K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??

Subject: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Katie
Date: 28 Jul 98 - 10:28 PM

I need to know who sings the song K-K-K-Katy, and any album name or artist would be helpful. I need it badly. Please email me at [e-mail]. Thanks!!

Katie

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Jul 98 - 03:09 PM

Well, the song was written in 1918 by Geoffrey O'Hara, and it was recorded by Billy Murray. Finding a recording is another matter. Bing Crosby recorded it in 1959, but I don't know if that cut has been reissued. I can sing it for ya....

When the m-moon shines over the cowpatch
I'll be w-w-w-w-waiting for you at the k-k-k-kitchen door.

What's that you say? Don't quit my day job?? Oh, darn....
-Joe Offer-

Click here

for one place to order a recording.

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Jul 98 - 03:43 AM

Click here to hear a recording.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Roger Himler
Date: 30 Jul 98 - 08:59 PM

Joe,

I am just so amazed at all the sites you find to answer people's questions. What an internet whiz you are!!!

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Jul 98 - 09:46 PM

Aw, t'weren't nothin', Roger - if you do an "exact phrase" search at http://www.hotbot.com/, you'll be amazed at what you can find. Now, you can blame the recording of "K-K-K-Katy" on Gene Graham. Gene finds old vinyl at garage sales and keeps them in his garage. Then he stays up all night making RealAudio recordings on his 286 computer with a 390 terabyte hard drive.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Ralph Butts
Date: 30 Jul 98 - 10:11 PM

I always wondered how he did it.....Tiger

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: O'Boyle
Date: 01 Aug 98 - 12:54 AM

In this age of political c-c-c-correctness, do we really want to resurrect a song which may be insensitive to those with a speach impediment.

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Aug 98 - 01:47 AM

Good point, O'Boyle, but I kinda think "political correctness" has gone too far. I don't think I ever thought of people with speech impediments when I've sung this song. It's just a fun, silly song with a nice, light touch of humor.
Sensitivity to other people is one thing, and I think it's very necessary. Our obsession with political correctness, I think, is an indication that we take ourselves far too seriously. Too many people seem to be out looking for ways to feel offended. We just get used to one word to use to refer to a minority group, and then we're told that word is offensive. The new words we come up with get to the point of being ridiculous. "Developmentally challenged" is a good example - I'm not even quite sure what it means, for heaven's sake.
And I suppose it's gotten to the point that some might take offense at my saying "for heaven's sake." We'd be much better off if we could just be nice to each other, and not worry about all this political correctness foolishness.
-Joe offer, stepping off the soapbox-

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: O'Boyle
Date: 01 Aug 98 - 01:52 AM

Hey J-J-J-Joe, I was making a j-j-j-joke.

Slainte

Rick

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Bill D
Date: 01 Aug 98 - 12:04 PM

hey...this site, click , which was posted on another thread, has 40 seconds of k-k-k katy in an early WWI setting...along with 100's of other neat early songs! (They want you to buy the tapes, but they give you a nice generous sample of each!)

BTW, who remembers seeing Joe Frisco, the stuttering comic, on early TV? I think I saw him on Ed Sullivan...

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Gene
Date: 01 Aug 98 - 12:38 PM

Mel Tillis, a well-known star of country music (to US country music fans), stutters ... and even Mel makes light of it.....often joking about comical events in his life revolving around his stuttering....and so do his friends.

They imitate Mel, not as a put down, but as a sign of respect and admiration of his perseverance and ccomplishments in the music world, despite his stuttering. Music was his therapy, he stutters when he talks, but not while singing....

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Barry Finn
Date: 01 Aug 98 - 01:34 PM

Sorry, I can't agree with you all, it's not a question of PC it's offensive. As far as Mel & others, if they choose to make light of their impairments, on or off stage, it's their personnal choice (it's their impairment), it may only be a safe way to deal with how others percieve them, which doesn't mean it's ok for the rest (non impaired) to use. I can't imagine someone who stutters, going on stage singing this song as if to make light of their situation, so if not them why should I. As a father of a neurological impaird child, I have witnesed the non intended pains inflicted on others under the guise of "let's not make them feel different" (instead of, they are different, so take some thought to be senitive to their plight) or this PC thing has gone to far. I may jest about my broken legs & that jest may be a signal to you that it's ok for you to do the same with me, but please wait for my signal, I might think you cruel & insenitive if you took it upon yourself to make light of my situation before letting you know my feelings about it. I really never thought of myself as PC, I've made enough insensitive mistakes from being unaware of my surroundings, I try only to be aware of the feelings of others, impaired or not. Barry

