The Stars and Stripes Forever - parody lyrics

[Guy Barry]

Here's a question someone's bound to know the answer to: Sousa's march "The
Stars and Stripes Forever" has a set of parody lyrics something like this:

"Be kind to our web-footed friends,
For a duck may be somebody's mother.
It lives on the edge of a swamp,
Where it's very cold and damp [?].
Now you may think that this is the end,
Well it is." [stops abruptly]

Where did they originate, and have I got them right? Is "damp" really
pronounced to rhyme with "swamp"? Is there any reason for the surprise
ending?

--
Guy Barry

[Peter Young]

On 14 Oct 2012 "Guy Barry" <guy....@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

> Here's a question someone's bound to know the answer to: Sousa's march "The
> Stars and Stripes Forever" has a set of parody lyrics something like this:

> "Be kind to our web-footed friends,
> For a duck may be somebody's mother.
> It lives on the edge of a swamp,
> Where it's very cold and damp [?].

The version I knew had here:

They live in the valleys and swamps
Where the weather is always wet.

instead of your two lines.

> Now you may think that this is the end,
> Well it is." [stops abruptly]

> Where did they originate, and have I got them right? Is "damp" really
> pronounced to rhyme with "swamp"? Is there any reason for the surprise
> ending?

I heard it from an aunt who was school teacher. I have a vague idea
that it originated with the Scouts, but I can't confirm this. Also,
WIWAL I heard another version which continued along the lines:

... but it isn't,
There's another chorus coming

and with the abrupt ending only on the third time round.

Peter.

--
Peter Young, (BrE, RP), Consultant Anaesthetist, 1975-2004.
(US equivalent: Certified Anesthesiologist)
Cheltenham and Gloucester, UK. Now happily retired.
http://pnyoung.orpheusweb.co.uk

[R H Draney]

Guy Barry filted:

There are variants...when I learned it, the third and fourth lines were "Be kind
to our friends in the swamp/Where the weather is cold and damp"...I've heard a
recorded version where they're "Be kind to the denizen of the swamp/He's a
dilly, through and through" and the truncated line is replaced with "Well it's
not, 'cause there is another chorus" except for the very last verse....

For those who do sing "swamp" and "damp", I've heard versions with the normal
pronunciations of both words, versions where "swamp" is normal and "damp"
changed to match it, and the reverse....r


--
Me? Sarcastic?
Yeah, right.

[Guy Barry]

"Peter Young" wrote in message
news:65a875de5...@pnyoung.ormail.co.uk...

> I heard it from an aunt who was school teacher. I have a vague idea
> that it originated with the Scouts, but I can't confirm this.

I've checked Wikipedia now. They say it was "sung at the end of every
episode of the popular 1960s TV series Sing Along with Mitch" and "recorded
by Homer and Jethro in 1955 as 'Crazy Mixed Up Song' "; of course that may
not be the origin. The version they give is:

Be kind to your web-footed friends

For a duck may be somebody's mother

Be kind to your friends in the swamp
Where the weather is very, very damp [pronounced to rhyme with "swamp"]
Now, you may think that this is the end...
WELL, IT IS! [abrupt cut to closing credits]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stars_and_Stripes_Forever#Other_lyrics

> Also, WIWAL I heard another version which continued along the lines:

> ... but it isn't,
> There's another chorus coming

> and with the abrupt ending only on the third time round.

That rings a bell, but it still leaves two lines of music to be filled. Any
idea how it went on?

--
Guy Barry

[James Hogg]

When I learned it from a friend forty years ago, we mispronounced "damp"
to rhyme with "swamp".
And we sang:

Now you may think that this is the end,

Well it is, but to prove I'm a liar,
I'll just sing it over again,
Only this time a little bit higher."

We then started repeating it one octave higher, until giggles and the
strain of singing falsetto forced us to stop.

--
James

[Harrison Hill]

In BrE this is categorised a "a Rugby Song". We used to sing it in the
70s in the bar after playing football on a Saturday afternoon. Most
Rugby Songs are very lewd; this is an exception!.

