
And a girl for me 
I said it under the 
Bram bush

Additions and corrections are welcome. 

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part III of a three part pancocojams series about English language camp songs and English language hand clap rhymes that have their source in Black American composer Bob Cole's 1902 song "Under The Bamboo Tree".

This post showcases two YouTube videos of the handclap rhyme "Under The Bram bushes" (or similar titles). Information about the rhyme "Under The Bram Bushes (or similar titles) is presented in this post along with a definition for "bramble".

Several text (word only) examples of that rhyme are included in this post.
.

Click 
https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/09/under-bamboo-tree-1902-black-american.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post presents information about the song "Under The Bamboo Tree" that was composed by Black Americans Bob Cole, J. Rosamond Johnson, and James Weldon Johnson. 


The original lyrics for "Under The Bamboo Tree" are also included in that post along with the lyrics for one of many children's camp song versions of that song. 

That post also showcase two YouTube sound files of "Under The Bamboo Tree" and a 1944 video and a text version of that song from the 1944 American movie Meet Me In St. Louis.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-cannibal-king-also-known-as-zulu.html for Part II of this pancocojams series.  That post showcases a video of the song "The Cannibal King" (also known as "The Zulu King"). That post also includes several text (word only) examples of the "The Cannibal King" song. 

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who were associated with these showcase videos. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post 

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: Keira & Rozanne Brumble Bush



Hennie, Scheepers, Dec 23, 2014 Keira en Rozanne speel Under the brumble bush - Swakopmund 2014 -snip-
Swakopmund is a city in Namibia, Southern Africa
-snip-
Here's my transcription of that version of :Under The Brumble Bush". Additions and corrections are welcome:

Under the bramble bushes
Down by the sea
boom boom boom
True love for you, my darling,
True love for me. 
And we'll get married
And start a family
And a boy for you
And a girl for me.
Johnny broke a bottle
And put the blame on me.
I tell ma
And she told pa
Johnny got a bum bum
I said "Ooh ahh
I got Yaah!"


****
DEFINITION OF "BRAMBLE"
From https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bramble

Definition of bramble

1: any of a genus (Rubus) of usually prickly shrubs of the rose family including the raspberries and blackberries

also : the fruit of a bramble

2: a rough prickly shrub or vine

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
It's my position that the rhyme "Under The Bram Bushes"  (or similar titles) has its earliest source in the 1902 song "Under The Bamboo Tree". "Under The Bamboo" was composed by three Black Americans: 
Bob Cole, J. Rosamond Johnson, and James Weldon Johnson. 

I have only found a few videos of "Under The Bram Bush" online. In both of the videos that are  embedded in this pancocojams post, two young girls chant the rhyme while performing partner hand clap routines. 

I don't have any direct experience with the "Under The Bram Bush" rhyme. I didn't come across it in any of my face to face collection experiences from the late 1980s to 2007 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (particularly among African American children. The examples of this rhyme that I've found online are from outside of the United States, primarily in Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand.

However, the example that is chanted in Showcase video #2 in this pancocojams post is from Namibia, a country in Southern Africa. (The two girls performing the rhyme are White.) Also, Online Source #5 in this pancocojams post includes two examples of "Under The Bram Bush" from the nation of South Africa..

I wonder if the "Under The Bram Bush" rhyme is even known in the United States.

Based on the online examples of "Under The Bram Bush" that I've read,the lyrics for this rhyme appear to be quite consistent. Even the versions that extend the "basic rhyme" by adding lines or verses from other stand alone rhymes are rather consistent. Most of the combination rhymes that I've read include the "Johnny broke a bottle (and blamed it on me") rhyme. That is probably because "Under The Bram Bushes" and "Under The Bram Bushes" share a "down by the sea" line. The "Row row row your boat/throw your teacher overboard and listen to her scream" also appears to be quite common in extended versions of "Under The Bram Bush". Those rhymes also share a water connection with "Under The Bram Bush".

****
QUOTE ABOUT "UNDER THE BRAM BUSH" RHYME
This commentary accompanies a British recording of girls chanting "Under The Bram Bush"
From
https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/under-the-bram-brush
"This recording was made by Iona Opie in Liss, Hampshire, in 1974. The song ‘Under the Bram Bush’ has many variations and the Opies suggest that the song may be sung as under the ‘bram bush’; ‘the brown bushes’; ‘the bamboo’; ‘the blackberry tree’ or under the ‘branches’. This song is considered a basic clapping game as it is based on horizontal clapping, often accompanied by actions. When publishing ‘The Singing Game’ in 1985, the Opies estimated that the song’s lyrics had a 90-year-old-history, having traced it back to the song ‘The Cannibal King Medley’ based on Harry Hardin’s ‘A Cannibal Song’ (1895) and Cole and Johnson’s ‘Under the Bamboo Tree’ (1902). By the 1960s this song had been transformed into the favoured clapping game: ‘Under the Bram Bush’."

****
ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES OF "DOWN BY THE BRAM BUSHES" (or similar titles)
These examples are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only. 

Online Source #1 
From 
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/other_subjects/41079-skipping-and-clapping-rhymes Skipping and clapping rhymes
1. turquoise · 24/10/2004 
"Can anyone remember any of these? DD(6) is practising but cant remember many of the words …

The only other one I can think of begins

"under the brown bush, under the sea.."
-snip-
"DD" = dearest daughter

**
2. spykid,  · 24/10/2004
"think at the end we all said ,sexy! and flashed our knickers(sure this is optional though!!)"

**
3. prettycandles -  24/10/2004
"Fancy clapping:

Under the bramble bush down by the sea
boom-boom-boom
Jonnie broke a bottle and he blamed it all on me!
I'll tell my Maaaaama
I'll tell my Paaaaapa
And Jonnie'll get a spanking on his
Om! Pah! Cha-cha-cha!"