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Philip Hudson
Date: 01 Aug 98 - 05:37 PM

Barry Finn I'm sorry about your son. I have a 26 year old son with ADD and some of his problems are not funny either. But we need to lighten up anyway. I have to copy your name with my copy function and then paste it into the reply box becase I have had a stroke and have very bad short term memory. I also stutter and have Tourretts (sp) Syndrome as a result of the stroke. I am thankful that my form of TS does not force me to shout obscenities. I sang KKKKaty when I was a kid and I sing it now. Of course, people should not be unkind. But it is getting harder and harder to express one's opinions without being called politically incorrect. It seems to be politically incorrect to love Jesus, but not to blaspheme his name, for example. - Philip Hudson

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Barry Finn
Date: 01 Aug 98 - 07:15 PM

Hi Philip, between you & your son , my son & I, we share pretty much the same. I don't mind lighting up, it's the insensitivity that accompanies what some consider the lighter side of things. If you choose to sing KKK, it's your choice, but don't forget those that you send a message to from the stage or those who may take offense in their seat. It's becoming very popular, also, for people to say the PC thing is overblown & it's hard to say something that won't offend someone, well, that may be right, is it entertainment to insult or hurt, some think so, I remember the 50's comedy shows where that along with bathroom humor was it, haven't we come further than that. Do you remember the program Amos & Andy? Would you bring that back? Turning a blind eye to those who don't see as well as most is an impairment in itself & something that with a little more forethought there'd be a little less need for hindsight, that's all I stress, that a little more thought should go any action that will have a negitive affect on ANY other.

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Philip Hudson
Date: 04 Aug 98 - 12:35 PM

Barry Finn: Well Barry, I see your point and don't disagree in principle. I just guess I have a hard time finding the dividing line. I am an "educated red neck" (MS +) and I love red neck jokes. I am a Baptist and I love Baptist jokes. In Texas we tell Aggie (Texas A&M) jokes - they are the same as Polish jokes and Pat and Mike jokes. The Aggies tell them the most. Sometimes they put a twist in them that one doesn't expect and get one on UT or Baylor. I don't tell Jewish jokes because I don't understand the Jewish culture and there are a lot of Jewish comedians who tell Jewish jokes, which I usually do not understand. I don't like Jesus jokes (walking on water etc.) and I do not like jokes about other religions that touch on the religion itself rather than the ethnicity that may go with the religion. I never saw Amos and Andy on TV because when they were on I was not interested in TV, but I heard them on radio earlier. The only thing I remember much is the annual Christmas story that Amos told his daughter Arabella (I think). I always looked forward to that as much as the annual radio program with Lyonal Barrymore playing Scrooge. By the way, can we discuss the Scrooges of this world without being insensitive? As I understand it, the original Amos and Andy characters were white people but the TV characters were black. Hattie McDaniel played a black slave in Gone With the Wind. I certainly do not thing slavery was good even though some of my ancestors were slave holders. But I think Hattie McDaniel was very good and the fact that she played a black slave was quite appropriate. Now I see black people putting themselves down on situation comedy after situation comedy on TV. Then there is Bill Cosby, a prince of a man, black or white, I don't think of him as either when I am watching him or reading his books. Hey, this thing isn't going anywhere! I guess I need to think some more. Thank you for your insights. - Philip Hudson

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Philip Hudson
Date: 04 Aug 98 - 12:49 PM

Barry Finn: P.S. While I like "red neck jokes" I bridle at the description "big haired trailer trash" which, I think, was used by a Clinton lawyer about Paula Jones. I never lived in a trailer myself, but I have many relatives that did and do. They are not trash. Also, my sisters and my mother are "big haired" and I think they are beautiful. I did live in a box board shotgun house when I was a boy. It is called a shotgun house because the rooms (2 or 3) are in a row and if you shoot a shotgun in the front door it will go out the back door without hitting a wall. Box board houses are hard to heat, can't be cooled and the sand sifts in between the cracks. Maybe we should get back to songs. - Philip Hudson

Subject: Lyr Add: K-K-K-KATY (Geoffrey O'Hara)
From: GUEST,LP
Date: 08 Mar 05 - 04:09 AM

Jimmy was a soldier brave and bold,
Katy was a maid with hair of gold,
Like an act of fate,
Kate was standing at the gate,
Watching all the boys on dress parade,
Jimmy with the girls was just a gawk,
Stuttered ev'ry time he tried to talk,
Still that night at eight,
He was there at Katy's gate,
Stuttering to her this love sick cry.

