Thanks for posting your theory, Another Guest. Your theory does sound very pausable.

I don't think we have any way of really knowing whether any of the theories about what "sealion" means in these songs. Perhaps "sealion" could have meant different things with different uses. For instance, in some songs, it could have meant "she's lyin" as you suggest. Or maybe it just means an actual "sealion", though it seems strange that sealions would be included in such songs. And maybe-sometimes-the word "sealion" could have come from a folk etymology modification of the Biblical term "Selah", as I theorized upthread.

In any event, another guest, I hope you stick around Mudcat and join us in sharing examples and discussing African American folk cultures and other folk cultures!

Best wishes,

Azizi