**
4. 
KatieMac · 24/10/2004 
"Under the shade of the blackberry tree (boom,boom,boom)
True love for you my darling
True Love for Me
We're getting married tomorrow My darling(boom,boom,boom)
Under the shade of my blackberry tree"

****
Online Source #2
From https://www.netmums.com/coffeehouse/being-mum-794/parenting-advice-192/434766-playground-clapping-rhymes-your-childhood.html

1. kar02rdc - 13/06/2010 
"under the bram bushes
under the sea

bum bum bum

true love for you my darling
true love for me

when we get married
we,ll have a family

so a boy for you
a girl for me

living on the island
sexy"

****
Online Source #3
From https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=5609 Songs & Rhymes From Australia
"This can be found as Under the Brown, Bam, Bram or Bramble Bushes or Under the Bamboo Tree. There are many variations of this rhyme…

UNDER THE BROWN BUSHES (Hand Clapping Rhyme)

Under the brown bushes.
Under the sea
Boom, boom, boom!

True love for you my darling,
True love for me.

When we get married,
We'll raise a family,

A boy for you
And a girl for me,
How happy we'll be!

Notes:

Sometimes there's another part that goes:

Johnny broke a bottle
And put the blame on me
Boom, boom, boom,
I told my mama
I told my papa
Johnny got a scolding
Turn around
Touch the ground
Up again and freeze!"

****
Online Source #4
From https://www.scrapbook.com/poems/doc/37417.html

under the bam-bushes (hand clapping poem)

Submitted By: sgnnnm

under the bam-bushes
under the trees
bum bum bum
true love for you my darling
true love for me
we're getting married,
to raise a happy family,
with a boy for you and
a girl for me,
that's the way it's gonna be,
johnny broke a bottle and put the blame on me
bum bum bum
i told my mama
i told my papa
johnny got a scolding
turn around
touch the ground
up again and freeze!

Author: unknown"

****
Online Source #5
From http://looopeeelisa.blogspot.com/2010/01/under-bramble-bush-is-under-sea-bum-bum.html

[Performance directions are given here]

1. "So, the song goes like this:

Under the bramble bush is under the sea (bum-bum-bum)
True love to you my darling true love for me
I will get married
And raise a family
Under the old bramble tree (bum-bum-bum-bum)
-snip-
Here are some examples from the comment section of that post:
2. Anonymous, Saturday, 04 February, 2012
"after raise a family... we used to sing a boy for u and a girl for me um tiddly um pum sex-y!"

**
3. cheese4maweasel, Tuesday, 19 June, 2012
"Thanks for reminding me of this. We sang:

Under the bramble bushes down by the sea (pum, pum, pum),
True love for you my darling; True love for me,
And when we're married, we'll raise a family
A boy for you
A girl for me
Everyone'll call us SEX-EE!!

**
4. Anonymous, Saturday, 24 November, 2012
"
We used to sing under the bramble bushes down by the sea boom boom boom true love 4 u my darling true love 4 me were guna get married guna raise a family boy 4 u girl for me johny took an apple n he threw it in the sea I told ma I told pa johny jumped in de river with an ooh cha cha:

**
5. Reno Ambrosio, Saturday, 20 July, 2013
"South african version. under the bramble bushes, under the sea. Boom boom boom boom. True love for you my darlin true love for me. We'll get married and raise a family. A boy for you a girl for me. Johnny broke the window he blamed me. I told ma, ma told pa. Johnny got a hiding ha ha ha."

**
6. Anonymous, Wednesday, 30 April, 2014
"This is how i done it at primary school.. Under the bam bushes under the sea boom boom boom true love 4 u my darling and true love 4 me. And well get married anf raise a family with 16 children all in a row row row your boat gently down the stream throw your teacher over board and listen to her scream ahhhh."

**
7. 
Unknown, Monday, 22 September, 2014
"In Australia in the 60s and 70s it went: "Under the brown bush, under the sea, boom boom boom, true love forever, true love for me and when we marry, we'll have a family, of little children by the sea." Much more sedate."

**
8. littlebug, Saturday, 25 July, 2015
"When I was young we did it as

'Under the bramble bushes, down by the sea boom boom boom
True love, for you my darling, true love, for me
When we get married
We'll have a family
Of sixteen children,
In a
Row, Row, row your boat, gently down the stream,
Tip your teacher overboard and listen to her/him scream
Five weeks later there's nothing to be seen,
Except the teachers underpants
Floating down the steam.'

A bit weird, but yeah. Lol xD"

**
9. Unknown, Thursday, 11 June, 2020
"We did similar to this one, except when we got to tip your teacher overboard we sang

ooh ah I lost my bra
I don't know where my knickers are
Are they white are they blue
I think I flushed them down the loo
Lu Lu skip to the lu
Lu Lu skip to the lu
Skip to the Lu my darling.

 Lol so even more weird than yours 🤣"

**
10. AnonymousThursday, 10 November, 2016
"We sang...Under the bramble bushes, down by the sea (bom bom bom)
True love for you my darling, true love for me
So lets get married, in California, 10 000 children all in a
Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream
Tip you teach overboard, listen to them scream AHH!"

**
11. Anonymous, Saturday, 11 March, 2017
"Under the bramble bushes, under the trees - boom boom boom - true love for you my darlin', true love for me. And when we're married, and have a fa-mi-LY! A boy for you, and a girl for me and that's the way that IT. SHALL. BE."

In South Africa we sang it as follows in the late 80's.
"Under the bumble bushes down by the see. Boom boom boom. True love for you my darling true love for me. When we get married. We will start a family with a boy for you and a girl for me. Humpty dumpty sexy legs. Johnny breaks a window. I tell ma. Ma tells pa. Johnny gets a hiding. Ha ha ha"

**
12. Anonymous, Thursday, 30 May, 2019
"OK Guys in my country (I rather not say which one)we played the same game, but didn't know english as kids so for at least 30 years kids in our country have been playing this game and singing lyrics as follows: "Under the lady, under the sea, boom, boom, boom. Toola fa merry, Toola fa si, bastiano merry, under the lady, under the sea." Try not to laugh too hard :) We had a great laugh today in the Office when we found the actual lyrics.."

****
Online Source #6
From https://www.horntip.com/mp3/fieldwork/other_collections/janice_lackey_collection/2006%20Playground%20Rhymes%20of%20New%20Zealand%20Children%20by%20Janice%20Ackerley%20(collector).pdf  [2006 collection from New Zealand]

[Pancocojams Editor's Note: These are only a few examples from this collection. As a reminder, I've added these numbers for referencing purposes only.] 

