'Ho,Ho, Ho, ' origin?

Subject: 'Ho,Ho, Ho, ' origin?
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 27 Dec 05 - 03:42 AM

I was wondering if it possible to pinpoint the first occurance/reference to Santa's "Ho,ho,ho," vocal mannerism.

Subject: RE: 'Ho,Ho, Ho, ' origin?
From: Hrothgar
Date: 27 Dec 05 - 06:39 AM

It;s a work song he learned when he was chipping cotton.

Subject: RE: 'Ho,Ho, Ho, ' origin?
From: Azizi
Date: 27 Dec 05 - 08:10 AM

Somehow-I always connect that "Ho Ho Ho" phrase to the Jolly Green Giant. But I guess it belonged to Santa first.

Which doesn't answer your question...Maybe it was the same person who wrote that Santa's belly shaked when he laughed-that "Twas the night before Christmas" guy...

I guess we should be glad that whoever it was made Santa say "Ho Ho Ho" instead of "Hee Hee Hee" what with political correctness and all that.

I'm just sayin...

;o)

Subject: RE: 'Ho,Ho, Ho, ' origin?
From: AlexB
Date: 27 Dec 05 - 08:51 AM

When Santa was checking his list one day
Of naughty and nice, to his dismay
He saw three naughty girls all in a row
He read through their crimes; ho, ho, ho...
The elves, busy working, did not catch the tone
And thought it would make a lovely slogan.
So from that day forth, as Saint Nick flew by
The insult quite jolly was heard through the sky,
Mocking those girls who were naughty, not nice
Whilst drinking good sherry and eating mince pies.
The moral to this story is really quite clear,
So be good this Christmas and throughout each New Year.

Subject: RE: 'Ho,Ho, Ho, ' origin?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 27 Dec 05 - 09:04 AM

Somehow I always connect the Incredible Hulk to the Jolly Green Giant.

eric

Subject: RE: 'Ho,Ho, Ho, ' origin?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Dec 05 - 05:59 PM

Folk variant of "Yo ho ho, and a bottle of rum."

Subject: RE: 'Ho,Ho, Ho, ' origin?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 27 Dec 05 - 09:27 PM

Hee hee - bilingual pun by one of my kids, he wants a vanity tag that says HO HO H2O - which read in french would be 'o 'o eau!

Subject: RE: 'Ho,Ho, Ho, ' origin?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Dec 05 - 09:53 PM

The "ho, ho, ho," appeared in the chorus of "Up on the Housetop," written by Benjamin P. Hanby (1833-1867), in the 1850's?.
This may be the first association of the three ho's with St. Nicholas.

Hanby also wrote "Nellie Grey."

Subject: RE: 'Ho,Ho, Ho, ' origin?
From: Once Famous
Date: 27 Dec 05 - 10:02 PM

This expression was started by rap artists referring to prostitutes.

Subject: RE: 'Ho,Ho, Ho, ' origin?
From: Azizi
Date: 27 Dec 05 - 10:05 PM

Q

Subject: RE: 'Ho,Ho, Ho, ' origin?
From: Azizi
Date: 27 Dec 05 - 10:11 PM

Off topic:
Sorry, I didn't mean to press submit yet.

I read that [My Darling] "Nellie Gray" was written by an enslaved African American who experienced his love one being taken away from him and sold down the river. According to the book that I read [sorry I can't place it right now] the song was then picked up by some White person who claimed to be its composer. My question to Q is have you read this also?

****

And to Martin Gibson- As I'm sure you know, rappin's not that old {though combined talking with both secular and religious music making long before what we now call the hip-hop {rap} genre.

Subject: RE: 'Ho,Ho, Ho, ' origin?
From: Azizi
Date: 27 Dec 05 - 10:13 PM

Correction to part of my last sentence:

..though there were recordings that combined talking with music making long before what we now call the hip-hop {rap} genre.

Subject: RE: 'Ho,Ho, Ho, ' origin?
From: Once Famous
Date: 27 Dec 05 - 10:20 PM

I'm glad you can listen to it Azizi. I can't. It's also hard for me to respect it, musically and lyrically. Now don't take that personally, for I love a lot of African music and rhythms. It's just way too angry and full of a lot of bad attitude.

Subject: RE: 'Ho,Ho, Ho, ' origin?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Dec 05 - 11:48 PM

"Darling Nellie Gray" was composed by Hanby while he was a student (1856); his reaction to the evils of slavery and the separation of lovers. It is about slaves, not by a slave.

This website (author name mis-spelled) has the text of the sheet music and has the Tubb midi sequence for it. http://www.pioneergirl.com/index.htm?song_nelliegray.htm&Bot_Frame

The song has entered the folk realm; there are two versions in the Max Hunter Collection: Nellie Gray
The Digital Tradition Mirror has the text, music, midi, ABC, etc. at Numachi: Nellie Gray
And of course it is in the DT.

I won't listen to 'rap'. Perhaps if the singers had any idea of what constitutes good diction, my reaction might be different, but I find it mostly unintelligible as well as agressive. It shows the failure of our city school systems to teach literacy and a failure to integrate these young people into American society.

Subject: RE: 'Ho,Ho, Ho, ' origin?
From: Azizi
Date: 28 Dec 05 - 12:45 AM

Thanks for the information about "Nelly Gray" song, Q.

Martin and Q, I will say that though rap is by no means my favorite genre of music, I don't agree with your blanket statements about that genre.

However, I prefer to save a fuller response to your comments for another thread and another time.

Best wishes,

Azizi