Early 20th Century Versions Of African American Folk Songs With The Lyrics "When I Die Bury Me Deep" Or "Sticks And Stones May Break My Bones"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases text (word only) examples of two groups of songs from the early twentieth century that include the lyrics "pickle my bones in alcohol"* or "sticks and stones may break my bones". These text examples are from the "Drink And Gambling Song" section of the full text of "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".

*Songs with the lyrics "pickle my bones in alcohol" may be better known now as songs or verses that begin with the lyrics "when I die/bury me deep" or similar text.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the unknown composers of these songs and thanks to Frank C. Brown and other members of the North Carolina Folkloric Society for collecting these and other songs. Thanks also to the publishers of this collection online.
-snip-
[Added September 15, 2017]
The Addendum to this post showcased the "When I Die" (pickle my bones in alcohol" song/rhyme in Thomas W. Talley's 1922 book Negro Folk Rhymes, Wise And Otherwise.

****
EXCERPT FROM THE FRANK C BROWN COLLECTION OF NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
[pages 38-40; text examples #69-#72]

Note that the commentary in this excerpt uses the now retired referent "Negro" for "African Americans".]

From https://archive.org/stream/frankcbrowncolle03fran/frankcbrowncolle03fran_djvu.txt

"38. Pickle My Bones in Alcohol 69

39. Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones 71


38
Pickle My Bones in Alcohol

This jocose jingle seems to have a special appeal for Negroes, though it is not confined to them nor is it, probably, of Negro origin. It has been reported from New York (ANFS 368), Tennessee (JAFL XXVIII 130), North Carolina (FSSH 438), Georgia (FSSH 438), Missouri (OFS iii 197-8), and from Negroes in Mississippi (JAFL xxviii 130). In a form which probably is of Negro origin 'lasses and corn bread take the place of alcohol : so in a text reported from Alabama Negroes (ANFS 277) and in some of our North Carolina texts. Or the two notions may be combined, as in our A text and in Negro versions reported from Alabama (ANFS 368-9) and without specific locale bv Talley (Negro Folk Rhymes 26).

'When I Die.' Reported by Julian P. Boyd, Alliance, Pamlico county, as obtained from Duval Scott, a pupil in the school there.

I When I die don't bury me deep ;
Put a jug o' 'lasses at my feet.

Put a pone o' bread in my hand,
And I'll sop my way to the promised land!

When I die don't bury me at all ;
Just pickle my bones in alcohol.

Put a bottle of booze at my head and feet,
And then PU know that 1 will keep.

For Pm a man w4io must have a little likker
When Pm dry, dry, dry !


'When Colonel Died.' Reported by Miss Gertrude Allen (afterwards Mrs. Vaught ) from Taylorsville, Alexander county. Not dated.

I When Colonel died with a bottle by his side

2 When I die don't bury me at all.
Just pickle my bones in alcohol.

3 Put a bottle of booze at my head and feet
And say, 'Colonel died in joy complete.'

c

'Drinking Song.' From Lucille Cheek, Chatham county.

Oh, when I die don't bury me at all ;
Just pickle my bones in alcohol.
Place a bottle of booze at my head and feet.
Tell all the girls Pve gone to sleep.


'When I Die.' From ]\Iiss F. Shuma, in 1920. Location not given. The same as C except the last line, which runs : "So these old bones shall rest in peace."

'When I Die.' From Miss Kate S. Russell, Person county. Here the alcohol has disappeared.

When I die, want you bury me deep.
Put a jug of lasses at my head and feet.
Pone corn bread in the palm of my hand ;
Going to sop lasses in de promised land.


'O When I Die Don't Bury :\Ie Deep.' Contributed in 1919 by H. H.
Hanchey as heard in the southeastern part of North CaroHna. Like E,
but has its last line in the more familiar fdrni: "So I kin sop my way
to de promise land."


DRINK AND GAMBLING SONGS 71

39
Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones

This line is found in Negro songs reported from North Carolina and Alabama (ANFS 145) which are not specifically drinking songs but are concerned, like the texts here presented, with the singer's posthumous reputation � an element which Dr. White says occurs "in various spirituals."

'A Drunkard's Song.' Contributed in 1913 by William B. Covington with the notation : "Reminiscences of my early youth spent in the country on the border of the sand hills of Scotland County."