K-K-K-Katy, beautiful Katy,
You're the only g-g-g-girl that I adore;
When the m-m-m-moon shines,
Over the cowshed,
I'll be waiting at the k-k-k-kitchen door.

No one ever looked so nice and neat,
No one could be just as cute and sweet,
That's what Jimmy thought,
When the wedding ring he bought,
Now he's off to France the foe to meet.
Jimmy thought he'd like to take a chance,
See if he could make the Kaiser dance,
Stepping to a tune,
All about the silv'ry moon,
This is what they hear in far off France.

K-K-K-Katy, beautiful Katy,
You're the only g-g-g-girl that I adore;
When the m-m-m-moon shines,
Over the cowshed,
I'll be waiting at the k-k-k-kitchen door.

by Geoffrey O'Hara, circa 1914-1918.
(Try www.ingreb.org/songs/kkkkkaty.html for these lyrics and a MIDI file of the refrain.)

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: radriano
Date: 08 Mar 05 - 01:00 PM

Yeah, and those who think it's okay don't stutter themselves, do they?

I thought as much.

I've been performing as a singer for a long time and people often remark that I still seem nervous onstage. I'm not nervous when I'm singing but I do stutter and that makes introductions a bit difficult at times. Many people say they aren't bothered by someone else stuttering. Well, that's fine but what about the person stuttering? Do you have any concept of what it feels like to have unintelligle sounds coming out of your mouth? To know what you want to say but not be able to say it? To be publicly ridiculed because you might not be able to say your own name?

I'm just thankful that singing is operated by a different part of the brain than talking is.

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 11:16 AM

I don't see the song making fun of Jimmy. He's brave and willing to risk that public ridicule. And yeah, I have some idea about making unitelligable sounds, though not precisely from stuttering.

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 02:17 PM

Exactly. The whole story is the guy 'went for it' and serenaded his love rather than skulking off to pine unrequited.

We can steadfastly keep all disabilities out of our songs and literature, thereby rendering them even more strange to us and our kids even more unprepared to cope when they meet someone who is very different. That sort of attitude used to be called 'keeping the crazy aunt in the attic'.

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: The Sandman
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 02:31 PM

there was a guy called paddy campbell,used to be on an english tv programme called call my bluff,who made a living out of his stutter.

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Bill D
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 04:42 PM

and Joe Frisco, too!

(I'll confess, as many times as I've heard KKKKaty, I never even though of it AS stuttering. It was just an element of the song to make it fit the meter. I wonder if that makes me insensitive...or just dense...)

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Cluin
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 06:28 PM

B-B-B-B-B-B-Baby, you just ain't seen n-n-n-n-nothin' yet!

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: JennieG
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 07:38 PM

I've never thought of this song as stuttering. To me it comes across as a shy young bloke trying to pluck up courage to speak to the girl of his dreams, and being nervous when he did so!

Remember being in that situation?

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Haruo
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 07:56 PM

I always thought of it as a stammer, not a stutter, too.

Haruo

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Genie
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 10:38 PM

Yeah, I thought the song was about a guy who just got so nervous around pretty girls that he'd start to stutter and stammer -- not about a guy who usually stuttered.
Kind of like Ralph Cramden going "Homina homina homina" when Alice would confront him with something he'd done that he was ashamed of and couldn't quickly come up with an explanation for.

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Mo the caller
Date: 12 Jan 07 - 09:27 AM

I'd never seen any part of it except the chorus before. So I never thought of it as a stammer, just alliteration.

Who sings it? - My Dad used to sing it to my Mum (Kathleen), and I that was almost certainly before 1959, but he would have been only a toddler in 1918, so maybe it was popular sometime in between.

It was one of the songs sung after Christmas dinner at Grandma's house, round the table, one for each person.

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Little Hawk
Date: 12 Jan 07 - 02:59 PM

Be-dee-be-dee-be-dee...that's all, folks!

