Songs Re Parental Advice

Subject: Songs Re Gratuitous Advice
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 17 Jul 00 - 06:53 PM

This is not high brow folkie stuff - I've started putting together a medley of clicheed songs about the advice in song given to young people - the cornier the better. You know the type where someone is perhaps lying on their death bed and says 'Que sera ..' or 'Walk straight, walk tall' or 'Son don't near the the Indians' or even 'Tie me kangaroo down sport'. I'm not yet aware of a 'Don't pick your nose in public..' but there must be lots out there. I just thought of 'Don't take your guns to town...'. I suspect that many of these will be country in origin, but I'm chasing a wide variety of styles. Any suggestions would be appreciated - I love schmaltz. Regards, John

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 Jul 00 - 09:21 PM

Oh Man - Be Prepared, by Tom Lehrer, has GOT to be the best. I didn't check to see if it's in the Trad...

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 Jul 00 - 09:25 PM

OK, Be Prepared is there (wipes brow). How about Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys? The Boy Named Sue can be considered advice on how to name a baby... I'd forgotten about Don't Take Your Guns To Town. Thanks for the memory! Do we have to stay in English? In A Landry petit village girls are being advised about boys...

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: Mbo
Date: 17 Jul 00 - 09:25 PM

"So Much Like My Dad" by George Strait.

--Mbo

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 Jul 00 - 09:33 PM

Look in DT for "F-Word (A Chat With Your Mother)" by Lou & Peter Berryman.

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: Wavestar
Date: 17 Jul 00 - 10:06 PM

Not only A Chat With Your Mother, but Squalor, also by the Berrymans... all about eating your vegetables... Lets see what else I can think of.

Beans in your ears (Doing things because Mom says no!) House if the Rising Sun, if we're not sticking with parental advice...

There's a wonderful Scottish Bawdy tune (in the DT) collected by Burns about a mother trying to keep her daughter from the men...

I am, as usual, not thinking...

-Jessica

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 17 Jul 00 - 10:48 PM

"The Miller's Advice to His Three Sons". Laws Q21, but the three versions in DT don't have this broadside title. There are a couple of the 17th century in the broadside ballad index on my website. Search on 'Advice'.

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: alison
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 12:50 AM

My favourite would be take her in your arms by andy M. Stewart...

"if he'd gone and asked his father, oh I'm sure he'd set him right, sayin'......."

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 09:03 AM

Maids, when you're young, never wed an old man? Can only be the voice of experience speaking there.....

Then there is 'Tarry Trousers' about a mother telling her daughter to wed a farmer, when she really wants the sailor.

LTS

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: Bert
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 10:33 AM

Don't go near the water children.

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 10:43 AM

Lemon tree.
RtS

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: sophocleese
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 10:49 AM

Blow away the Morning Dew - "If you will not when you may you shall not when you wolde."

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: SINSULL
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 10:56 AM

I like it the other way around:
"Don't Go In The Lion's Den Tonight, Mother" and "James, James, Morrisson, Morrisson" (You must never go down to the end of the town if you don't go down with me). Mothers aren't always right (but we never admit it).

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: MMario
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 11:00 AM

"The walk" -- from sawyer brown

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: SINSULL
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 11:01 AM

"Too Many Parties And Too Many Pals" - Hank Wiiliam's tearjerker about a judge whose daughter turns up in court.

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: SINSULL
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 11:06 AM

"Shop Around" circa 1960.

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: SINSULL
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 11:07 AM

"Silver Daggar"
I'll stop now.

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 11:19 AM

Mama Told Me (Not to Come) by Three Dog Night.

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 11:31 AM

And here are the words to Shop Around by Smokey Robinson & Berry Gordy.

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: Marion
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 12:01 PM

Not folk songs, but here's what I could think of:

Diana Ross (wasn't it?) sang that "My momma said, You can't hurry love..."

Tracey Chapman sang "My momma told me, cause she said she learned the hard way, said she wants to spare the children: All that you have is your soul."

In the song "The Real Love of my Life" from the musical Brigadoon, a father urges his daughter to find a boyfriend and gives her advice on the prospects she comes up with.

Marion

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: Bert
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 12:25 PM

Blues in the Night.

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: The Shambles
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 03:19 PM

Jason's Song

Subject: RE: Songs Re Parental Advice
From: The Shambles
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 03:21 PM

Not one of my better effortsbut it was an early one and from the heart.