Sticks and stones may break my bones,

Say what you please when I'm dead and gone;

But I'm gona drink corn liquor till I die,

Till I die, till I die,

I'm gona drink corn liquor till I die.

B

'Song.' From Louise W. Sloan, Bladen county. No date given.

I'm a-living high till I die.

Bet your life I'm a-living mighty high;

Oh, sticks and stones for to breaker my bones,

I know you'll talk about me when I'm gone

But I'm a-living high till I die.


'Ise Gwine to Live in de Harvest.' Reported by Julian P. Boyd as obtained from Duval Scott, one of his pupils in the school at Alliance, Pamlico county.

1 Ise gwine to live in de harvest.
Till I die, till I die ;

Life Ise livin' is not so very high ;

Sticks and stones gwine break my bones,

I know you gwine talk about me when Ise gone ;

Ise gwine live in de harvest till I die !

2 Ise gwine build me a graveyard
Of my own, of my own !

Ise gwine build me a graveyard of my own.
Sticks and stones gwine break my bones,
I know you gwnne talk about me when Ise gone.
Ise gwine live in de harvest till I die !



72 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE

40
Just Kick the Dust over my Coffin

In form this is akin to 'Pickle My Bones in Alcohol,' above ; but its spirit is somewhat different, the speaker being about to die of love, and perhaps it should not be here among the drinking songs. I have not found it elsewhere. The manuscript is without name in the Collection, but from surrounding circumstances it is believed to have come from Obadiah Johnson of Crossnore, Avery county.

1 Just kick the dust over my coffin.
Say, 'There lies a jovial young lad :'
Pile the earth upon my carcass/
Then carve on the stone at my head :

Chorus:

Oh, ain't it a wonderful story
That love it will kill a man dead.

2 Oh, none of you bawling and squalling
Around me as tho' you'd gone mad ;
Just kick the dust over my coffin

And tell my true love that I said : " "

****
ADDENDUM- AN EXAMPLE OF THE "WHEN I DIE" SONG/RHYME FROM THOMAS WE. TALLEY'S 1922 BOOK "NEGRO FOLK RHYMES: WISE AND OTHERWISE"
From https://archive.org/stream/negrofolkrhymesw00talluoft/negrofolkrhymesw00talluoft_djvu.txt

[page] 25

"WHEN MY WIFE DIES

WEN my wife dies, gwineter git me anudder one;
A big fat yaller one, jes lak de yudder one.
I'll hate mighty bad, w'en she's been gone.
Hain't no better 'oman never nowhars been bo'n.

Wen I comes to die, you mus'n' bury me deep,
But put Sogrum molasses close by my feet.
Put a pone o' co'n bread way down in my han'.
Gwineter sop on de way to de Promus' Lan'.

Wen I goes to die, Nobody mus'n' cry,
Mus'n' dress up in black, fer I mought come back.
But w'en I'se been dead, an' almos' fergotten;
You mought think about me an' keep on a-trottin'.

Railly, w'en I'se been dead, you needn* bury me

at tall.

You mought pickle my bones down in alkihall ;
Den fold my ban's "so," right across my breas';
An* go an' tell de folks I'se done gone to "res'.""
-snip-
Here are my explanation for the word followed by an asterisk and the descriptor "yaller".

*needs= don't need to

"Yaller" = a light skinned Black person

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Categories: African American folk songs African American sayings early 20th century African American songs military cadences

Read More

Various Versions Of The "Hambone" Song (information, lyrics, & YouTube examples)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about the "Hambone" song and text (lyric) examples of various versions of "Hambone".

This post particularly focuses on examples of "Hambone" that either include "Hush Little Baby Don't You Cry" ("Mockingbird") verses or "Frog Went A' Courting" verses.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the featured artists and the publishers of these YouTube examples.
-snip-
This post is part of an ongoing series about the "Hambone" song and percussive body patting activity.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/10/pattin-juba-hambone-and-bo-diddley-beat.html for a 2011 pancocojams post on Hambone (pattin juba) beat and body percussion.

Click the tag below for other pancocojams posts that are also part of an ongoing series on "Hambone".

****
INFORMATION AND THEORIES ABOUT THE MEANING[S] OF "HAMBONE" SONGS/RHYMES (with or without lyrics)
These comments and song examples are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

The "Song Example" title and the numbers that are assigned for the text (lyrics) examples of this song which are included in this post are given for the purposes of this blog post and aren't included in the source material that is quoted. I've written these examples with numbers in italics to differentiate those numbers from the remainder of those comments.

