Origins: Froggy Went A-Courtin'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Froggy Went A-Courtin'
From: masato sakurai
Date: 03 Feb 02 - 07:15 AM

As for variants, these supplemental notes to Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music (CLICK HERE) are of help.
~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Froggy Went A-Courtin'
From: masato sakurai
Date: 03 Feb 02 - 06:29 AM

David G. H. Parsons wrote a paper on Canadian variants, which is online: The History of 'The Frog's Courtship': A Study of Canadian Variants (The Canadian Journal for Traditional Music, 1990)
~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Froggy Went A-Courtin'
From: E.T.
Date: 03 Feb 02 - 01:06 AM

Version I learned had an odd chorus:

Frog went a courtin' he did ride, Ring-tum body mich-i-cambo. Sword and buckler by his side, Ring-tum body mich-i-cambo. Ti-maria down to cairo, ti-maria cai-ri-o. Rattle-bd-tl-lattl-bd-tl-lattl-bd-tl-lattl-bd-tl-linkum Rinkum bodi mich-i-cambo!

(phonetically here since I had it on tape).

There was an interesting article somewhere about "nonsense" lyrics and tracing them back to their original words. Any input? (Curiosity killed the cat).

Elaine.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Froggy Went A-Courtin'
From: raredance
Date: 02 Feb 02 - 10:24 PM

I've always been excited by the genetic ramifications of the lexicon of interspecific breeding songs.

rich r

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Froggy Went A-Courtin'
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Feb 02 - 08:00 PM

It's Roud# 16 in Steve Roud's folk song index. I gave up counting the number of versions he has listed when I got to 300.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Froggy Went A-Courtin'
From: masato sakurai
Date: 02 Feb 02 - 07:30 PM

The original pages of Melismata are HERE, with modern edition. Scroll down to "21. It was the Frogge in the well" (pages 37-38).
~Masato

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MARRIAGE OF THE FROGGE AND THE MOUSE
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 02 Feb 02 - 06:19 PM

I can't resist posting this. Copied from the link posted by IanC above (with some editing):

THE MARRIAGE OF THE FROGGE AND THE MOUSE

'Twas the Frogge in the well,
Humble dum, humble, dum.
And the merrie Mouse in the Mill,
Tweedle, tweedle, twino.

The Frogge he would a woing ride...
Sword and a buckler by his side...

When he was upon his high horse set...
His boots they shone as blacke as jet...

When he came to a merry mill pin...
Lady Mouse beene you within?...

Then came out the dusty Mouse...
"I am Lady of this house,"...

"Hast thou any minde of me?"...
"I have e'ne greate minde of thee,"...

Who shall this marriage make?...
Our Lord which is the rat...

What shall we have to our supper?...
Three beanes in a pound of butter...

When supper they were at...
The Frog, the Mouse, and even the Rat...

Then came in gib our cat...
And catcht the mouse even by the backe...

Then did they separate...
And the frog leapt on the floore so flat...

Then came in Dicke our Drake...
And drew the frogge even to the lake...

The Rat run up the wall...
A goodly company, the divell goe with all...

[From "Melismata - Musicall Phansies Fitting the Court, Citie, and Countrey Humours, To 3, 4, and 5 Voyces," London, 1611.]

Subject: Lyr Add: FROG WENT A-COURTIN'
From: GUEST,B in Northern Ontario
Date: 08 Aug 01 - 07:46 PM

FROG WENT A-COURTIN’

Frog went a-courtin’ he did ride, hmm (2x)
Frog went a-courtin’ he did ride
Sword and his pistol by his side, hmm

Rode right up to Miss Mouse’s door, hmm (2x)
He rode right up to Miss Mouse’s door
Gave three raps and a very loud roar, hmm

Said he, “Miss Mouse, are you within?”...
“Yes, kind sir, I sit and spin.”...

He took Miss Mousie on his knee....
Said, “Miss Mouse, will you marry me?”...

“Without my Uncle Rat’s consent...
I wouldn’t marry the president.”...

Uncle Rat he laughed and shook his fat sides...
To think his niece would be a bride....

Uncle Rat went a-runnin’ down to town...
To buy his niece a wedding gown....

Where shall the wedding supper be?...
Way down yonder in a hollow tree....

What shall the wedding supper be?...
A fried mosquito and a black eyed pea....

First to come in was a flying moth....
She laid out the tablecloth....

Next to come in, a juney bug...
A-carryin’ a water jug....

Next to come in was a bumberly bee,...
Set his fiddle on his knee....

Next to come in was a broken-backed flea,...
A-dancin’ a jig with the bumberly bee....

Next to come in was Mrs. Cow,...
Tried to dance but didn’t know how....

Next to come in was a little black tick....
He ate so much it made him sick....

Next to come in was Dr. Fly....
Said Mr. Tick would surely die....

Next to come was a big black snake....
He ate up all the wedding cake....

Next to come in was an old gray cat....
She swallowed the rat and ate up the rat....

Mr. Frog went a-jumpin’ over the brook....
A lily white duck came and swallowed him up....

Little piece of cornbread lying on the shelf....
If want any more you can sing it yourself....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Froggy Went A-Courtin'
From: GUEST,masato sakurai
Date: 08 Aug 01 - 12:01 PM

L.W. Payne, Jr. wrote a paper on the song in 1926: "Some Texas versions of The Frog's Courting." The paper appeared in Rainbow in the Morning (Texas Folklore Society, 1926; reprinted Folklore Asssociates, 1965, pp. 5-48). In it there are 20 full Texas versions, along with its brief history and comaprative analysis. See also Peter Kennedy's Folksongs of Britain & Ireland (Cassell, 1975, no. 294) for bibliograpny and discography.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Froggy Went A-Courtin'
From: pavane
Date: 08 Aug 01 - 10:20 AM

Sorry, not a parody, just a song to the same tune!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Froggy Went A-Courtin'
From: pavane
Date: 08 Aug 01 - 10:19 AM

Here is a parody dated 1809, from the Bodleian Ballad library

Heigho! says Thimble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Froggy Went A-Courtin'
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 08 Aug 01 - 08:12 AM

Ian C.

Wow!!!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Froggy Went A-Courtin'
From: IanC
Date: 08 Aug 01 - 05:02 AM

Try this ... it's here!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Froggy Went A-Courtin'
From: pavane
Date: 08 Aug 01 - 04:51 AM

There are some images of broadsides in the Bodleian Ballad library, don't know whether these versions have been transacribed by anyone Frog in a Cock'd Hat

The Frog in the Cock'd Hat (Partially illegible)

The Frog in the Cock'd Hat

There is also mention of some parodies to the same tune, but the images are missing.

Subject: Froggy Went A-Courtin'
From: GUEST,Jaina
Date: 08 Aug 01 - 02:59 AM

I am trying to collect as many possible versions of "Froggy Went A-Courtin'" (aka "Mr. Frog Did A-Courtin' Go", etc.) Anyone got any they want to share? Thanks!

Subject: RE: froggy went a courtin,, need lyrics, chords
From:
Date: 17 Jun 99 - 07:49 PM

David Highland, autoharp & dulcimer player from Austin, has a whole site dedicated to this song. Check it out at http://home.earthlink.net/~highying/froggy/froggy.html

Subject: froggy went a courtin,, need lyrics, chords
From: chris c
Date: 17 Jun 99 - 02:31 PM

My Dad wants me to play this for him at family reunion anyone out there have the lyrics/chords?