Scotty the Drifter and FDR songs

Subject: Scotty the Drifter and FDR songs
From: Alice
Date: 21 Apr 01 - 10:59 AM

I am listening to an interesting National Public Radio story about people who would write songs about FDR and send them to the White House, including some recordings played from the old records that were recorded and sent to FDR. One unknown singer that was played was Scotty the Drifter. You can probably hear sound clips of this report at the NPR website in the Weekend Edition section for April 21. For decades, the boxes of songs sat in the Roosevelt library unexamined, yet the song lyrics really gave a sense of what people thought about him and what they were going through in the depression. NPR's report included a great gospel song telling the story of FDR's administration from the African American point of view.

Alice

Subject: RE: Scotty the Drifter and FDR songs
From: Charley Noble
Date: 21 Apr 01 - 11:25 AM

The only songs that I've heard from the FDR era were collected and sung by the New Lost City Ramblers. The program sounds interesting, and think a whole box of homemade songs to sift through.

I hope George W. as well keeps the ones that people are sending him such as "Thanks for My Tax Break and Screw the Rest."

Subject: RE: Scotty the Drifter and FDR songs
From: Big Mick
Date: 21 Apr 01 - 11:48 AM

Hi Alice!! Long time since we've corresponded. I hope all is well.

Yep, heard the same NPR show. I want to investigate this, as the songs sound very interesting. I will bet there are some real pearls in that collection that speak to the times and conditions.

Mick

Subject: RE: Scotty the Drifter and FDR songs
From: Big Mick
Date: 21 Apr 01 - 11:48 AM

Hi Alice!! Long time since we've corresponded. I hope all is well.

Yep, heard the same NPR show. I want to investigate this, as the songs sound very interesting. I will bet there are some real pearls in that collection that speak to the times and conditions.

Mick

Subject: RE: Scotty the Drifter and FDR songs
From: Giac
Date: 21 Apr 01 - 05:33 PM

Thanks, Alice, for the headsup. Wonder if there is a move to make and release a CD. Gives me chills to think of it.
Also wonder if the collection contains a song I've searched for in vain for lo these many years. As a small child, I heard it at a political (stump) rally in a little Arkansas town. It was called Roosevelt's Alphabet Soup, and dealt with the acronyms for his various programs such as WPA, CCC, etc. It was performed by a guitar player, accompanied by a banjo player and a fiddler.
I remembered the name because my visualization was of men in overalls adrift in a huge vat of soup. The song was pretty funny, but I can't recall any of the lyrics. The image is so vivid that I wonder if it might have been a political cartoon also.

Mary

Subject: RE: Scotty the Drifter and FDR songs
From: Alice
Date: 21 Apr 01 - 09:21 PM

Here is a link to the page at NPR with audio clips.http://www.npr.org/programs/wesat/features/2001/010421.fdr.html It includes the gospel one I mentioned, Tell Me Why You like Roosevelt by Otis Jackson and The National Clouds of Joy.

Giac Mary, you may try emailing to NPR (email below), the Roosevelt library, or professor Patrick Maney, the author who was interviewed for this NPR piece.

Alice
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[e-mail]

Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Song April 21, 2001

The Roosevelt Library in New York contains some fourteen thousand songs that regular Americans wrote to Franklin Delano and Eleanor Roosevelt during their time in the White house. History professor Patrick Maney explored these songs while researching a biography of FDR. Now, he talks with Scott about why so many people were inspired to write - and sing about their president. Hear their discussion.

Listen to sample recordings.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt by Scotty the Drifter FDR Jones sung by Judy Garland Good Old Franklin D by Lonnie Glosson and Floyd McGinnis Tell Me Why You like Roosevelt by Otis Jackson and The National Clouds of Joy Dear Mrs. Roosevelt sung by Bob Dylan

Listening to audio requires the RealAudio player

To order transcripts and tapes of this story and others, please call: Toll-Free 1-877-NPR TEXT (1-877-677-8398) International calls: ([phone] Or write: NPR c/o Burrelle's Transcripts P.O. Box 7 Livingston, New Jersey 07039-0007 Please include program name, date and subject.