Excerpt #1:
From Step It Down: Games, Plays, Songs & Stories from the Afro-American Heritage, edited by Bessie Jones and Bess Lomax Hawes, (University of Georgia Press, originally published in 1972, 1987 edition), pages 34-35

"You just say it, and then you say it with your hands

"Hambone" probably refers to the part of the anatomy most involved in playing this hand jive game, though there is undoubtedly more to it than that. Most young black men, I find, know it in one version or another.

"Hambone" may be performed alone or with a group all jiving together. While the rhyme is being said, the players slap their thighs, lightly on the offbeat. After each line of the poem, they pat in the following rhythm [a drawing of musical notes is included here.] ...

The "patting" may be done on one side of the body only, using the right hand or thigh; or on both sides at the same time in parallel motion. The triplet phrase is done as follows:

1. Slap the side of the thigh with the palm of the hand in an upward brushing motion.
2. Continuing the upward brushing: strike the side of the chest with the palm of the hand.
3. Strike the thigh downward with the back of the hand.

Voice
Song Example #1

Hambone Hambone pat him on the shoulder
If you get a pretty girl, I'll show you how to hold her.
Hambone, Hambone, where have you been?
All 'round the world and back again.
Hambone, Hambone, what did you do?
I got a train and I fairly flew.
Hambone, Hambone where did you go?
I hopped up to Miss Lucy's door.
I asked Miss Lucy would she marry me.
(falsetto)"Well I don't care if Papa don't care!"
First come in was Mister Snake,
He crawled all over that wedding cake.
Next walked in was Mister Tick,
He ate so much it made him sick.
Next walked in was Mister Coon,
We asked him to sing us a wedding tune,
Now Ham-....
Now Ham....

Action
Pat thigh on the offbeat while the rhyme is being recited. (The first two lines have been underscored on the offbeat as an example.) At the end of each line of the rhyme, do the hambone "pat" as previously described."
-snip-
Note: The lyrics in this excerpt are given as Example #1 of "Hambone" in this pancocojams post.

SHOWCASE VIDEO: Example #1
Bessie Jones - Hambone



WallakAt, Published on May 26, 2012
-snip-
I remember reading somewhere that Bessie Jones said that the "Hambone, hambone where you been/round the world and back again" verse was about an actual bone with ham meat that was re-used [in a soup] over and over again because people were poor. However, I can't find where I read that statement. I offer this theory for the "record" and not because I necessarily believe it is true.

However, in this example of the song "Hambone", and in other examples, "Hambone" appears to be used as a person's (probably male) nickname.

****
Excerpt #2:
From http://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/18/arts/re-creating-hambone-body-music-of-the-past.html "Re-creating Hambone, Body Music of the Past" by Glenn Collins, Published: July 18, 1987
..."The body music called hambone is made by using the hands to slap the thighs and the chest muscles. ''I guess lots of people have never seen it,'' said the 23-year-old Mr. [Derique] McGee of the art of hambone. ''Sometimes I'm asked if I invented it.''

In fact, hambone "is a living bit of black history, a neglected part of our heritage that flourished in minstrel shows and vaudeville,'' he said ...

According to Dr. Joseph Boskin, professor of history and Afro-American studies at Boston University, Mr. McGee's efforts to revive hambone "are representative of a growing movement in America to keep alive elements of black culture that have survived through the generations."

Like rap music, which has been traced to African roots,the rhythmic patting motion of hambone has its origin in West African dance, ''where movement was a form of communication and religious ceremony,'' said Professor Boskin. It ''was refined in the plantations,'' he added. 'A Lost Art' to Be Preserved�.

[...]

Although the etymology of the word hambone is debated, "It makes sense that the word comes from hitting your thigh, your hambone," said Mr. McGee."..

****
Excerpt #3
From http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=17443
Subject: Lyrics Req. Hambone

1.
Subject: RE: Lyrics Req. Hambone
From: Stewie
Date: 26 Jan 00 - 07:39 PM

"There's a version recorded on a lovely CD: Various Artists 'Georgia Folk: A Sampler of Traditional Sounds' Global Village Music CD 03. It is performed by Ray Favors - with body patting, mouth popping etc - and was recorded by Dave Evans in 1970."

