Forgotten Song- income kitty come ky me oh

Subject: Forgotten Song
From: beeliner
Date: 10 Jul 10 - 03:49 PM

Fifty years ago, when I was in college, I always listened to "The Midnight Special" on WFMT in Chicago on Saturday night.

The show is still going strong and also now syndicated.

One song they used to play frequently always captivated me, but I've forgotten the lyrics and who performed it. I have no doubt that someone here can help.

It was sung by a chorus, acapella, in a minor key, and I seem to remember that it involved ghosts or some sort of supernatural goings-on.

Each line ended with nonsense syllables which sounded something like "Come income kitty come ky me oh" and the chorus ended "Fa fa fa fa filly illy income, income kitty come ky me oh".

Can anyone identify the song and who might have recorded it?

It was definitely not the Chubby Parker variation of "Frog Went a Courtin'", which contains similar lyrics.

Subject: RE: Forgotten Song- income kitty come ky me oh
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Jul 10 - 04:13 PM

So, no frog involvement on this one at all?
Any "up jumped John, ringing on his bell"??? Probably not - that's "Daddy Fox."

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Forgotten Song- income kitty come ky me oh
From: kendall
Date: 10 Jul 10 - 04:32 PM

I've heard this recently. Did Kathy Barton and Dave Para record this?

Subject: RE: Forgotten Song- income kitty come ky me oh
From: kendall
Date: 10 Jul 10 - 04:53 PM

Maybe it was Cilla Fisher and Artie Tresize.

Subject: RE: Forgotten Song- income kitty come ky me oh
From: GUEST,Kees
Date: 10 Jul 10 - 04:57 PM

I think the song you mean is called "A Kangaroo". If I'm right I have a recording of this song by "The McCalmans".

Kees

==

A Kangaroo

A kangaroo sat on an oak,
To me income kiddy come kaimi o,
Watching a tailor mending his coat,
To me income kiddy come kaimi o,
Kaime niro kiddy come kiro, kaime niro kaimo,
Mamamama tilly illy income, income kiddy come kaimeo.

Go bring me my arrow and my bow,
That I may shoot that kangaroo.

Well the tailor shot but he missed his mark,
Shot his old sow through the heart.

Bring me some melasses on a spoon,
That I may heal the old sow's wounds.

Well if he's dead we'll drag him to the house,
And than we'll feed him chittles and sauce.

Well now the old sow's dead and gone,
The little ones still go waddling on.

Subject: RE: Forgotten Song- income kitty come ky me oh
From: Dan Schatz
Date: 10 Jul 10 - 05:19 PM

This is on the Golden Ring Five Days Singing collection, I believe. Call Folk Legacy Records and Caroline Paton can help you.

Dan

Subject: RE: Forgotten Song- income kitty come ky me oh
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Jul 10 - 05:23 PM

"A Kangaroo" is on a McCalmans CD titled No Strings Attached. It's called "The Kangaroo" on the Golden Ring Five Days Singing CD set (thanks, Dan), and A Kangaroo Sat on an Oak in the Digital Tradition.
Beeliner, I think that's the melody and song format you're seeking - check out the link.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Forgotten Song- income kitty come ky me oh
From: GUEST,LDB
Date: 10 Jul 10 - 05:30 PM

I think the one you want is "Sing Song Kitty" which is an old timer from way back.
Doc Watson plays it here:

http://www.last.fm/music/Doc+Watson/Songs+for+Little+Pickers

My dad sang and played it when I was a kid, 70+ years ago!!!

Subject: RE: Forgotten Song- income kitty come ky me oh
From: beeliner
Date: 10 Jul 10 - 05:56 PM

I previewed the Doc Watson track and it's obviously derived from Parker's classic, uptempo and humorous, the song I remember was in a minor key and quite somber.

I have the original 'Golden Ring' LP; in fact, when asked to perform on the autoharp (which is rarely) I usually do "The Blind Man's Song", which I learned from that album.

But I haven't heard the CD set. It's possible that the Urbana, Illinois public library might have it - they have LOTS of folk CDs. I'll check the next time I visit our twin city.

The nonsense chorus that Kees posted is right on, I just don't remember the song being about a kangaroo, but hey, it was a long time ago.

Subject: RE: Forgotten Song- income kitty come ky me oh
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 10 Jul 10 - 06:43 PM

Could be the original minstrel song you're after which is called 'Keemo Kimo'. I'd say it's a pretty good bet this is the source of the Froggy went a courting variants that use those refrains and chorus as well as other songs like the above-posted variant of 'The Carrion Crow'. I'd be surprised if 'Keemo Kimo' isn't in the DT somewhere. I can post it if it isn't.

Subject: RE: Forgotten Song- income kitty come ky me oh
From: GUEST,Charles Biada
Date: 10 Jul 10 - 06:55 PM

Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger recorded "The Carrion Crow" with that chorus on their 1961 album TWO WAY TRIP. It's available on Smithsonian Folkways.

Subject: RE: Forgotten Song- income kitty come ky me oh
From: beeliner
Date: 10 Jul 10 - 07:03 PM

"The Carrion Crow" it is - no doubt. Thanks, everyone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJG1zGeOSgs

Subject: RE: Forgotten Song- income kitty come ky me oh
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 11 Jul 10 - 01:13 AM

Carrion Crow....Kangaroo. A good example of the folk process.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Forgotten Song- income kitty come ky me oh
From: beeliner
Date: 11 Jul 10 - 01:55 AM

Right you are, Bev and Jerry, and by the way, I LOVE your ice cream!

Subject: RE: Forgotten Song- income kitty come ky me oh
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 22 - 01:50 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y_Uw4DCkOQ around the 8 min mark

Subject: RE: Forgotten Song- income kitty come ky me oh
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 23 Oct 22 - 02:24 PM

Re my opinion of 10 July 2010. Couldn't be more wrong. I'm just finishing an article on the history and evolution of this chorus, tracing it back to c1650. 'Froggy' was already using this chorus and format by c1750 and Keemo Kimo variants didn't start till 1854. They had one line from the 'Froggy' variants but the rest of the text was pure minstrel nonsense.

The article will appear on the Musical Traditions website as soon as I can get it typed up (Dungbeetle).

I would say the OP's query on that variant of the chorus is most likely derived from an oral version of the minstrel song Keemo Kimo.

The McCalmans' song is an interesting hybrid. Any other versions of 'Carrion Crow' that use this chorus/format would be useful, particularly from oral tradition. Otherwise it could be the McCalmans who created the hybrid.