"== R H Y M E ==

ID: 4

Date: 1970s- 2006

Title: Bambushes

Gender: Female

Classification: Clapping Skipping"


1. "Under the bambushes
Down by the sea, boom, boom, boom.
True love for you, my darling, true love for me.
We'll get married and have a family,
With 16 children all in a row.

(Christchurch, 1970s; Auckland, 1998; Tauranga,1999; Methven, 2000; Blenheim, 2000;

Christchurch, 2000; Auckland, 2001 x 2; Rotorua, 2002; Gisborne, 2002; Porirua,

2003; Kaiapoi. 2003; Wellington, 2006)"

**
2. "Down by the banbushes,
Down by the sea,
True love for you my darling,
True love for me.
We'll get married and raise a family,
With 15 children all in a row,
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream,
Toss the teacher overboard
And listen to her scream.

(Manurewa, 1970s; Hokianga, 1970s; Auckland, 1975; Coromandel,1990s; Kerikeri,

1990s; Hamilton, 1990s x 3; Wellington, 1998; Auckland, 2000; Timaru, 2000;

Whakatane, 2000; Auckland, 2000; Masterton, 2000; Whakatane, 2000; Gisborne, 2000;

Awanui, 2000; Ngaio, 2000; Papakura, 2000; Christchurch, 2000 x 3; Rotorua, 2000 x2;

Waitakere, 2001; Lawerence, 2002; Auckland, 2002; Kerikeri, 2002; Rotorua, 2002;

Christchurch, 2002 x4; Wellington, 2002 x2; Rotorua, 2003; Gisborne, 2003; Raumati,

2003; Blenheim, 2004; Hokitika, 2005; Lower Hutt, 2005)"

**
3. "Under the banbushes, under the sea,
True love for you my darling, true love for me.
When we get married, we'll raise a family,
And have sixteen children all in a ..
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream,
Toss the teacher overboard
And listen to her scream.
Ahh, ahh, I've lost my bra,
I don't know where my knickers are,
Are they white or are they blue?
Did I flush them down the loo?
Or are they filled with chicken poo?

(Tauranga, 2002; Hamilton, 2002)"

**
4.  "
Down by the bramble bushes
Down by the sea,
Boom, boom, boom,
True love for you, my darling,
True love for me.

(Timaru, 2000; Christchurch, 1999; Wairoa, 1970s)"

**
5. "When we get married,
We'll have a family,
A boy for you and a girl for me.
Johnny in the bushes, Johnny in the sea,
Johnny broke a bottle and blamed it on me.
I told ma, ma told pa,
Johnny got a hiding with a ha, ha, ha,

(Johnny got a smacking on his oompa cha cha - Auckland, 2000)

How many hidings did he get,
1, 2, miss a few, 99, 100!

(Blenheim, 1990s x 2; Auckland,1990s; Napier, 1990s; Auckland, 1998; Whangarei,

1998; Porirua, 1998; Wellington, 1999; Napier, 2000; NZ ex UK, 2000; Northland,

2000; Gisborne, 2000; Whakatane, 2000; Christchurch. 2002; Lower Hutt, 2002;

Wellington, 2002; Napier, 2002; Auckland, 2002; Porirua, 2003)"

**
6. "Under the bram bushes,my boyfriend said to me,
Kiss me, hug me, tell me that you love me,
Under the bambushes my boyfriend said to me,
Pinch me, kick me, tell me that you hate me.
Down by the bambushes, my boyfriend said to me,
Get lost!

(Northland, 2001)"

**
7. "Under the bram bushes, under the sea,
Boom, boom, boom,
True love for you, my darling, true love for me.
When we get married,
And raise a family,
A boy for you and a girl for me.
How many fishes in the sea?
Twelve plus twelve is twenty four,
Kick the teacher out the door.
If she says 'Don't do that',
Hit her on the head with a baseball bat.

(Kaiapoi, 2002; NZ, 2003)"

****
This concludes Part III of this three part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome. 

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

"The King Of The Cannibal Islands" (YouTube sound file, information, & lyric examples)


English Folk Project, Dec 27, 2020 

Recording credit: Flying Fish Sailors, Loch Ness Monster

King of the Cannibal Islands is an English folk song published as a broadside ballad in 1858. It is a comical song telling of a sailor's interaction with the king of the Cannibal Islands, a name applied to the islands of Polynesia in the Victorian era. It reflects the contemporary English view of Polynesian society as one of cannibalism, savagery and unintelligible speech. It became popular in society and was frequently sung at events pertaining to the Pacific Ocean, such as by students of Oxford University upon the visit of Sir George Grey, governor of New Zealand.

This channel is dedicated to preserving the neglected culture of English folk songs in the form of short lyrical videos. The folk songs of the English have been overlooked compared to those of the other British peoples, something that this channel hopes to fix.
-snip-
Another YouTube sound file of this same Flying Fish Sailors (music group) record indicates that it was released in 1999.  

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This post presents information about and text (word only) examples of songs with the title "The King Of The Cannibal Islands". 

The content of this post is presented for folkloric purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to those who are featured in this showcased sound file. Thanks also to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.
-snip-
The song "The King Of The Cannibal Islands" shouldn't be confused with the later song "The Cannibal King". 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/09/under-bamboo-tree-1902-black-american.html for Part I of a three part pancocojams post on that song/hand clap rhyme.The other links in that series are found in that post. 

WARNING: "The King Of The Cannibal Islands" is a stereotypical song that is usually almost completely composed of racially, ethnically, and culturally offensive content.

Also, at least one example [in Excerpt #3] has given in this pancocojams post has sexually explicit references. 

****
DISCLAIMER
This pancocojams post is published, in part, for folkloric purpose. However, I've also published this post because I'm concerned that "The King Of The Cannibal Islands" songs might be confused with "The Cannibal King" songs that have their source in the "Under The Bamboo Tree" which was composed by BIack Americans in the 19th century. (The link for "The Cannibal King" post will be added here shorly). 

