Origins: 'There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza'

Subject: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 10:41 AM

Where did this song come from, and come to think of it, where has it gone to?

Sal

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 10:44 AM

ok I've found a bit about it, but what's the up-to-date news on it?

8-)

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: MMario
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 10:59 AM

Looks like it was German in origin.

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: GUEST,Mingulay
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 11:19 AM

The hole has now been fixed. Under EC Directive holes can no longer be allowed to wander about at will for years on end particularly if in buckets (galvanised iron)(plastic) or (wood). They must be fixed/repaired/stopped in an approved and safe manner in accordance with the Bucket (repairs and/or renovations) Schedule of Approved Mending Technologies Vols. 1 - 9 and the appendices thereto.

Straw is not an approved material. The name Liza has racially oppressive connotations and must be replaced with Elizabeth. The word bucket can be misconstrued by those audially disadvantaged and is to be replaced by the word pail.

Any further questions should be directed to the European Commissioner for Water (Miscellaneous Carrying Devices).

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: Mrrzy
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 11:22 AM

Whose version ends Oh well then don't bother I'll mend it myself instead of the usual But there's a HOLE in the bucket...?

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 12:06 PM

The Traditional Ballad Index doesn't help much:

There's a Hole in the Bucket

DESCRIPTION: Circular song, "There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza." "Then fix it..." "With what?" "Straw." "The straw is too long." Etc., until "...too dry." "Then wet it." "With what?" "Water." "With what shall I fetch it?" "The bucket." "There's a hole..."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1949 (Korson-PennLegends -- German version)
KEYWORDS: questions tasks dialog humorous husband wife
FOUND IN: US(MA)
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Korson-PennLegends, pp. 83-85, "Der Jug hot en Loch (The Jug Has a Hole)"; pp. 252-255, "Liewer Henry (Dear Henry)" (2 very distinct German texts plus English translations, 2 tunes)
DT, HOLEBCKT*
RECORDINGS:
Pete Seeger, "Hole in the Bucket" (on PeteSeeger31) (on PeteSeeger47)
File: DTholebc

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Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 12:20 PM

There must be earlier versions Joe - Harry Belafonte recorded it in 1960! (according to the listing at Singles For Sale)

Mick

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: GUEST,Nigel Parsons
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 12:25 PM

The Harry Belafonte version (Harry Belafonte & Odetta) was in the UK charts in September 1961

Nigel

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 12:40 PM

You have to understand the limitations and methodology of the Traditional Ballad Index. The 1961 is the earliest date where the song is found in the books and recordings indexed by the Traditional Ballad Index. In the book Where Have All the Flowers Gone (1993), Seeger says the original song was "Lieber Heinrich." He says he doesn't know who translated it from the German or when. Apparently, he thinks he's using the original German tune.
The Belafonte recording of the song that I have is from his 1960 Carnegie Hall concert.
The Seeger recordings cited by the Traditional Ballad Index are:

• PeteSeeger31 -- Pete Seeger, "American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 4" LP: Folkways FA 2323 (1961); CS: Smithsonian/Folkways 02323 (c. 1992); CD-R: Smithsonian/Folkways FH 02323 (c. 2000). Indexed by Paul J. Stamler.
• PeteSeeger47 -- Pete Seeger, "Sing Along! Live at Sanders Theater, 1980" LP: Folkways FXM 6055 or F-36055 (2 discs, 1980); CS: Smithsonian/Folkways SF40027/28 (2 tapes, 1992); CD: Smithsonian/Folkways SFW-CD-40027/28 (2 discs, 1992). Indexed by Paul J. Stamler.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 12:41 PM

I should have here too! This thread: Lyr Req:A Hole In The Bucket/H.Belafonte suggests that it has a German origin.

Mick

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 12:42 PM

Oops, cross-posted, and I should have looked here too.

