Lyr ADD: Man Piabba (Harry Belafonte)

Subject: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From:
Date: 26 Jun 97 - 09:22 AM

Does anyone have the lyrics to Man Piabba by Harry Belefonte. If so please post.

Regards,

Rob

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: Susan of DT
Date: 26 Jun 97 - 07:00 PM

It's in the DT with the title Man Piabba

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: Robert Stewart
Date: 04 Jul 97 - 02:13 PM

The version in the DT is not the Harry Belefonte version. I am still looking for the Harry Belefonte version.

Subject: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics- Still looking
From: Robert Stewart
Date: 29 Jul 97 - 09:09 AM

Still looking for the lyrics to Man Piabba. Specifically the Harry Belafonte version. Not the one in the DT database.

If anyone has them please post.

Thanks.

Subject: Lyr Add: MAN PIABBA (from Harry Belafonte)
From: Jon W.
Date: 29 Jul 97 - 12:03 PM

My mother had an album of Harry Belafonte live at Carnegie Hall, and this song was on it. I remember it from when I was about 35 years younger than I am now. I don't think the album came down to me, but I'll check my record collection to be sure. Meanwhile, this is what I can dredge up from my primal memory:

(Harry tells the story about his father (grandfather?) being a drifter - "we used to call him the Old Drifter."

...would you please tell me the story 'bout the birds and bees ...

Chorus:
He said the man piabba and the woman piabba and the tan tan core buck a lemon grass
I say betty root gordy root betty root uhh
and the famous scratty scratch scratch.

It was clear as mud, but it covered de ground
and the confusion made the brain go round
So I went to ask a good friend of mine
Known to the world as Albert Einstein

Chorus

Well I've travelled far and I've travelled wide
And I don't even have meself a bride
Now that I am ninety three
I don't even give a damn, you see

Chorus

Hope this jogs someone else's memory

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: Whip
Date: 29 Jul 97 - 12:13 PM

Jon, I remember the second and third lines of the chorus as:

Oh, de lily root, gully root, belly root, UNH!
And de famous grandy scratch-scratch.

Maybe, maybe not. As you said, It's been a long time.

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: Jon W.
Date: 29 Jul 97 - 12:46 PM

The album I referred to was probably my favorite album at the time - but I was what? 5, 6, 7 years old? I wouldn't want to rely on my memory of what are probably nonsense words to lead anyone astray. But thanks for helping me remember how long I've loved folk music - even though I strayed into rock in the 70's.

PS - I forgot to mention that there are obviously a few verses missing from my previous post.

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: ferrara
Date: 30 Jul 97 - 01:58 AM

I had this song by Belafonte on a 45 rpm single. Actually I may still have it, but locating it is another story... I'll look.

Here's another fragment, allowing for lapses of memory. Maybe it will jog someone else's memory.

There was a verse in the middle that ended "I was still confused so I went abroad, to Baden Baden, ask Sigmund Freud."

After the verse that ends "I don't give a damn, you see," Belafonte started the chorus with "If the man piabba and the woman piabba ... "

Subject: Lyr Add: MAN PIABBA (from Harry Belafonte)
From: Ferrara
Date: 30 Jul 97 - 05:56 PM

I found the 45 rpm record. Had a great time rummaging among my old 45's. Gosh, I have Carl Perkins' version of "Blue Suede Shoes", the Everley Bros singing "Wake Up Little Susie", and -- best of all -- Debbie Reynolds singing "Tammy"!

MAN PIABA

As sung by Harry Belafonte

1.
When I was a lad just 3 foot 3,
Certain questions occurred to me
So I asked me father quite seriously
To tell me the story 'bout the bird and bee.
He stammered and he stuttered pathetically
And this is what he said to me:

(Chorus):
He said the woman piaba, and the man piab,
And the tam tam call back a lemon grass
The lily root, gully root, belly root -- Unh! --
... And the famous grandy scratch scratch.

2.
It was clear as mud but it covered the ground,
And the confusion made me brain go round
I went and asked a good friend of mine
Known to the world as Albert Einstein.