Song Example #2

"HAMBONE

Hambone, hambone have you heard
Papa gonna buy me a mockingbird
If that mockingbird don't sing
Papa gonna buy me a diamond ring
If that diamond ring don't shine
Papa gonna buy me a nanny goat
It that nanny goat don't rate
Papa gonna whup my boom-de-yay
Hambone!

Hambone, hambone where you aye (?)
In the chicken house cookin' rye
Hambone, hambone where you bin
Round the world and I'm goin' agin
Hambone!"

**
2.
Subject: RE: Lyrics Req. Hambone
From: Bill in Alabama
Date: 26 Jan 00 - 08:41 PM

"I was taught to hambone by friends who worked as "delivery boys" for a small neighborhood grocery store in Chattanooga, where you could telephone in your grocery list and have the goods delivered to your back door. The verses floated in from many other songs, I'm sure. A couple that I recall were "Hambone, Hambone, where ya been? Around the world and I a-goin' again. What you gonna do when you get back? I'm gonna take a little walk down the railroad track." Back in the 'fifties, Bo Diddely put the hambone rhythm to the guitar, replaced the name Hambone with his own name, and became a rock & roll icon."

****
3.
Subject: RE: Origins: Hambone
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 08 Mar 12 - 05:18 PM

"Hambone, as a term, was applied to itinerant, unpaid actors in the 1890s (quote from 1895 in Lighter*).

Application of the term to juba patting or juba dancers (body music)seems to be fairly recent; the earliest quote* in 1921.

Articles on the net and in literature put the term as equivalent to juba patting, and then mention the antiquity of body music, but use of the term for the action-song has not been traced back before the quotes in Lighter.
There seems to have been a transference of the term from the itinerant actor to juba patting or body music, perhaps in the 1930s.

*Lighter, Historical Dictionary of American Slang

****
Song Example #3
From http://www.metrolyrics.com/hambone-lyrics-taj-mahal.html

Hambone! Hambone! [title]

Hambone, hambone
Where you been?
Round the world and I'm going again
What you gonna do when you come back?
Take a little walk by the railroad track
Hambone

Hambone, hambone
Have you heard?
Papa's gonna buy me a mocking bird
And if that mocking bird don't sing
Papa's gonna buy me a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring don't shine
Papa's gonna take it to the five and dime
Hambone"

****
Song Example #4

From http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/h/hambone.shtml

HAMBONE
(Red Saunders / Leon Washington)

[as sung by Bill Haley]

Hambone! Hambone!

Hambone, hambone
where you been?
Round the world and I�m going again
What you gonna do when you come back?
Take a little walk by the railroad track
Hambone

Hambone, hambone
Have you heard?
Papa�s gonna buy me a mocking bird
And if that mocking bird don�t sing
Papa�s gonna buy me a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring don�t shine
Papa�s gonna take it to the five and dime
Hambone

Hambone, hambone
Where you been?
Round the world and I�m going again
I just skinned an alley cat
To make my wife a Sunday hat
Took the hide right off a goat
To make my wife a Sunday coat

Hambone, hambone
Where�s your wife
Out to the kitchen, cooking beans and rice
Hambone (2x)

Hambone, hambone
Trying to eat
Ketchup on his elbow, pickle on his feet
Bread in the basket
Chicken in the stew
Supper on the fire for me and you

Look at him holler, look at him moan
That hambone just can�t hambone
Hambone (2x)
-snip-
The "skinned the cat/to make a Sunday hat" verse is from the "Juba This And Juba That" song. That song is included in Thomas W. Talley's now classic book Negro Folk Rhymes: Wise And Unwise. In the notes for that book, Talley wrote that "skinning the cat" was a dance step. https://archive.org/stream/negrofolkrhymes00tallgoog/negrofolkrhymes00tallgoog_djvu.txt

****
Showcase Video #2

Hambonin' Nebo; Hambone



NeBo411, Published on Dec 4, 2007

NeBo performs the artistic, thigh-slapping artform called Hambone.
-snip-
Song Example #5

HAMBONE (a contemporary version with spoken word additions)
(NeBo411)

Now what you are about to see
is a little bit of lost history.
A little bit of lost history.
But I�m glad
Somebody showed me.
Whether one or two or all alone
Everybody can enjoy
a little hambone.
Hambone, hambone what is that?
Hambone is more than a hit or a pat.
Hambone is more than a rhyme.
Hambone is more than a notion.
To get into hambone
you gotta show emotion.
So look up!
Listen here!
Hambone�s about to bring you some cheer. Hah!