Mick

Subject: ADD: Wenn der Pott aber nu en Loch hat
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 12:54 PM

I found English and German versions at http://www.musicanet.org/robokopp/usa/dearliza.htm, plus a MIDI. I'll post them here so they'll fit in context.
-Joe Offer-

---

Wenn der Pott aber nu en Loch hat
Scherzlied aus Hessen (Hessian "Joke Song")

Wenn der Pott aber nu en Loch hat, Lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich? Stopf es zu, liebe, liebe Liese, Liebe Liese, stopf's zu! 2. Womit soll ich's aber zustoppn, Lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich? Mit Stroh, liebe, liebe Liese, Liebe Liese, mit Stroh! 3. Wenn das Stroh aber nun zu lang ist, Lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich? Hau es ab, liebe, liebe Liese, Liebe Liese, hau's ab! 4. Womit soll ich's aber abhaun, Lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich? Mit dem Beil, liebe, liebe Liese, Liebe Liese, mit'm Beil! 5. Wenn det des Beil aber nun zu stumpf ist, Lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich? Mach es scharf, liebe, liebe Liese, Liebe Liese, mach's scharf!

6. Womit soll ich's aber scharf mach'n, Lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich? Mit dem Stein, liebe, liebe Liese, Liebe Liese, mit 'm Stein! 7. Wenn der Stein aber nun zu trocken ist, Lieber Heinrich, leiber Heinrich? Mach ihn naß, liebe, liebe Liese, Liebe Liese, mach 'n naß! 8. Womit soll ich'n aber naß machen, Lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich? Mit dem Wasser, liebe, liebe Liese, Liebe Liese, mit 'm Wasser! 9. Womit soll ich denn das Wasser holen, Lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich? Mit den Pott, liebe, liebe Liese, Liebe Liese, mit 'm Pott! 10. Wenn der Pott aber nun'n Loch hat, Lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich? Laß es sein, liebe, liebe Liese, Liebe Liese, laß's sein! Anstatt der 10. Strophe kann wiedrum die erste gesungen werden, und so fort ohne Ende.

---

Click to play

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There's a Hole in the Bucket
Traditional, from the German

There's a hole in the bucket, Dear Liza, dear Liza, Then mend it, dear Henry, Dear Henry, mend it. 2. With what shall I mend it, Dear Liza, dear Liza? With a straw, then, dear Henry, Dear Henry, with a straw. 3. If the straw is too long, Then, dear Liza, dear Liza? Then cut it, dear Henry, Dear Henry, cut it. 4. With what shall I cut it, Dear Liza, dear Liza? With a knife, then, dear Henry, Dear Henry, with a knife. 5. If the knife is too dull, then, Dear Liza, dear Liza? Then sharpen it, dear Henry, Dear Henry, sharpen it.

6. With what shall I sharpen it, Dear Liza, dear Liza? With a whetstone, dear Henry, Dear Henry, with a stone. 7. If the stone be too dry, then, Dear Liza, dear Liza? Then wet it, dear Henry, Dear Henry, wet it. 8. With what shall I wet it, Dear Liza, dear Liza? With water, dear Henry, Dear Henry, with water. 9. How shall I fetch it, Dear Liza, dear Liza? In a bucket, dear Henry, Dear Henry, in a bucket. 10. There's a hole in the bucket, Dear Liza, dear Liza, Then mend it, dear Henry, Dear Henry, mend it.

Subject: ADD Version: Liewer Heinrich (Dear Henry)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 01:49 AM

I thought I'd find this song in George Korson's Pennsylvania Songs and Legends. Sure enough.
Korson took it from Der Pennsylvaanish Deitsch Eileschpiggel, June, 1945, which means it must be older than I am.
-Joe Offer-


Liewer Heinrich (Dear Henry)

Wann der Tschok awer en Loch hot
Liewer Heinrich, Liewer Heinrich
Wann der Tschok awer en Loch hot
Dummer ding, dann schtopp'n zu!

Ya! Mit was soll ich'n awer zu schtoppe,
Liewer Heinrich, Liewer Heinrich
Mit was soll ich'n awer zu schtoppe,
Dummer Ding, mit den Schtroh!

