I rescued this message from the Tony Orlando thread.
-Joe Offer-

---

Thread #30091   Message #806395
Posted By: GUEST
18-Oct-02 - 05:49 PM
Thread Name: Help: Tie a yellow ribbon-origin
Subject: ADD Version: She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

Clickie to the Library Congress site (RichJoy, above)
Yellow Ribbons

The Cowell Folksong Collection (Library of Congress, American Memory) has the song "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon," collected in 1939, California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties.

SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON

Around the house she wore a sweet kimona
She wore it in the morning and in the month of May;
They asked, they asked the reason that she wore it.
She wore it for her lover who was far, far away.
Far away, far away,
And she wore it for her lover who was far, far, away.

Around the street she wheeled a baby carriage,
She wheeled it in September and in the month of May;
They asked, they asked the reason she wheeled it.
She wheeled it for her lover who was far, far away.
Far away, far away,
And she wheeled it for her lover who was far, far away.

Round her head, she wore a yellow ribbon,
She wore it in the morning and in the month of May;
They asked, they asked the reason why she wore it.
She wore it for her lover who was far, far away. etc. (vars., same source, same singer)
She wore it for her sweetie, etc.

Round her waist she wore a yellow ribbon etc.

Seventy years ago, more or less (about 1930), I remember my father singing a scandalous version that he had learned while in Ft. Riley Cavalry School, 1918-20 or thereabouts. I wish that I had the words.

Whether this has anything to do with the current practice, I don't know.
In 1911, Sufragettes wore a yellow ribbon with "Votes for Women" on it. This also from American Memory.
Type in yellow ribbon in the search blank at Query and look at item 2, Cowell Collection, and item 6, Cowell Collection.

For fun, read item 3 (WPA), Moose City- Someone pinned a yellow ribbon to Slowey's coat (he was Irish Catholic). His croney, also Irish Catholic and drunk, saw the ribbon, and proceeded to attack the supposed Orangeman. But read the story.