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: GUEST,Gwen Q
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 10:30 PM

For goodness sake it was just a popular song in 1940 and when i sang it as a kid it never entered my mind that it was making fun of anything. I understand the song was sung in the movie, TIN PAN Alley, 1940. But, i would still like to know who sang it on the radio.

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Peace
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 11:04 PM

Early Recordings, 1900s-30s


Recordings grew in popularity in the first three decades of the 20th century, especially with the widespread acceptance (until mid-century) of 78 RPM discs containing one or two songs. The gradual increase in recorded availability of popular music forms such as Tin Pan Alley, the blues, and country music caused recording sales to supersede sheet music sales by the mid-1920s. World War I sparked a wave of popular Tin Pan Alley-type songs and recordings. These included " K-K-K-Katy (the Stammering Song)," written in Kingston in 1918 by Geoffrey O'Hara and memorably recorded in that year by US pop tenor Billy Murray.

from

Pop music, Anglo-Canadian

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Peace
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 11:11 PM

Now that's a REAL OLDIE! The song is called K-K-K-Katy and was done as far back as 1918! Wow! The song has been done by Mitch Miller, Bill Murray, Buddy Clark, Jon English, Charlie Mariano, Cliff Edwards, & Alice Fay, among others.

Below are the complete lyrics and here is some information on the song:

Billed as "The Sensational Stammering Song Success Sung by the Soldiers and Sailors", K-K-K-Katy was written by Geoffrey O'Hara and published in 1918.

Hugely popular it was regarded as something of a 'goodbye' song. The 'Katy' in the song was Katherine Richardson of Kingston, and was composed at Richardson's house in 1917 by O'Hara (although curiously Katherine did not actually possess a stutter).

The song was first played at a garden party fund-raiser for the Red Cross in Collins Bay on Lake Ontario. O'Hara himself was from Chatham in Ontario and taught music at Ontario University. He lived until the age of 84, passing away i January 1967.

Here's a guy who apparently has the song and can email it to you for free, by request:

http://www.geocities.com/solongago.geo/music/Victor.html

Here's a CD which has it by Alice Faye:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000040JDE/002-1828685-5309639?v=glance&n=5174

Thanks for asking! : - )

Dave

Here are the complete lyrics:

K-K-K-Katy

Jimmy was a soldier brave and bold,
Katy was a maid with hair of gold,
Like an act of fate,
Kate was standing at the gate,
Watching all the boys while on parade.
Kate smiled, with a twinkle in her eye,
Jim said, m-m-m-meet ya by and by.
That night at eight,
Jim was at the garden gate,
Stuttering this song to K-K-K-Kate.

K-K-K-Katy, beautiful Katy,
You're the only g-g-g-girl that I adore;
When the m-m-m-moon shines,
Over the c-c-c-cowshed,
I'll be waiting at the k-k-k-kitchen door.
K-K-K-Katy, beautiful Katy,
You're the only g-g-g-girl that I adore;
When the m-m-m-moon shines,
Over the c-c-c-cowshed,
I'll be waiting at the k-k-k-kitchen door.

No one ever looked so nice and neat,
No one could be just as cute and sweet,
That's what Jimmy thought,
When the wedding ring he bought,
Soon he'll go to France, the foe to meet.
Jimmy thought he'd like to take a chance,
See if he could make the Kaiser dance,
Stepping to a tune,
All about the silv'ry moon,
This is what they'll hear in far off France.

K-K-K-Katy, beautiful Katy,
You're the only g-g-g-girl that I adore;
When the m-m-m-moon shines,
Over the c-c-c-cowshed,
I'll be waiting at the k-k-k-kitchen door.
K-K-K-Katy, beautiful Katy,
You're the only g-g-g-girl that I adore;
When the m-m-m-moon shines,
Over the c-c-c-cowshed,
I'll be waiting at the k-k-k-kitchen door.


From

en.allexperts.com/q/Oldies-2943/cd-k-k-katie.htm

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Mike Miller
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 12:50 AM

For those who stutter or stammer, there is an easy cure. I came up with it years ago and I have used it, successfully, on many freinds and students. I'm not sure I can describe it in words but I would be glad to explain it on the phone.

