GUEST,Abigail Daume,

What Charley said is true, but still, if you are new to Mudcat, welcome!

Also, may I suggest that it would be interesting if you and others who know the same lyrics to songs like this would add where and when you learned that song.

Fwiw, I've never heard this song or the chicken song. And I doubt very much that many contemporary African Americans sing this song as the name "Rufus Rastus Johnson Brown" is quite stereotypical and the names "Rufus" and "Rastus" in particular remind folks of what weren't good ole days for many people. Maybe Rufus Rastus would have been able to pay his rent if there wasn't so much institutional and personal racism around.

And yes, I know this song is to be sung just for fun. But still....