[Begins hambone patting and after several pats with no words, continue pattin while saying these lines]

Hambone, hambone have you heard?
Mama�s gonna buy me a mockin� bird.
If that mockin� bird don�t sing
Mama�s gonna buy me a diamond ring.
If that diamond ring don�t shine
Mama�s gonna buy me a fishing line.
If that fishing line should break
Mama�s gonna throw it in the lake.
If that water splash on me
Mama�s gonna beat my b.u.t.

[Stops hambone pattin and without any break flows into the next line]

Tea is what I like to drink
When I know I need to think.
When I like a little song
I like to do the -Hambone. Hah!

[Begins hambone pattin� again then after several pats says]

Break it down! Hah! Hah!

[Does mouth pop]

Hambone!
-snip-
*Transcription from the YouTube video by Azizi Powell, 8/17/2010.

****
Showcase Video #3
Hambone by Adrian elementary school



keith feagin Published on Mar 20, 2015

ham bone, ham bone, have you heard?
-snip-
This is a "Mockingbird" version of the "Hambone" song.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Categories: African American children's rhymes African American folk songs Bo Diddley Beat children's rhymes

Read More

MSgt McCants (USMC Ret) Version Of The Running Cadence "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a variant form of the United States military cadence "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown". This example is credited to Master Sergeant McCants United States Marine Corps (USMC) Retired. MSgt McCants is also known on YouTube as "TheScribe114".

This post showcases a YouTube sound file of this United States Marine Corp cadence that includes the cadence's lyrics in its summary. This post also includes selected comments from this sound file's discussion thread

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the original composer/s of the "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown" cadence and thanks to Master Sergeant McCants for this version of that cadence. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

Thanks to all those who have honorably served and who are honorably serving in the United States Marine Corps and in other branches of the United States military.

****
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/05/mamma-told-johnny-not-to-go-downtown.html for a pancocojams post that showcases a text (word only) example and a video of the "standard" lyrics for the Marine Corps' cadence "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown".

Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/05/examples-of-united-states-military_30.html for a pancocojams post that showcases several examples of the related cadence "Mama Told Sally Not To Go Downtown". My guess is that that cadence began as a variant form of "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown".

Note that United States military cadences are also known as "jodies". Most of the examples of "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown" that I've read online are from the US Marine Corps. I've also read an example of this cadence from the US Army.

Also, note that some military cadences include sexual references and curse words (profanity). As per the policy of this blog- I use amended spelling for curse words or indicated that "profanity is deleted" (except for the words "damn" and "damned").

Click the "military cadences" tag below for additional examples of United States military cadences.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO & LYRICS - Marine Corps running cadence with lyrics



Danny Brandt, Published on Dec 14, 2013
-snip-
**Lyrics below** (might be spelled wrong, or interpreted wrong. I apologize if it is). Originally done by TheScribe114 on YouTube, go check him out

lo right, a lo righty a lay o
lo right, a lefty righty a lo
lo right, a lo righty a lay o
lo right, a lefty righty a lay lo

Momma told Johnny not to go down town
Marine Corps recruiter was hanging around

Suzy told Johnny go serve your nation
take a cab down to the MEPS station

lo right, a lo righty a lay o
lo right, a lo righty a lay o

Momma told Johnny not to go down town
Marine Corps recruiter was hanging around

Suzy's in the bedroom, Jodie's at the window
Johnny's got his bags and he's ready to go

put Johnny on a greyhound bus
then there came the bends and thrusts

Drill Instructors trained him rough and hard
They taught him to fight, they taught him to march

lo right, a lo righty a lay o
lo right, a lo righty a lay o

Momma told Johnny not to go down town
Marine Corps recruiter was hanging around

it was short but long it seemed
Johnny had earned the title Marine

Johnny survived like all the rest
Johnny got popped on a urine analysis

Johnny thought he was one in a million
a urine sample made him a civilian

lo right, a lo righty a lay o
lo right, a lo righty a lay o

Momma Told Johnny not to go downtown
Marine Corps recruiter was hanging around...