Ya! Wann 's Schtroh awer zu lang iss,
Liewer Heindrich, Liewer Heindrich?
Wann 's Schtroh awer zu lang iss?
Dummer Ding, dann hack's ab!

Ya! Mit was soll ich's awer abhacke,
Liewer Heindrich, Liewer Heindrich?
Mit was soll ich's awer abhacke?
Dummer Ochs, mit dem Beil!

Ya! Wann 's Beil awer zu schtump iss,
Liewer Heindrich, Liewer Heindrich?
Wann 's Beil awer zu schtump iss?
Dummer Ochs, mach's scharref!

Ya! Mit was soll ich's awer scharref mache,
Liewer Heindrich, Liewer Heindrich?
Mit was soll ich's awer scharref mache?
Dummi Grott, uf dem Schtee!

Ya! Wann der Schtee awer zu drucke iss.
Liewer Heindrich, Liewer Heindrich!
Wann der Sch tee awer zu drucke iss?
Dummer Ding, dann mach'n nass!

Ya! Mit was soll ich 'n awer nass mache.
Liewer Heindrich, Liewer Heindrich?
Mit was soll ich 'n awer nass mache?
Dummer Esel, ei, mit Wasser!

Ya! Mit was soll ich awer Wasser draage.
Liewer Heindrich, Liewer Heindrich?
Mit was soil ich awer Wasser draage?
Dummer Ding, mit dem Tschok!

Ya! Wann der Tschok awer en Loch hot.
Liewer Heindrich, Liewer Heindrich?
Wann der Tschok awer en Loch hot?

Recite:
Dummer Ding, hab dir g'saat schtopp 'n zu!
Nau noch ee Mool,
no gewwich dir eens uf der Kopp!

(Un do sin mer widder graad am naemliche Blatz,
wu mer aag'fange hen un sin net weit varschich kumme.)

---

Click to play

If the jug has a hole in it,
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
If the jug has a hole in it?
Stupid thing, then plug it up!

Yeah! What should I plug it up with.
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
What should I plug it up with?
Stupid thing, with some straw!

Yeah! But if the straw's too long,
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
If the straw's too long?
Stupid thing, then chop it off!

Yeah! What should I chop it off with..
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
What should I chop it off with?
Stupid ox, with the hatchet!

Yeah! But if the hatchet's too dull,
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
If the hatchet's too dull?
Stupid thing, then sharpen it!

Yeah! What should I sharpen it with,
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
What should I sharpen it with?
Stupid toad, with a stone!

Yeah! But if the stone's too dry,
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
If the stone's too dry?
Stupid thing, then make it wet!

Yeah! How should I make it wet,
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
How should I make it wet?
Stupid ass, why, with water!

Yeah! But what should I carry water in,
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
What should I carry the water in?
Stupid thing, in the jug!

Yeah! But if the jug has a hole in it,
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
If the jug has a hole in it?

Recite:
Stupid thing, I told you to plug it up!
Now if you ask me once more,
I'll give you a good crack over the head!

(And here we are back at the same place where we began
and haven't made any progress.)

---

Of course you can also find the Korson version in the Digital Tradition....^^^ -JRO-

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Li
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 02:47 AM

Sweet memories of my school and scout days when we used to sing this song ... (early fifties)
There are two songs in Germany, with different tunes, about this theme, as Wolfgang remarked in an earlier contribution.
(Pennsylvania Dutch: Since neth. diets and germ. deutsch mean the same - the folk's language, Dutch seems in America to be used   indiscriminately for both languages of the Netherlands and Germany.)
In both German songs the female Liese = Liza is the stupid thing who asks advice from Heinrich = Henry.
The tune of Ein Loch ist im Eimer sounds similar to the American one.
In Joe's contribution Wenn der Pott ... , first line of stanza 5, change the article det (Prussian) into des (Hessian). Believe me, it's my native dialect.
The second song Wann der Tschok ... seems to me of Palatine origin, a part of Germany bordering to Hessen whose dialect belongs to the same group as Hessian and is easily understood here.

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 05:53 PM

I now the original version!

There's a hole in my bucket, so f&*k, I'll chuck it away.

