Songs about Wearing Red-or another color

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Azizi
Date: 30 Apr 06 - 09:42 PM

Interesting, I would have thought green to be the color of life.

See this quote from this website http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html :

"Green is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. Green has strong emotional correspondence with safety. Dark green is also commonly associated with money.

Green has great healing power. It is the most restful color for the human eye; it can improve vision. Green suggests stability and endurance. Sometimes green denotes lack of experience; for example, a 'greenhorn' is a novice. In heraldry, green indicates growth and hope. Green, as opposed to red, means safety; it is the color of free passage in road traffic.

Use green to indicate safety when advertising drugs and medical products. Green is directly related to nature, so you can use it to promote 'green' products. Dull, darker green is commonly associated with money, the financial world, banking, and Wall Street.

Dark green is associated with ambition, greed, and jealousy.
Yellow-green can indicate sickness, cowardice, discord, and jealousy.
Aqua is associated with emotional healing and protection.
Olive green is the traditional color of peace.

-snip-

Given the comments Dick quoted, I wonder if this meaning is correct only in USA culture.

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Apr 06 - 09:52 PM

Green, in Anglo-American culture, has long been associated, as Dick posts, with witches, death, and other sad & mysterious forces. A 'green gown' sometimes referred to 'grass stains'...which was a metaphor for you-know-what...Even today, a green race car is considered bad luck, and VERY few drivers will drive one.

Yes, there are some pleasant things about green also, but colors have several layers of meaning in superstition, and there are just some things that one does NOT want to be green.

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Azizi
Date: 30 Apr 06 - 10:05 PM

See this song found in Thomas W. Talley's "Negro Folk Songs" {Kennikat Press edition, 1968, pps. 118-119; originally published in 1922}:

I'LL WEAR ME A COTTON DRESS
Oh, will you wear red? Oh, will you wear red?
Oh, will you wear red, Milly Biggers?
"I won't wear red,
It's too much lak Missus' head.
I'll wear me a cotton dress,
Dyed wid copperse an' oak-bark".

Oh, will you wear blue? Oh, will you wear blue?
Oh, will you wear blue, Milly Biggers?
"I won't wear blue,
It's too much lak Missus' shoe.
I'll wear me a cotton dress,
Dyed wid copperse an' oak-bark".

You sholy would wear gray? You sholy would wear gray?
You sholy would wear gray, Milly Biggers?
"I won't wear gray,
It's too much lak Missus' way.
I'll wear me a cotton dress,
Dyed wid copperse an' oak-bark".

Well, will you wear white? Well, will you wear white?
Well, will you wear white, Milly Biggers?
"I won't wear white,
I'd get dirty long 'fore night.
I'll wear me a cotton dress,
Dyed wid copperse an' oak-bark".

Now, will you wear black? Now, will you wear black?
Now, will you wear black, Milly Biggers?

I mought wear black,
Case it's de color o' my back;
An' it looks lak my cotton dress,
Dyed wid copperse an' oak-bark".

****

Tally's note: "Copperse is copperas, or sulphate of iron".

-snip-

Although it's not mentioned as such in that book, this song certainly does appear to be a variant of the song "Jenny Jenkins" as given in earlier posts on this thread.

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Apr 06 - 10:08 PM

oh, it obviously is...a nice variant, tailored for a special group.

Fascinating.

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Azizi
Date: 30 Apr 06 - 10:12 PM

"A 'green gown' sometimes referred to 'grass stains'...which was a metaphor for you-know-what"

Sorry, but I don't know what. I guess you're referring to the woman having pre-marital sex as a result of "grazing in the grass" or otherwise...

As to green race cars being bad luck, maybe that's why there aren't many green cars outside the race track I mean. And I never thought of ghosts wearing clothes of any color at least I don't recall Caspar the friendly ghost and other ghosts from that tv show wearing any clothes :o}

Thanks, it's interesting learning new things.

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Azizi
Date: 30 Apr 06 - 10:19 PM

Here's a slightly different John Henry verse than the one Bert quoted earlier:

"John Henry had dat pretty liddle wife,
An' she went all dress up in red.
She walk ev'y day down de railroad track
To de place whar her steel-drivin' man fell dead."

[Tally, "Negro Folk Rhymes",p. 105]

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Azizi
Date: 30 Apr 06 - 10:51 PM

Okay, song collectors/historians, here's a challange for you:
besides being a form of butterfly, what's a long tail blue?