He said, "Son," --

From the beginning of time and creativity
There existed the force of relativity
Pi - R squared and a minus ten
Is routine only when --
Hey -- the solar system in one light year
Made the Hayden planetarium disappear;
So if Mount Everest doesn't move,
I am positive that it will prove

(Chorus) That the woman piaba, and the man piab, (etc.)

3. It was clear as mud but it covered the ground,
And the confusion made me brain go round.
I grabbed a boat and I went abroad,
Baden-Baden, ask Sigmund Fraud.

He said, "Son," --
From your sad face remove the grouch,
Put the body up on the couch;
I can see from your frustration
A neurotic sublimation.
Hey! Love and hate is psychosomatic,
Your Rorschach shows that you're a "peripatatic",
It all started with a broken sibling;
In the words of the famous Rudyard Kipling --

(Chorus) Hey! The woman piaba and the man piab, ...

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From:
Date: 31 Jul 97 - 08:59 PM

wow!

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: Robert Stewart
Date: 06 Aug 97 - 10:53 AM

Thank you. Those are the lyrics I remember. My uncle always sings the song from memory but it is difficult to make out some of the words.

Now I will be able to sing along with him. He actually sung the song at my wedding (We gave him permission).

Thanks again.

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: GUEST,Penny
Date: 17 May 01 - 10:10 PM

I know the opening lines of this song:

When I was a lad just three foot three Certain questions occurred to me So I asked my father most curiously Tell me the story of the bird and bee

He stammered and he stuttered pathetically And this is what he said to me

He said the woman piabba and the man piab And the tom-tom cole bout the lemon grass The lily root cully root belly root uhg And the famous brandy scratch scratch

Well it was clear as mud but it covered the ground And the confusion made my brain go round All the great men upon this earth Have confused me since my birth

I think I actually have this album somewhere. I will try to locate it and update more lyrics if I can.

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: Chicken Charlie
Date: 18 May 01 - 02:30 PM

Hold on, there's more. Maybe Harry cut this more than once. I'm not sure of the exact order but the ending includes these two ideas--

Well I travelled far an' I travelled wide,
An' I don't even have meself a bride.
All de great men upon dis eart'
Confuse me since my birt'.
I been over land and over sea
Try'n' to find de answer bout de bird and bee.
Now dat I am ninety-tree,
I don't give a damn to see ....

A woman piaba and de man piab', etc.

There might be a chorus after "Confuse me...." I remember it got fairly redundant at the end.

Belafonte did a few blues songs in his early days too. I remember one called "Weepin' Willow," with the great tag, "Blues just come and tear me down."

CC

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: Chicken Charlie
Date: 19 May 01 - 01:55 PM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: Mrrzy
Date: 19 May 01 - 03:16 PM

I don't give a damn, you see, at the end. I also hear the famous RANDY scratch scratch...

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: Chicken Charlie
Date: 19 May 01 - 04:08 PM

"But," he spluttered belligerently, "TO see" provides a segue to the chorus. "I don't give a damn to see a woman piaba, etc." Least that's my reasoning.

Likewise de famoss banty i.e. bantam rooster scratch-scratches around behind does famoos banty hens, which is what it's all aboat, mon.

One or both of us has met Lady Mondegreen, for sure. :) I think it's just a matter for a friendly chat unless somebody comes up with the lyrics other than from a Mudcatter's fevered mind.

CC

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: Ferrara
Date: 20 May 01 - 02:04 PM

I guess the last verse wasn't on the 45rpm version. But I DO remember it. Check my first post above: I said,

" After the verse that ends "I don't give a damn, you see," Belafonte started the chorus with "If the man piabba and the woman piabba ... "

... so I have to agree with Mrzzy, but add the word "IF..."

I think the only 33rpm album I have is "Calypso." I'll go back and check whether it has that last verse. I have to have heard it SOMEwhere....

Rita F

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: Chicken Charlie
Date: 21 May 01 - 05:43 PM

I've got the 45 somewhere to, which has to be the source for the version I'm recalling. Or I think I'm recalling. Maybe there were multiple 45 versions. I have a grandiose idea--because I checked old threads and you may have a choice of famous grandy, famous randy, famous banty and etc. WHY DON'T WE JUST ASK HARRY?? Worst possible scenario is, he can say, "Go away now, mawn."

