'Shake It to the Ground' - composer?

Subject: Lyr Add: SHAKE IT TO THE GROUND
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 11:14 PM

I sang this song on PalTalk or HearMe some time ago. I learned it at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend, Wash., in 1990. The person who sang it didn't know who wrote it; she said the guy sang it at a song circle and disappeared. I'd love to find out more about this song. No doubt some of the words have been folk processed, but here it is as best I remember. (I may have asked about this song previously, but I don't remember getting a reply, and I couldn't find the thread.)

Aloha,
Mark

SHAKE IT TO THE GROUND

Preacher man shoutin' that gospel out
Thumpin' that Bible, pumpin' that crowd
Hallelujah, shout out loud
Shakin' it to the ground
Me and my baby sittin' in a pew
Shoutin' "Amen" and "Hallelu"
Gettin' into that whoop-de-doo
Shakin' it to the ground

CHORUS
Shake, shake, shakin', shake, shake, shakin'
No more foolin' round, shakin' it to the ground

Now in the garden there was a snake
An apple he wanted Eve to take
So he gave the tree a shake
Shakin' it to the ground
Well, Eve she gave her man a bite
It opened up his appetite
They spent that very night
Shakin' it to the ground

CHORUS

Joshua fought the battle of Jericho
He said, "Those walls have got to go"
So he told the boys to blow
Shakin' it to the ground
Well, some blew sharp and some blew flat
Joshua sang a line of scat
The walls fell over just like that
Shakin' it to the ground

CHORUS

Now Samson he was very strong
But only when his hair was long
Delilah shaved him to the bone
Shakin' it to the ground
But when his hair grew back again
In the heathen temple he made a stand
Took a pillar in each hand
Shakin' it to the ground

CHORUS

Now me and my baby went back home
Doused the lights and killed the phone
In the bedroom all alone
Shakin' it to the ground
My baby told me, verily
That she would like to marry me
'Cause I shake better than Jerry Lee
Shakin' it to the ground

CHORUS

Subject: RE: 'Shake It to the Ground' - composer?
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 11:40 PM

Wow, Mark, looks like you may have stumped everyone with this. I found your old thread but there were no answers, not even a comment! Can't believe we did that! Good luck.

kat

Subject: RE: 'Shake It to the Ground' - composer?
From: wdyat12
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 12:26 AM

Well Mark,

I looked through my limited music library and came up with several tunes that I thought might or might not fit your inquerry: "Shake It Up Baby, Shake Rattle and Roll, Whole Lotta Shakin'Goin'On, and Milkshake Rag." Then I came across an old tape called "Shakin' Down the Acorns" played on hammered dulcimer.

"Shakin' Down the Acorns" is the second cut on side one off Tony Elman's 1984 tape of "Shakin' Down the Acorns" produced by Acorn Music. Most of the tunes represented here are old fiddle or harp tunes. This is an instrumental rendition, so I can't be sure if this is the right tune. However, you might research Tony Elman and see if he knows the words to the song you mentioned.

wdyat12

Subject: RE: 'Shake It to the Ground' - composer?
From: wdyat12
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 12:40 AM

Tony Elman or someone in his group might know who wrote this too.

wdyat12

Subject: RE: 'Shake It to the Ground' - composer?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 04:37 AM

Yeah, heck, the previous thread didn't even have a note from MMario or Joe O, asking for a tune. Well, we all know that Mark will sooon have a keyboard and will begin submitting tunes...
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: 'Shake It to the Ground' - composer?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 04 Mar 01 - 04:22 PM

Uh, yeah, Joe, that's right......very soon....
Thanks, wdyat, but this is definitely not a fiddle tune. It has a jazzy feel, and the reference to Jerry Lee would probably put it sometime in the 50s or early 60s. There's a "scat" style riff at the end of the chorus, too. All right, all right, I'll work on posting the tune. Right after I do my taxes.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: 'Shake It to the Ground' - composer?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 05 Mar 01 - 03:01 PM

I did it! I'll be emailing it to Susan today, and maybe

Subject: RE: 'Shake It to the Ground' - composer?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 05 Mar 01 - 03:03 PM

I did it! I'll be emailing the NWC file to Susan today, and maybe THEN I can get an answer. I'm surprised, usually the 'Cat can handle this kind of thing with no problem.

Subject: RE: 'Shake It to the Ground' - composer?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 05 Mar 01 - 05:00 PM

Actually, Joe, I looked at the PERMA-THREAD, and found that I'm supposed to send NWC files to you...so that's what I did. I really like that PermaThread--lots of good info that I either forgot or never knew. Guess that's why you put it there! Duh.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: 'Shake It to the Ground' - composer?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 10 Mar 01 - 12:55 PM

Refresh....doesn't ANYBODY know this song? And now Joe has the tune.