Origins: Hut-Sut Song

Subject: ADD: The Hut-Sut Song
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Feb 07 - 08:41 PM

Somebody sent me a phrase from this song in a PM, and I think he didn't think I'd recognize the song.

http://www.lyricsdepot.com/freddy-martin/hut-sut-song.html has thse lyrics (and a lot of popups):

The Hut-Sut Song
Horace Heidt
Words and music by Leo V. Killion, Ted McMichael & Jack Owens

In a town in Sweden by a stream so clear and cool
A boy would sit and fish and dream when he should have been in school.
Now, he couldn't read or write a word but happiness he found
In a little song he heard and here's how it would sound;

Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla, brawla sooit,
Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla sooit.
Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla, brawla sooit,
Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla sooit.

Now the Rawlson is a Swedish town, the rillerah is a stream.
The brawla is the boy and girl,
The Hut-Sut is their dream.

Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla, brawla sooit.
Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla sooit.

Can anybody confirm the lyrics and the songwriter attribution? Can anybody give background information on the song?
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Alba
Date: 13 Feb 07 - 08:56 PM

My Father and I used to sing this Song Joe when I was kinda little:).
I found this website which has some interesting info and there is a link to a Time Magazine article printed in 1941 about 'The hut-sut Song' and its origins Link
Best Wishes
Jude

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 13 Feb 07 - 09:18 PM

Date was 1941.
A Swedish take-off?
Or a steal from a song by a "blind Missouri Negro" who sang it at boat landings on the Mississippi around 1914?

HOT SHOT DAWSON

Hot shot Dawson on a river boat,
With his brawlin', sprawlin' sweetie...
Hot Shot is an Irish pug,
The riverboat is the Queen,
His brawlin' lass is Bridget Cass,
And Hot Shot is her dream.

In July, 1941, the song was sent to Bill Henry of the Los Angeles Times. No comment at the time from McMichael, Killion or Jack Owens. Apparently Cincinnati riverboat men remembered it.
From "Time Magazine."
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,795443,00.html
Hut Sut Song

Any follow-up on this story?

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 13 Feb 07 - 09:24 PM

Well, well- Great minds--We have given Mudcatters two different articles.
Alba, has anything come out since the Time article? A Most interesting story.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Don Firth
Date: 13 Feb 07 - 10:07 PM

I remember hearing that song on the radio back in about 1941 or so, when I was about ten years old. As I recall, it was one of a spate of pop songs with goofy lyrics that were coming out about then:   things like "Free Wittow Fishies" (Three Little Fishies) and "Mairsie Doats" and a few others. Kids thought they were a snort, but grown-ups wound up banging their heads against the walls whenever they came on. Lots of singers took a crack at the song. Freddie Martin, the King Sisters, Mel Tormé, God knows who all else.

Most web sites credit the song (lyrics anyway) to Horace Heidt who MCed "The Horace Heidt Amateur Hour" radio program about that time. A fair number of well-known singers actually got their start on Horace Heidt's radio show. I didn't know that Horace Heidt was a song writer. That's certainly not what he was famous for.

But I've also heard that the song was written by Glenn Miller as a throw-away novelty song.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 13 Feb 07 - 10:20 PM

I first heard this song in the old 1942 Warner Brother's cartoon of Dr. Seuss's "Horton Hatches the Egg":
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0pKA-vZCL6o

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horton_Hatches_the_Egg

The song was obviously popular enough to be parodied by the "Termite Terrace" animators who put together Warner Brothers cartoons.

A Youtube video that's relatively straight, compared to the cartoon above (if anything like this could be considered straight):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kKU1S0lWxo


--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Alba
Date: 13 Feb 07 - 10:30 PM

The thlop pickens..!*smile*
I am going to continue to search Q and Don as my interest is tweeked!(sp)
I am sure I have the sheet Music for this Song ( copy of the original) but it may be buried in 'the yet to be opened' boxes from my recent Home move.
Bing Crosby recorded the song a few times as well and I am sure he sang it in one of his many Movies.
Best of Wishes
Jude

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 13 Feb 07 - 11:59 PM

The Hut-Sut Song is credited properly to Leo. V. Killion, Ted McMichael and Jack Owens.
It remains to be seen whether Hot Shot Dawson was first or second.