Well, it obviously was a fancy-dancy men's coat. But was it originally dyed blue? Or was the name a play on the fancy butterfly, meaning that the man who wears a long tail blue could also be considered dressed in the latest "fancy" fashion

See these two websites that mention long tail blue:

The first site Black Banjo Songsters of North Carolina and Virginia has a number of instrumental banjo songs, including one entitled "Long Tail Blue"

The second site http://www.historicamericana.com/past_sales_view_item.asp?itemid=12782 has a song sheet with a "wonderful woodcut of an African American [man] in livery-style dress". I'm guessing that the coat the man is wearing is a "long tail blue".

Maybe the song on the second site was sung with the same tune as the banjo song from the first site. And then again, maybe not.

Here's the first & second verses and the chorus of that song:

LONG TAIL BLUE
I've just drop'd in to see you all
and ax you how do you do?
I'll sing you a song,
It's not very long.
It's about my long tail blue.

CHORUS:
Just look at my long tail blue,
O' how do you like my blue;
I'll sing you a song,
It's not very long.
It's about my long tail blue.

Some n----rs have but one coat
But, I, you see got two.
I wears a jacket all the week
And a Sunday, my long tail blue.

****

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Azizi
Date: 30 Apr 06 - 10:52 PM

Here's another reference to 'long tail blue" from Talley's Negro Folk Songs" [p.102]

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Azizi
Date: 30 Apr 06 - 10:55 PM

Sorry, I'm not sure how that happened.

Here's that short song:

TO WIN A YELLOW GIRL

If you wants to win a yaller gal,
I tell you what you do;
You "borrow" Mosser's Beaver hat,
An' slip on his Long-tailed Blue

{Talley, "Negro Folk Rhymes", Kennikat Press edition, 1968, p. 102; originally published 1922}

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Azizi
Date: 30 Apr 06 - 11:10 PM

Tally includes the song "Raise A Rucus Tonight" in his 1922 book of "Negro Folk Rhymes"

The first verse of that song is:

Two liddle N----rs all dressed in white,
{Raise a Rucus tonight.}
Want to go to Heaben on de tail of a kite.
{Raise a Rucus tonight.}
De kite string broke; dem N----rs fell;
{Raise a Rucus tonight.}
Whar dem N----rs go, I hain't gwineter tell.
{Raise a Rucus tonight.}

-snip-

This song lives on in an African American profanity avoidance children's rhyme:

TEN LITTLE ANGELS
ten little angel all dressed in white
tryin to get to heaven on a tail of a kite
[but] the kite string broke and down they fell
instead of goin to heaven they went to

nine little angels all dressed in white
tryin to get to heaven on a tail of a kite
the kite string brok and down they fell
instead of goin to heaven they went to

[continue through to "one little angel".

In 2000 Pittsburgh, PA I heard some children shout "HELL" at the end of this rhyme. But usually, I've heard the rhyme end with "to bed".

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 30 Apr 06 - 11:12 PM

Greensleaves

Yes, Azizi -that beautiful tune - is about that.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

An acquaintance, (that was once my boss and hired me) a self-proclaimed JWP by insemination, took exquisite delight in the Christmas allusion, illusion, delution, to this tune becoming associated with the virgin Mary.

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Hrothgar
Date: 01 May 06 - 05:07 AM

Willie of Winsbury?

... And when he came the king before
He was clothed all in the red silk ...

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: GUEST,KateG (lost cookie?)
Date: 01 May 06 - 07:08 AM

Green cars bad luck? That's the first time I've heard that one. If I remember correctly, green was the official color of cars racing for Britian. There was even a special shade of dark green called "British Racing Green." All my c. 1955 Matchbox toy racing cars are dark green.

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 01 May 06 - 09:28 AM

Green, in US racing circles, was considered to be unlucky.

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 01 May 06 - 10:03 AM

I recall a book I had (and tried to follow) called Dress For Success, which tried to take a psychological/scientific approach to (mainly men's) wardrobe and the "tailoring" (pun! pun!) of wardrobe to the intended effect of clothing on observers. I remember a factual incident that was given about the power of clothing. As I recall, the example went like this:

A big bank in Detroit, Michigan decided that it would be good public relations to have their personnel in the banks dress uniformly, to prov ide a coherent corporate image. So they decided, since green is the main color of US money, that everyone would wear dark green blazers, and I think gray trousers/skirts. They did that.