I'll get my coat...

:D

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: Com Seangan
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 05:59 PM

Good ol' Gnome. They asked a stupid question.....

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 09:20 PM

You know, I can't believe I'm spending so much time posting versions of this song. I hated it when my kid sister sang it, over and over again. This is from Songs Along the Mahantongo: Pennsylvania Dutch Folksongs, by Boyer, Buffington, & Yoder, published in 1951.
-Joe Offer-

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Liewer Heinrich

Was soll ich koche, liewer Heinrich,
Liewer Heinrich, liewer Heinrich?
Was soll ich koche, liewer Heinrich,
Was Dann?

Koch Brei, du dumme Liessa,
Dumme Liessa, dumme Liessa.
Koch Brei, du dumme Liessa,
Koch Brei.

In was dann, liewer Heinrich,
Liewer Heinrich, liewer Heinrich?
In was dann, liewer Heinrich,
Was Dann?

In re Pann, du dumme Liessa,
Dumme Liessa, dumme Liessa.
In re Pann, du dumme Liessa,
In Re Pann.

Wann die Pann en Loch hott, liewer Heinrich,
Liewer Heinrich, liewer Heinrich?
Wann die Pann en Loch hott, liewer Heinrich,
Was Dann?

Schtopp's zu, du dumme Liessa,
Dumme Liessa, dumme Liessa.
Schtopp's zu, du dumme Liessa,
Schtopp's Zu.

Mit was dann, liewer Heinrich,
Liewer Heinrich, liewer Heinrich?
Mit was dann, liewer Heinrich,
Mit Was?

Mit Schtroh, du dumme Liessa,
Dumme Liessa, dumme Liessa.
Mit Schtroh, du dumme Liessa,
Mit Schtroh.

Wann's Schtroh zu lang iss, liewer Heinrich,
Liewer Heinrich, liewer Heinrich?
Wanns's Schtroh zu lang iss, liewer Heinrich,
Was Dann?

Hack's ab, du dumme Liessa,
Dumme Liessa, dumme Liessa.
Hack's ab, du dumme Liessa,
Hack's Ab.

Mit was dann, liewer Heinrich,
Liewer Heinrich, liewer Heinrich?
Mit was dann, liewer Heinrich,
Was Dann?

Mit re Ax, du dumme Liessa,
Dumme Liessa, dumme Liessa.
Mit re Ax, du dumme Liessa,
Mit Re Ax.

---

Click to play

Dear Henry

What shall I cook you, darling Henry,
Darling Henry, darling Henry?
What shall I cook you, darling Henry,
Today?

Cook pap, you stupid Lizzy,
Stupid Lizzy, stupid Lizzy.
Cook pap, you stupid Lizzy,
Cook pap!

In what, then, darling Henry,
Darling Henry, darling Henry?
In what, then, darling Henry,
What then?

In a pan, you stupid Lizzy,
Stupid Lizzy, stupid Lizzy.
In a pan, you stupid Lizzy,
In a pan!

If the pan is leaking, darling Henry,
Darling Henry, darling Henry?
If the pan is leaking, darling Henry,
What then?

Stop it up, you stupid Lizzy,
Stupid Lizzy, stupid Lizzy.
Stop it up, you stupid Lizzy,
Stop it up!

With what shall I stop it, darling Henry,
Darling Henry, darling Henry?
With what shall I stop it, darling Henry,
With what?

With straw, you stupid Lizzy,
Stupid Lizzy, stupid Lizzy.
With straw, you stupid Lizzy,
With straw!

If the straw's too long, darling Henry,
Darling Henry, darling Henry?
If the straw's too long, darling Henry,
What then?

Chop it off, you stupid Lizzy,
Stupid Lizzy, stupid Lizzy.
Chop it off, you stupid Lizzy,
Chop it off!

With what shall I chop it, darling Henry,
Darling Henry, darling Henry?
With what shall I chop it, darling Henry,
With what?

With an ax, you stupid Lizzy,
Stupid Lizzy, stupid Lizzy.
With an ax, you stupid Lizzy,
With an ax!

