Lyr Req: mama's little baby loves shortnin' bread

Subject: mama's little baby loves shortnin' bread
From:
Date: 07 Apr 00 - 12:53 AM

i am looking for the words and author to "mama's little baby loves shortnin' bread" i sing in a blues band and have an idea to do the song. i would rather not make up lyrics. Any help would be appreciated. - chris

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Click for related thread

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mama's little baby loves shortnin' b
From: Kelida
Date: 07 Apr 00 - 12:57 AM

I'll try and find some songbooks that I may still have from a few years ago--I probably can find the song, but maybe not an author. I'll try and put that up tomorrow, but now I'm going to bed.

IT'S 1 IN THE MORNING HERE IN CINCINNATI!!!

i just realized that. . .

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mama's little baby loves shortnin' b
From:
Date: 07 Apr 00 - 12:59 AM

Wow, that was quick. Thanks for your help. It's 0100 here in Cleveland too. And i have to be up @0630. Thanks again - chris

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mama's little baby loves shortnin' b
From: Dale Rose
Date: 07 Apr 00 - 01:10 AM

Check out this old thread, too I think you'll find that it is one of those that has multiple versions, all of which are correct!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mama's little baby loves shortnin' b
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Apr 00 - 01:17 AM

That song has been posted here many times, but it's a bit hard to find because of inconsistent spellings of shortnin' and lyrics changes made over the years to make the song less politically incorrect. Click here for a version Dick Greenhaus typed up. It's probably very close to the original, but likely to get you thrown out of a performance if you sing it.
Click here for more more modern (and more palatable) lyrics. Click here for a rather interesting discussion that's related to the song.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: BEEBOPAREEBOP RHUBARB PIE
From: SDShad
Date: 07 Apr 00 - 09:59 AM

Of course, I can never hear or think of this song without the following running through my head:

But one little thing can revive a guy,
And that is home-made rhubarb pie.
Serve it up, nice and hot.
Maybe things aren't as bad as you thought.

Mama's little baby loves rhubarb, rhubarb,
Beebopareebop Rhubarb Pie.
Mama's little baby loves rhubarb, rhubarb,
Beebopareebop Rhubarb Pie.

It's a Minnesota thing.

Chris

Subject: Lyr Add: SHORTENIN' BREAD
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Apr 00 - 12:18 AM

I'm not sure of some of the words or the spelling of the rest of them. Hope this helps.

SHORTENIN' BREAD

Put on the skillet put on the lid.
Mama's gonna make a little shortenin' bread
My baby loves shortenin', shortening',
My baby loves shortenin', bread.

There's two little babies laying in a bed,
And the hills cracked open like shortenin' bread.
My baby loves shortenin', shortening',
My baby loves shortenin' bread.

There's two little babies laying in a bed.
One rolled over to the other one'n said:
"You've got my warm spot,
You've got my warm spot."

Yah Thom cats, Micro hats,
Everything's looking like shortening bread.
My baby loves shortenin', shortenin',
My baby loves shortenin', bread.

Yah sneak in the kitchen, sneak off a leg,
Fill my pockets up shortenin' bread.
My baby loves shortenin', shortenin',
My baby loves shortenin' bread.

My baby loves shortenin', shortenin',
My baby loves shortenin' bread.

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 8-Sep-02.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mama's little baby loves shortnin' b
From: Kelida
Date: 08 Apr 00 - 12:44 AM

I couldn't find my book! Sorry--must have gotten thrown away somehow--probably been gone for years without me even noticing it. . .

I think the above version is the one I've heard. Except that "My baby" was changed to "Mama's little baby" but that may also be because it was a children's book. . . However, that may flow a bit better with the tune. . .

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mama's little baby loves shortnin' b
From: Metchosin
Date: 08 Apr 00 - 01:18 AM

Joe, Dick's version is relatively tame compared to the version that appears in John and Alan Lomax's American Ballads and Folk Songs that I have.

Subject: Shortenin' Bread ^^
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Apr 00 - 04:12 AM

Yup, Metchosin, it's pretty choice. Seems to come from black roots, not from whites trying to make fun of blacks.
-Joe Offer-

SHORTENIN' BREAD
(Traditional)

Two little niggers
Lyin' in bed
One of 'em sick
An' de odder mos' dead.
Call for de doctor
An' de doctor said,
"Feed dem darkies on shortenin' bread"

cho: Mammy's little baby loves
Shortenin', shortenin',
Mammy's little baby love shortenin' bread.

Or: Shortenin' bread, shortenin' bread,
How I love shortenin' bread!

Or: Shortenin' shortenin' bread,
Don' my baby like shortenin' bread!