Business plunged! The bank officials were dismayed and puzzled by this. They called in a consultant, who ran interviews and focus groups. Then he told the bank's board what his findings were. It seems that in that portion of Michigan, for reasons unknown, burglars were typically thought of as dressing in dark green. The bank got rid of the green blazers, and business slowly recovered.

Go figure!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Bill D
Date: 01 May 06 - 10:22 AM

Azizi ..*grin*...the way you GET green grass stains on your gown is by 'careless cavorting' (or possibly rape). Either way, as the song suggests, one's reputation suffered.

and here is a page about race car superstitions. Green is mostly an American thing.

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 01 May 06 - 10:36 AM

Alas, my love you have done me dirt,
You have sewn green sleeves on my yellow shirt.

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Bert
Date: 01 May 06 - 12:58 PM

Alice Blue Gown
Blue Jean Bop


And one we used to sing as kids.

Oh Grannie's red drawers
Oh Grannie's red drawers
There's a hole in the middle
so Grannie can piddle
Oh Grannie's red drawers

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Azizi
Date: 01 May 06 - 04:09 PM

"Miss Mary Mack" appears to be the most widely known children's handclap rhyme, at least among African Americans.

The first verse in the version I learned as a child in New Jersey and that I have heard in Pittsburgh, PA and surrounding areas is

Miss Mary Mack, Mack Mack
all dressed in black black black
with silver buttons buttons buttons [or "buckles"]
all down her back back back

-snip-

Thread drift:
I read somewhere that this is an English riddle for a "coffin".
Has anyone else read this?

I'm also curious about the connection if any of this handclap rhyme and the folk song {from Scottish culture?} "Mary Mac gonna marry me" [or some such title]

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Bert
Date: 01 May 06 - 08:37 PM

Here's one of mine

The Man in Black

   
A7   D                     G       D
When I was in my teens he sang his songs
                                        A7
'Teenage Queen' and 'Big River' rolling on
D                        G                  D
'Sing it Pretty Sue' you thought he sang for you
                         A7                  D
But the Man in Black he sang those songs for me.



His songs have followed me throughout my life
He sang '...tie that binds...'        when I first took a wife
When he sang 'Ring of Fire' I could feel the flames roar higher
The Man in Black he sang those songs for me.

I heard he made mistakes from time to time
but his singing helped me through when I made mine
Had to fight my whole life through and he sang 'A Boy Named Sue"
The Man in Black he sang that song for me.

He sang 'Give my love to Rose' and 'Cry, Cry, Cry'
and 'Goodbye Little Darlin' Goodbye'
I felt all the pain I was single once again
The Man in Black he sang those songs for me.

But now I've found a love thats true and fine
and I'm thinking '...while I've got it on my mind...'
and the 'Ring of Fire' again is bursting into flame
The Man in Black he sang those songs for me.

I know I've stolen pieces of his songs
but it seems to me that that's where they belong
They feel such a part of me, they're the part of me that's free
The Man in Black he sang those songs for me.

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Azizi
Date: 02 May 06 - 12:49 AM

Bert, I've been meaning to say that I really like the lyrics to your Man in Black song. I wish I knew how to read music so I could know how it sounds.

Thanks for posting it here.

Azizi

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Azizi
Date: 20 May 06 - 12:26 PM

Here's two more song lyrics that mention the color of clothing.

All of these excerpts are from Dorothy Scaborough's "On The Trail Of Negro Folk Songs" {Folklore Associates edition, 1963; originally published by Jarvard University Press, 1925}

DAR WAS A GAL IN OUR TOWN {excerpt}
"I hab a sweetheart in dis town,
She wears a yallaw, striped gown.
And when she walks de streets around,
De hollow of her foot make a hole in de ground

[1st chorus listed for this verse]:

Children, don't get weary,
Children, don't get weary,
Children, don't get weary,
Love come a-trinkin' down
{p. 110}

[2nd chorus listed for that verse in which the color is spelled
"yellow"]

Oh, clare de kitchen, old folks, young folks,
Clare de kitchen, old folks, young folks,
Old Virginny never tire.
{pps. 110-111}

****

THIS LADY SHE WEARS A DARK-GREEN SHAWL
This lady she wears a dark-green shawl,
A dark-green shwal, a dark-gree shawl.
This lady she wears a dark-green shawl,
I love her to my heart!

Now choose for your lover, honey, my love,
Honey, my love! Honey, my love!
Now choose for your lover, honey, my love,
I love her to my heart!

Now dance with your lover, honey, my love,
Honey, my love! Honey, my love!
Throw your arms round your lover, honey, my love,
I love her to my heart!

