Subject: RE: SING OUT Volume 33 - Hi Roger Rum
From:
Joe Offer
Date: 15 Apr 11 - 03:51 PM
Is there a version of this song that is specific to the Spanish Civil War, or was it just a song they liked to sing?
-Joe-
(thread title changed to fit the drift of the discussion)
From Sing Out!, Vol. 33, No. 3 (Spring 1988), page 128:
Cotati, CA
Thank you for the song ‘Hi-Ho-Jerum’ in the fall, 1987, issue of your magazine. You might like to know that it was one of our marching songs when I was with the International Brigades during the war in Spain, 1936-39. Some of our lyrics were different -- notably the third stanza: The Poor man asked for a piece of bread and chees-i-um;
Glory Hallelujah, etc.
The Rich man said, “Scram or i’ll call the police-i-um.’
Glory Hallelujah, etc. This makes the Rich Man more of a mamser[sic], not just a passive possessor of great wealth. And our concluding stanza was: Now the moral of this story is that money is a joke-i-um
Glory, etc.
We'll all go to Heaven 'cause we're all stony broke-i-um.
Glory, etc. The song is based on the story of Dives and Lazarus, Luke 16: 19-31, as I’ve been delighted to point out for people who thought the song was a bit anti-religious.
Sometimes the chorus was rendered: ‘Hi, Hold yer rum, which makes sense.
It’s a little late, but I want to thank Pete for attending and contributing to our Veterans’ dinner in Hayward a year ago. My son videotaped most of the program; so we can relive the precious moment. I was intrigued by Pete’s mention of Alan Seeger. I believe he said Alan was his uncle. I would be grateful if Pete would write a brief bio of Alan (in Sing Out! maybe), more than the bare bones found in most encyclopedias.
Salud y hasta pronto,
Barney Baley
Cabo,
MacKenzie-Papinau Battalion,
XV Brigade
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sj