Horace Heidt and His Musical Knights. Heidt credited Kash Killion, McMichael and Owens. I guess Kash was a nickname.
I remember the recording by Sammy Kaye (1941). He credited Killion et al.
No other composer names are credited by any of the singers. Killion is mis-spelled Killian by some.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Peace
Date: 14 Feb 07 - 09:37 PM

Here it is on a Youtube video.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: jazzhistoria
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 02:20 PM

Roger the Skiffler wrote (in the Gotariver Jazzmen thread): At last, a real Swede! Now we can find out if the Hut Sut Song is gibberish or really Swedish!

Well well well... I don´t think that Messrs. Leo. V. Killion, Ted McMichael and Jack Owens were (are?) linguistic geniuses. They can certainly not have heard (or read) Swedish. There are some remote villages in northern Sweden with completely incomprehensible dialects, but not even there you can find anything like this... In fact, not a single syllable looks or sounds like Swedish!

(Yes, I know that they were joking!! But why Swedish? There must be other languages which sound almost like rillerah and a brawla, brawla sooit!)

Ingemar, Gothenburg, Sweden

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Alba
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 02:53 PM

Indeed Ingenar they could of just as easily have called it the Scottish Seranande!
Especially the word sooit!...said as suet in Scotland..8>)
Jude

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 03:13 PM

Charlie Baum, I think this song is perfect for you. You should add it to your repertoire. I'd try it myself since I'm strangely drawn to odd songs, but I'd never be able to remember the words.
But you, Charlie, you could pull it off.
Come to think of it, maybe it's worth the effort and I should memorize it...
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Alec
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 03:18 PM

I feel a bit embarrased about remembering this, but...
back in the 'Seventies an episode of the (IMO) dire sitcom "Terry & June" centered on Terry's attempts to track down an old 78 of this song.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Mark Dowding
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 03:02 PM

Don't be embarrassed Alec! It was actually an episode of "Happy Ever After" (pre - T&J but same old rubbish with a different name) called "The Hut Sut Song". Nobody had heard of this song apart from the lady in the record shop (played by Damaris Hayman) I think they did eventually track down the record and were all dancing along with it at the end of the show - not that I ever watched the programme you understand! (Actually it's one of the few episodes of this show I can remember purely because of the song.)

Cheers
Mark

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Alec
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 03:23 PM

That's why it sticks in my mind as well,Mark!
The only occasion where I had heard of this song prior to seeing this thread.
Damaris Hayman played Miss Hawthorne in the 1971 Doctor Who adventure "The Daemons" which is,to date,the only Doctor Who story to feature Morris Dancing.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Mark Dowding
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 06:15 PM

The Headington Quarry Men if anyone's interested!

Cheers
Mark

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Kaleea
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 08:41 PM

When I played in an all women Polka band in MinnKNEEsoTAH, this was one of the most requested songs. Evidently the "Scandehöovian" folks up north have embraced it as their own.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Alba
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 08:45 PM

An all women Polka Band, Kaleea in MinnKNEEsoTAH no less. Wonderful!
I love the thought of that and that the Hut Sut Song was a favorite with the Folks.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 12:32 AM

The Online 78 rpm Discographical Project lists these recordings of THE HUT SUT SONG:

The Four King Sisters, Bluebird #11154, (no date).
Horace Heidt & The Musical Knights, Columbia 36138, recorded 4/21/41.
Freddie Martin & His Orchestra (vocalist: Eddie Stone), Bluebird 11147, 4/24/41.
The Jesters, Decca 3778, 5/1/41.
Leo Reisman & His Orchestra, Victor 27420, 5/8/41.
The Merry Macs, Decca 3810, 5/14/41.
Frankie Masters & His Orchestra, Okeh 30499, 5/19/41.
Johnny Messner & His Orchestra, Decca 3817, 5/20/41.
Ella Logan, Columbia 36173, 5/22/41.
The Hoosier Hotshots, Okeh 06273, 6/9/41.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: GUEST,paul030640
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 03:48 AM

Nothing to add but thank you for the information and the clip. For some reason the song came into my head. I was 1 when it was released, 2-4 when it was played a lot. Without the computer I would have given up looking for the song.