Farewell to your lover, honey, my love!
Honey, my love! Honey, my love!
Farewell to your lover, honey, my love!
I love her to my heart!
{pps. 142-143}

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Azizi
Date: 20 May 06 - 12:37 PM

Although "golden slippers" may not be strictly speaking an article of clothing, I believe that James A. Bland's the last verse presented below mentions wearing white gloves...so there ya go!

OH DEM GOLDEN SLIPPERS {James A. Bland}

Oh, my golden slippers am laid away
'Cause I don't spect to wear 'em til my wedding day
And my long tailed coat, that I love so well
I will wear up in the chariot in the morn.
And my long white robe that I bought last June
I'm goin' to get changed 'cause it fits too soon
And the old grey hoss that I used to drive
I will hitch him to the chariot in the morn.

Oh, dem golden slippers
Oh, dem golden slippers
Golden slippers I'se goin' to wear
Because they look so neat.
Oh, dem golden slippers
Oh, dem golden slippers
Golden slippers I'se goin' to wear
To walk the golden street.

Oh, my old banjo hangs on the wall
'Cause it ain't been tuned since way last fall
But the darks all say we'll have a good time
When we ride up in the chariot in the morn.
There's ol' brother Ben and his sister, Luce
They will telegraph the news to uncle Bacco Juice
What a great camp meetin' there will be that day
When we ride up in the chariot in the morn.

So, it's good-bye, children I will have to go
Where the rain don't fall and the wind don't blow
And yer ulster coats, why, you will not need
When you ride up in the chariot in the morn.
But yer golden slippers must be nice and clean
And yer age must be just sweet sixteen
And yer white kid gloves you will have to wear
When you ride up in the chariot in the morn.

-snip-
Lyrics from: http://freepages.music.rootsweb.com/~edgmon/stgoldenslippers.htm

Warning: a loud instrumental sound clip of this song plays when you click on that site; My ears may never be the same again

;o)

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: Azizi
Date: 03 Jun 06 - 12:37 PM

Though only the last verse mentions wearing red, here's the complete lyrics to "Casey Jones" as found in Dorothy Scarborough's 1925 book "On The Trail Of Negro Folk Songs" :

CASEY JONES
Casey Jones was engineer;
Told his fireman not to fear,
All he wanted was boiler hot;
Run in Canton 'bout four o'clock.

One Sunday mornin' it was drizzlin' rain;
Looked down de road an' saw a train,
Foreman says, "Let's make a jump;
Two locomotives an' dey bound to bump."

Casey Jones, I know him well,
Tol' de fireman to ring de bell,
Fireman jump an' say "Goodbye,
Casey Jones, you're bound to die,"

Went down to de depot track,
Begging my honey to take me back;
She turn round some two or three times-
"Take you back when you learn to grind."

Womens in Kansas all dressed in red,
Got de news dat Casey was dead.
Womens in Kansas all dressed in black,
Said,in fact, he was a crackerjack.

[p. 250; Folklore Associates Edition; 1963]

Subject: RE: Wearing Red-or another color
From: freightdawg
Date: 03 Jun 06 - 01:11 PM

Did I miss it or has no one else thought of Johnny Cash and his "Man in Black?" It's the classic wardrobe as a statement song and still very appropriate today.

(and my apologies if someone above has mentioned it, I did a quick scan but it may have slipped past me.)

Freightdawg

Subject: RE: Songs about Wearing Red-or another color
From: old salty
Date: 05 Jun 06 - 05:23 AM

sarah grey sings"down the road"
       who's been here since i've been gone
       pretty little girl with the red dress on

   i've worn "red,red wine" does that count?

Subject: RE: Songs about Wearing Red-or another color
From: pavane
Date: 05 Jun 06 - 05:53 AM

What about soldiers?

'Hurrah for the Scarlet & the Blue' for one example.

Nic Jones recorded a song which he presumably had from a broadside (Examples can be seen in the Bodleian collection).

In this he refers to soldiers by

'I know that you're fond of Lobsters, both raw & boiled as well'

(He called it 'Sally don't you weep for me' but the song title in the broadsides is 'Unfortunate Sally'.)