A full list of Rugby Songs here:

http://www.welsh-nutter.co.uk/rugby.php

[Donna Richoux]

Guy Barry <guy....@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

> I've checked Wikipedia now. They say it was "sung at the end of every
> episode of the popular 1960s TV series Sing Along with Mitch" and "recorded
> by Homer and Jethro in 1955 as 'Crazy Mixed Up Song' "; of course that may
> not be the origin. The version they give is:
>
> Be kind to your web-footed friends
> For a duck may be somebody's mother
> Be kind to your friends in the swamp
> Where the weather is very, very damp [pronounced to rhyme with "swamp"]
> Now, you may think that this is the end...
> WELL, IT IS! [abrupt cut to closing credits]
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stars_and_Stripes_Forever#Other_lyrics

The two oldest hits at Google Books are 1941 and 1943. No clues from the
snippets as to origin -- some things are just folk songs, camp songs.
It's only when the music publishing industry and monetary gain are
involved that full identification of songwriters is known.

The Google Books hits:

The camp at Westlands
Marjorie Hill Allee
Houghton Mifflin company, 1941 - 241 pages
Snippet:
Be kind to your web-footed friends,
A duck may be somebody's mo-other.
Be kind to the den-izens of the swamp --

'How silly!' Alice observed. 'What is the rest of it?'

and

Take 'er up alone, mister!
John Joseph Hibbits, Ferdinand Edsted Rechnitzer
Whittlesey house, MgGraw [!]-Hill book company, inc., 1943 - 227 pages

Now be kind to your web-footed friends,
For a duck may be somebody's mother.
He lives in a creek by a swmp,
Where the weather is always damp.
Now you may think this is the end;
Well--it is!

It doesn't surprise me terribly to hear that someone made a novelty
record of it, but some songs traveled more by word of mouth than by air
play (such as "Little Boxes" by Malvina Reynolds).
--
Best wishes -- Donna Richoux

[Jerry Friedman]

On Oct 14, 4:36 am, t...@euronet.nl (Donna Richoux) wrote:

Apparently it was popularized on Fred Allen's radio show by his wife,
Portia Hoffer.

http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=71730

The lyrics are widely attributed on the Web, or said to be attributed,
to Allen. However, someone named Glazer copyrighted them.

http://www.harryfox.com/public/songfile.jsp

That could be the Tom Glazer (1914-2003) who wrote other children's
songs such as "On Top of Spaghetti".

--
Jerry Friedman

[Joe Fineman]

"Guy Barry" <guy....@blueyonder.co.uk> writes:

> Here's a question someone's bound to know the answer to: Sousa's
> march "The Stars and Stripes Forever" has a set of parody lyrics
> something like this:
>
> "Be kind to our web-footed friends,
> For a duck may be somebody's mother.
> It lives on the edge of a swamp,
> Where it's very cold and damp [?].
> Now you may think that this is the end,
> Well it is." [stops abruptly]
>
> Where did they originate, and have I got them right?

I doubt if there is an authoritative version. At Hidden Valley Boys'
Camp, ca. 1950, the duck was a frog, and we were told to be kind to
our friends in the swamp.

> Is "damp" really pronounced to rhyme with "swamp"?

Yes, but just for fun.

> Is there any reason for the surprise ending?

More fun.
--
--- Joe Fineman jo...@verizon.net

||: If you are completely ignorant, you don't have a problem. :||

[Paul Wolff]

In message <k5e1a2$nl0$2...@dont-email.me>, James Hogg
<Jas....@gOUTmail.com> writes

For the benefit of collectors of variations of these things:

Oh be kind to your web-footed friends,
For a duck may be somebody's mother;
They live in a place called the fens
Where it's always cold and damp.
Now you may thing that this is the end,
Well it is, but to prove that I'm a liar,
I'm going to sing it again,
[But] only this time I'm going to sing it higher.

Source: There was a young fellow from Oldham, who...no, that won't do.
But he was indeed from Oldham.
--
Paul

[kitk...@moscow.com]

Hello, I realize six years have passed since this came up, but I just have to add what I remember. I was born during the war, and it seems I heard the parody on Stars and Stripes on the radio and more than once. I heard it enough times to remember some but not all of the words. I grew up in Washington state and out here it went something like this: "Be kind to your fine feathered friends; for a duck may be somebody's mother. Be kind to the denisons of the swamp..da da da da through and through. Now, you may think that this is the end, well it isn't cuz there's another chorus...." and that's as much as I remember. Darn! Maddie Hopper

[Peter T. Daniels]

Mitch Miller inflicted "Be kind to your web-footed friends" on the long-
suffering American public.

