Lyr ADD: The Loo Song / John (from The Corries)

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: The Loo Song / John (from The Corries)
From: GerryM
Date: 04 Jan 22 - 02:05 PM

I don't think that "Timbuktu" is "nonsensical". I took it to indicate the father was of African
descent, that is, he was a black man.

Taconicus, what do you think of this:

I was born in Arkansas, where my mammy met my pa.
Pappy hailed from Oklahoma City.
There's one thing I recall, that I hated most of all,
Was that little green shed, our privy.

"squaw" and "Timbuktu" are both gone, the neologism "craperoo" gets replaced by "privy",
which almost rhymes with "City". Not many words that rhyme with "privy".

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: The Loo Song (from The Corries)
From: Taconicus
Date: 23 Nov 21 - 06:33 PM

Aside from the alternate lyrics I composed above to change the (respectively) derogatory and nonsensical words, as an American I also remove the obviously British word "loo" when I sing the song (we Americans know what it means don't consider it derogatory, but we never use it). Instead, I sing:

Was that little green shed, our craperoo.

(Not that "craperoo" was a known American word either before now, as far as I know, but it works.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Loo Song (from The Corries)
From: Taconicus
Date: 02 Nov 14 - 05:23 AM

Thank you, Charlie! That's good to know. Great song; it's a fun part of my repertoire.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Loo Song (from The Corries)
From: GUEST,Copmposer
Date: 15 Feb 13 - 04:11 PM

Hi, I am the composer of the Loo Song.
I was a friend of Roy Williamson and the Corries were looking for funny songs. I had heard this joke and made up the song. The correct name of the song is "John". The Corries decided to call it the Loo Song and also changed some of the wording. I have no problem with that.One of you correctly guessed it was a Scottish song. It was written by me in Forres, Moray.
I would not want to get into a debate about whether it is politically correct or not. It's a funny song, not intended to be taken seriously and certainly not intended to offend anyone.
Somebody asked if the story of George Wahington was well known in Scotland. To the best of my knowledge the answer is yes.
I have written several other songs, mostly funny ones.
Regards, Charlie Gaskin.
p.s. If anyone wants to get in touch they can do so by contacting Ronnie Browne at Corries Music.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE LOO SONG (Charlie Gaskin)
From: RunrigFan
Date: 29 May 11 - 09:06 PM

THE LOO SONG
Charlie Gaskin
As recorded by The Corries on "Flower of Scotland"

I was born in Arkansas; me mammy was a squaw.
Pappy hailed from Timbuktu.
There's one thing I recall, that I hated most of all,
Was that little green shed, our loo.

CHORUS: It had a cedar shingle roof; I swear that was the truth,
Hinges all rusting and corroding.
'Twas a ghastly shade of green, the worst you've ever seen.
It stood there at the bottom of the garden.

Well, one day when I was six, I was chopping at some sticks
When a nasty little gleam came to my eye.
I ran down to the john and shoved it off the lawn
Into the river flowing gently by.

Soon my pappy called my name; he yelled, "Hey, what's ya game?
Why did you shove our privy in the drink?"
Well, then I shook with fear and shed a little tear.
I said it wasn't me, I didn't think. CHORUS

Then my pappy told to me, how George Washington felled the tree,
Then he went and owned up straight away,
And he because he told the truth, that honest youth forsooth,
His pappy didn't punish him that day.

Well, me being a little green, I thought I'd best come clean,
So I told my pappy how I sank that shack.
Well, with a rebel cry of glee, he hauled me o'er his knee,
Proceeded to wop me blue and black. CHORUS

Since I hadn't told a lie, I asked my pappy why.
He sat there and he answered with a frown:
"Well, George Washington’s pappy, he wasn't sitting in the tree
When that little bastard went and chopped it down."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Loo Song (from The Corries)
From: sheila
Date: 29 May 11 - 12:32 PM

Taconicus - Yes, that's my understanding.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Loo Song (from The Corries)
From: Taconicus
Date: 28 May 11 - 05:09 PM

From the French garde à l'eau (beware of the water)?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Loo Song (from The Corries)
From: sheila
Date: 28 May 11 - 03:24 PM

I've always assumed that 'loo' derived from 'gardy loo' - the phrase which was called out when emptying chamber pots oot the windae.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Loo Song (from The Corries)
From: GUEST,Paul Burke
Date: 28 May 11 - 02:01 PM

I don't think "loo" was common British currency until the 60s at the earliest. It was either the lavatory or the toilet, the privy was archaic, vulgarly the bog. But then we were lower lower middle class, and provincial too.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Loo Song (from The Corries)
From: Taconicus
Date: 28 May 11 - 01:50 PM

I'd like to learn the origin of the song, which I agree was a joke before it was a song. It's almost certainly not American in origin, since in America the word loo was not known, or at least wasn't used, until after World War II--and even since then it's been universally recognized as a Britishism. The word loo seems to have been known in Britain for a short time before WWII, and one theory is it was picked up by British soldiers during World War I as an abbreviation of the French phrase "lieux d'aisances" ("places of ease") which was used by the French as a euphemism for lavatory.