CC

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: LR Mole
Date: 22 May 01 - 01:24 PM

I always thought it had something to do with Fear Muskrat,he scrat,scratch.But I was young." Green, green, not those words, Lady Mondegreen, wudja think it was, wudja think it was..."

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: Chicken Charlie
Date: 22 May 01 - 02:58 PM

No more calls, Mole has a winner. I don't care what the original words were, those are ... well, more muskratty. And de muskrat ramble scratch, scratch. And de maverick gambler scratch scratch. Now I have my own personal mantra.

CC

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: Amos
Date: 23 May 01 - 12:37 AM

It's "I don' give a damn, you see...IF
The man piaba an' de woman piaba, and de tam tam colebuck de lemon grass...etc.

I've sung it for years, with patches missing, but I never did understand the pidgin chorus. Anyone really know what thehell it means?

A

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: raredance
Date: 23 May 01 - 01:09 AM

Below is a list of some known Belafonte recordings of the song which has been credited to Belafonte and Jack Rollins. The list has 5 45's, 5 LPs and 4 CDs. MOst of these are most certainly repackaging, but a careful look at thje LPs shows the potential for at least 3 versions. A studio version and two live ones (Carnegie Hall and Japan). I only have the Carnegie Hall album so I cannot directly compare the versions. It is possible ( but I have no proof) that all the 45 versions are the same recording. The CDs would appear to have at least two of the versions, Carnegie Hall and a studio one, although I cannot rule out the possibility that all the CDs collections contain the live Carnegie Hall rendition.

Man Piaba Words and Music by : Harry Belafonte and Jack K. Rollins

Recorded by Harry Belafonte on:
45 rpm:
20113, `1 - Man Smart; Soldier, Soldier 2 - Man Piaba; Will His Love Be Like His Rum (EP Australia)

RCA 47-6782, The Fox, Man Piaba

EPB-1022, RCA 2 record EP with 8 songs "Mark Twain and Other Folk FAvorites"

DJ-81, 2 record set with 47-6782

SPD-24. 10 record EP box set "Best of Belafonte"

LP :
LSP-1022, "Mark Twain and Other Folk Favorites"
LSO-6006, "Belafonte At Carnegie Hall"

TA1015, TV Records "Harry Belafonte"

R4P-5054, "Belafonte - Concert In Japan"

LSP10419, "Golden Records Vol. 2"

CD:
CD6006-2-R, "Carnegie hall" (same as LP)
CD9771-2-R, "All Time Greatest Hits Vol. 3 (2 CDs)"

PDC2-1060, "The Belafonte Song Book (4CDs)

B93001, "The Very Best Of Harry Belafonte"

rich r

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: Chicken Charlie
Date: 23 May 01 - 04:51 PM

Rich--

If all posters' memories are accurate, there is more than one 45 version. I have the RCA two-record set, and that Man Piaba has a verse which the other Catter who supplied lyrics from his/her 45 omitted.

I notice this question comes around periodically. As a librarian, I'm convinced there must be a way to get a definitive answer somehow. I'll work on in my "spare" time.

CC

Subject: RE: Harry Belafonte - Man Piabba Lyrics
From: Ferrara
Date: 06 Jun 01 - 01:36 AM

you know, it just occurred to me ... Maybe I was having a Senior Moment and jsut forgot to type in the last verse in my original post (the one I took off a 45 record)?

Rita Ferrara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Man Piabba (Harry Belafonte)
From: GUEST,Moe in Miami
Date: 07 Jul 10 - 07:31 PM

Nice to see that posts last here from '97 ?
I remember singing that song back in '64 or '65 in Camp Shore (Aurora, Indiana). Lots of folk songs back in those days.
Thanks for the memories. Took me about a half hour to find this site.
Glad to see kindred souls who appreciate the good ole' songs.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Man Piabba (Harry Belafonte)
From: Leadfingers
Date: 07 Jul 10 - 07:45 PM

Why oh WHY do people say they have another version and then dont post it ??