The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #81575   Message #3175322
Posted By: Q (Frank Staplin)
23-Jun-11 - 03:05 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Man Piaba (Harry Belafonte)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Man Piaba (Harry Belafonte)
Count Lasher, THE WEED (AKA MAN PYABBA), on youtube-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtvWbc2kOr0

Lyr. Add:

One day I met an old woman selling
And I wanted something to eat
I thought she had bananas, oranges and pears
But I took back when we meet
She had a basket full of plenty to eat
And was calling like she was mad
I can't remember all that she called
But these were a few she had-

She had Man Pyabba, Woman Pyabba
Tomtom Callback and Lemon Grass-
Minny Root, Gully Root, Granny Backbone
Deadman Getup and Libanter Rope-
Coolie Bitters, Karina Bush
And the old Compellance Weed [?]-
Sweet Broom, Cow Tongue
And the Granny Cracks Backs [?] (Cracks?)
Belly Full and the Guzzu Weed.

She had Cutta, Penumba,
Fillup Tebubba, Chinee Strong Back
Rack and Terry, Genie Roots, Sisperilla
Madame Fate and the Ducky Batty
Burbine Pitweed, Duckweed, Me Sister Repeat
And the Bamber Root
Dibby Dibby Mill Weed and the Ackim Bush
And the one they call Puss in Boot.

Verse 2-
(Another verse, hard to understand the plant names. My listening filled out with the help of lyrics posted at mentomusic.com
It seems the singer ends by going home to get something to eat).