Thanks

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: GUEST,mary - st. louis
Date: 31 Aug 07 - 03:50 PM

Finding big band music so very enjoyable, second to classical music. But always a huge Beatles fan.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: RangerSteve
Date: 31 Aug 07 - 06:27 PM

It was also recorded by Homer and Jethro on an album of pop songs from the '30's. I don't know if it's still available.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: GUEST,MLB
Date: 29 Sep 07 - 08:53 PM

I am somewhat intrigued by the "Hot Shot Dawson" lyric -- I can almost imagine a movie about the escapades of Hot Shot Dawson and Brigit Cass on a Riverboat. It would begin with the Hot Shot Dawson song being sung by a negro minstrel and end with the 1940s "Hut-Sut Rawlson" song during the end-titles.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: GUEST,Davie
Date: 14 Feb 08 - 07:18 PM

It's sung in a Kirk Douglas film (Ace in the hole) as well as in an episode of the Muppet show!

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Apr 08 - 09:32 PM

In a town in Sweden by a stream so clear and cool a boy would sit and fish and dream when he should have been in school Now

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Flash Company
Date: 27 Apr 08 - 11:33 AM

I am just archiving some old tape recordings to computer, and have just heard the late, lamented Frank Muir singing this song!
I had heard the 'Hot Shot Dawson' theory advanced somewhere, but can't remember where.
Incidentally, at the time of the song, Swedish was used as a funny theme in the Navy version of 'Calling All Forces', in which Eric Barker took a similar role to Kenneth Horne (RAF) and Charlie Chester (Army).
They featured a Swedish Masseur, voiced by Jon Pertwee, who used similar nonsense words, and could only be understood and communicated with by Pearl Hackney. He usually eventualy came out with an angry outburst of ' Deborndits, Deborndits, Jeden, Jeden, Jeden!' as he pounded Eric Barker into shape.
Pertwee said that he had listened to Swedish radio broadcasts, and the word 'jeden' came up so often he figured that was the only one he needed.(think it means every!)

FC

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: GUEST,GUEST Mike C,
Date: 03 May 08 - 11:17 AM

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: GUEST,Mike C.
Date: 03 May 08 - 11:23 AM

Oops! Sorry about the ghost post above, I hit enter by mistake!
I just heard this song on an XM broadcast of one of Bob Hope's Pepsodent shows, and I recognized it as a melody I'd heard (and had stuck in my head every so often!) during a kitchen scene in 'A Christmas Story'... it's an instrumental version, playing in the background on the radio. I'd never heard it anywhere before that.
Funny, A Christmas Story is supposed to take place in 1939 or '40 (see the Wizard of Oz emphasis of the Christmas Parade scene) but this song is from '41?

Mike C.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Alice
Date: 03 May 08 - 11:41 AM

Love that youtube of the old comedy about the song!
I remember this song from 1950's radio and old movies.
Someone on the you tube comments posted this:
"This song, as a duet by Kirk Douglas and William Benedict, is used as a foreshadowing device in Billy Wilder's masterpiece "Ace in the Hole"."

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 May 08 - 01:58 PM

Funny, I always heard it as "Hut-sut Ralston…." No doubt, my hearing was influenced by the Ralston Purina Company, which had a big presence in St. Louis, MO, when I was growing up. I see it's now called Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, but its address is still Checkerboard Square (hyuk, hyuk!).