Two or three times he conducted the gala Third of July Concert With
Fireworks in Chicago's Grant Park. He was the only conductor I ever
heard who could make the 1812 Overture unexciting.

[Peter Moylan]

On 02/05/18 12:41, kitk...@moscow.com wrote:
> On Sunday, October 14, 2012 at 2:16:41 AM UTC-7, Guy Barry wrote:

>> Here's a question someone's bound to know the answer to: Sousa's
>> march "The Stars and Stripes Forever" has a set of parody lyrics
>> something like this:
>>
>> "Be kind to our web-footed friends, For a duck may be somebody's
>> mother. It lives on the edge of a swamp, Where it's very cold and
>> damp [?]. Now you may think that this is the end, Well it is."
>> [stops abruptly]
>>
>> Where did they originate, and have I got them right? Is "damp"
>> really pronounced to rhyme with "swamp"? Is there any reason for
>> the surprise ending?
>

> Hello, I realize six years have passed since this came up, but I
> just have to add what I remember. I was born during the war, and it
> seems I heard the parody on Stars and Stripes on the radio and more
> than once. I heard it enough times to remember some but not all of
> the words. I grew up in Washington state and out here it went
> something like this: "Be kind to your fine feathered friends; for a
> duck may be somebody's mother. Be kind to the denisons of the
> swamp..da da da da through and through. Now, you may think that this
> is the end, well it isn't cuz there's another chorus...." and that's
> as much as I remember. Darn! Maddie Hopper

I don't recall whether I gave this answer six years ago -- Guy was
probably in my killfile at the time -- but when my mother sang the song
to me the answer to the "damp" question lay in the use of a
parenthetical comment:

She lives all alone in the swamp
Where it's dark and damp and domp (to rhyme with swamp)
Oh you may think that this is the end ...

--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW, Australia

[Joy Beeson]

On Tue, 1 May 2018 19:41:15 -0700 (PDT), kitk...@moscow.com wrote:


> Hello, I realize six years have passed since this came up, but I just have to add what I remember. I was born during the war, and it seems I heard the parody on Stars and Stripes on the radio and more than once. I heard it enough times to remember some but not all of the words. I grew up in Washington state and out here it went something like this: "Be kind to your fine feathered friends; for a duck may be somebody's mother. Be kind to the denisons of the swamp..da da da da through and through. Now, you may think that this is the end, well it isn't cuz there's another chorus...." and that's as much as I remember. Darn! Maddie Hopper

In the forties, I heard it as:

Be kind to your web-footed friends

For a duck may be somebody's mother
Be kind to your friends in the swamp

Where the weather is often very damp

Now you may think this is the end

But it's not because there is another chorus

Second verse, same as the first,
It won't be better and it won't be worse.

Repeat until tired, then end "Well, it is!"
Update "second" and substitute "couldn't" for one of the "won't"s
ad libatum

"Damp" does not rhyme with swamp in any dialect anybody I knew at the
time had ever heard of; mis-pronouncing "damp" was part of the joke.

If I recall correctly, pronouncing "a" as "ah" was a common way to
indicate that one was being silly.


I've no idea what the name of the tune was, but when invited to sing
nothing, a child would break into

Nothing, nothing, nothing nothing
I sing nothing all day long,
I sing absolutely nothing
How do you like my nothing song?

And *then* shut up, knowing what is good for him.

--
Joy Beeson, U.S.A., mostly central Hoosier,
some Northern Indiana, Upstate New York, Florida, and Hawaii
joy beeson at comcast dot net http://wlweather.net/PAGEJOY/
The above message is a Usenet post.
I don't recall having given anyone permission to use it on a Web site.

[soup]

On 02/05/2018 03:41, kitk...@moscow.com wrote:
> On Sunday, October 14, 2012 at 2:16:41 AM UTC-7, Guy Barry wrote:
>> Here's a question someone's bound to know the answer to: Sousa's march "The
>> Stars and Stripes Forever" has a set of parody lyrics something like this:
>>
>> "Be kind to our web-footed friends,
>> For a duck may be somebody's mother.
>> It lives on the edge of a swamp,
>> Where it's very cold and damp [?].
>> Now you may think that this is the end,
>> Well it is." [stops abruptly]
>>
>> Where did they originate, and have I got them right? Is "damp" really
>> pronounced to rhyme with "swamp"? Is there any reason for the surprise
>> ending?