I want to emphazie that these pancocojams posts on "The King Of The Cannibal Islands" is  published for folkloric purposes and not for recreational or other social purposes. I'm not encouraging people to teach or sing this song except for historical and folkloric study. 

****
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN "THE KING OF THE CANNIBAL ISLAND" SONG AND "THE CANNIBAL KING" SONG

"The King Of The Cannibal Islands" is an older song than "The Cannibal King".

"The King Of The Cannibal Islands" songs begins with lines such as "Oh! have you heard the news of late,/ About a mighty king so great?". Those songs include "Hokey Pokey Winky Wum" and other nonsense words that are supposedly the king's name.

"The Cannibal King" usually begins with the first line "The Cannibal King with the big nose ring".

"The Cannibal King" is sometimes given as "The Zulu King". The title "The Cannibal King" probably was influenced by the title of the earlier "The King Of The Cannibal Islands" songs. 

The tunes for these two songs are different.

"The King Of The  Cannibal Islands" song usually includes cannibalism references while "The "Cannibal King" focuses on the romance between that king and his "dusky maiden".

"The King Of The Cannibal Islands" songs are longer than "The Cannibal King".

The "King Of The Cannibal Island" can be said to refer to the Polynesian Islands since in the 19th century Polynesia was called "the Cannibal Islands". While "The Cannibal King" may also refer to Polynesia, since another name for that song is "The Zulu King", that song can be said to refer to Africa and specifically South Africa (i.e. Zulus are an ethnic group in the nation of South Africa.)    

In the mid 20h century that both "The King Of The Cannibal Islands" and "The Cannibal King" were sometimes sung as a school song or a camp song (in the United States and in other English speaking countries). However, after the 1950s in the USA, when people mention "The Cannibal King" camp song, my guess is they are usually referring to "The Cannibal King" (with the big nose ring) and not that earlier song.    

****
INFORMATION AND EXAMPLES
Excerpt #1: http://www.fresnostate.edu/folklore/ballads/PHCFS195.html
"King of the Cannibal Islands, The

DESCRIPTION: Sometimes a ballad about castaways marrying the daughter of the King of the Cannibal Islands, but often degenerates into a quatrain-ballad about the odd events on the islands. The use of the title phrase is characteristic.

AUTHOR: unknown

EARLIEST DATE: 1827 (Hodgson's Royal Song Book, p. 4); before 1839 (broadside, Bodleian Harding B 36(10) View 2 of 2)

KEYWORDS: humorous cannibalism royalty

[...].

Roud #15695

BROADSIDES:

Bodleian, Harding B 36(10) View 2 of 2, "The King of the Cannibal Islands," J. Catnach (London), 1813-1838; also Johnson Ballads 536, Harding B 11(322), Harding B 11(1997), Firth c.17(312), Harding B 11(1496), Harding B 11(2830), "[The] King of the Cannibal Islands"

NLScotland, R.B.m.143(147), "The King of the Cannibal Islands," Poet's Box (Glasgow), 1858

CROSS-REFERENCES:

cf."The Settler's Lament (The Beautiful Land of Australia)" (tune)

[...]

NOTES [479 words]: This doesn't show up in folk songbooks much, but it seems to me that I heard it somewhere in my youth; I suspect it qualifies as a children's folk song. At least, I'm putting it here on that assumption. - RBW

From the commentary for broadside NLScotland RB.m.143(147): "This ballad was written at a high-point of British Imperialism, and is a telling illustration of the superior attitudes which popularly existed among both those Brits who settled abroad, in countries such as Africa, and also among the broadside-buying public back in Scotland. As with another broadside in the National Library of Scotland's collection, 'The Queen of Otaheite', the 'natives' are portrayed as bigamous cannibals, with little regard for Western ways." - BS

This even though most places referred to as "Cannibal Islands" were in fact under European control by the time the song was written (under the above assumption). The etymology of "Cannibal" in Robert Hendrickson, The Ocean Almanac, Doubleday, 1984, pp. 118-119, derives the name "Cannibal" from "Carib," "Inhabitant of the Caribbean," a formation going back to Columbus -- although cannibals if anything were more common in the Aztec areas of Mexico, as well as in the South Seas (recall how Captain Cook died; also the fact that kuru, the laughing sickness, the first known prion disease, spread by eating infected brain tissue -- and was found only in the South Seas).

Most of these places were at one time or another called "Cannibal Islands" -- although hardly any of them had an actual king. It was more common to eat one's enemies than one's subjects (the latter is obviously inefficient -- you run out of subjects fast that way), so cannibalism tends to imply a nearby external enemy. - RBW

Opie/Opie-OxfordDictionaryOfNurseryRhymes re 227, "Hokey, pokey, whisky, thum": Evidently derived from "King of the Cannibal Islands" by A.W. Humphreys. See broadside [Note however that the NLScotland broadside of 1858 states that the tune comes from "Hokee Pokee Wonkee Fum"] - BS

Jim Holder points out to us that Herman Melville mentions this song in chapter 1 of his 1846 tale Typee. It probably should not surprise us that Melville was interested in cannibalism; according to A. B. C. Whipple, Yankee Whalers in the South Seas, Doubleday & Company, 1954, pp. 41-45, Melville was fascinated by the story of the whaleship Essex, which was fatally damaged by a whale, forcing the men into the boats, with instances of cannibalism taking place on both surviving boats. This story underlies Moby Dick. Typee has its own link to cannibalism; it is largely autobiographical, about Melville's own travels in the South Pacific -- in which he actually jumped ship on an island allegedly inhabited by cannibals (Whipple, pp. 46-48). - (RBW)

Thanks to Jim Dixon for pointing out the 1827 printing in Hodgson's Royal Song Book. - RBW

Last updated in version 6.3
File: PHCFS195
-snip-
"The King Of The Cannibal Islands" song has been found in English speaking nations such as Great Britain, United States, and Australia.

****
Excerpt #2
From 
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=5819 

[Pancocojams Editor's Note: These selected posts from this discussion thread are numbered for referencing purposes only.]

1. 
Subject: RE: Lyrics and music for.King Of The Cannibal Islands
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 30 Jul 98 - 08:36 PM
...." "The King of the Cannibal Islands" was popular in the mid-to-late 19th century/early 20th century and is found in most comprehensive songsters from the period. I would have it in perhaps half a dozen different books in my collection.

