The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #83749   Message #1543173
Posted By: Azizi
16-Aug-05 - 12:16 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Little Sally Walker Other versions
Subject: RE: Origins: Little Sally Walker Other versions
Bob the Postman, thanks for those lyrics.

That song can be divided into the following floating rhymes and verses:

1. "Satisfied"
Easy rider, whatsa matter
I can't work, and I'm tired
And I ain't never, no never,
Been satisfied

Been to the river, been baptised
That didn't make me satisified
Mama couldn't make me
Papa couldn't make me
I ain't never been satisfied


2. "[Mr] Rabbit {had a mighty bad habit}"
Old uncle rabbit got a mighty habit
Jumping in my garden, eating all my cabbage
My red tomatoes
My sweet potatoes

3.If I live to see next fall
If I live to see next fall
Ain't gonna raise no cabbbage at all [substitute some other
                                     crop/work]

4. "Little Sally Walker"
Little Sally Walker sitting in a saucer
Trying to get the old man to come back home
Ride Sally ride, put your hand on your hip
Let your back bone slip
Shake it to the east, shake it to the west
Shake it to the dear one you love the best
Little Sally Walker sitting in a saucer
Trying to get the old man to come back home

-snip-

These rhymes and/or floating verses are used in a number of traditional African American children's & adults' secular folk songs. Courlander wrote that "Satisfied" was also used in African American religious songs.