>> Guy Barry
>
> Hello, I realize six years have passed since this came up, but I just have to add what I remember. I was born during the war, and it seems I heard the parody on Stars and Stripes on the radio and more than once. I heard it enough times to remember some but not all of the words. I grew up in Washington state and out here it went something like this: "Be kind to your fine feathered friends; for a duck may be somebody's mother. Be kind to the denisons of the swamp..da da da da through and through. Now, you may think that this is the end, well it isn't cuz there's another chorus...." and that's as much as I remember. Darn! Maddie Hopper

bit of a campfire/back of the bus song so there are LOTS of variations.

The same chorus was repeated just a bit higher until everyone is
'squeaking' in Falsetto then the an addition is made of "it is" to
immediately follow the "you may think this is the end"

so:-
♫ You may think that this is the end:
Well it is, but to prove that we're all liars
We're going to sing it again,
But only this time we will sing a little higher♫

becomes
♫ You may think that this is the end:
it is ___♫

and yes as it's a nonsense song, the "damp" is pronounced as "domp" for
added 'hilarity'

[Quinn C]

* Joy Beeson:

> On Tue, 1 May 2018 19:41:15 -0700 (PDT), kitk...@moscow.com wrote:
>
>> Hello, I realize six years have passed since this came up, but I just have to add what I remember. I was born during the war, and it seems I heard the parody on Stars and Stripes on the radio and more than once. I heard it enough times to remember some but not all of the words. I grew up in Washington state and out here it went something like this: "Be kind to your fine feathered friends; for a duck may be somebody's mother. Be kind to the denisons of the swamp..da da da da through and through. Now, you may think that this is the end, well it isn't cuz there's another chorus...." and that's as much as I remember. Darn! Maddie Hopper
>
> In the forties, I heard it as:
>
> Be kind to your web-footed friends
> For a duck may be somebody's mother
> Be kind to your friends in the swamp
> Where the weather is often very damp
> Now you may think this is the end
> But it's not because there is another chorus
>
> Second verse, same as the first,
> It won't be better and it won't be worse.

If those are the last two lines , they don't fit the rhythm well.

There are several versions on Youtube, and each is a little different.

One goes:

...

Now you may think this is the end

Well it's not! [short pause] We are just teasing
There's something that you need to know
We're gonna sing it till we ... here we go:

[and repeat]

<https://youtu.be/HxUH7Vt3v-A?t=49s>

> Repeat until tired, then end "Well, it is!"
> Update "second" and substitute "couldn't" for one of the "won't"s
> ad libatum

ad libitum (or maybe ad libido if you really love it.)

> "Damp" does not rhyme with swamp in any dialect anybody I knew at the
> time had ever heard of; mis-pronouncing "damp" was part of the joke.
>
> If I recall correctly, pronouncing "a" as "ah" was a common way to
> indicate that one was being silly.

Some of the singers sound like they're saying "dump" to me. This may or
not be your "ah". It still doesn't rhyme with "swamp", though.

--
Are you sure your sanity chip is fully screwed in?
-- Kryten to Rimmer (Red Dwarf)

[Peter Moylan]

On 03/05/18 02:48, Joy Beeson wrote:

> Second verse, same as the first,
> It won't be better and it won't be worse.

A couple of my uncles often sang

Second verse, same as the first,

A little bit louder and a little bit worse.

[Jerry Friedman]

On 5/2/18 8:51 PM, Peter Moylan wrote:
> On 03/05/18 02:48, Joy Beeson wrote:
>
>> Second verse, same as the first,
>> It won't be better and it won't be worse.
>
> A couple of my uncles often sang
>
>       Second verse, same as the first,
>       A little bit louder and a little bit worse.

My sister learned that one at a summer camp. I can't remember the song
it went with, but I don't think it was about web-footed friends.