I had a pig and his name was Sam
Sunday he was bacon, on Monday he was ham

Grinding my Ka-bar in the barn
While my donkey runs the farm

Got a steer and his name was Jake
Tuesday he was burgers on Wednesday he was steak

Grinding my ka-bar in the barn
while my donkey runs the farm

bare with me 'cause this may sound sick
Gotta strip out some baby chicks

Me and my donkey gonna take a little trip
The Colonel's in need of some Crispy strips

lo righty lo righty lo righty lo
lefty right a lo, here we go

Got two roosters named larry and Lee
One's going to Church's the other KFC

Grinding my ka-bar in the barn
While my donkey runs the farm

Got some lamb and a couple of sheep
Gotta have gyros and mutton ain't cheap

I still grind my ax in the barn
while my donkey runs the farm

lo righty lo righty lo righty lo
lefty righty lo, righty lo, righty lo

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S COMMENTS ABOUT MILITARY CADENCES
[Revised May 30, 2017]

The United States military cadences that I've read or heard via YouTube use an "echo" call & response pattern. This call & response pattern is often found in African and African Diaspora vocal music. By "echo" call & response, I mean that the group (responders) repeat every line that the leader (caller) sings in exactly the same way that he (or she) sings those lines.

Some call & response cadences are composed of changeable rhyming and near rhyming couplets (two line rhyming or near rhyming verses) and a relatively fixed refrain (such as "lo right layo" ("left right left). The refrain may be sung at the beginning of the cadence, (and/or) at the end of the cadence, (and/or) after each rhyming or near rhyming couplet, or after a certain number of rhyming/or near rhyming couplets. But some call & response cadences have no fixed refrain, and only consists of the group exactly repeating each line that caller (leader) sings.

In this variant form of "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown" these rhyming verses are made up of two, three, four, or six separate couplets that are given together and sung before the cadence's relatively fixed refrain. The refrain for this version of "Mama Told Johnny No To Go Downtown" is "lo righty lo righty lo righty lo lefty righty lo, righty lo, righty lo" ("Lo righty layo"= "left, right, left"). Also, notice that some of these couplets in this version of "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown" don't necessarily have anything to do with being in the Marines.

The lyrics to this cadence that are written in this YouTube sound file's summary don't include a space between each couplet. I reformatted these lyrics to add a space after each rhyming/near rhyming couplet so that they would be more clearly seen. This doesn't mean that there is any space between how these lines are sung/chanted.

****
SELECTED COMMENTS
These comments are from the discussion thread for the sound file that is given above. They are given in chronological order except for replies, with the oldest comment given first. I've added numbers for referencing purposes only.

2015
1. TheScribe114
"Well I'll be damned.......that's me!

Wrote this back in 1988 in Okinawa at 9th MTBN.

ENJOY!!! MSgt McCants USMC Ret.?"
-snip-
For the historical record, I'll note that the photograph that is given with TheScribe144's comment is of a Black man.

**
Reply
1. iXads Official
"Oorah, Master Sergeant. Oorah!?"
-snip-
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oorah_(Marines)
"Oohrah is a battle cry common in the United States Marine Corps since the mid-20th century. The term means "charge." It is comparable to hooah in the US Army and the US Air Force, and hooyah in the US Navy and US Coast Guard. It is most commonly used to respond to a verbal greeting or as an expression of motivation."

**
2016
Reply
3. Michael Gibbs
"+TheScribe114 were you running when you did this or were you in a studio or something? dumb question?"

**
Reply
4. TheScribe114
"Studio, no one is going to follow us for 4-5 miles with a tape recorder."

**
Reply
5. Paul Tayag
"+TheScribe114 that's one hell of a cadence song, thanks for writing it and Semper Fidelis!?"

**
Reply
6. James White
"+TheScribe114 Early Discharge QUITE Honorably in Dec. '87, so We most likely chewed a lot of the same dirt, way back then, but BROTHER, I AM F&&KIN* LOVING THIS. SEMPER FI, I will be, With Your Permission, learn and tweak this for My Runners. eight , wanting to be back in shape blue-collar Ass-kickers from way back when, half are USMC BROTHERS, the rest are all Veterans. Oath-Keepers All, we call Ourselves the Retreads. Ready to go . At the drop of a Cover. OOOHRAH !?"
-snip-
*This word was fully spelled out in this comment.
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semper_fidelis
"Semper fidelis is a Latin phrase that means "always faithful" or "always loyal". It is the motto of the United States Marine Corps usually shortened to Semper fi. It is also in use as a motto for towns, families, schools, and military units."...

