ADD: today's the day we give babies away

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,Jack Kelley
Date: 16 Aug 07 - 05:35 PM

I remember it this way:


    Today is the day we give babies away for a pound and a half
   
    of cheese. If you know any ladies who need any babies, la lala

    la lala la la

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,bilwilk
Date: 05 Oct 07 - 05:46 PM

My mother use to sing this song to me, back in the 1930's. She said it was from a tea company commercial (probably in the twenties or very early thirties) and that they packed a celluloid(?) doll in the top of the box of loose tea leaves.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,ELKA
Date: 13 Nov 07 - 02:24 AM

I learned it from my father, who learned it from his English mother, who was born at the beginning of the past century:
"Today's the day they give babies away with a half a pound of tea/just open the lid/and examine the kid/with a written guarantee."
So it may have just been transatlantic cultural tidbits, but someone in England in the 1910's and 1920's was saying this.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: Deckman
Date: 13 Nov 07 - 04:08 AM

Back in 1965, my wife and I were in the "process" of adopting. The interviews and exams were many and long. During one of the adoption caseworker's visits, I sang her this song. We got the baby anyway! Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,Page
Date: 17 May 08 - 01:16 PM

I'm seventy and I heard my grandmother sing this to "the babies". She was from the south so always thought it was a folksong or rhyme.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,pennymac
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 12:30 PM

I found myself starting to sing this song the other day and couldn't remember anything beyond the first line. Perhaps because we lived in Wisconsin, my mother sang this song in the early 1940s not using "tea" but "cheese"

I do believe that the second line as many have suggested was "If you know any ladies that want any babies, just send them 'round to me."

The tune sounds like a vaudeville number, but I have no knowledge of the song's origin.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,GUEST, Peggy
Date: 14 Jun 08 - 09:56 PM

My vulgar grandparents always sang
Today is the day they give babies away
With a half a pound of cheese
The fatter the women the better the swimmin'
to dive between their knees"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 15 Jun 08 - 05:26 AM

So it's either

a) a nasty lullaby (like Rock-a-bye Baby)
b) an advertising jingle
c) a bluesy lament about women having to give their babies away
d) a bawdy soldiers' song about, er, 'giving' women babies
e) a rhyme about weighing babies

and it dates from no later than 1912!

c) and e) seem pretty unlikely to me. The advertising jingle is well-attested, but 1912 sounds awfully early for that kind of campaign - besides which, would an advertiser really write about giving babies away? I'd guess that it started as a genuine lullaby, was used in an ad campaign and was later adopted by soldiers. But there's basically no evidence for this theory.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,Heather Morse Low
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 06:31 PM

My Grandmother, Mary Morse Low, born (1917?) and raised in Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia, Canada, used to sing it. When I was a kid I used to sing along and it wasn't until I was much older when I understood what I was singing...

Today is the day they give babies away
with a half a pound of tea
If you know any ladies that want to have babies
just send 'em 'round to me

I'll give 'em a smile, I'll give 'em a grin
Send 'em to me! I'll fill them with glee!
And send them on their way!
Oh! (and start singing again from beginning)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,Amber
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 12:11 PM

To Jenny Islander. I know this message is late but I was doing some research and wanted to answer your question. It was Roaslie Sorrels that sings that song. On my version it is 6:30 in the morning and the kid hasn't quit howling for six hours. Then comes the cereal, pb sandwiches and milk. But the milk has been forgotten. I know the youngest of her sons and most likely the howling one so this particular song is extra close to my heart. Just thought I would let you know from someone who knows her now. Thank you for listening, reading, and possibly wondering who the heck I am responding nearly 5 years later:) Amber

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,Amber
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 12:16 PM

To Pip. I dont think it is either. It is coming from a woman who raised five children on her own. Regardless of who you are, anyone can be tired and know what it is like to be up all night with a crying child. That is why she states in her spoken part that keeping all of that bottled up inside could make you get "strange and punch the baby in the mouth but you cant do that." So you sing the hostile baby rocking song to get out the frustrations w/o any ill intent. Well, that is what I get out of it at least. :) Ha ha, all this time for just a little tid bit.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,m harvey
Date: 07 Nov 08 - 02:35 PM

My aunt remembers this song from a movie where the husband (Possibly
Rex Harrison ) she doesn't remember .. who sings this to his wife
who is in labour, she would like to know the title of the movie if
anyone else remembers ..