--
Jerry Friedman

[Harrison Hill]

On Thursday, 3 May 2018 03:51:13 UTC+1, Peter Moylan wrote:
> On 03/05/18 02:48, Joy Beeson wrote:
>
> > Second verse, same as the first,
> > It won't be better and it won't be worse.
>
> A couple of my uncles often sang
>
> Second verse, same as the first,
> A little bit louder and a little bit worse.

"Second verse, same as the first..."

...was an old music hall tradition. This 1965 song opened our eyes
to that tradition; and (as wiki puts it): "...it became the fastest-
selling song in history to that point..."

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4OS17lqHiE>

[tama...@gmail.com]

On Sunday, October 14, 2012 at 2:16:41 AM UTC-7, Guy Barry wrote:

"swamp" rhymes with "dawmp

[kaber...@aol.com]

Does anyone else know the version I had on a record as a kid in the 60s that went something like this?

Be kind to your web-footed friends,

For a duck may be somebody's mother.

Be kind to your friends in the swamp,
Where the weather is very damp.
Be kind to the camel in the zoo,
For his hump may be hiding your brother.
Be kind to the tiger and the monk,
And we will let you smell our favorite pet skunk.

It also had words to the "bridge" section of Sousa's march that I don't remember as well, but it ended with something like:

Won't you be so kind to all your shoesies and to all your shoesies laces,
Won't you be so kind when teacher [?] thanks you,
Won't you be so kind when Daddy [?] spanks you,
Won't you be so kind, so kind, so kind, so kind, so kind, so kind, so kind...

And then back to the chorus, this time ending with "You may think that this is the end. Well it is!"

I am sure I had a record with those words, but I haven't been able to find any mention of it on the Web so far.

[Joseph C. Fineman]

www.mudcat.org is the most productive place for inquiries of this kind.

--
--- Joe Fineman jo...@verizon.net

||: Every laugh contains an element of self-congratulation on :||
||: having seen the point. :||

[John Varela]

On Sun, 13 Jan 2019 01:45:47 UTC, kaber...@aol.com wrote:

> Does anyone else know the version I had on a record as a kid in the 60s that went something like this?
>
> Be kind to your web-footed friends,
> For a duck may be somebody's mother.
> Be kind to your friends in the swamp,
> Where the weather is very damp.
> Be kind to the camel in the zoo,
> For his hump may be hiding your brother.
> Be kind to the tiger and the monk,
> And we will let you smell our favorite pet skunk.
>
> It also had words to the "bridge" section of Sousa's march that I don't remember as well, but it ended with something like:
>
> Won't you be so kind to all your shoesies and to all your shoesies laces,
> Won't you be so kind when teacher [?] thanks you,
> Won't you be so kind when Daddy [?] spanks you,
> Won't you be so kind, so kind, so kind, so kind, so kind, so kind, so kind...
>
> And then back to the chorus, this time ending with "You may think that this is the end. Well it is!"

That was preceded, in the version I knew, with "You may think that
this is the end, Well it isn't 'cause there is another chorus. Be
kind to your fine..."

> I am sure I had a record with those words, but I haven't been able to find any mention of it on the Web so far.

--
John Varela

[hks...@gmail.com]

Crazy Mixed Up Song, 1954 by Homer & Jethro
Lyrics including in song “be kind To your Web footed friends, because a duck maybe somebody’s mother”

https://youtu.be/6L93Ha9x4i4

[hks...@gmail.com]

I hope this posts, link to parady of stars & Stripes from YouTube

//youtu.be/6L93Ha9x4i4

[CDB]

Mitch Miller had some kind of hit with it in the late fifties, I think.

--
Oh, you may think that this is the end,

[Peter T. Daniels]

On Monday, February 11, 2019 at 7:21:14 PM UTC-5, CDB wrote:
> On 2/11/2019 3:31 PM, hks...@gmail.com wrote:

> > Crazy Mixed Up Song, 1954 by Homer & Jethro Lyrics including in song
> > “be kind To your Web footed friends, because a duck maybe somebody’s
> > mother”
> > https://youtu.be/6L93Ha9x4i4
>
> Mitch Miller had some kind of hit with it in the late fifties, I think.

