The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #53292   Message #819210
Posted By: GUEST,Q
05-Nov-02 - 02:30 PM
Thread Name: Kemo Kimo info
Subject: RE: Kemo Kimo info
Newman I. White reported this verse from the MS. of J. H. Drake, heard in Auburn, AL, 1915. By this time, other songs were mixed up with Keemo Kimo.

Milk in the dairy gettin' mighty old,
Skippers and the mice working mighty bold,
Sing song Kitty can't yer kinny meo
Keymo ki mo doro hi me hi me ho.
In come Sally singing, sometimes
Penny with a wink turnings cat.
Sing song Kitty can't yer ki meo
Key mo ki mo doro hi, me hi me ho.

American Negro Folk Songs, N. I. White, p. 176

Keemo Kimo was an old English nonsense rhyme, picked up by the minstrels, among others. See Kittredge, JAFL, xxxv, p. 396 (From White, p. 175) Question- what was this song called in the British Isles? Was it about Kitty or Sally? Does anyone have access to the article?