---

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 10:22 PM

Here's a little bit more from Mahantongo:

Henry and Lizzy

This song, sung to us by the Yoder Girls of Hegins, is a dialogue song for a man and a woman, and used to be popular at the play parties in the old days in the Mahantongo Valley.

Several versions have been published in Pennsylvania. Stoudt's
The Folklore of the Pennsylvania Germans pioneered in
publishing this folk song in Pennsylvania Dutch, but without the
music. The second publication was by Prof. J. William Frey in
Der Pennsylvaanisch Deitsch Eileschpiggel (June 1945). The
third time this song appeared in print in Pennsylvania Dutch
was in George Korson's Pennsylvania Songs and Legends
(Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1949), in the
chapter on "Pennsylvania German Songs by Thomas R. Brendle and
William S. Troxell. Theirs is the Stoudt version, plus music
recorded in 1940 in Lehigh County. All of these three versions
begin with "Wann der Jug en Loch hot" ("What if the jug has a
hole it?"), and come around again in the beginning. Our version,
which also has a unique tune, begins and ends somewhat differently.

The song itself is an ancient one in Germany and Switzerland. Erk
and Böhme record it in the Deutscher Liederhort as a
universally known song. The famous Bergliederbuchlein,
published around 1700, recently edited in a critical edition by
Elizabeth Mincoff-Marriage and published by Hiersemann at Leipzig
in 1936, includes the song:

Meine liebe Liese wolte wandern
Erbarme dich
Was wird sie mir mitbringen
Em Beltz meine liebe Liese
Komm schlaff bei mir.

Wenn der Beltz em Loch hat—
stop es zu meine liebe Liese—

Womit soll ich es zustopfen—
mit Stroh, meine liebe Liese—

Wenn das Stroh zu lang ist—
hack es ab, meine liebe Liese—

Womit sol ichs abhacken—
Mit den Beil meine liebe Liese—

Wenn das Beil zu stumpff ist—
lass schleiffen meine liebe Liese—

Worauf sol ich es schleiffen—
auf den Stein meine liebe Liese—

Wenn der Stein so drucken ist—
thu Wasser drauff meine liebe Liese—

Womit sol ichs drauff machen—
mit den diedel diedel deygen—


In the Low German versions the "Jugs' or "Pann" becomes a "Top."

Compare the version:

Wenn der Topp aber nun en Loch hat,
Mein lieber Heinrich,
Mein lieber Heinrich?
"Stopp et to,
Mein' liebe, liebe Lise,
Mein' liebe Lise,
Stopp et to!"

which can be found in Wilhelm Tschirch's Liederquell

(Leipzig: Steingraeber Verlag, n. d.), page 219.

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 10:41 PM

Nice midi and German text of "Heinrich und Liese" at this good Markus Bruns site (Das virtuelle Liederbuch), many trad and university songs:
Heinrich und Liese

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Li
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 01:44 AM

Joe - interesting versions. A printer's error: hewer should read liewer.
In Q's link we have a version from Berlin or around.

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 02:07 AM

Thanks for catching that, Wilfried. For some reason, my OCR consistently read "hewer" for "liewer" (but did OK on "Liewer"); and it read "soil" for "soll." I made many corrections, but I see I neglected a few of them. the original text was correct - it was my error.

You said above that Americans used the term "Dutch" interchangably for Hollanders or Germans. That's true, but "Pennsylvania Dutch" are always German (not that all Americans understand that the "dutch" in Pennsylvania are German).

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: Wolfgang
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 04:49 AM

You may have fond memories, Wilfried, I haven't. I invariably only think of the awful version (luckily I have forgotten the names of the singers) which made the German charts in the 60s (or late 50s). The two protagonists had the names 'Henry' (playing the stupid) and 'Karl-Otto'. A very bad rewrite with no merit.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Li
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 07:24 AM

Yes, reading your post I dimly rember. You are right - it was a version soon to be forgotten.

Wilfried

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: GUEST,Veronica
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 05:47 PM

What is the famous "Bergliederbuchlein"? I can't find anything on it.