And forever after. For some reason, over several years he was chosen to
be the conductor of Chicago's Grant Park Symphony July 3rd concert,
which culminated with fireworks (it was held on the 3rd so that the
huge crowds could have fireworks there and their own celebrations on
the Fourth). He was the only conductor who could make the 1812 Overture
(with cannon fired by the Illinois National Guard) boring. Naturally
each of his concerts included a sing-along, and of course he included
SSF every time. He lived until 2010, so he was probably in his mid-80s
in those days (definitely didn't look it).

> --
> Oh, you may think that this is the end,

JJ?

[CDB]

On 2/12/2019 11:05 AM, Peter T. Daniels wrote:

?? back atcha.

Mitch used to have another line. It was exclaimed in chorus by his
orchestra, I presume: "WELL, IT IS!" I prefer to stop after that sig line.

[CDB]

On 2/14/2019 7:51 AM, CDB wrote:
> Peter T. Daniels wrote:
>> CDB wrote:
>>> hks...@gmail.com wrote:

>>>> Crazy Mixed Up Song, 1954 by Homer & Jethro Lyrics including in
>>>> song “be kind To your Web footed friends, because a duck maybe
>>>> somebody’s mother” https://youtu.be/6L93Ha9x4i4

>>> Mitch Miller had some kind of hit with it in the late fifties, I
>>> think.

>> And forever after. For some reason, over several years he was
>> chosen to be the conductor of Chicago's Grant Park Symphony July
>> 3rd concert, which culminated with fireworks (it was held on the
>> 3rd so that the huge crowds could have fireworks there and their
>> own celebrations on the Fourth). He was the only conductor who
>> could make the 1812 Overture (with cannon fired by the Illinois
>> National Guard) boring. Naturally each of his concerts included a
>> sing-along, and of course he included SSF every time. He lived
>> until 2010, so he was probably in his mid-80s in those days
>> (definitely didn't look it).
>>> -- Oh, you may think that this is the end,

>> JJ?

> ?? back atcha.

Never mind. Now I geddit.

[Peter T. Daniels]

I referenced ending your message with a comma, JJ style,

[Carol the Dabbler]

On Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at 1:49:49 PM UTC-4, Joy Beeson wrote:
> On Tue, 1 May 2018 19:41:15 -0700 (PDT), kitk...@moscow.com wrote:
>
> I've no idea what the name of the tune was, but when invited to sing
> nothing, a child would break into
>
> Nothing, nothing, nothing nothing
> I sing nothing all day long,
> I sing absolutely nothing
> How do you like my nothing song?
>
> And *then* shut up, knowing what is good for him.
>

> Joy Beeson, U.S.A., mostly central Hoosier,

Joy, I can name that tune! Or at least name another song that uses that tune -- it's called "Reuben and Rachel," and starts out with the girls singing:

Reuben, Reuben, I've been thinking
What a fine world this would be
If the boys were all transported
Far beyond the Northern Sea.

Then the boys sing the same thing, only starting with "Rachel, Rachel."

I'm also mostly central Hoosier, but in the "Nothing" song I learned, all the lyrics consisted of the word "nothing" except for the last line.

[Athel Cornish-Bowden]

On 2022-07-24 06:28:24 +0000, Carol the Dabbler said:

> On Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at 1:49:49 PM UTC-4, Joy Beeson wrote:
>> On Tue, 1 May 2018 19:41:15 -0700 (PDT), kitk...@moscow.com wrote:
>>
>> I've no idea what the name of the tune was, but when invited to sing
>> nothing, a child would break into
>>
>> Nothing, nothing, nothing nothing
>> I sing nothing all day long,
>> I sing absolutely nothing
>> How do you like my nothing song?
>>
>> And *then* shut up, knowing what is good for him.
>>
>> Joy Beeson, U.S.A., mostly central Hoosier,
>
> Joy, I can name that tune!

By the standards of Bruce Bowser that's a very recent question -- the
ink is barely dry on the post!

> Or at least name another song that uses that tune -- it's called
> "Reuben and Rachel," and starts out with the girls singing:
>
> Reuben, Reuben, I've been thinking
> What a fine world this would be
> If the boys were all transported
> Far beyond the Northern Sea.
>
> Then the boys sing the same thing, only starting with "Rachel, Rachel."
>
> I'm also mostly central Hoosier, but in the "Nothing" song I learned,
> all the lyrics consisted of the word "nothing" except for the last line.