[e-mail]

Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Song April 21, 2001

The Roosevelt Library in New York contains some fourteen thousand songs that regular Americans wrote to Franklin Delano and Eleanor Roosevelt during their time in the White house. History professor Patrick Maney explored these songs while researching a biography of FDR. Now, he talks with Scott about why so many people were inspired to write - and sing about their president. Hear their discussion.

Listen to sample recordings.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt by Scotty the Drifter FDR Jones sung by Judy Garland Good Old Franklin D by Lonnie Glosson and Floyd McGinnis Tell Me Why You like Roosevelt by Otis Jackson and The National Clouds of Joy Dear Mrs. Roosevelt sung by Bob Dylan

Listening to audio requires the RealAudio player

To order transcripts and tapes of this story and others, please call: Toll-Free 1-877-NPR TEXT (1-877-677-8398) International calls: ([phone] Or write: NPR c/o Burrelle's Transcripts P.O. Box 7 Livingston, New Jersey 07039-0007 Please include program name, date and subject.

Subject: RE: Scotty the Drifter and FDR songs
From: Giac
Date: 21 Apr 01 - 10:40 PM

Thanks again, Alice. Good stuff.

Subject: RE: Scotty the Drifter and FDR songs
From: Louie Roy
Date: 21 Apr 01 - 11:10 PM

Alice I have a tune about FDR that came out in the 1940s exact date and name I don't know I just call it Franklin but I learned it in 1946 and the Author I don't know ,but it is rather long and tells about when he met the Devil and got kicked out of Hell.I will post it tomorrow because if I try to post it tonight I type so slow I'll get kicked off of the internet and at this time of night it is hard to get back on OK Louie

Subject: ADD: Roosevelt (FDR)^^
From: Louie Roy
Date: 22 Apr 01 - 02:10 PM

Alice I believe this song was written between April 1945 when FDR died and before 1946 because I learned it in 1946

---

ROOSEVELT
A stranger stood at the gates of hell
The devil himself answered the bell
He looked him over from head to toe
And said my friend I'd like to know
What you have done in the line of sin
That entitles you to come within
Then Franklin D with his usual guile
Stepped forth and flashed his toothy smile
And said when I took over in 33
A nation's faith was placed in me
I promised this and I promised that
And calmed them down with a fireside chat
I spent their money on fishing trips
And fished from the deck of their Battleships
I gave them jobs on the WPA
And raised their taxes and took it away
I raised their wages and closed their shops
I killed their pigs and I burned their crops
I double crossed both old and young
And still the fools my praise they sung
I brought back beer and what do you think
I taxed it so high they couldn't drink
I furnished money with Government loans
And when they missed their payment I took their homes
When I wanted to punish the folks you know
I put Eleanor on the Radio
I paid them to let their farms lie still
And imported farm stuff from Brazil
I curtailed crops when I felt real mean
And shipped in corn from Argentine
And when they'd they start to worry stew and fret
I'd get to chanting the alphabet
With the AAA and the NRB
The WPA and the CCC'S
With this many units I'd get their goat
But still I crammed it down their throat
My workers worked with the speed of snails
While the tax payers chewed their fingernails
When the organizer needed dough
I closed up plants for the CIO
I ruined jobs and I ruined health
And put the screw on the richmans wealth
And some who couldn't stand the gaff
Would call on me and how I'd laugh
When things got to strong on certain things
I'd pack and head for Old Warm Springs
I ruined the country their homes and then
I placed the blame on 9 old men
I gave them war in 41
And sent to foreign soils our native sons
And the Jap Emperor had to go
For I promised victory in Tokyo
And Nazi Hitler I had to skin
For I also promised victory in Berlin
But the maker called before these deeds could be done
And these missions will be completed by another son
Now Franklin talked both long and loud
And the devil stood and his head was bowed
At last he said lets make it clear
You'll have to move on you can't stay here
For once you mingle with the mob
I'd have to hunt myself another job ^^

I hope this is what you were looking for and I copied it from memory. Louie Roy