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,Bdaleday
Date: 15 Nov 08 - 05:19 PM

Call me wierd, but I am desparately trying to find a recording of the song. I'm old enough to remember fondly when Elsa Lanchester sang it on early TV, perhaps on the Milton Berle or other variety show. Can you send me a link to ANY recording?!?!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,Marcus Hill
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 03:49 PM

Back when I was a sailor at Moffett Field, California in the early '70s I used to listen to a radio station, KFAT (the wide spot on your dial), out of Gilory, California (garlick capital of the world). Interesting station, they'd play just about anything you can think of.

Anyway they played the two songs "Today is the day.." and the "Baby Tree" sung by Mother Mary McCaslin. I don't recall if it was live in the studio (above the dentist's office if I recall correctly) or a recording but it stuck with me all these years. I'll have to see if it is on one of the tapes I made of that station way back when.

And then Jefferson Starship ( the Airplane with shuffled membership ) did it on their Blows Against the Empire album as noted previously in this thread, It was so out of character for that band, well done too with just a banjo if I remember right. I have it ripped from the record as an 18Mbyte wave file, I'm willing to share if it won't land me in jail.

Anyway if your are looking for a recording you might try tis Mother Mary McCaslin, She was still around as of last year.

Best regards,
Marcus Hill

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,George Weinberg-Harter
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 10:57 AM

My dad, who was born in 1910, used to sing it:
Today is the day they give babies away
With a half a pound of tea.
Open the box and out he pops
With a written guarantee.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: Susan A-R
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 04:16 PM

I found myself humming this one as I walked by a sign for La Leche (sp?) League "Baby sale." The couple behind me on the street also exclaimed "Ooooh, a Baby sale!! Do we want any?"

My Dad used to sing it, and I didn't realize until quite recently what the offer of "sending them round to me" implied. And they say my generation has a risque sense of humor. . .

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 Dec 09 - 08:15 AM

I finally recognized the tune to which my ex-mother-in-law sang "Today is the day they give babies away with a half a pound of tea...." It's the opening theme of BLAZE AWAY. I mistakenly called it a Sousa march above, but it's really by Abe Holzmann, from 1901. Here's a midi file. I believe the same tune is also used for "I love to go swimmin' with bowlegged [or "bare-naked"] women...."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,Laura Waddell
Date: 27 Dec 09 - 10:40 AM

My mother-in-law always recited the first verse
Today is the day they give babies away
With every package of tea.

At work one day my husband recited the verse and the Scottish gentleman that sat in front of him told him to finish it. My husband said he didn't know any more than that and his mother recited it when he was a kid and it always stuck in his mind. His mother was born in l901 and loved all types of poetry from the time she was a child.

The old Scott finished it like this...

If you know any ladies who would like to have babies,
please send them to me!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,Steve Lawrence
Date: 03 Jan 10 - 09:08 PM

Most of you folks have it correct with its regional variations.

Fred McMurray sings the first stanza to Claudette Colnert in the
opening scene of the movie the "Egg and I", a prelude to "Green Acres.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jan 10 - 10:27 AM

Fred MacMurray sings it this way

Today is the day they give babies away
With a half a pound of cheese,
Half a pound of cheese...
Half a pound of cheese...

Just open the lid, and out pops a kid
with a half a pound of cheese...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,agrisolia5gmail.com
Date: 25 Feb 10 - 08:24 AM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: and e
Date: 02 Apr 10 - 07:57 AM

Antedating of the phrase "This is the day they give babies away..." to Oct 18, 1904 in the google newspaper archive here:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19041018&id=ztcUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=trUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6873,3749932



.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: Young Buchan
Date: 02 Apr 10 - 10:32 AM

And there is always the old song Christening the Baby which concludes:
...The parson held his hand out and demanded £sd
But none of us had got a bob to pay the christening fee.
The parson he got angry and demanded half a quid.
He said 'Who is going to pay me now for all the work I did?'
So just to save an argument we let him keep the kid
And we all went rolling home.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: Bettynh
Date: 02 Apr 10 - 11:15 AM

You can listen to Rosalie Sorrels here

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: and e
Date: 02 Apr 10 - 05:09 PM

This song is found on the 1947 movie "The Egg and I". The tune used is "Blaze Away" the same tune used for "I love to go swimming with bowlegged women...".