**
Reply
7. MisterTofu
"+TheScribe114 Was the singer you? Or are you just the writer?"

**
Reply
8. TheScribe114
"BOTH"

**
Reply
9. shadowtailsthewarrior, 2017
"well sir, you did very well with this one. thank you for this cadence and your service"

**
Reply
[This comment was written in reply to a comment that criticized this CD for being fake because it was done in a studio. In particular, the person who wrote that critical comment took issue with the stomping sounds in the background of this tape.]

10. ocdarjar gm, 2016
...this is a Mst Srgt, the sounds in the back are from 4 Marines stomping their boots, it was made in Japan for a new cadence contest in 1985 ...
-snip-
*As per the policy of this blog, I deleted profanity from the beginning and the end of this comment.

"Mst Srgt" = Master Sergeant

**
shadowstranger100, 2016
11. "This is gonna be my jogging song. Keeps you motivated and takes your mind of fatigue.
Imma sing the cadence out loud i dont give a dam if im the only one jogging?"

**
[The following sub-section of comments refer to the meanings of some of the lines in this cadence, particularly to the lines about farm animals and/or "popping on a urine analysis".]

12. Julian Hess
"Can you tell me master Sgt. what was the backround on why you chose to say the last part with the "I had a pig and his name was sam"? was that supposed to be about the marine on what he did after he was dishonorable discharge or was it random??

**
13. Zach Reaves
"im confused at the end about the kbar and barn part, can somone please explain the meaning behind it, also thank you for your service sir and lastly oorah, war on baby"

**
Reply
14. Reece Dignan
"Zach Reaves
Either he is referring to spending a bit of time with Pam and her Five sisters.
Or
He's referring to the USMC standard knife/bayonet and how he's grinding (sharpening it) and you see can see what he dose with it."
-snip-
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ka-Bar
"Ka-Bar (trademarked as KA-BAR) is the contemporary popular name for the combat knife first adopted by the United States Marine Corps in November 1942 as the 1219C2 combat knife (later designated the USMC Mark 2 combat knife or Knife, Fighting Utility), and subsequently adopted by the United States Navy as the U.S. Navy utility knife, Mark 2."...
-snip-
It's highly likely that "ka-bar" in this military cadence (also) has a sexualized meaning.

**
15. Polaris F18
"Why did you say "the colonel is in need of some crispy strips"?"

**
Reply
16. Jovan Gorgievski
"It's from a joke A Rooster walks on a street and he saw whole chickens being grilled. And he said wow girls you are striped and getting some ten in solarium."
-snip-
The word "grilled" here means "being cooked on a grill".

The word "ten" is probably a typo for "tan".

Notice that "Colonel" is both a military rank and a referent for "Colonel Sanders", the fictional character who is associated with the national American [and international] fast food chain "KFC" (Kentucky Fried Chicken).

**.
Reply
17. Kryptic Panda
"I believe that by the line "I had a pig and his name was Sam" and the follow up line showing how the Marines themselves can be versatile. Of course by "grinding my Ka-Bar in the barn", he is sharpening his Ka-Bar, which is the traditional USMC Combat Knife. By "while my donkey runs the farm" he is referring to those POGs whom run the Marine Corps, but with the grunts doing the majority of it. Same thing when he mentions the Steer (a castrated cow) and the line afterwards, meaning the Marines can practically be anywhere at a moments notice. Again, with the mention of the Ka-Bar, he implies that he is going to "ship out" some more Marines from boot camp, to bring the Colonel back some 'chicken' (enemies). Finally, with the roosters I presume he means that one will pass, and another will fail. With the lamb and the sheep part he could possibly be talking about the goat/sheep farmers in the middle east"
-snip-
This commenter and several others provided literal explanations for some of the "farm" verses in this post. However, I believe that these verses aren't necessarily intended to be taken literally or the words may have a literal meaning or more than one literal meaning and, simultaneously, sexual meaning/s. For instance, a reference to a rooster in a military cadence is likely to be a coded referent to a vernacular term for a male's body part.

**
18. John Valenti
"Johnny got popped on a urine analysis
Johnny thought he was one in a million
can someone explain this part?"

**
Reply
19. Noah
"In any branch of the Military (International) you get tested for drugs, and he thought he wouldn't get found after he had drugs."

