Lyr Add: Judy Drownded

Subject: Lyr Add: Judy Drownded
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Jun 11 - 09:10 PM

Lyr. Add: Judy Drownded
Folk, Jamaica

Judy drownded, Judy drownded,
Whai oh!
Judy drownded, Judy drownded, Judy drownded
Whai oh!
Judy drownded.

Judy no drownded, Judy een-a bed.
Ev'rybody bawl out, 'Judy drownded!'

Judy no drownded, Judy deh pon dyin'.
Ev'rybody bawl out, 'Judy drownded!'

Look unda bed, yuh see two coco deh
Hear weh de long-mout Mada Gordon sey:

'Ross' one, lef' one till a mawnin'

Posen me roas' i' an' de Dude no come?
Roas' one, lef' one till a mawnin'.

Judy drownded, Judy drownded,
Whai oh! Judy drownded.

Judy no dead, but Judy drownded.
Whai oh! Judy drownded.

Posen de ribber wen fe come dung bank to bank
Ev'ry bawl out, 'Judy drownded!'

Judy drownded, Judy drownded,
Whai oh! Judy drownded.

Similar to version sung by Edric Connor.

""Judy Drownded" originated in St. Mary. A young girl, Judy, who was washing clothed in the river, was carried downstream by the swift current. Onlookers who were also washing clothes, loudly cried out: "Judy drownded!" However, everyone discovers, she was rescued. The 5th, 6th and 7th verses allude to a conversation between Judy and her mother."

From the collection Folk Songs of Jamaica, edited and arranged by Tom Morris, 1952, Oxford University Press. Used by permission in Jim Morse, coll., 1958, Folk Songs of the Caribbean, Bantam Books.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Judy Drownded
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 07 Jun 11 - 09:14 PM

So is this song based on a true story?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Judy Drownded
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Jun 11 - 09:27 PM

Lyr. Add: Mattie No Drownded
Frats Quintet

Chorus: (After each line)
Everybody bawl out Mattie drownded

Suppose de river should come in bank-to-bank,
Mattie no drownded, Mattie under bed (twice)
Everywhere we search, Sister Mattie can't be found. (twice)
Mattie no drownded, Mattie under bed (twice)
Diver go down Sister Mattie can't be found,
Water policeman search, still Mattie can't be found
Mattie no drownded Mattie under bed (twice)
Everybody search Sister Mattie can't be found (twice)
Mattie no drownded Mattie under bed (twice)
Look under bed y'u see two cocoe* deh
Roast one, lef' one till a mo'nin'.
*local vegetable.

Insert with lp, Jamaican Folk Songs, Frats Quintet of Jamaica, edited by Edward Seaga. 1955 lp.
Prited by The Gleaner Co. Ltd., Kingston, Jamaica, 1949 - 3/58

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Judy Drownded
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Jun 11 - 09:29 PM

True story? Dunno. I'll leave that for you to find out in your graduate studies.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Judy Drownded (Irving Burgie)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Jun 11 - 10:19 PM

Lyr. Add: Judy Drownded
Irving Burgie/Harry Belafonte

1
Judy's momma sent her to market,
Ev'ry body bawl out Judy drownded
Told her not to linger so she won't forget
Ev'ry body bawl out Judy drownded.

Chorus-
Judy drownded, Judy drownded
Wa'yo Judy drownded
Judy drownded, Judy drownded
Wa'yo Judy drownded.

2
Judy took the short cut 'cross the water
Ev'ry body bawl out Judy drownded
When she look around, the stream had caught her
Ev'ry body bawl out Judy drownded.
Chorus-
3
Judy was carried down the stream, oh
Ev'ry body bawl out Judy drownded
Takin' her last breath, it did seem, oh
Ev'ry body bawl out Judy drownded.
Chorus-
4
Judy reach out with her hand, oh
Ev'ry body bawl out Judy drownded
Lucky she grasp a branch on land, oh
Ev'ry body bawl out Judy drownded.
Chorus-
5
So I went up to Judy's mother's shed
Ev'ry body bawl out Judy drownded
But Judy no drownded, Judy lie in bed,
Ev'ry body bawl out Judy drownded.

From the net, http://www.akh.se/lyrics/judy_drownded.htm.
Probably close to Irving Burgie's sheet music, which I have not seen.
Belafonte Sings of the Caribbean, 1957.

Irving Burgie, ASCAP Work Id. 400023470; Caribe Music Corp. (BMG), copyright.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Judy Drownded
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 28 Jun 11 - 07:37 PM

Additional verse to "Judy Drownded."

To get some relief from crying and grief
Judy had to leave the townstead
But all the people still moan she is gone
And swear that she is drownded.

Judy no drownded, Judy in she bed
When ev'rybody bawl out she drownded
Judy no drownded, Judy in she bed
When ev'rybody bawl out she drownded.

Traditional melody; arranged lyrics by William Attaway, Copyright 1957, Calypso Music Inc. William Attaway, 1957, Calypso Song Book, McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc.