The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #11460 Message #4228099
Posted By: Lighter
05-Sep-25 - 01:06 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum / Hi Ro Jerum
Subject: RE: Origins: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum / Hi Ro Jerum
The McGill College Song Book (Montreal, 1885):
"OLD ROGERAM"
There was an old man and he lived in Jerusalem, Glory hallelujerum, old Rogeram [sic] And he lived till he died and was old as Methusalem. Glory hallelujerum, old Rogeram [sic]
Chorus: Old Rogeram, Old Rogeram, Glory hallelujerum, Old Rogeram.
[Similarly:]
Dives was a rich man, as I am a sinner-um..... He ate mutton chops and mutton pie for dinner-um....
Lazarus was a poor man, who lived in a stable-um.... He ate the crumbs from the rich man's table-um....
And that's all there is.
Cf., Charles H. Compton, Memories of a Librarian (St. Louis: Public Library, 1954), referring to the U. of Nebraska, 1894:
"The thing that I best remember about the [Alpha Theta Chi] fraternity was a song sung at all banquets with gusto:
Lazarus died and he went to Heavenum, Hal Helluliah Ho Raz a Ram. Dives died and he went to Hellium. Hal Halleluiah Ho Raz a Ram."
As sung by the Irish group, "The Mary Wallopers":
THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN
Once there was a rich man, his name it was Diviizium Glory hallelujah hi rogerum He held high dinners for the swanks of Jerusalem Glory hallelujah hi rogerum
And there was a poor man to work he wasn't ableium Glory hallelujah hi rogerum He begged for the crumbs from the rich man’s a tableium Glory hallelujah hi rogerum
[Chorus] Hi rogerum, Hi rogerum Skida marink a doodle um Skida marink a doodle um Glory hallelujah hi rogerum
The poor man died and he went up to heavenium Glory hallelujah hi rogerum Had dinner with the angels at half past elevenium Glory hallelujah hi rogerum
The rich man died and he didn’t do so wellium Glory hallelujah hi rogerum Auld Nick came and dragged him down to Hellium Glory hallelujah hi rogerum
These are the only versions I know of that explicitly mention Dives (and Lazarus).