--
Athel -- French and British, living mainly in England until 1987.

[CDB]

On 7/24/2022 2:28 AM, Carol the Dabbler wrote:

> Joy Beeson wrote:
>> kitk...@moscow.com wrote:

>> I've no idea what the name of the tune was, but when invited to
>> sing nothing, a child would break into

>> Nothing, nothing, nothing nothing I sing nothing all day long, I
>> sing absolutely nothing How do you like my nothing song?

>> And *then* shut up, knowing what is good for him.

>> Joy Beeson, U.S.A., mostly central Hoosier,

> Joy, I can name that tune! Or at least name another song that uses
> that tune -- it's called "Reuben and Rachel," and starts out with the
> girls singing:

> Reuben, Reuben, I've been thinking What a fine world this would be If
> the boys were all transported Far beyond the Northern Sea.

> Then the boys sing the same thing, only starting with "Rachel,
> Rachel."

> I'm also mostly central Hoosier, but in the "Nothing" song I learned,
> all the lyrics consisted of the word "nothing" except for the last
> line.

My mother told me when I was a child that she had learned the song as
"Reuben and Cynthia".

That title gets some hits in a search, and this YT performance calls the
song (with somewhat different lyrics in the same spirit) a hit "from
early musical comedy".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEbsr809LcU

[Ken Blake]

On Sat, 23 Jul 2022 23:28:24 -0700 (PDT), Carol the Dabbler
<carol.th...@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at 1:49:49 PM UTC-4, Joy Beeson wrote:
>> On Tue, 1 May 2018 19:41:15 -0700 (PDT), kitk...@moscow.com wrote:

Note the date.

>> I've no idea what the name of the tune was, but when invited to sing
>> nothing, a child would break into

Please do not reply to four-year-old messages.

[CDB]

Why not, if you have a comment to make? It's not as if we're
overburdened with interesting material - especially now that the Summer
Doldrums appear to be setting in.

[Peter T. Daniels]

Astonishing that he is oblivious to the revivals of 30-year-old threads.

[Tony Cooper]

And yet you add a comment to a 30-year-old thread.

--

Tony Cooper - Orlando Florida

I read and post to this group as a form of entertainment.

[Sam Plusnet]

People seem to think they can take holidays/vacations without getting a
leave slip from the Committee.

--
Sam Plusnet

[CDB]

On 7/24/2022 2:25 PM, Sam Plusnet wrote:

And so risk being consigned to the Second Spaceship.

[Snidely]

Lo, on the 7/25/2022, CDB did proclaim ...

Are your shipmates more likely to be Hoosiers or Oregonians?


/dps "I know nothing of nothing songs,
but late Shari Lewis had the Song That Never Ends"



--
"That’s where I end with this kind of conversation: Language is
crucial, and yet not the answer."
Jonathan Rosa, sociocultural and linguistic anthropologist,
Stanford.,2020

[CDB]

On 8/1/2022 5:13 AM, Snidely wrote:
> Lo, on the 7/25/2022, CDB did proclaim ...

>> Sam Plusnet wrote:
>>> CDB wrote:
>>>> Ken Blake wrote:
>>>>> Carol the Dabbler <carol.th...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>> Joy Beeson wrote:
>>>>>>> kitk...@moscow.com wrote:

>>>>> Note the date.

>>>>>>> I've no idea what the name of the tune was, but when
>>>>>>> invited to sing nothing, a child would break into

>>>>> Please do not reply to four-year-old messages.

>>>> Why not, if you have a comment to make? It's not as if we're
>>>> overburdened with interesting material - especially now that
>>>> the Summer Doldrums appear to be setting in.

>>> People seem to think they can take holidays/vacations without
>>> getting a leave slip from the Committee.

>> And so risk being consigned to the Second Spaceship.

> Are your shipmates more likely to be Hoosiers or Oregonians?

Advertising executives and hairdressers, IIRC. The Golgafrinchans are
severe but fair.

[Sam Plusnet]

Where are the telephone sanitisers of yesteryear?


--
Sam Plusnet

[CDB]

On 8/1/2022 3:18 PM, Sam Plusnet wrote:
> CDB wrote:

Flown to a new home in the sun, them too.