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 22 May 08 - 04:27 PM

When I was a wee lad, in the early 1940's, I remember hearing this, along with other popular "nonsense songs" of the period. It was the end of the Depression and the middle of World War II. People needed any sort of diversion to take their minds, momentarily, away from their day to day cares and tragedies. Looking back, I'm sure most younger folks find it hard to understand how such absurdity could have been so popular. You had to be there.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Aug 08 - 04:43 AM

this classic was co-written by Jack Owens, the Cruising Crooner (1930's and 40's radio star and singer/songwriter who also had his Emmy-nominated TV show, Jack Owens Show from 1950-1955)

go to www.myspace.com/jackowenscruisingcrooner for more including sample covers by other artists.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: GUEST,Iowa Lad
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 12:37 PM

Recall first hearing the Hut Sut song in 1939/40, probably on WHO Des Moines. We lived on a farm some 40 miles east of DM. There was always music in our home. Have often wondered about the lyrics, but they do tell a story and the song is cute. Horce Heidt and his Musical Knights was a very good band, quite popular. Am going to have to put it on my "to do" list next time I met and converse with a Swede if the lyrics in the song actually represent some Swedish dialect.   As compared with today's rap, hip-hop, the Hut Sut song wins by a mile. Beginning with the late 1960s our culture and music has gone mostly down hill, with exceptions, from the wonderful tunes and scores from the 1920s onward til the '60s and the musical yelling, screaming, noise making. That's why XM radio in my car has music of the 40s and sometimes the 50s, European swing and the Boston Pops. Three cheers for the Hut Sut song!

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song -background?
From: Genie
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 06:34 PM

Thanks for the lyrics and background, folks.

I remember this song from my grade-school years (not sure if I heard it on radio or on an old 78 RPM), but I thought it was sung by The Andrews Sisters, and I thought the lyrics were something like:

"Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillera and a bowl-a, bowl-a suey."   

I had no idea what that meant. LOL

G

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song
From: GUEST,Lostball
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 09:24 AM

I remember an old B&W movie that Kirk Douglas starred in and he sang this song.
All I can remember is that he played a newspaper reporter. It was a story of a man who was trapped in a mine of some kind and all the media had gathered around this mine to see if they would ever get the man out. Kirk knew the way out but kept the man in the mine and wouldn't tell anyone. He did this for his own benefit to make a name for himself with the newspaper company he worked for. I think the man eventually died.
Kirk would go to visit this man in the mine often to try and keep his spirits up and keep him alive and he, Kirk, would sing this Hut Sut Song to the man. Kirk played a mean, self centered character in this movie.
If anyone knows the name of the movie, please post it.
Thanks, lostball

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song
From: Mark Dowding
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 09:46 AM

It's actually mentioned further up this thread - "Ace in the Hole" - read about it here http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043338/

Cheers
Mark

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song
From: Reiver 2
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 02:22 PM

This thread really took me back! The Hut Sut Song was a popular song in the early 1940s. I remember it well and used to enjoy singing along when I heard it on the radio. One of my favorites then, along with Mairsey Doats.

Reiver 2

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song
From: GUEST,Uncle Waldemar
Date: 02 Sep 09 - 10:39 AM

The song was also recorded by Spike Jones for his album "60 Years of Music America Hates Best" (ca. 1960).

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song
From: GUEST,loninappleton
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 11:55 AM

My add to this thread is the fact that an act I saw in 2006 at the performing arts center here did it as part of their retro tribute to 40's music.

Five By Design has the Hut Sut song on a current cd release. Hearing their version of it in good quality audio by a top notch arranger and
vocal ensemble sent me on this mission to find out more about the song.

I was a volunteer at the theater where Five Be Design played and was shocked and rocked by how good this number was performed.

I highly recommend seeking out their cd which can be found by a name search to order direct.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song
From: GUEST,MLB
Date: 25 Sep 09 - 04:20 PM

>HOT SHOT DAWSON

>Hot shot Dawson on a river boat,
>With his brawlin', sprawlin' sweetie...
>Hot Shot is an Irish pug,
>The riverboat is the Queen,
>His brawlin' lass is Bridget Cass,
>And Hot Shot is her dream.

I still think this would be an interesting premise for a Bret Maverik / Mike Fink style movie...