See the video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kthh7-OqoYU

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Apr 10 - 02:11 AM

You can watch Rosalie Sorrels sing this song on YouTube here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW_TtYN9Cjw

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jan 11 - 02:54 PM

A Phi Delta Sigma fraternity version.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfkWh9Gm1L0


Can anyone give a name for the tune used?


.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,A Commerton
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 03:29 PM

As child in England I remember going to a musica hall performance where a man sang "Today is the day they give babies away with half a pound of tea, If you know any ladies who'd like to have babies just send them up to me." That's all I remember, but would like to know the rest.

Subject: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,islander
Date: 03 May 12 - 10:36 AM

My mother, age 95, just recalled this ditty

Today is the day we give babies away
with half a pound of cheese.

So I googled it and it's a nursery rhyme!
Ain't the internet grand!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Aug 12 - 11:33 AM

This is a fascinating thread! It appears that the original comment dates back 10 years ago and people are still discussing it. I found this conversation by googling "today is the day we give babies away".
I did that because I was thinking about my grandmother who used to sort of chant, not sing, the phrase. But it was always preceded by "It's a great day for the Irish". And then "Today is the day we give babies away with a pound and a half of tea". (as opposed to the half a pound of tea). She wasn't Irish but apparently her neighbor was (an Irish imigrant to New York city) who used to say this all the time in the 30's or 40's, and she just copied him.

It seems certainly possible that the phrase or poem or song dates back to some early time in Ireland, got transported to the U.S., was used by others to write songs or make jingles and so possibly originates as some traditional folklore- 1800's and now exists in many different forms? This is all just hypothesizing....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,Mukraken
Date: 13 Oct 12 - 02:37 PM

When I was a toddler, in the early 1950s, my mother used to sing this to me:

This is the day they give babies away
with a sample box of tea;
Open the lid and examine the kid
and see what you can see...

That's all I recall of the lyrics. Our ethnic background is Scot-Irish.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: GUEST,Tina
Date: 15 Dec 13 - 11:28 AM

My grade 10 science teacher used to say "today is the day we give babies away and a half a pound of tea" and sometimes he'd say "today is the day we give chickens away and a half a pound of tea"
But that's all I've ever heard of it & it's clearly stuck with me after all this time. This thread is very interesting!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: and e
Date: 25 Mar 25 - 08:26 AM

77. TODAY IS THE DAY

Today is the day we give babies away with a half a pound of tea
You open the lid and you pull out a kid with a ten year guarantee
If you know any ladies who want any babies just send them around to me
For today is the day we give babies away with a half a pound of tea.
I wish I were able to give out a cradle with every can of soup
Or maybe a bib or doll or a crib or a pill to cure the croup
But surely to goodness you haven't the rudeness to ask for more than that
With a package of the we give you free a handsome bouncing brat.

Come all you and your shopping here
This is the greatest bargain of the year
This is the chance you've been waiting for
Buying your kids at the grocery store
By the can, my good man, opportunity knocks at your door.
If you want a nice blue-eyed brunette
I must admit they're awfully hard to get
But I know a couple of babies who
Are just about twenty or twenty-two
They'd be glad, of a chance, just to meet with you.
You must come down and see my garden
Where the babies grow on trees
That's where their little bodies harden
In the warm day's sun and the evening's gentle breeze.
I'll let you pick yourself a sample
Take the nicest one you see,
And if you'd like to have it's Mother
Just buy another pound of tea.

[c1949]. Untitled Songbook [Blue-Ox ski club supplemental songbook]. Song #77


See here: https://www.horntip.com/html/books_&_MSS/1940s/1949ca_untitled_blue_ox_songbook_(mimeo)/1949ca_untitled_blue_ox_songbook_(found_with_blue_ox_song_book_and_has_blue_ox_symbol).pdf

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: today's the day we give babies away
From: and e
Date: 25 Mar 25 - 09:09 AM

Note the similarity of the above with Rosalie's "Baby Tree".