**?
Reply
20. Ricochet Gaming
"Marijuana."

**?
Reply
21. Hero Clan
"He failed his drug test and only a few are built to be Marines hence the "one in a million"?"

**
Reply
22. Scali Bread
"Before bootcamp you take a drug test and they don't tell you your results until the end of bootcamp so if you tested positive for any drugs they will discharge you at the end of bootcamp, so it would be basically 13 weeks of hell for nothing..."

**
Reply
23. Greg Andris
"They'll kick you out before any training occurs, they piss test everyone the first 2 days of boot camp and results are within days. They're not gonna waste time and money and knowledge on a drug pop. The one and only place its acceptable to pop on a piss test is at the recruiting station before going into MEPS or poole training."

**
Reply
24. Colonel Teehee, 2017
"Moral of the story, don't do drugs..."

**
25. BIlly the SMall Bong thorton from india
"first time we ran this in basic. i started laughing so damn hard when the instructor screamed "johnny got popped on a urine test" then we had to all stop while still laughing did 100 push ups. yeah for the next 48 hours i was forced to march while singing that till i stopped laughing at the part. still one of the best times i had while in the corp."?
-snip-
I wonder whether the word "popped" in "popped a urine analysis" (drug test) has anything to do with the term "pop quiz", meaning a quiz that a teacher "pops" (surprises) her or his students with (without any forewarning.
snip-
This is the end of that sub-section of these selected comments.

**
26. 2027850
"Far cry from the cadences my platoon chanted They are historical considering the times, and NOT politically correct:...
-snip-
This comment concluded with a bawdy (dirty) cadence example.

****
2017
27. Seth de Jesus
"Best variation of momma told johnny not to go downtown I've ever heard, hands down."

**
[This next comment is written in response to a commenter who wrote that singing this cadence helped him take his mind off of the pain of running and helped him run farther than he thought he could.]

**
28. Thomas Kerekes
"shadowstranger100 you are absolutely correct. I was never able to do 2 and a half miles without stopping and yesterday I didnt even realize but I did close to 3 miles without stopping because of this cadence. This is the best cadence from all the branches so far"

**
Reply
29. James B
"shadowstranger100 actually.....ANY cadence can do it.....but TY so much for choosing a USMC cadence.
That's the psychology of cadence's....you have nailed it....they take your mind off the fatigue & pain"

**
Reply
30. David L
"James B Yes, same as the songs slaves sang in the fields. The rhythmic sound not only keeps you in rhythm, regulates breathing and keeps your mind of the pain. Seeing how the first cadence was by a black soldier just trying to lift the soldiers spirits as they were on a long march. The leaders saw how everyone went from dragging to snapping their step and keeping time. So the Duckworth Chant was born and incorporated into every branches marches. With slight variations. Thank you Pvt. Duckworth for your contribution."

**
Reply
31. Jim Porter
"+David L, actually between the slaves in the fields and the black soldiers, there were the black railroad workers who maintained, straightened, and laid replacement track. Because the work was brutal even for strong men, the bosses learned, as their field boss counterparts before them, that they could keep the work going better by the use of cadence songs. The boss would sing, then use words like OOh, AHH. On the catch words Ooh, Ahh, the workers would make the necessary moves, usually straightening the tracks. So it was something like, "Sally, sally, don't you know? I can make your belly grow. Ooh! Ahh1." It just made for a break in the monotony of the work, and a little humor to keep the track workers' morale going."

**
Reply
32. deadhead686
"They were called gandy dancers, they had to be in rythem to lay the railroad tracks properly."

**
33. the sniper on the hill
"TheScribe114 I found u in a di cadence calling contest in San Diego"

**
34. Linda Olivarez
"the song may be old but is still in the marine cadence songs"
-snip-
I don't know if this comment refers to the "Mama Told Johnny Not To Go Downtown" cadence in general, or to this specific version of that cadence.

**
35. Peter Asterino
"still sounds good 64 yrs after I left PI. Jarhead 1953"
-snip-
"Jarhead" is an acceptable colloquial referent for a Marine.

**
36. American Hunter
"TheScribe114 I am a Staff Sergeant in the Army getting ready to be a Sergeant First Class, great cadence. Motivating. If you do not mind I am going to adopt it for my soldiers. Of course with changes"

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Categories: African American folk songs military cadences YouTube viewer comment threads

Read More