Stole de skillet, Stole de led
Stole dat gal makin' shortenin' bread.
Got six months fo' de skillet, got six months fo' de led;
Got six months fo' de gal makin' shortenin' bread.

Went to de kitchen an' kicked off de led,
An' filled my pockets full o' shortenin' bread.
Shortenin' bread an' it baked thin,
Dat what it take to make 'em grin.

Put on de skillet, put on de led,
My lil baby wants shortenin' braad.
Two little niggers upstairs in bed,
One turned over an' to de odder said,

"How about dat shortenin' bread,
How about dat shortenin' bread,"
One lil nigger a-layin' in de bed,
His eyes shet an' still, like he been dead.

Two lil niggers a-layin' in de bed,
A-snorin' an' a-dreamin' of a table spread.
W'en de doctor come he simpully said,
"Feed dat boy some shortenin' braad."

T'other lil nigger sick in de bed,
W'en he hear tell o' shortenin' bread,
Popped up well, he dance an' sing,
He almos' cut de pigeon wing.

I do love liquor, an' I will take a dram,
I'd ruther be a nigger dan' a po' white man.


From American Ballads & Folk Songs, 1934, by John A. Lomax and Alan Lomax.

@food @slavery
filename[ SHORTNIN
JRO
^^

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mama's little baby loves shortnin' b
From: thosp
Date: 08 Apr 00 - 05:50 AM

well let's start here ---- what is shortning bread anyone have a recipe?

peace (Y) thosp

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Click for recipe (which should have been in this thread, and not in a new one -Joe Offer-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mama's little baby loves shortnin' b
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 06 Sep 02 - 10:35 PM

What is the meaning of "led", in "stole the led"?

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mama's little baby loves shortnin' b
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 06 Sep 02 - 10:44 PM

Just a guess here, Dave. Could it mean "lid" as in the lid to the skillet? But it doesn't seem to fit with the recipes.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mama's little baby loves shortnin' b
From:
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 09:41 AM

My Mom used to sing this to me......and im 73 now. "Mammy's little baby loves shortnin shortnin Mammy's little baby loves shortnin bread.(repeat 1 time )(then) Put on da skillit , put on da lead, Mammy's gonna make a little shortnin bread."


Never could figure what she meant by "lead"
Rich

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mama's little baby loves shortnin' bread
From: Peace
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 03:46 PM

Put on the skillet, put on the lead,
Mammy's gonna to make a little short'nin' bread;
That ain't all she's gonna to do,
Mammy's gonna to make a little coffee, too.
Chorus:
|: Mammy's little baby loves short'nin', short'nin',
Mammy's little baby loves short'nin' bread. :|


Three little chillun, lying in bed,
Two was sick an' the other 'most dead;
Sent for the doctor, the doctor said,
"Feed those chillun on short'nin' bread."
Chorus:

SNUCK IN THE KITCHEN, LIFTED THE LEAD,
Filled my pockets full of short'nin' bread;
Stole the skillet, stole the lead,
Stole the gal makin' short'nin' bread.
Chorus:

Caught me with the skillet, caught me with the lead,
Caught me with the gal makin' short'nin' bread;
Paid six dollars for the skillet, six dollars for the lead,
Spent six months in jail eatin' short'nin' bread.


If you look at the line I have done in capslock, the meaning becomes clear I think.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mama's little baby loves shortnin' bread
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 04:00 PM

See thread 51174, linked in second place in the related threads, above, for information and more words.

Here is a dirty version:
Two little brothers, lyin' in bed,
One turned over to the other and said-
"You wet my warm place."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mama's little baby loves shortnin' bread
From: GUEST,Barry
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 04:29 PM

Lead = Lid

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mama's little baby loves shortnin' b
From: GUEST,Jim Red
Date: 26 Aug 07 - 05:51 PM

Lead refers to "lid". She's placing a lid (Lead) on the skillet.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mama's little baby loves shortnin' bread
From: GUEST,pjintexas
Date: 22 Apr 10 - 01:33 PM

This has been a fascinating read. We sang this song in grade school in the early 1960s as a repeating song (a la "99 bottles of beer on the wall"). It went like this:

10 little children lying in bed
9 were sick and the other was dead
Went to the doctor, doctor said
Better feed your children on shortnin' bread

Mama's little children love shortnin', shortnin',
Mama'sittle children love shortnin' bread

9 little children lying in bed
8 were sick and the other was dead
Went to the doctor, doctor said
Better feed your children on shortnin' bread

I can't remember what happens when there's only one left. I'm sure I got bored (or told to shut up) before I ever got to one.

Subject: Background music for Shortnin bread
From: GUEST,jeanine
Date: 06 Nov 11 - 05:12 PM

anyone know where I can get background music for shortnin bread?