Thanks!
Veronica

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Li
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 11:35 AM

A songbook for miners, printed about 1700 in Freiberg, centrum of the Saxonian silver mining district.

Reprinted, out of print, but still available through amazon.com
and
amazon.de

Subject: Who wrote - There's a hole in my bucket
From: woodsie
Date: 27 Mar 05 - 07:42 AM

Who wrote There's A Hole In My Bucket? I know Harry Bel & Odetta did it, but I'm sure it was done way before that. I've googled it but did not get any definite results - a few people who wrote books of that title, some bloke claiming to be 99 years old and traditional. I've heard somewhere that it was originally german. Can the muddies shed any light?

Subject: RE: Who wrote - There's a hole in my bucket
From: masato sakurai
Date: 27 Mar 05 - 08:27 AM

See Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'.

Subject: RE: Who wrote - There's a hole in my bucket
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Mar 05 - 10:49 AM

Those are great threads. Thanks for the link, Masato! I remember running around with friends in the early 1960s singing that song. I think I'd heard the Belafonte/Odetta version.

SRS

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: GUEST,Clapton is God
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 08:21 PM

I reckon its a metaphor for Ireland in the mid to late 1500's, and the characters are king henry the 8th and queen elizabeth 1. The hole in the bucket being the conflict between Catholics and Protestants. The other problems in the story (the axe is too blunt ect) are Plantation and perhaps the potato blight...

Just a theory

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: Stringsinger
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 08:33 PM

Sam Hinton sang this and the Lieber Heinrich version before Pete got aholt of it.

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: Mrrzy
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 10:29 PM

My favorite version by Ed McCurdy goes through the hole in the bucket, fix it, with what, with straw, but the straw will fall out (diverges here), then mend it with butter, but the butter will melt, then take it to the tinsmith, but the tinsmith costs money, oh well then don't bother I'll mend it myself!

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There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza.
There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, a hole

Well mend it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry, well mend it, dear Henry, dear Henry, mend it

With what shall I mend it, deat Liza . . . with what
Well, mend it with straw, dear Henry . . . with straw

But the straw will fall out. . .
Well mend it with butter...

But the butter will melt...
Then take it to the tinsmith...

But the tinsmith costs money...
Oh well, then, don't bother...
I'll mend it myself!

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Li
From: GUEST,Bart the Anorak
Date: 27 Apr 08 - 08:02 PM

The earliest reference I'm aware of to any English version is in the Thomas the Tank Engine story 'Thomas Goes Fishing' first published in 1949 (in the book Tank Engine Thomas Again). Thomas and his crew have had to stop at a river to get water but are having to do so with a leaky bucket. The fireman begins to sing the song but the driver urges him to get on with it.

Oh and I'll boast, it was me who just put that on Wikipedia's page about the song as it didn't mention any English translation prior to 1958.

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 28 Apr 08 - 05:02 PM

I learned the common English-language version of this (not sure from whom) and was singing it as a duet in 1956 with Molly Scott.

Not a claim for firstness by any means, because it was almost a cliche at that time, being sung as an answer-back by every gal-and-guy twosome with a guitar. So it must have been familiar to song circles around the Middle Atlantic States and New England at least a few years before that.

The earliest printed source I have found (again for the English-language version, not the Pennsylvania Dutch original) is, oddly enough, Leslie Woodgate, The Penguin Song Book, London 1951, as "There's a Hole in My Bucket." No accompanying notes.

The question is, who is the clever lad or lassie who composed the English-language version, presumably based on the English translation given in either Korson (post-1949) or Songs Along the Mahantango? If the latter, it all happened fast, in the year 1951, but I suspect the Korson version was the one used if only because it came sooner, and was well known among early folkies scouring libraries for cool folksongs.

Bob

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'
From: GUEST,Ebor_fiddler
Date: 28 Apr 08 - 05:17 PM

D--n! I thought I was going to be the academic and submit "Tank Engine Thomas Again", London, 1949 as an early reference.