 The tune is used for a number of Australian songs from the colonial era - including one detailing all the terrible things that happen to an English settler coming to buy a property in the new country ... apparently made up for a shipboard concert by a bunch of immigrants who had not yet reached Australia! A.L. Lloyd said that the tune was very popular for union songs in the early part of this century.

The tune also survives as a dance tune and I would have it in MusicTime notation somewhere on the computer."...

****
2.
Subject: RE: Lyrics and music for......
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 06 Aug 98 - 02:35 AM
"G'Day All,

....I went looking for "King of the Cannibal Islands" and found that I had the tune (from the Scottish Students' Songbook, ~ 1890) but no words - the songbook merely had it as the tune for a newer song.

This suggests that it was already quite old but well-known in 1890. I think I will have to start looking at books from the mid to early 19th century. I mentioned another song using the tune (early Pommy whingeing, written on the way out to Australia) and I will post the words of that to a new thread: Lyr, Add: Pommies' Lament.

This song must be from the convict era (~ before the 1850s) since it talks about having convicts working the farm ... as well as the depradations of bushrangers and hostile natives ... and rapacious land-agents."...

****
Excerpt #3

From https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=9724


[Pancocojams Editor's Note: These selected posts from this discussion thread are numbered for referencing purposes only.]

1. 
Subject: Lyr Add: KING OF THE CANNIBAL ISLANDS
From: Alice
Date: 
19 Mar 99 - 06:30 PM

..."my grandmother taught this to my mother who taught it to me. These are the only verses I know.

KING OF THE CANNIBAL ISLANDS

chorus
Hokey Pokey Winky Wung,
Polly Makoo Kamoling Kung,
Hangery Wangery Chingery Ching,
The King of the Cannibal Islands.

Have you heard my story of late,
For if you've not 'tis on my pate,
About a mighty potentate,
The King of the Cannibal Islands.

chorus
Polly Makoo Kamoling Kung,
Hangery Wangery Chingery Ching,
The King of the Cannibal Islands.

Woman pudding and baby sauce,
Little boy pie for second course,
He'd swallow them all without any remorse,
The King of the Cannibal Islands.

chorus
Polly Makoo Kamoling Kung,
Hangery Wangery Chingery Ching,
The King of the Cannibal Islands.

.........
The long list of words in the chorus were, as we thought of it, the king's name."

Alice in Montana

**
2. 
Subject: Lyr Add: KING OF THE CANNIBAL ISLANDS
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 05 Jul 02 - 05:35 PM

"KING OF THE CANNIBAL ISLANDS

1. Oh! have you heard the news of late,
About a mighty king so great?
If you have not, 'tis in my pate,
  The King of the Cannibal Islands.
He was so tall, near six feet six.
He had a head like Mister Nick's.
His palace was like Dirty Dick's.
'Twas built of mud for want of bricks,
And his name was Poonoowingkeewang
Flibeedee flobeedee buskeebang,
And a lot of Indians swore they would hang
  The King of the Cannibal Islands.

CHORUS: Hokee pokee wongkee fum,
Puttee po pee kaibula cum,
Tongaree wongaree ching ring wum,
  The King of the Cannibal Islands.

2. The mighty king had in one hut
Seventy wives as black as soot,
And thirty of a double smut,
  The King of the Cannibal Islands.
So just one hundred wives he had,
And every week he was a dad.
Upon my word, it was too bad,
For his smutty dears soon drove him mad.
There was Hungkee Mungkee, short and tall,
With Tuzzee Muzzee and Keeko Pall,
And some of them swore they would have all
  The King of the Cannibal Islands.

3. One day the king invited most
All of his subjects to a roast,
For half his wives gave up the ghost,
  The King of the Cannibal Islands.
Of fifty wives he was bereft
And so he had but fifty left.
He said with them he would make shift,
So for a gorge all set off swift.
The fifty dead ones were roasted soon
And all demolish'd before the noon,
And a lot of chiefs vow'd to have soon,
  The King of the Cannibal Islands.

4. When they had done, and bones picked clean,
They all began to dance, I ween.
The fifty wives slipp'd out unseen
  From King of the Cannibal Islands.
He turning round soon miss'd them all,
So for his wives began to bawl,
But not one answered his call.
He sprung out through the muddy wall,
Then into the woods he went with grief,
And found each queen 'long with a chief.
He swore he'd Macadamize every thief,
  The King of the Cannibal Islands.

5. He sent for all his guards with knives.
He put an end to all their lives,
The fifty chiefs and fifty wives,
  The King of the Cannibal Islands.
These cannibal slaveys then begun
Carving their heads off one by one,
And the king he laughed to see the fun,
Then jump'd into bed when all was done,
And every night when he's asleep,
His headless wives and chiefs all creep,
And roll upon him in a heap,
  The King of the Cannibal Islands.

From http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/ballads/ballads.htm: Bodleian.
This song has been a favorite of all lovers of the long pig for many years. These lyrics are from two broadside ballad printings, Harding B36(10) and Harding B 11(322), both printed in London, UK between 1813 and 1838 and 1813-1844, resp. The chorus is similar to that of "Ching a Ring Chaw," an anonymous minstrel song of 1833 date, and also in "In Chinaland There Lived a Great Man," from the 1850s. Chinaman
Also see thread 19284: Cannibal
@humor @cannibals @minstrel?"

****
3.
Subject: RE: LYR REQ & ADD: king of the cannibals
From Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 05 Jul 02 - 10:51 PM

.. "here is the last verse which is missing in the broadsides I quoted:

They all rush in at every door,
And drop upon him on the floor,
Revenge is sweet they loudly roar,
To King of the Cannibal Islands.
The headless tribe the palace fill,
Old Poonoowingkeewang to kill,
From every one he gets a pill,
And tells him he must make his will.
They all retire- at daylight,
And visit him again at night,
Oh what a benefit- and fright
For King of the Cannibal Islands.