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song
From: GUEST,Bill M. hawaii
Date: 19 Feb 10 - 09:35 PM

song originally copyrighted in 1939 and re-newed since. You can find the words and music in the song book "Even more songs of the 40's" in any sheet music store.
ISBN 0-634-09118-2. Also see www.halleonard.com, the publisher of the book. ($15.00)
The book did not, however have the 2nd and 3rd verses about the boy and girl. Our men's choir played it for a retirement home recently and brought the house down....along with a few tears of rememberance by some.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 11:39 AM

My grandfather (born 1917, died 2000 Queens, NY), used to sing me this song and Three Little Fishies in the Deep Blue Sea as a kid. I would roll my eyes when he continued to sing them to me as a teenager, I believed them to be children songs. I was shocked to find out in my twenties that they were former pop songs, enjoyed by people my age and played on the radio. I thought they just songs like mary had a little lamb and whatnot. Now I smile when I hear them in old movies like Ace in the Hole.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song
From: GUEST,Ora Wills
Date: 06 Jun 10 - 03:57 PM

I remember hearing this song on our battery-powered radio in the early 40s. I was around 4 or 5, I think, I never knew exactly what was being said, and thought it was something Hot shot raw, sitting on the rillara. I went searching on the net because I am writing a memoir and wanted to discuss the influence of music during my early years. I remembered Mairzy Doats, but translated this to Mares eat oats and does eat oats, and litle lambs eat ivy. This one was easier to decipher than Hut-Sut Song. It's interesting that one guy thinks it is a take on a song some African-American man composed since I am African-American and have just been looking into The "Birthing" of the blues.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song
From: GUEST,CrazyEddie
Date: 07 Jun 10 - 10:03 AM

The song is also referenced in an episode of THE MUPPET SHOW

Dr. Bob (the dog) is operating on someone, assisted by Theatre Nurse Miss Piggy.

Dr. Bob is singing "Hutsut Rollsten"

Nurse Piggy (incredulously) "But Dr. Bob, you can't sing at a time like this!

Bob "I wasn't singing 'At a time like this', I was singing 'Hutsut Rollsten'"

Rimshot, & exagerrated bows from both characters.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song
From: GUEST,Ole Lundquist
Date: 29 Jan 11 - 08:44 AM

To me, the Hut Sut Song has always represented Midwestern farm families of good strong Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and Dutch stock. The Hut Sut Song represents the corn fields, young freckled-face boys clambering onto the bed of Dad's pickup truck, with their Norwegian sheepdog, Tighe, not far behind. It has always represented Ma Parkins, in her apron, calling the boys in to dinner from the fields, smiling and putting a fresh Apple Pie on the windowsill. It has always represented the wholesome neighbor girl, Sally Neuwirth, skipping home from the little red schoolhouse to her family farm, while singing the German folk songs her grandparents, Herman and Elke, taught her. It has always represented tuning in to the Farm Bureau reports on WHO Radio in Des Moines, attending basketball games and pep rallies for the Wolverines at the Grant High School gym. It has always represented a time in America when everything was good and pure and shining bright!

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jul 12 - 02:17 PM

I just saw "An Ace in the Hole" on Turner Classic Movies. I am nearly deaf. The captions presented the lyric as "Hutsa Rawlins on the rillerah. Though I could vaguely recall the song, I was driven to find the actual lyric and stumbled onto this site. I was relieved to find the actual lyric.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Nov 12 - 01:09 AM

My parents sang this song in the '40s/'50s. We always sang it to get fish to take the bait on the line of our fishing poles when we were out on a lake in the boat....especially late morning when things slowed down and we were bored. My Dad would take us out while still dark, so we could throw the line in at the break of dawn. He never took the boat back into dock until the last "seconds" of the last light of day... Parents sang the main song and we sang sang the refrain as: Hutsut Brawl, Sittin' on the rillerall. Brolla, brolla, suet... Of course I was only 3 yrs old at the time and that's what the words sounded like. Thanks for the "real" words...couldn't remember what the rest of the song went like.

Subject: RE: Origins: Hut-Sut Song
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Nov 18 - 09:18 AM

My mother use to sing the chorus of this song.