Lyr Req: C-H-I-C-K-E-N (from J Warner & J Davis)

06 Jul 99 - 10:42 AM (#92862)
Subject: RE: Words to C-H-I-C-K-E-N as sung by Jeff Warner
From: Bill in Alabama

Cindy--

There's an old Appalachian string band song with this title, but I'm not certain that it's the one you're looking for. Does the chorus go something like:

C-that's the way to begin--
H-that's the next letter in--
I-that is the third--
C-that's the middle of the bird--(or word)
K-fillin' in--
E-gettin' near the end--(N)
C-H-I-C-K-E-N--that are the way to spell chicken.

Sound familiar?

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06 Jul 99 - 11:53 AM (#92872)
Subject: RE: Words to C-H-I-C-K-E-N as sung by Jeff Warner
From: dwditty

John Hurt did the above version as well. It's on one of his live CDs.

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06 Jul 99 - 08:37 PM (#92992)
Subject: RE: Words to C-H-I-C-K-E-N as sung by Jeff Warner
From: Wally Macnow

It's on the Warner/Davis recording Two Little Boys available from Camsco Music.

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06 Jul 99 - 09:11 PM (#92995)
Subject: Lyr Add: C-H-I-C-K-E-N (from Greenbriar Boys)
From: Carlzen

There was a very creative bluegrass group, the Greenbriar Boys, who did a very humorous recording of the same song, with recitations (talking blues style) between the choruses. As I recall the recitations, they went;

In a little country schoolhouse where the people used to go,
There went a little rounder by the name of Ragtime Joe.
And when the teacher called the class to spell one kind of bird,
That kind of bird was chicken, and they could not spell the word.
The teacher called on Ragtime Joe to spell the word for them.
That's all he had to hear her say, and this is the way he'd begin:

[CHORUS] Oh, C- the way to begin
H - the next letter in
I - that is the third
and C - is the lead, it's the lead of the word
K - that's near the end
E - let's sing it again
C-H-I-C-K-E-N, that’s the way to spell chicken, friend.

Parson Johnson gave a concert in the old church-house one night.
He hired himself some talent that could sing and could recite;
And when the curtain it was drawn, well, everything went wrong, you know,
Until the preacher loudly yelled: "Let's hear from Ragtime Joe." CHORUS

He sang an old ragtime song that did not do so well.
He said, "If they're to fall for me, I believe I'll have to spell,"
And then he told that audience he wrote a chicken song,
And when he spelled that word for them, he took the house by storm. CHORUS


The Greenbriars were a favorite of mine for many years. Their old albums are still some of my prized possessions, even though I don't own a turntable anymore.

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06 Jul 99 - 09:30 PM (#92996)
Subject: RE: Words to C-H-I-C-K-E-N as sung by Jeff Warner
From: bseed(charleskratz)

Kathy Kalleck did it--on her album of children's songs, "Use Your Napkin, Not Your Mom." Are these other recordings very recent? I kind of had the idea that KK wrote it (I have a tape of her singing it, and the title track on one of the Sunday roots music shows on KPFA; she was interviewed on the program).

--seed

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06 Jul 99 - 09:51 PM (#93002)
Subject: RE: Words to C-H-I-C-K-E-N as sung by Jeff Warner
From: Carlzen

The Greenbriar Boys 3 albums were mid'60s to early '70s vintage. Bob Yellin played banjo (I think he's still active in a group called the bluegrass admirals) John Herald plyed guitar and did most of the lead vocals, Ralph Rinzler played mandolin early on, then went to the Smithsonian and passed away a few years back. Frank Wakefield took over mandolin duties when Ralph went to the Smithsonian, and I forget who played fiddle with them. This may be unrelated to the original thread, but they all seem to get like this. I didn't know Kathy Kallick recorded it, but I remember seeing her perform it at one of the children's concderts at one of the Santa Maria bluegrass festivals, probably spring of '96.

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06 Jul 99 - 11:04 PM (#93005)
Subject: RE: Words to C-H-I-C-K-E-N as sung by Jeff Warner
From: gargoyle

Cripes, still another song me mother sang to me in the cradle daze.

The memories this Mudcat digs out are AMAZING

They are deffinately helping, as my cousins and I, piece together our heritage. Songs were a big part....not a "formal" part....but a very big piece.

THANX for c-h-i-c-k-e-n

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07 Jul 99 - 02:51 AM (#93033)
Subject: Lyr Add: C-H-I-C-K-E-N (from Kathy Kallick)
From: Joe Offer

Jeff Davis heard the song from his brother Hardin, who learned it from the "early 20th-century" country music performer "Uncle Dave" Macon. Kathy Kallick combined versions learned from the McGee Brothers, Red Clay Ramblers, and Jody Stecher.

C-H-I-C-K-E-N

In a little country school house where the children used to go,
There lived a little red-haired boy by the name of Ragtime Joe.
One day the teacher called on the class to spell a certain sort of a bird,
The kind of bird it was a chicken, and they could not spell that word.
So the teacher called on Ragtime Joe to spell that word for them,
He did not hesitate a bit, and this is the way that he went:

C - that's the way to begin
H - that's the next letter in
I - that is the third
C - time to season up the bird
K - I'm fitting in
E - Igetting near to the end
C-H-I-C-K-E-N, that is the way to spell chicken.

Parson Johnson gave a concert in the old school house one night,
He hired a lot of fellers that could sing and could recite;
But when they pulled the curtain back, everything went wrong, you know,
Until the children loudly called, "Let's hear from Ragtime Joe."

He sang a ragtime jukin' tune, but it did not go so well,
He said, "I went across on that, so I guess I'll have to spell,"
Then he told the audience he had composed this chicken song
And when he sang these words to them, you know, he took the house by storm.
[Chorus]^^

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07 Jul 99 - 12:45 PM (#93130)
Subject: RE: Words to C-H-I-C-K-E-N as sung by Jeff Warner
From: Jon W.

I've heard the Red Clay Ramblers version, same as what Joe posted above. I've also heard a version sung by my daughters after they got back from camp last year. Same chorus, different tune, different verses. They're at camp again this week, I'll see if they can tell me the words when they get back.

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07 Jul 99 - 03:35 PM (#93185)
Subject: RE: Words to C-H-I-C-K-E-N as sung by Jeff Warner
From: Nathan

Paul and Win Grace do a nice version of C-H-I-C-K-E-N on their album "Dance Upon the Earth". It's available from their website at http://www.folkfire.org/graces/albums.shtml#earth

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19 May 04 - 09:27 AM (#1188428)
Subject: RE: Words to C-H-I-C-K-E-N as sung by Jeff Warner
From: GUEST,[e-mail]

"Ragtime Chicken Joe," by Fiddlin Doc....is similar.

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19 May 04 - 01:49 PM (#1188635)
Subject: RE: Words to C-H-I-C-K-E-N as sung by Jeff Warner
From: Desert Dancer

Guest, see the related threads linked at the top.

~ Becky in Tucson

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03 Sep 15 - 07:17 AM (#3734997)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: C-H-I-C-K-E-N (from J Warner & J Davis)
From: GUEST,dobronis

the red clay ramblers dd this song as well

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