Chorus:

According to this link, the lyrics were writtwn by A. W. Humphreys, a concert performer. The text is from sheet music published in 1830. Tune by John Charles White, originally published as a Quadrille in "The Two Rivals (Le Deux Rivales)," then later as a country dance, "Vulcan's Cave," published in London. The South Riding website provides midis of the arrangements for "Vulcan's Cave" and "The Quadrille." The tune, under the name, "King of The Cannibal Islands," is given for several later sets of lyrics; and is used and often named for "The Cumberland Reel (South Riding link)."
This song seems to be the inspiration for the chorus of "Ching a Ring Chaw," 1833, a minstrel song.
There are several sanitized and childrens versions, some of which can be found on Google."

****
4. 
Subject:  RE: LYR REQ & ADD: king of the cannibals
From Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 06 Jul 02 - 01:39 PM 

"The islands constituting Fiji were once commonly known as the Cannibal Islands. In 1874, King Cakobau and island leaders signed a treaty with Great Britain, putting the islands under British protection; the islands became a crown colony. The ceremonial eating of the "long pig" (common pidgin English term at the time for human flesh) did not survive for long after the treaty.

Soon after the treaty, more than one-third of the Fijians were dead from imported diseases, including measles, innocently brought back by King Cakobau and his party following a visit to Australia, where the disease was prevalent in Sidney. In medical history, Fiji was the prime example of a "virgin soil epidemic."

(The same catastrophic loss of life destroyed many American cultures as diseases brought by the Spaniards and other early explorers and settlers spread across the continent.)"...

****
5.
Subject: RE: Info: King of the Cannibal Islands
From: Amos
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 11:47 AM

And apparently it also spun off a lullaby and child's play verse.

"Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes" by Iona and Peter Opie:

Hokey, pokey, whisky, thum,
How d'you like potatoes done?
Boiled in whisky, boiled in rum,
Says the King of the Cannibal Islands.

Heard sung as a lullaby in 1947, and also known as a school song and counting-out rhyme, the lines are evidently a somewhat rationalised memory of the chorus of a popular comic song "The King of the Cannibal Islands" written about 1830 by A. W. Humphreys and 'Sung by him with great applause at the London Concerts':

Oh, have you heard the news of late,
About a mighty King so great?
If you have not, 'tis in my pate––
The King of the cannibal islands.

He was so tall––near six feet six,
He had a head like Mister Nick's,
His palace was like Dirty Dick's,
'Twas built of mud for want of bricks,
And his name was poonoo winkewang,
Flibeedee-flobeedee-buskeebang;
And a lot of the Indians swore they'd hang,
The King of the cannibal islands.

(Chorus)

Hokee pokee wonkee fum,
Puttee po pee kaihula cum,
Tongaree, wongaree, ching ring wum,
The King of the Cannibal Islands

 

And again another version (just for fun):

 

Hoky poky, winky wum,
How do you like your 'taters done?
Snip snap snorum, High popolorum.
Kate go scratch it, You are out!.

(from http://fracman.home.mchsi.com/works/lion/LION.89_28-36.90_01-33.part1.doc.)
-snip-
Pancocojams Editor's Note:
That link is no longer accessible (Sept 12, 2022). 

****
6.
Subject: RE: Info: King of the Cannibal Islands 
From: GUEST,Barrie Roberts
Date: 29 Nov 04 - 12:24 PM

"The early 19th Century song clubs out of which Victorian music-hall grew were pretty low places. Cheap books of bawdy songs were printed for their audiences, books with titles like 'Fanny Hill's Bang-Up Reciter'. An item found in some of these books is a song called 'The Queen of the Cannibal Islands'. The chrus is as much as I will quote here, but is sufficient to show a) that the song is related to the 'King of..' version, and b) the nature of the 'Queen of...'. The chorus runs:

Hokey pokey, wankee fum,
Clap your fingers under my bum,
That's the way to make me come,
Says the Queen of the Cannibal Islands.

The songbooks are about 1820s/'30s, but whether they might contain any evidence as to which came first I don't know"

****
7. 
Subject: RE: Info: King of the Cannibal Islands
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 29 Nov 04 - 02:48 PM

"One of the versions of the "KIng ...." (unfortunately not the one about the queen) from a ca. 1813-1838 broadside was posted in the other thread, 9724: King of the Cannibal Islands."...

***
8.
Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: King of the Cannibal Islands
From: GUEST,Rev
Date: 19 Aug 06 - 01:16 AM

"I have the Lyrics for King of the Cannibal Islands as published in the Popular National Songster (1845, pp. 95-96). I'll also post the lyrics of a similar song called Tongo Island (same songster, pp.89-90). I've just used these songs in my dissertation, so I have them handy.

KING OF THE CANNIBAL ISLANDS

Oh! Have you heard the news of late,
About a mighty king so great,
If you have not, 'tis in my pate
The king of the Cannibal Islands,

He was so tall, near six feet six;
He had a head like Mr. Nick's,
His palace was like dirty Dick's;
'Twas built of mud for want of brick;

And his name was Poonoowinkewang,
Flibeedee flobeedee buskeebang,
and a lot of Indians swore they would hang,
Hokee, pokee, wongee, fum,
Putte, po, pee, kabula, cum,
Tongeree, wongree, ching, ring, wum,
The king of the Cannibal Islands.

This mighty king had in one hut,
Seventy wives as black as soot,
And thirty of a doble smut,
The king of the Cannibal Islands

Just one hundred wives he had,
and every week he was a dad,
upon my word it was too bad,
For his smutty dears soon drove him mad;

There was Hunkee, Munkee, short and tall,
with Tuzzee, Muzzee, and Keeko Pall,
and some of them swore they would have all,
The king of the Cannibal Islands.

One day the king invited most
All his subjects to a roast,
For half his wives gave up the ghost,
the king of the Cannibal Islands.

Of fifty wives he was bereft,
and so he had but fifty left;
He said with them he would make a shift,
So for a gorge they set off swift.

The fifty wives were roasted soon,
and all demolished before the noon,
and a lot of chief's vowed to have soon,
The king of the Cannibal Islands.

When they had done and bones picked clean,
They all began to dance I ween;
The fifty wives slipped out unseen,
from the King of the Cannibal Islands.

