Lyr Req: Yellow Banjo / Old Banjo / Banjo Song

Subject: Lyr Add: BANJO SONG
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 16 Feb 10 - 10:50 AM

Found at Becky's (Dragon's) Guiding Resource Centre:

BANJO SONG

I Used to hAve an Old banjO, that rEsted On my kneE.
But nOw the stRings are brOken doWn, it's nO more uSe to mE.
I toOk it tO the meNder shOp, to seE what hE could dO.
He saiD the striNgs are brOken doWn. It's nO more uSe to yoU.

The second time you sing it, to put a "llll" sound at every capitalized letter. You can also try adding multiple "llll's" or singing the song faster and faster each time.

While the above verse is the original song, I have recently come across a second version. Thanks to Megan Burns for sharing this with me!

I used to play on my banjo, but my banjo was broke.
I took it to a banjo shop, but the banjo shop was closed.
So I took it to another shop to see what they could do.
They fixed the strings on my banjo, and now they're good as new.

* * *

Another copy, from Girl Guides of Canada, Oshawa Division, Guiding Gateway:

BANJO SONG

(The key to this song is to sound like a banjo by altering the words..
I u-dooloo-sed to ha- delave an o-delo banjo-delo...)

I used to have an old banjo, that rested on my knee.
But now the strings are broken down, it's no more use to me.

I took it to the menders shop, to see what he could do.
He said the strings are broken down, it's no more use to you.


[In my experience, once a song gets established as a "scout song" or "campfire song" any traces of its previous existence are lost! (Though there are a few exceptions.)--JD]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Yellow Banjo
From: Flash Company
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 09:30 AM

Can't help with origins, but heard this from a girl I worked with in North Manchester. Led to a wonderful exchange with our head of department at the time:-

Sarah, will you stop singing that stupid song!
It's lovely, my little nephew loves me to sing him to sleep with it!
I'd go to sleep if I thought it would make you shut up.

FC

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Yellow Banjo
From: Mr Happy
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 09:01 AM

Apart from that unhelpful response, has anyone else any info, please?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Yellow Banjo
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 02:24 PM

Noo-ooo-ooo-ooo-oh!

Charley Noble

Subject: Lyr Req: Yellow Banjo
From: Mr Happy
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 05:11 AM

At a musical soiree last night in honour of a friend's birthday, I was asked if I knew a song called something like 'Yellow Banjo'

Well after they sang some half remembered snippets, it sounded really good.

They sang this:

I ululused to playlaylay my yellellow banjololo
And pululut it ololon my knee-alee-alee-aleee
But nololow the strililings have brololoken dowlowlown
Its nololo more ululused to me-alee-alee-aleee

I tooloolook it toolooloo the melelenders shololop
To see-alee what he-alee could do-aloo-aloo-aloo
He seleled the strililings are brololoken dowlowlown
Its nololo more ululused to you-aloo-aloo-aloo

And nowlowlow its sililits upololon the shelelelf
Abololove the kililitchen door-alor-alor-alor

*********

The looloo, alee-alee etc bits sounded a little like yodelling!

Does anyone know the rest of the words & origins, please?