Origins: Sister Jennie's Turn to Throw the Bomb

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sister Jennie's Turn to Throw the Bomb
From: GUEST,Allan. S
Date: 13 Jun 04 - 06:34 PM

I heard it at U-Conn Back in 1951 Old outing club song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sister Jennie's Turn to Throw the Bomb
From: Joe_F
Date: 13 Jun 04 - 11:08 AM

I first heard it in the early '50s. The title was used as that of a tape by Leslie Fish et al., but she did not write the song.

Filk is very much alive. Entire organizations are devoted to it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sister Jennie's Turn to Throw the Bomb
From: Mrrzy
Date: 13 Jun 04 - 10:46 AM

I have this on a record somewhere, but for the life of me can't remember who sang it... maybe Tom Lehrer? It was called Anarchistic Ballad, or some such. Words very slightly different from those in the DT (it was UNCLE Ivanovitch) but no additional verses.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sister Jennie's Turn to Throw the Bom
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 13 Jun 04 - 10:05 AM

The link to Gory, Gory no longer works, so here's an updated link: Gory, Gory (Climber's version)

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sister Jennie's Turn to Throw the Bomb
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Jun 04 - 03:46 AM

Same words, Mark?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sister Jennie's Turn to Throw the Bomb
From: Mark Ross
Date: 12 Jun 04 - 05:49 PM

It's also in Dave Van Ronk & Dick Ellington(and I think Roy Berkeley's) ANARCHIST SONGBOOK, published in the late '50's.

Mark Ross

Subject: Origins: Sister Jennie's Turn to Throw the Bomb
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Jun 04 - 05:22 PM

This page purports to be an "autobiographical letter" from Leslie Fish. It's unclear from the letter whether Fish claims authorship of the song. The letter doesn't give Fish's birthdate, but I gather from the text that Fish was in college in the 1960's. My 1958 copy of Song Fest has "The Bomb Song," with lyrics that are almost exactly the same as what's in the Digital Tradition. I can't find the song in my 1948 edition of Song Fest. Can anybody find a printing of the song that's earlier than 1958?
-Joe Offer-

---

Here are the Digital Tradition lyrics, which are exactly the same as the 1958 Song Fest (page 31) version.

IT'S SISTER JENNY'S TURN TO THROW THE BOMB (DT) In an anarchist's garret, so lowly and so mean Oh, smell the pungent odor of nitro-glycerine. They're busy making fuses, and filling cans with nails And the little Slavic children set up this mournful wail. Oh, its Sister Jenny's turn to throw the bomb; The last one it was thrown by Brother Thom. Poor Mamma's aim is bad and the Copskys all know Dad, So it's Sister Jenny's turn to throw the bomb. Sister Jenny took the bomb and started off. "Oh, mind you now," said Mamma, "to blow up Templehoff." And so the party waited, while the dawn turned into day, And the little Slavic children set up this mournful lay Oh it's Brother Ivanovitch's turn to throw the bomb. Sister Jenny's gone the way of Brother Thom; Poor Mamma's aim is bad and the Copsky's all know Dad, So it's Brother Ivanovitch's turn to throw the bomb.

@political @revolution @Russian
filename[ SISTJENN
TUNE FILE: SISTJENN
CLICK TO PLAY
JY

Popup Midi Player

Alas, there is no listing for this song in the Traditional Ballad Index or the Roud Index

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sister Jennies Turn to Throw the Bom
From: Barbara
Date: 14 Dec 99 - 11:20 PM

What's in the songbook is the same as what's in the database. In College SongFest, it's called "The Bomb Song" , but that's the only difference I can see other than the spelling of "Kopski".
Do you want the words to the others? The Skier is here and the climbing version is here. Enjoy!!??
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sister Jennies Turn to Throw the Bom
From: lamarca
Date: 14 Dec 99 - 05:50 PM

And another one, partially remembered...

...There was blood upon the bindings
There were brains upon his skis
Intestines were entwined about
The tops of all the trees
Da-DA-da-da da-DA-da-da da-DA-da-da da-DA...
And he ain't gonna ski no more...

What kid could resist a song like that?!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sister Jennies Turn to Throw the Bom
From: Barbara
Date: 14 Dec 99 - 05:21 PM

...and they picked him up in a lunchpail after salvaging the rope,
And he ain't gonna climb no more
Gory, gory, what's it to ya?(3X)
He ain't gonna climb no more

Like that?
Me too.
I think the Anarchist's Song (wasn't it called that?) could easily have come from the '30s. I'll go look.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sister Jennies Turn to Throw the Bom
From: lamarca
Date: 14 Dec 99 - 03:50 PM

Yes, Barbara, I remember it from Dick and Beth Best's collection, too. I have it at home - if you haven't posted more, I'll do it tonight. I was always morbidly fascinated with the songs in "Song Fest", which I first encountered in high school; the gory versions of Battle Hymn of the Republic, Sister Jenny and others.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sister Jennies Turn to Throw the Bom
From: InOBU
Date: 14 Dec 99 - 10:46 AM

I dont need the tune, though if youd like to post it for others that would be good. I believe it might be much older than the sixties, Ill ask Rosemary, but I think it may go back to the 1930s, at least. I think she learned it in her anarchist camp days, and she would be the first to say, she is no spring chicken.
Thanks all
Larry

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sister Jennies Turn to Throw the Bom
From: Barbara
Date: 14 Dec 99 - 09:18 AM

I think there's more verses than that, tho. I'll look in my library and post them later. Do you want the tune, too?
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sister Jennies Turn to Throw the Bom
From: Barbara
Date: 14 Dec 99 - 09:15 AM

I think it's older than that. I learned it from the yellow College Song Fest (Best&Best) back in the sixties. It is also in DT, and you can find it by searching "anarchist" in the blue box above, or by clicking here.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sister Jennies Turn to Throw the Bom
From: IceWolf
Date: 14 Dec 99 - 08:36 AM

It's available from Random Factors, I think, in California. I know they're on the web, but don't have a URL offhand; they'll come up on a Yahoo! search. The author of the song is Leslie Fish, who is (in)famous in filk circles, at least.

Nice to know that filk isn't entirely dead!

--IceWolf

Subject: Sister Jennies Turn to Throw the Bomb
From: InOBU
Date: 14 Dec 99 - 08:16 AM

An old Anarchist friend of mine, Rosemary, an old pal of Dorathy Day, who I used to know from playing the Uilleann pipes in the church choir, used to sing this to annoy priests and nuns, when they were being bad - for example giving a bosses sermon on labor day... There are lots of verses, but the one she sang the most, so the one I remember, more or less is...

Its sister Jennies turn to throw the bomb
poor old brother James is dead and gone
Mothers aim is bad, and the coppers all know dad
so its sister Jennies turn to throw the bomb.

anyone with the rest? Id love to sing it for Rosemary, next time I see her.
All the best
Larry