Subject: RE: Songs about Wearing Red-or another color
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Jun 06 - 07:52 AM

West of Ireland version of the elopement ballad Katherine Jaffray (Child 221) know as The Green Wedding.
Children's version of The Cruel Mother (Child 20) sometimes known as Lady Dressed In Green (or Mrs Green).
Green an unlucky colour associated with fairy lore
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Songs about Wearing Red-or another color
From: Scoville
Date: 05 Jun 06 - 12:56 PM

The ladies' version goes:

"When you come a-courting me, put on your navy blue,
That long-tailed roustabout you wear don't do a thing for you."

We used to sing:

"Who's been here since I been gone?
Pretty little gal with a red dress on,
She took it off and I put it on,
Here comes Sally with her big boots on."

Which makes absolutely no sense at all but sounds like fun when you rip through it on the fiddle at 65 mph. Our singer, when we ever sang, was a guy--who doesn't like a little transvestitism with their old-time music?

And of course, there's "Long Black Veil" and "Faded Coat of Blue".

Subject: RE: Songs about Wearing Red-or another color
From: GUEST,Joe_F
Date: 05 Jun 06 - 09:32 PM

Said my Nellie, dressed in blue, "Your trifling days are thru. Now I know that you'll be true -- God damn your eyes". -- "Sam Hall"

She put not on her robes of black, Nor yet her robes of brown, But she put on her robes of white To ride into Glasgow town. -- "Mary Hamilton"

Do the white sox that go with rednecks & Blue Ribbon Beer count? And if so, what about brown boots? I ask you.

--- Joe Fineman    [e-mail]

||: Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do. :||

Subject: RE: Songs about Wearing Red-or another color
From: Barry Finn
Date: 06 Jun 06 - 12:52 AM

On no man's land we'll dance around
Go down you blood red roses, go down
And drive the roses underground
Go down you blood red roses go down
Oh you pinks & poises
Go down you bloood red roses go down

Barry

Subject: RE: Songs about Wearing Red-or another color
From: rich-joy
Date: 27 Aug 09 - 06:06 AM

I have almost finished the whole of Bernard Cornwell's SHARPE series (= a cracking good read .... well, as long as you don't dwell upon the astounding loss of life in the - Peninsula and other - wars). ANYWAY, I was previously unaware of the large variety in coloured uniforms and parts of uniforms, for both soldiers and officers, used to denote different ranks and regiments etc.


re the posts above about the colour Green, I was reminded of many years ago when living on a boat in the English West Country. We wanted to paint it a sort of "British Racing Green". However, were given to understand by some of the locals that we would be no longer welcome, as that was the colour of French man-o'-war vessels. We ended up with bright yellow, but that was only slightly more popular. LOL!!!

Cheers,
R-J
Down Under

Subject: RE: Songs about Wearing Red-or another color
From: Azizi
Date: 27 Aug 09 - 06:55 AM

Thanks rich-joy for refreshing this thread. I had forgotten all about it.

At least as far as this thread goes, comments about songs about color are an interesting read-from a folkloric standpoint.

Best wishes!

Azizi

Subject: RE: Songs about Wearing Red-or another color
From: cetmst
Date: 27 Aug 09 - 07:33 AM

Red Dancing Shoes by Peter Ostroushko - see previous thread in Forum

Subject: RE: Songs about Wearing Red-or another color
From: giles earle
Date: 27 Aug 09 - 03:21 PM

Not sure this counts, as I only know it as an art-song not folk! However:

THE COLOUR – song by Robin Milford (Op. 48 no. 2) to a poem by Thomas Hardy, which I gather he based on a traditional rhyme.

"What shall I bring you?
Please will white do
Best for your wearing
The long day through?"
"--White is for weddings,
Weddings, weddings,
White is for weddings,
And that won't do."

"What shall I bring you?
Please will red do
Best for your wearing
The long day through?"
" --Red is for soldiers,
Soldiers, soldiers,
Red is for soldiers,
And that won't do."

"What shall I bring you?
Please will blue do
Best for your wearing
The long day through?"
"--Blue is for sailors,
Sailors, sailors,
Blue is for sailors,
And that won't do.

"What shall I bring you?
Please will green do
Best for your wearing
The long day through?"
"--Green is for mayings,
Mayings, mayings,
Green is for mayings,
And that won't do."

"What shall I bring you
Then? Will black do
Best for your wearing
The long day through?"
"--Black is for mourning,
Mourning, mourning,
Black is for mourning,
And black will do."

Subject: RE: Songs about Wearing Red-or another color
From: Joe_F
Date: 27 Aug 09 - 05:59 PM

It was not only Ella Speed whose death was mourned (or celebrated?) by re-ragging in red. Brady was likewise honored after Duncan shot a hole in his chest.