Subject: RE: Origins: There's a Hole in My Bucket
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jul 08 - 07:25 PM

In May 2008 I purchased a children's book in Rostock, Germany. It includes the "low German" words to "There's a hole in my bucket." The book was originally published in 1908 in Germany. Rostock is in North East Germany near the Polish border. I was surprised to find this song there since I had always known it in English.

The first verse in "low German" ( a dialect spoken in the low lands of Northern Germany since before the 16th century. It is like High German but has many characteristics of Holland Dutch, and English.)

Wenn de Pott nu äwer'n Lock hett?
Min leiwe Heinerich, min leiwe Heinerich!
"Stopp dat tau, min leiwe Lise
Leiwe Lise, stopp dat tau!"

It follows the English poem in every verse then at the end is the instruction:

(Un nu geiht't wedder von värn los.) (And now go again from the beginning)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bucket of water song
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 04 Jun 09 - 07:29 PM

Harry Belafonte did a version of this with Odetta back around 1959 or so in a Carnegie Hall Concert album.

"Henry; go get the bucket!"

"There's a hole in the bucket dear Liza, dear Liza; a hole in the bucket, Dear Liza, a hole."

"Then fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry;
Then fix it, dear Henry, dear Henry -- fix it!"

And so on, as follows:

"With what shall I fix it?
"With a straw
"But the straw is too long
"Then cut it
"With what shall I cut it?
"With an axe
"But the axe is too dull
"Then sharpen it
"With what shall I sharpen it?
"With a stone
"But the stone is too dry
"Then wet it
"With what shall I wet it
"With water
"In what shall I fetch it
"In the bucket

"There's a hole in the bucket...etc.

With male and female, back and forth, showing increasing consternation on her part, it can be pretty funny - if transparent.

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza'
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 23 Nov 17 - 07:24 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqH7em4u-oo is a 1959 recording of Hole by Martha Schlamme and – wait for it – Frank Hamilton.

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza'
From: Reinhard
Date: 23 Nov 17 - 10:10 AM

I also like Les Barker's version "There's a Hole in My Bodhrán" as sung by June Tabor on "Yelp!".

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 May 21 - 06:42 PM

I am told by a reputable source, Arlene Immerman, that May 30 is "Hole in the Bucket Day." I know no reason why. Can anybody explain?
Arlene may be reputable, but she doesn't know, either.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza'
From: GUEST,#
Date: 23 May 21 - 08:00 PM

"Again, why? Why is there a day to celebrate a hole in the bucket? Well, after a brief Google foray, I discovered that it’s all about a children’s song (with early origins in the 1700’s). “A Hole in the Bucket” has been performed by many a children’s chorale group as well as on Sesame Street. There is also a Carnegie Hall stage version done by Harry Belafonte and Odetta. Now you know."

The above quoted passage is from

https://wmgk.com/2019/05/30/happy-national-hole-in-the-bucket-day/

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza'
From: Mrrzy
Date: 24 May 21 - 12:06 AM

I have decided that I *don't* like the version I said I did as I realize it was what he wanted all along.

Subject: RE: Origins: 'There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza'
From: The Man from UNCOOL
Date: 26 May 21 - 01:24 PM

Not that this is super-reliable academically, but my mother [now almost 95] used to quote bits of this song at me. Her musical tastes would suggest she'd have been unaware of the Harry Belafonte 1959 version, and, unless Pete Seeger was a major musical force in England in 1949, nor his. [It's just possible my father, interested in folk song before it became widely fashionable, MAY have had a copy of the Seeger version, and she acquired knowledge of it that way, but there's not one in his collection as it now is]. What it DOES remind me of is the sort of material her father used to sing [light comic stuff] and he died in 1933. As I don't think he translated German, that hints at a well-enough known English one being in at least sheet-music form in the late 20s.
My favourite version is Flanders & Swann's "There's A Hole In My Budget", written originally about R A Butler and Winston Churchill, thus pre- 1955. For a successful parody, the original must be sufficiently entrenched in the public consciousness, which suggests a hit recording in about 1953 or before.