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Lyr Add: I Saw Esau |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Saw Esau From: GUEST,Bob Buehler Date: 27 Apr 13 - 04:34 PM Her is how I remember it from the schoolyard, long about 1956 or 7: I saw Esau sitting on a see-saw, I saw Esau with my girl, I saw Esau sitting on a see-saw, Giving her a merry whirl. I saw Esau, he saw me I got red as an apple tree I got a saw and sawed that Esau Off that old see-saw! I've been looking around the net and can't find any reference that matches this memory. We lived in western Massachusetts at the time, in the Berkshires. |
Subject: RE: ADD: I Saw Esau From: Jack Campin Date: 05 Oct 07 - 12:50 PM Here's the tune as I remember it.
No upbeats, and the words a bit simpler than the version Joe posted, something like I saw Esau sitting on a see-saw I saw Esau with my girl I saw Esau sitting on a see-saw Giving her a merry whirl I saw Esau, he saw me I saw red and got so sore I took a saw and I sawed Esau Off that old see-saw! |
Subject: RE: ADD: I Saw Esau From: Sean Belt Date: 05 Oct 07 - 11:51 AM The tune is the same as "Golden Slippers". Or at least, that's how I've always heard it. |
Subject: RE: ADD: I Saw Esau From: Stilly River Sage Date: 05 Oct 07 - 10:15 AM There is a book with a lot of old children's rhymes, illustrated by Maurice Sendak. It came out in the early 1990s I think. I Saw Esau is the title. I have a copy around here, I'll look for it. SRS |
Subject: RE: ADD: I Saw Esau From: Brian Hoskin Date: 05 Oct 07 - 07:34 AM The tune used by Turkey Rhubarb in the link Jim gives above sounds (to my ear) as if it is related (but not identical) to 'One Man Went to Mow' |
Subject: Lyr Add: I SAW ESAU From: Jim Dixon Date: 05 Oct 07 - 07:11 AM The children's band Turkey Rhubarb has a page at CD Baby where you can hear a 2-minute sound sample of them singing it. It corresponds to what I remember my mother singing to me as a kid. I have some doubts about the line "And I saw red and got so sore" though. It seems to me it ought to rhyme with "me" in the previous line. Other than that, I have no idea what the line should be. I also listened to a sound sample of the Ames Brothers' version. Same tune, which they sing as a chorus along with verses. So which came first? Did Cy Coben take a traditional children's song and write verses to go with it? Or did he write the whole thing, and the chorus subsequently become folklore? Lyrics copied from http://www.top40db.net/Lyrics/?SongID=56511 I SAW ESAU Written by Cy Coben Recorded by The Ames Brothers CHORUS: I saw Esau sitting on a see-saw. I saw Esau with my girl. I saw Esau sitting on a see-saw, Giving her a merry whirl. When I saw Esau, he saw me, And I saw red and got so sore, So I got a saw and I sawed Esau Off that old see-saw. I was strolling in the park. I was as happy as a little lark. Then I got a big surprise. Right before my eyes-- CHORUS My girl started in to laugh When I sawed that see-saw right in half. Then I knew she was really mine Ever since the time-- CHORUS I go strolling in the park, Always happy as a little lark, And from my girl, he stays away Every since the day-- CHORUS Off that old see-saw. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM5zHEZOruY |
Subject: RE: ADD: I Saw Esau From: GUEST,Young Buchan Date: 05 Oct 07 - 05:31 AM As a child, one of my father's limited repertoir of jokes was "I saw Esau sitting on a seesaw - how many esses in that?" The answer of course being not 5 but 0 since there is no s in the word 'that'. |
Subject: RE: ADD: I Saw Esau From: Mr Red Date: 05 Oct 07 - 02:47 AM I dunno why but there is a tune that makes a connection with this rhyme. My mother and siblings lived in Braddock, Allegenny County for a few years as kids (WWI ish) and they used to refer to this rhyme. Maybe they sang it. The whole rhyme is longer than the bit I recall. The tune is vague in my memory but doesn't feel like a polka. |
Subject: ADD: I Saw Esau From: Joe Offer Date: 05 Oct 07 - 12:03 AM I had posted this in a thread titled What Is the Title of This Song? but then I figured it might get lost there - so I moved my message here. For the record, here are the lyrics from A Prairie Home Companion Folk Song Book: I Saw Esau I saw Esau sitting on a see-saw I saw Esau with my girl I saw Esau sitting on a see-saw Giving her a merry whirl When I saw Esau, he saw me And I saw red and got so sore So I took a saw and I sawed Esau Off that old see-saw, hey! So I took a saw and I sawed Esau Off that old see-saw. Haven't found a source for the tune yet. -Joe- Apparently, "Esau" is an old song, mentioned in the works of Laura Ingalls Wilder:
The American Memory Collection has piano sheet music for E. Mack's Country Cousin (I Saw Esau Kissing Kate). Is it the same song? I dunno. I think I remember it as part of a polka, and from the Ames Brothers recording. |
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