Since the Corries sang it, and with no evidence to the contrary, I (perhaps wrongly, but what the hey) assume it's Scottish in origin, in which case it may be the only Scottish song I feel comfortable singing in Scotland, since having lived in the Ozarks myself it's the only Scottish song that I can sing with a "native" accent better than the Scots can. ;-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Loo Song (from The Corries)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 Jan 11 - 06:23 PM

You can hear the Corries singing THE LOO SONG at YouTube.

I believe they sing "Pappy hailed from timber too."—but I approve Taconius' changes, and I agree with his corrections.

This is an odd song. It seems to be trying to sound American, but Americans never use the word "loo."

Is the tale of George Washington and the cherry tree well known in Britain?

I think this fits into the category of Jokes turned into songs. I'm sure I've heard the story told as a joke, but I've never heard the song before now.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Loo Song (from The Corries)
From: Taconicus
Date: 09 Jan 11 - 01:55 AM

When I sing it I replace the first two lines, the first (my mammy was a squaw) being objectionable in America and the second (pappy hailed from Timbuctoo) making no sense. I sing:

I was born in Arkansas, where my mammy met my pa.
Pappy hailed from up north in Missou'.

A couple corrections from the above: the Corries version has lyrics as follows.

It had a cedar shingle roof...

... he hauled me on his knee.....

Subject: RE: The Loo Song; a missing word or two ...
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Dec 07 - 10:36 PM

My pappy came from Timbucktoo

Subject: RE: The Loo Song; a missing word or two ...
From: AKS
Date: 31 May 00 - 08:12 AM

Thanks plenty, PeneBlue and GuestNick, I got what I needed (so far)!

AKS

Subject: RE: The Loo Song; a missing word or two ...
From: GUEST,Nick
Date: 30 May 00 - 08:43 AM

Instead of: pappy (???) from timber too Try: Pappy came from Timbuktu

Instead of: it had a seedy shingle roof Try: It had a cedar shingle roof

The rest looked good

Subject: RE: The Loo Song; a missing word or two ...
From: Pene Azul
Date: 30 May 00 - 03:25 AM

I found a Corries Website that has a Discussion Forum. Maybe you could get your lyrics there.

PA

Subject: RE: The Loo Song; a missing word or two ...
From: AKS
Date: 29 May 00 - 06:12 AM

This wee lesson on American History does not seem to've appeared on the Forum yet. I've transcribed it from a Corries' recording (The Flower of Scotland LP) and there's one gap in the 1st verse to be filled, so, please, anybody?


THE LOO SONG
(Gaskin)

I was born in Arkansas. my mammy was a squaw.
Pappy (???) from timber too.
There's one thing I recall that I hated most of all
'Twas that little green shed - our loo.

CHORUS: It had a seedy shingle roof. I swear that was the truth:
Hinges all rusting and corroding.
'Twas a ghastly shade of green, the worst you've ever seen.
It stood there at the bottom of the garden.

Well, one day when I was six, I was chopping at some sticks,
When a nasty little gleam came to my eye.
I ran down to the john and shoved it off the lawn
Into the river flowing gently by.

Soon my pappy called my name. he yelled, "hey, what's yer game?
Why did you shove our privy in the drink?"
Well, then I shook with fear and shed a little tear.
I said it wasn't me I didn't think. CHORUS

Then my pappy told to me how George Washington felled the tree,
Then he went and owned up straight away,
And because he told the truth, that honest youth forsooth!
His pappy didn't punish him that day.

Well, me being a little green, I thought I'd best come clean,
So I told my pappy how I sank that shack.
Well, with a rebel cry of glee, he held me o'er his knee,
Proceeded to whop me blue and black. CHORUS

Since I hadn't told a lie, I asked my pappy why.
He sat there and he answered with a frown,
"Well, George Washington's pappy he wasn't sitting in the tree
When that little bastard went and chopped it down."

AKS