             Mike Miller 215-842-9445

         I am reachable between 10 and 12 at night EDT

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: s&r
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 03:34 AM

Years ago I didn't employ a guy with a stutter, but not for that reason. I called him back to explain - he thanked me and we chatted for a while. I said had he had major problems with his speech impediment - only once.

He had become friends with a man with a similar impediment, and they would laugh with one another at their problems, 'til one day a car pulled alongside them, and the driver said "C_C_C_Could you D_D_D_irect..."
It took twenty minutes to cool the situation down.

Stu

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: GUEST,buspassed
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 05:23 AM

It was a song often sung in our family as my mother's name was Katherine but we included the line,

      'K-K-K Katie she swallowed a tatie then she tried to swallow   
       the knob on the kitchen door!'

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 12:26 PM

I heard Kate Smith sing it, was a really great tune

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Amos
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 01:45 PM

Stu's story reminds me of a long shaggy dog joke, of which the punch line is "I wa-wa-wasn't mi-mi-mi-mimicking y-y-y-you!! I was mi-mi-mi-mimicking hi-hi-hi-HIM!".

I leave the rest up to the imagination.

A

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 07:15 PM

Cf. T-T-T-Trotsky, in the DT

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: GUEST,Guest - Frank
Date: 27 Aug 10 - 12:32 AM

Off direct topic, but as a kid in the mid 50's, we used to sing the following.

"K-K-K-Katy, swallowed a h'penny,
a ton of bricks, a stack of sticks the night before,
the n-n-n-night before that, she swallowed the doormat,
and now she's trying to s-s-s-swallow the k-k-k-kitechen door"

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 27 Aug 10 - 11:57 PM

Phil Harris mebbee? Spike Jones? Tw

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Betsy
Date: 28 Aug 10 - 06:27 AM

Trevor Taylor does this song to great effect .Trev is from Teesside and recently on Saltburn Festival - does a good Musical Hall presentation of such songs.

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Jan 13 - 05:42 PM

I never thought of it as a stutter neither, my mum sang that to us wen we was little 60 odd years ago , I always sing it and don't think of it at all,

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Aug 16 - 02:02 PM

K-K-K Katie
she swallowed an Ha'penny
A threepenny bit an alf a crown
an all
-

K-K-K-Katy, She swallowed a taty
She swallowed a can of Pork and Beans the night before,

The night before that, she swallowed the door-mat.
Now she's trying to swallow the key to the kitchen door.
sung by Bill Burray 1918

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 02 Jan 18 - 11:51 AM

My dad used to sing it as a boy growing up in London in the 1930s. His version is....

Auntie Katy, swallowed a ha’penny
Half a dozen thrupencies, sock in the jaw,
The day before that she swallowed a door mat
Now she’s trying to swalllow the kitchen door

It’s great to read all the different variations

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 02 Jan 18 - 01:28 PM

My mum in South Shields used to sing

'K.K.Katy, she swallowed a tatie
A tuppenny fish & a penn'orth o' chips the night before
The night before that, she swallowed the doormat,
Now she's trying to swallow the kitchen door'

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Murpholly
Date: 03 Jan 18 - 05:32 AM

Who sings K.K.K.Katie? I do. The only person who got away with calling me that was my Dad who taught me the song when I was about 5!

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Aug 20 - 03:01 PM

Bill Burray- it certainly caught on

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Johnny J
Date: 11 Aug 20 - 04:08 PM

Here's another good "Katy" song..


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1L3Vz0Qauo

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: Lighter
Date: 11 Aug 20 - 04:29 PM

Marching versions, 1917-18:

K-K-K-K.P.!
Dirty old K.P.!,
That’s the only army job that I abhor.
When the m-m-m-moon shines
Over the guardhouse,
I’ll be mopping up the
K-k-k-kitchen floor.

C-c-c-cootie!
Horrible cootie!
You’re the only b-b-b-bug that I abhor.
When the m-m-m-moon shines
Over the bunk-house,
I will scratch my b-b-b-back until it’s sore.


[K.P.: Kitchen police, i.e., assisting in the kitchen, peeling potatoes, etc.

[Cootie: louse.]

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Aug 20 - 02:49 AM

I couldn't possibly sing a song that glorifies the Ku Klux Klan.

Subject: RE: K-K-K-Katy, who sings it??
From: PHJim
Date: 12 Aug 20 - 03:29 PM

I Like this version: Alex Pangman singing K-K-K-Katy