Leaning against the lake?

Subject: Leaning against the lake?
From: GUEST,Ahulani
Date: 12 May 09 - 02:37 AM

I learned this song when I was little in the '40's, though I am sure it is older than that. I don't know if they are two separate songs, they seem so unrelated but I was taught them together. The first part I have been able to find a bit about, but can find no reference to the second part which was sung with great drama and a long drawn out last words on the last two lines. I remember being just stunned with the ridiculousness and at the age of 3 or 4, it was one of the first jokes I learned. It still seems unfathomable!

Oh there was a little man
and he had a little can
and he went to rush the growler.
He went to a saloon
On a Sunday afternoon
And you outta hear the old man holler:
"No booze today. No booze today"
Come around again on Monday.

She was the only girl I loved,
Had a face like a horse and buggy
I left her leaning against the lake,
Oh Fireman, save my child!

Subject: RE: Leaning against the lake?
From: Peace
Date: 12 May 09 - 02:41 AM

You may wish to read this thread.

Subject: RE: Leaning against the lake?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 12 May 09 - 11:47 AM

I know this one! I had it as "rush the growler" in that first verse. Also ought to hear the bartender holler.

And the next verse is:

The chambermaid come through the door, get up you lazy sinner,
We need them sheets for the tablecloth and it's almost time for dinner!

No more booze, no more booze, no more booze on Sunday
No more booze, no more booze, gotta get your can filled Monday.

She's the only girl I loved... adn you have to draw out the word "horse" long enough for people to hear "her face like a whore.." before the "s and buggy" comes along.

We had this by Ed McCurdy on some record or other. I found it hysterical too, as a small child. So glad I knew the answer to something!

The can has to do with getting booze.

"Rush the growler" had to do with getting around Prohibition, or the cops, or something.

The reason for the song was the blue laws where you couldn't get alcohol on the Sabbath any more.

Subject: RE: Leaning against the lake?
From: Don Firth
Date: 12 May 09 - 12:41 PM

"Rush the growler." A growler was a can or small bucket, usually with a lid. To "rush the growler" meant to take the bucket to a saloon and get it filled with beer. These days, we go to a convenience store and buy a six-pack.

The Urban Dictionary web site gives this explanation:

rush the growler
To go get beer or other alcohol. Used chiefly in the coal region of northeast Pennsylvania. Derived from old coal mining days, when the miners would take a growler (a type of metal bucket) and put their lunch in it, and put their coffee in the bottom in a separate compartment. This was supposedly to keep the meal warm, but it probably didn't work too well. On the way home from work, the miner would "rush the growler" over to the local watering hole and fill it up with cans or bottles of beer to bring home. Hence, rush the growler.

I'm not sure about that "fill it up with cans or bottles. . . ."   I had always heard that the bartender just filled your can with beer and put the lid back on. Draft, not pre-bottled or canned.

I believe that Ed McCurdy recorded the song on his "Blood, Booze, and Bones." Or was it "Sin Songs, Pro and Con"?

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Leaning against the lake?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 12 May 09 - 02:59 PM

Blood Booze & Bones. Thanks, Don, I couldn't remember the name of the album.

Subject: RE: Leaning against the lake?
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 12 May 09 - 03:58 PM

Art Thieme also has this on his CD "Chicago Town and Points West"

Best wishes,

Peter

Subject: RE: Leaning against the lake?
From: Art Thieme
Date: 12 May 09 - 09:49 PM

You are correct. Thanks for the mention.

From www.folklegacy.com

Art

Subject: RE: Leaning against the lake?
From: GUEST,Karla Weeks
Date: 08 Feb 11 - 10:16 AM

My Dad sang "No booze today! No booze today! You can't get a jag on Sunday; No booze today! No booze today! Better come back on Monday." And after "Fireman save my child" came "But the child was too big for the fireman!" whereupon he would break into the refrain from "Jingle Bells."

Subject: RE: Leaning against the lake?
From: GUEST,Black Grace Roberts
Date: 28 Jul 11 - 01:03 AM

This is the song as I learned it in the early 1970's:

Oh there was a little man
And he had a little can
And he went to rush the growler
He went to the saloon
On a sunday afternoon
And he heard the barkeep holler
No booze today
No booze today
You can't buy booze on Sunday

No booze today, no booze today
You'll have to wait 'till Monday

Now the sweetest little girl I know
Has a face like a hourse and buggy
Leaning up against the lake
Oh, fireman save my child

Peaking through a knothole
in Daddy's wooden leg
Who will fry the bacon
When I'm gone, gone
gone gone gone
Go get the axe
There's a fly on baby's head
Were moving sister's grave
To build a silo.

Subject: RE: Leaning against the lake?
From: Gurney
Date: 28 Jul 11 - 07:25 PM

I've been looking for a lake that I could lean against ever since I was given water-skis!

Subject: RE: Leaning against the lake?
From: keberoxu
Date: 26 Nov 16 - 12:37 PM

Sorry to wake you all up. But I tried and failed to link to this thread with a blue clicky. So I'll have to refresh the thread this way, on behalf of the "Give Us Your Bad Poems" posters.

Subject: RE: Leaning against the lake?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 26 Nov 16 - 12:54 PM

But back to the question, what is leaning up against the lake about?

Subject: RE: Leaning against the lake?
From: GUEST,Ebor Fiddler
Date: 26 Nov 16 - 07:24 PM

Pure unadulterated enjoyable nonsense Sir (or Madam).

Subject: RE: Leaning against the lake?
From: GUEST,billoc
Date: 26 Nov 16 - 08:07 PM

Is there a melody that we would recognize linked to the song?

Subject: RE: Leaning against the lake?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 26 Nov 16 - 08:11 PM

Here is Ed McCurdy's version.

Subject: RE: Leaning against the lake?
From: GUEST,billoc
Date: 27 Nov 16 - 09:20 PM

Thank you, Mrrzy.   I am always amazed that people in this group are able to provide such information. I appreciate it!

Subject: RE: Leaning against the lake?
From: GUEST,Ebor Fiddler
Date: 28 Nov 16 - 08:35 AM

Carl Sandburg had it in his "American Songbag", collected in the 1920's. Words and tune. This is from memory, so the title may show up differently in real life!

Subject: RE: Leaning against the lake?
From: leeneia
Date: 28 Nov 16 - 11:56 AM

Thanks for the link, Mrrzy.

I listened to "O, fireman, save my child!" and asked myself where I'd heard those notes before. Then it came to me. It is the same as "O, hard times, come again no more." by Stephen Foster.