The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #123317 Message #2714279
Posted By: Richie
02-Sep-09 - 12:11 AM
Thread Name: Negro Folk Rhymes (Thomas W. Talley)
Subject: RE: Negro Folk Rhymes (Thomas W. Talley)
T-U-TURKEY Tally #10
T-u, tucky, T-u, ti.
T-u, tucky, buzzard's eye.
T-u, tucky, T-u, ting.
T-u, tucky, buzzard's wing.
Oh, Mistah Washin'ton! Don't whoop me,
Whoop dat *feller back 'hind dat tree.
He stole tucky, I didn' steal none.
Go wuk him in de co'n field jes fer fun.
This is an obscure African-American fiddle tune with silly lyrics. It's found in Eldred Kurtz Means - Biography & Autobiography- 1919:
He teached me a song 'bout de turkey-buzzard when I wus jes' a little shaver. It went like dis: "Tu tucky, tu ti, Tu tucky-...
and History of the University of North CarolinaĆ½ - Page 90 by Kemp Plummer Battle - Education - 1907:
Then the floor would be swept and the neighborhood fiddler, often as black as ebony, would strike up "Molly put the Kettle on," or "Tu Turkey, Ty Tie.
Apparently it was recorded in 1951 as "Tu-Turkey Ty." I'd like to find more. Anyone?