Lyr Add: The Three Bears (jazz by Bobby Troup)

Subject: Lyr Add: THE THREE BEARS (jazz by Bobby Troup)
From: Genie
Date: 30 Mar 09 - 12:42 AM

This song was done by Linda Johns and Shelby at Singtime Frolics this weekend, and I was delighted to hear the whole thing again.   I heard it back in the '50s or '60s but all I could remember was the "Hey, ba ba re-bear said the little wee bear ... " part.   
I don't think this 'song' -- it wouldn't have been called a "rap" when it initially came out -- is traditional (as is sometimes suggested, e.g., in another Mudcat thread ( composers of children's songs ).   I think it was written by Bobby Troup in 1946. (The be-bop era?)
Although it's possible the basic poem/children's song was earlier and of unknown authorship and Troup just came up with the "hip" version.

Sleep Deprived Dragon Songbook

THE THREE BEARS
(Bobby Troup, Londontown Music/ASCAP 1946)


Once upon a time in a neat little cottage there lived three bears. (cha. cha. cha.)
One was a daddy bear and one was a mama bear and one was a wee bear. (cha. cha.)
While they were out a-walking, through the deep woods a-stalking came a little girl with blonde hair.
Her name was Goldilocks and upon the door she knocks but no one was there,
So she walked right in and had herself a time cause she didn't care.
Then she got sleepy, went upstairs to bed, when
Home, home, home came the three bears!
"Someone's been eating my porridge," said the daddy bear,
"Someone's been eating my porridge," said the mama bear,
"Hey Ba-ba Re-bear," said the little wee bear, "someone has broken my chair!" (Wop!)

"Someone's been sitting in my chair," said the daddy bear,
"Someone's been sitting in my chair," said the mama bear,
"Hey Ba-ba Re-bear," said the little wee bear, "someone has broken my chair!" (Wop!)
Just then Goldilocks woke up, broke up the party and beat it out of there.

"Bye-bye! Bye-bye" said the daddy bear
"Goodbye, bye" said the mama bear
"Hey Ba-ba Re-bear," said the little wee bear
So ends the story of the three little bears.
Na-na-na, Na-na-na-na,
Na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na,
Do-wha. Cha. cha. Yeahhhh.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three Bears Rap (Be-Bop story)- Troup
From: Genie
Date: 30 Mar 09 - 06:27 PM

By the way, this song was not originally a "rap," by any name. It was sung, not spoken.

So I'm not sure what Troup's original title was, but I don't think it was Three Bears Rap.

(I could be wrong, though. I was, once.)

Genie ; D

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three Bears Rap (Be-Bop story)- Troup
From: ClaireBear
Date: 30 Mar 09 - 06:39 PM

Genie, that's great (speaking as one who knows bears)!

So, you were wrong once? Funny, my husband was, too. Was it back in 1953 (which is when he claims he was wrong)? If so, maybe you were both wrong about the same thing...in which case, it might just count as one wrongness, so you'd each be only half wrong -- right?

There, don't you feel better now?

C

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three Bears Rap (Be-Bop story)- Troup
From: Genie
Date: 30 Mar 09 - 06:50 PM

Much better, Bear. LOL

Here's a great YouTube of this song:

Scotty Biscotti on YouTube: The Three Bears (B. Troup)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three Bears Rap (Be-Bop story)- Troup
From: Barbara
Date: 31 Mar 09 - 10:58 AM

I remember it from my early years as going
Once in a cottage in the wood there were three bears, three bears, yeah! yeah!
Momma bear, a poppa bear and a little wee bear, yeah, yeah.
...
"Hey bop a ree bear," said the little wee bear, yeah, yeah.

More like that. No bells as to where or who or when tho.

Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three Bears Rap (Be-Bop story)- Troup
From: Duke
Date: 31 Mar 09 - 01:06 PM

Jackie Washington has been doing that song for years. Then of course he's been singing thousands of songs for years.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three Bears Rap (Be-Bop story)- Troup
From: Genie
Date: 01 Apr 09 - 02:52 PM

Well, we know it goes back at least to 1946.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three Bears Rap (Be-Bop story)- Troup
From: clueless don
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 08:31 AM

Not the same, but this thread reminded me of it. Years ago we bought a cassette tape for our daughter. It was called Teddy Bear's Greatest Hits, by Bill Shontz, and it included "Goldilocks Rap". Very nicely done, in my opinion.

Don

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Three Bears Rap (Be-Bop story)- Troup
From: Tangledwood
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 10:28 PM

Kristina Olsen has been know to sing The Three Bears be-bop. Can't find any clips of her doing it though.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Three Bears (jazz by Bobby Troup)
From: GUEST,Rosebuckle
Date: 22 Aug 09 - 10:31 AM

I learned the song from my sister, who learned it in the late '40's.
Here's our version:

Once in the middle of the deep woods there were three bears.
There was the momma and the papa and the wee bear.
Now they all went a-walkin in the deep woods
Along came a little girl with blonde curls.
Her name was Goldilocks and upon the door she knocked
but no one was there.
So she walked right in, had herself a ball "cause she didn't care.

Then home, home, home came the tree bears

Someone's been eatin' my porridge said the papa bear.
Someone's neen eatin' my porridge said the momma bear.
Bebop the re-bear, said the little wee bear
someone has eaten my soup, HA

Someone's been sleepin' in my bed said the papa bear.
Someone's been sleepin' in my bed said the momma bear.
Bebop the re-bear said the little wee bear, someone is sleepin' in my bed
Then Goldilocks woke up, broke up the party and beat it out of there.

Good bye bye bye said the papa bear
Bye bye bye said the momma bear
Bebop the re-bear said the little wee bear
So ends the story of the three bears

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Three Bears (jazz by Bobby Troup)
From: GUEST,Dave Illingworth
Date: 16 Nov 12 - 06:06 AM

I recently acquired the two CD set LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL by the great Ray Ellington. His excellent Quartet can still be heard on the repeats of THE GOON SHOW on BBC Radio 4Extra (every Monday).
The selection (from 1949 to 1955) includes a fine version of Bobby Troup's "The Three Bears".   It was whilst looking for the lyrics
(to add to the repertoire of our band DPN+1) that I cam across this link.   
The CD was issued on the Castle Pulse label (2008) and should still be available from Amazon.
We hope to debut our version of the song at our next gig at "The Spotted Dog" in Dorking, Surrey on Sunday 25th November (3.30pm).