Origins: Salvation Army/Throw a Nickel on the Drum

Subject: RE: Salvation Army / Throw a Nickel on the Drum
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Sep 03 - 03:44 AM

We never did get an answer about the origins of this song. I see in the "Songfinder" column of the Winter 2003 Sing Out!, that Joe Hickerson is also looking for the origins of this song. There are lyrics posted in a couple of messages in this thread, but no origins information.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Salvation Army / Throw a Nickel on the Drum
From: Allan S.
Date: 02 Jan 99 - 07:29 PM

I do remember this as the chorus used after each limerick was sung. all of them being quite off colour{feelthy] THe only one I remember was as follows Old mother Hubbard went to the cupboard to get her a dog a bone But when she got there the cupboard was bare but the dog had a bone of his own

In mixed company this was done with smiles, inplying that the dog had an erection

Subject: RE: Salvation Army / Throw a Nickel on the Drum
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Jan 99 - 07:06 PM

Hi, Lydia - Mudcat is a little slow just now. Come back a bit later and do a forum search (click here) for nickel or Salvation Army and see what's been said on this before. I think the chorus that was quoted here said "Put a nickel in the drum." If you search for "on," you may not find it.
I did get the "filter" function to do a limited search, and found this (click here)-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Salvation Army / Throw a Nickel on the Drum
From:
Date: 02 Jan 99 - 05:58 PM

I somehow got bounced from the Mudcat Cafe!

I meant to add that several songs with this chorus have been extremely popular with fighter pilots since World War II. The song also is often found with an introduction:

It was midnight in Thailand
All the air crews were in bed
When up stepped Colonel Sheaver
And this is what he said
"Pilots, gentle pilots, fighter pilots all
Switchblades, gentle Switchblades,"
And all the pilots shouted, "Balls!"
When up stepped a young PWSO
With a voice as harsh as brass
"You can take those goddamn Aardvark jets
And shove them up your ass."

I suspect this is also a parody. Has anyone any suggestions?

Thank you very much!

Lydia Fish (www.mediacenter.org/folksongs)

Subject: Salvation Army / Throw a Nickel on the Drum
From:
Date: 02 Jan 99 - 05:49 PM

I am looking for information about a song I used to sing at camp in the 1950s. Part of the words went:

Salvation Army, Salvation Army
Put a nickel on the drum, save another drunken bum
Salvation Army, Salvation Army
Put a nickel on the ground and you'll be saved

I suspect music-hall or just plain parody origins, but I can't find anything.

A version with the chorus:

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Throw a nickel on the grass, save a fighter pilot's ass

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See this message (click) for additional lyrics.