He turning round misses them all,
So for his wives began to bawl,
But not one answered to his call,
He sprung out through the muddy wall;

Then into the woods he went with grief,
And found each queen 'long with a chief,
He swore he'd Macadamize each thief,
The king of the Cannibal Islands.

He sent for all his guards with knives,
To put an end to all their lives,
The fifty chiefs and fifty wives,
The king of the Cannibal Islands.

These Cannibal slaves then begun,
Carving their heads off one by one,
And the king he laughed to see the fun,
Then jumpt into bed when all was done;

And every night when he's asleep,
The headless wives and chiefs all creep
And roll upon him in a heap,
The king of the Cannibal Islands.

Hokee Pokee, &c."

****
9. 
Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: King of the Cannibal Islands
From: GUEST,mei
Date: 15 Nov 07 - 03:57 PM

"It goes

"Oh have you heard the story of late, about the royal potentate?
Well if you haven't it's in my pate...
The King of the Cannibal Islands

His kingdom stretched for miles and miles
Around about the neighboring isles
His subjects fed on crocodiles..
The King of the Cannibal Islands

Hokey Pokey Winky Wong
Kalamazoo kazoo kazong
If you haven't it's in my pate

Chorus."
-snip-
This post (comment) also includes lyrics for a similar song entitled "The Tongo Islands"

****
10. 
Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: King of the Cannibal Islands
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 16 Nov 07 - 08:48 AM

"The oldest version of THE KING OF THE CANNIBAL ISLANDS that I could find with Google Book Search is in Marsh's Selection, Or Singing for the Million, New York: Richard Marsh, 1854. "Containing the choicest and best collection of admired patriotic, comic, Irish, Negro, temperance and sentimental songs ever embodied in one work."

The words seem pretty close to the ones posted by GUEST,Rev above, so I won't repeat them, but those of you who collect old songs might want to browse in that volume."

****
11.
Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: King of the Cannibal Islands
From: GUEST,Tim Jaques
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 05:57 PM

"Apparently The King of the Cannibals is the same tune as used for The Man Who Couldn't Get Warm, the one Dickens quotes as the song of Shivery Shakey."
-snip-
Pancocojams Editor's Note:
That Mudcat discussion thread includes other similar "cannibal" songs such as "I wouldn't leave my little wooden hut for you".

**
12.
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of the Cannibal Islands
From GUEST slehto
Date: 16 May 13 - 10:49 PM

"My dad learned this song at Boy Scout Camp or YMCA camp back in the 1920s. He used to sing it to us kids in the 1950s. Here is all I remember of his version. I'm glad to see all the other verses that I have forgotten. Thanks.

Hokey Pokey Winky Wum.
Parlacom pinky moorly come
Hansy tansy whyry rum
Down on the Cannibal Islands.

The king, he had a little roast.
and 40 of his wives, gave up the ghost.
and we had crocodiles on toast
Down on the cannibal islands.

The king he made a chief of me
and called me Nora Kirah Kee.
and we got gay as gay could be.
Down on the cannibal islands.

****
13. 
Subject:RE: Lyr Req; King of the Cannibal Islands
From: GUEST Debbie
Date: 06 Dec/ 18: 4:31 AM

"This song obviously has lots of variants. The version I learned as a child was as follow:

Hokey Pokey Winky Wung,
Polly Makoo and Pumering Kong,
Hangery Wangery Chingery Chung,
The King of the Cannibal Islands.

Woman pudding, baby sauce,
Little boy pie for a second course:
He swallowed them all without any remorse,
The King of the Cannibal Islands.

Then one day through terrible fault
He ate clergyman cold without pepper or salt.
They laid him away in the family vault,
The King of the Cannibal Islands.

His will it read, so I’ve been told,
Not of riches or lands or gold,
But warned all men against clergymen cold,
The King of the Cannibal Islands."  



****
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Visitor comments are welcome.

 


Monday, September 12, 2022

"Under The Bamboo Tree" Is The 1902 Black American Source Of The Children's Camp Song "The Cannibal King" & The Hand Clap Rhyme "Under The Bramble Bush" (and similar titles)



Remember Our Music
-snip-
Marie Cahil is the vaudeville singer who is heard in this sound file performing "Under The Bamboo Tree" on August 29, 1902. Marie Cahill was the daughter of Irish immigrants to the United States.  

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision - September 13, 2022 

This is Part I of a three part pancocojams series about English language camp songs and English language hand clap rhymes that have their source in Black American composer Bob Cole's 1902 song "Under The Bamboo Tree".

This post presents information about the song "Under The Bamboo Tree" that was composed by Black Americans Bob Cole, J. Rosamond Johnson, and James Weldon Johnson. 


The original lyrics for "Under The Bamboo Tree" are also included in this post along with the lyrics for one of many children's camp song versions of that song. 

This post also showcase two YouTube sound files of Under The Bamboo Tree" and a 1944 video and a text version of that song from the 1944 American movie Meet Me In St. Louis.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-cannibal-king-also-known-as-zulu.html for Part II of this pancocojams series.  That post showcases a video of the children's camp song "The Cannibal King" (also known as "The Zulu King"). That post also includes several text (word only) examples of the children's camp song "The Cannibal King". 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/09/under-bram-bush-or-similar-titles-hand.html for Part III of this pancocojams series. That post showcases two videos of the hand clap rhyme "Under The Brambush" (or similar titles) and presents several text (word only) examples of that rhyme.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Bob Cole and J Rosamond Johnson for their musical and cultural legacies. Thanks to all those who were associated with this song files and this video. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these sound files on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT "UNDER THE BAMBOO TREE"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Under_the_Bamboo_Tree
"Under the Bamboo Tree is a song composed by Robert Cole, J. Rosamond Johnson, and James Weldon Johnson. J. W. Stern & Co. published it in 1902.[1] A ragtime hit, it sold over 400,000 copies.[2]

History

The song was first composed by Robert Cole and J. Rosamond Johnson while they were still performing as the vaudeville act Cole and Johnson. They had intended it for a "comic opera" they called Toloso; the opera was never produced.[3] After a performance, they were discussing the couplet "If you like me, like I like you, No knife can cut our life in two," and Cole suggested they use the idea for a new song.[4] Cole stated he took inspiration from a soldier's story he heard, of a romance he had under a bamboo tree with a Red Cross nurse.[5] At Johnson's insistence, Cole used the melody of the spiritual "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" as the basis for the song.[6][3]

