Song #60 (pgs 307-309), An Annotated Field Collection of Songs from the American College Student Oral Tradition

HAD A LITTLE PARTY DOWN IN FREEPORT

The lyrics of "Had a Little Party Down in Freeport" are often
combinded with other songs of a "pop" nature, "Coney Island Baby"
and "The Souse Family" evidently being the two most common.
Texts have appeared in the IOCA Song Fest (1948, pp 38-39;
beinging with the refrain "Oh we had to carry Carry from
the ferry...), Air Force Airs (1957, p 191 as "The
Party in Tacoma," combined with "The Souse Family"), and in
Songs for Swingin' Housemothers (1961, p 83; the same
segment as in the ICA Song Fest). Seven variants were collected
at Michigan State University and one at Indiana University
prior to this field collection, which are now in the Idianan
University Folklore Archive. The earliest trace of this song
that I can find is a 1944 Michagan State text, although the
lyrics smack of a 1920's flavor.

The name of the principal individual varies from Harry to Carey
(usually pronounced "Carry") or once in a while, Mary, and the
town involved is most commonly Freeport or Newport, although
other names may be used. A text collect by Sally Mrphy at
Michigan State in 1956 has an additional stanza which does
not appear to be too well known judging from the other extant
texts available; and which perhaps is strictly of "pop" origins:

We all fall for some girl that dresses neat;
Some girls that's got big feet.
We meet then on the street.
Then we'll join the army of barried boobs
To the alter (just like leading lambs to the slaughter)
When it's over, oh boy, we get it good.
Bach'lor days we then recall (we then recall).
Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief,
Doctor, lawyer, merchant, chief.
We are all bound for __________.

Collected from Clay McMullen, Ray Brandell, and Forest Redding
on December 6, 1963 [recording]. They said it was a popular number in
their local Kappa Delta Rho fraternity at Indiana University.
This variant combines the lyrics with "Coney Island Baby."

Oh we had a little party down in Freeport,
There was Harry, there was Carey, there was Grace.
Ohe we had a little party down in Freeport,
And we had to carry Carey from the place.
Now we had to carry Carey to the Ferry
And we had to carry Carey from the shore,
Now the reason that we had to carry Carey
Was that Carey coudn't carry any more, boom, boom,

Goodbye my Coney Island baby,
Farewell my own true love, my own true love,
Oh honey, I'm gonna stay away and leave you,
Never gonna se you again--never gonna see you any...
Never to return again.
So goodby, so long, farewell forever,
Barroomm, goodbye my Coney Island--
Barroomm, goodbye my Coney Island Baby.

Here is an MP3 of the Clay McMullen, Ray Brandell, and Forest Redding
on December 6, 1963 recording