The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #81179   Message #1500502
Posted By: Abby Sale
05-Jun-05 - 11:10 AM
Thread Name: African American Secular Folk Songs
Subject: RE: African American Secular Folk Songs
In doing in advance, for a change, the "happy?" for June 12, I reminded myself of "Little Willie."
See Digital Tradition, filename[ LTTLWILL: Most "Little Willie" rhymes come from the 1899 book, Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes author given as "Col. D. Streamer" (actually Harry Graham, 1874-1936) and then More Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes, 1930. Many of them, especially the "Willie" rhymes went into popular tradition and soon many new "Ruthless Rhymes" arose spontaneously. It was (is?) a fairly common children's challenge to each recite one Willie. The one who recites most rhymes wins.

It was also common (again, among white, middle class boys & girls on Long Island, c.1950-1965 - ie, grade school through college) to announce to the crowd that on had a new "Willie." All would typically pay careful attention. These were always "Little Willie" rhymes, never the other Graham material which was really very similar.

They have resurfaced on the WWW now but, of course, I have no notion if kids use them.