After writing the words and music, Cole and Johnson sent the song to James Weldon Johnson who made changes to the song. Johnson forwarded the song to a music publisher under the name If You Lak-a-Me, Lak I Lak-a-You. The publisher changed the name to Under the Bamboo Tree, taken from the final line in the song's chorus.[4]

A month later, Cole and Johnson performed the song at party hosted by George W. Lederer. There, Marie Cahill took a liking to the song, and campaigned against producer Ludwig Englander for its incorporation in the Broadway production of Sally in Our Alley, of which she starred. The song premiered in this musical on August 29, 1902, and it helped make the play successful.[4][7] Cahill included it in [ the Broadway production of] Nancy Brown the next season. It went on to become one of two songs that Cahill would commonly interpolate into her own performances per request.[7][3]

Over the course of six months, 400,000 copies of the song were sold.[2] It became a popular and well-known song in the United States, and further spread to England and India.[5][8]

Arthur Collins recorded it for Edison Records.[9] Judy Garland and Margaret O'Brien perform the song in the 1944 musical film Meet Me in St. Louis[10][11] and it was included in the retrospective MGM film That's Entertainment!.[12] It was later used in the stage musical Meet Me in St. Louis.[13]
-snip-
With the exception of this song's composers, all of the other people who are named in this Wikipedia article were White Americans.

****
ORIGINAL LYRICS - "UNDER THE BAMBOO TREE"  
Bob Cole, J. Rosamond Johnson, James Weldon Johnson) 

 

VERSE 1
Down in the jungles lived a maid
Of royal blood though dusky shade,
A marked impression once she made
Upon a Zulu from Matabooloo;
And ev’ry morning he would be
Down underneath a bam boo tree,
Awaiting there, his love to see
And then to her he’d sing:

CHORUS
If you lak a me, lak I lak a you,
And we lak a both the same,
I lak a say, this very day,
I lak a change your name;
‘Cause I love a you and love a you true
And if you a love a me,
One live as two, two live as one
Under the bamboo tree.
If tree.

VERSE 2
And in this simple jungle way,
He wooed the maiden ev’ry day,
By singing what he had to say;
One day he seized her and gently squeezed her;
And then beneath the bamboo green,
He begged her to become his queen;
The dusky maiden blushed unseen
And joined him in his song.

CHORUS

VERSE 3
This little story strange but true,
Is often told in Mataboo,
Of how this Zulu tried to woo
His jungle lady in tropics shady;
Although the scene was miles away,
Right here at home I dare to say,
You’ll hear some Zulu ev’ry day,
Gush out this soft refrain:

CHORUS
Source: https://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/sheetmusic/1701/

****
A VERSION OF THE CAMP SONG LYRICS FOR  "UNDER THE BAMBOO TREE
(based on the 1902 song by Bob Cole, J. Rosamond Johnson, and James Weldon Johnson) 

Down in the jungles lived a maid,
Of royal blood though dusky shade,
A marked impression once she made,
Upon a Zulu from Matabooloo;
And ev'ry morning he would be
Down underneath the bamboo tree,
Awaiting there his love to see
And then to her he'd sing:

If you lak-a-me lak I lak-a-you
And we lak-a-both the same,
I lak-a-say,
This very day,
I lak-a change your name;
'Cause I love-a-you and love-a you true
And if you-a love-a me.
One live as two, two live as one,
Under the bamboo tree.

And in this simple jungle way,
He wooed the maiden ev'ry day,
By singing what he had to say;
One day he seized her
And gently squeezed her.
And then beneath the bamboo green,
He begged her to become his queen;
The dusky maiden blushed unseen
And joined him in his song.

If you lak-a-me lak I lak-a-you
And we lak-a-both the same,
I lak-a-say,
This very day,
I lak-a change your name;
'Cause I love-a-you and love-a you true
And if you-a love-a me.
One live as two, two live as one,
Under the bamboo tree.

This little story strange but true,
Is often told in Mataboo,
Of how this Zulu tried to woo
His jungle lady
In tropics shady;
Although the scene was miles away,
Right here at home I dare to say,
You'll hear some Zulu ev'ry day,
Gush out this soft refrain:

If you lak-a-me lak I lak-a-you
And we lak-a-both the same,
I lak-a-say,
This very day,
I lak-a change your name;
'Cause I love-a-you and love-a you true
And if you-a love-a me.
One live as two, two live as one,
Under the bamboo tree.


Source: https://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/u/underthebambootree.html (Contributed by Mel - June 2004)

****
SHOWCASE SOUND FILE #2 - "UNDER THE BAMBOO TREE"



Paragon Ragtime Orchestra - Topic, Feb. 10, 2015

Under the Bamboo Tree · Paragon Ragtime Orchestra · Johnson Brothers · Bob Cole · Rick Benjamin Black Manhattan: Theater and Dance Music of James Reese Europe, Will Marion Cook, and Members of the Legendary Clef Club

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: 
Judy Garland and Margaret O'Brien - Under The Bamboo Tree (Meet Me In St. Louis, 1944)

ILoveJudyGarland, April 1, 2017
-snip-
Here's the lyrics for that song that was posted in this video's discussion thread by Lydia McGowan, 2020. [Pancocojams Editor's Note: The character names in upper case letters indicate who sings those lyrics. "Esther" was played by Judy Garland and Tootie was played by Margaret O'Brian.]   

"ESTHER
Down in the jungles lived a maid
Of royal blood though dusky shade

TOOTIE
A marked impression once she made
Upon a Zulu

ESTHER
From Matabooloo

TOOTIE
And every morning he would be
Down underneath the bamboo tree

ESTHER
A Waitin' there his love to see

TOOTIE
And then to her he's sing

BOTH
To her he'd sing

If you like-a me, like I like-a you and we like-a both the same
I like-a say this very day, I like-a change your name.
'Cause I love-a you and lov-a you true and if you-a love-a me
One live as two, two live as one
Under the bamboo tree

****
This concludes Part I of this three part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.