Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June

Subject: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Peter T.
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 10:57 AM

Trivia!!!! There are lots of songs about months, about seasons, even about days of the week. Apart from the obvious holiday songs (Christmas, New Years, etc.), can people think of songs that mention actual days (a supplement to the Mudcat calendar perhaps)?

This sprang into my head with the famous: "It was the 3rd of June..."

Two others came to mind, and then I went completely blank:
2nd of July (Amelia Earhardt)

1st of December (Sweet Baby James)

This may be more obscure than I thought...I would be interested what people can find.
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Allan C.
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 11:10 AM

Not obscure exactly, Peter. Just too easy, really. All one needs to do is to put the name of a month, say, December, into the DT search and gobs of song lines come up.

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Peter T.
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 11:16 AM

Yeah, but that is no fun. I am looking for specific days, not months -- Are there enough to fill a year calendar?

Another one comes to mind:

'Twas in 18 hundred and 53,
And of June the 13th day..." (Greenland Fisheries)

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Allan C.
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 11:25 AM

The "month" search will reveal the days. But pop songs are another matter. There was a song in the eighties about the Valentine's Day massacre. That is the only one I can think of unless you consider "Yankee Doodle Dandy" a suitable candidate. The major holidays are relatively easy; December 25th, for instance.

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: GUEST,Gene
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 12:06 PM

April the 8th, the year '49

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From:
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 12:14 PM

The Eighth of January.

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Allan C.
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 12:18 PM

Folks, I could post, "The Thirty Second of Juvember" but it wouldn't mean much unless you knew what song it came from. So, could you please indicate the source? (BTW, that date does not appear in any song that I know of.)

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Peter T.
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 12:38 PM

I thought of the 8th of January, but the date doesn't appear in the song (at least the version I know). And there are all those Titanic songs. April 8. Hmmm. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Sorcha
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 12:41 PM

Does:
"Twas the 18th of April in '75,
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year".......
count?

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 01:10 PM

A few more, all traditional and in the DT:

Twelfth of April (Captain Coulston)
Thirteenth of April 1912 (God Moves Over the Water)
Fourteenth of May (Bonny Black Hare, When I Was On Horseback, The Cod Banging Song)
Twelfth of July (Twelfth of July, Old Orange Flute)
Fifth of August (Brigg Fair)
Thirteenth of October (Schooner E.A. Horton)
Fifth of November (Spencer the Rover)

See also  Is there a song for every day?
Songs for each month

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 01:22 PM

"Twas about the Martinmass time..."

"On the 14th day of April, in 1933...."

Rick

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Gary T
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 02:34 PM

The twelfth of never...

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: GUEST,Chocolate Pi
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 02:35 PM

from the Cherry Tree Carol:
"On the sixth day of January
My birthday shall be"

Chocolate Pi

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Mrrzy
Date: 04 Jun 01 - 01:23 PM

"As I rode out for Galway town to seek for recreation
On the 17th of August, me mind bein' elevated..."

From the Clancy Brothers and various other people's versions of the Galway Races... this is a good one, no fair using the searches! I'm trying to come up with more out of my head, but all I can think of right now is "it's 9:00 on a Saturday..." and "Wednesday morning at 5:00 as the day begins...Friday morning at 9:00 she is far away..." (Wonder if we could fill up a clock sooner than a calendar?)

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: catspaw49
Date: 04 Jun 01 - 01:41 PM

Peter......Your original date there and the "Ode to Billie Joe"......We ran a thread awhile back and there is some actual historical background on the song as opposed to just some made-up piece of tripe. There has always been speculation on the "what happened" idea and to find some info on it was kinda' neat.

The story of Billie Joe is based in truth but stylized to some degree. It is an old story, dating back to the the late 40's when the only daughter of John Hatch, a Mississippi Klansman of some note, was in love with the first black attorney in the state. Jubilee Simmons was the grandson of slaves and had gone to school at the University of Chicago and returned to his family's home state, taking up residence in Carroll county in 1948. John Hatch's daughter was known to be a bit wild and young Kelli had already incurred her father's wrath on numerous occasions. Kelli was living with two other 22 year old women in the small town of Campton, Mississippi when she met and began dating Simmons. Her father learned of it a few weeks later and came into town drunk with some Klan buddies to hunt down and kill Simmons. Simmons law offices were across the square from the county courthouse and through an open window he could hear the drunken invectives hurled his way from the square. He slipped out a back door and went to Kelli's house to take her away and save them both from the murderous rancor of her father and his "brethren."

Not finding Jubilee either in his office or at the Courthouse, the Klansmen split up to search for him and John Hatch went to his daughter's, presumably to beat her or possibly worse. He arrived before the pair had left and headed in the back porch door adjoining the kitchen. Seeing him coming, Simmons grabbed a kitchen knife and jumped atop the counter and then onto the top of the refrigerator that stood by the door. As John Hatch passed, he didn't notice Simmons who then jumped him safely from behind and in the ensuing struggle, Hatch was stabbed with the knife. The lovers bagged his body and threw it off a bridge on their way out of town. They were on their way to Chicago when they were arrested in Clarksville, Tennessee and returned for trial in Mississippi. Jubilee represented both and thanks to the testimony of one of the roommates and Mrs. Hatch who had suffered abuse for years at the hands of her husband, both were acquitted and moved to Chicago where he established a moderately successful practice on the south side.

The original song told the story as it was, but owing to legal considerations, the Gentry version was done instead. The original was titled, "The Day that Jubilee the Barrister Jumped Off of Kelli Hatch's Fridge."

Sorry..............

Spaw

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Peg
Date: 04 Jun 01 - 01:48 PM

Twas on the 23rd of June as I sat weaving all on my loom...

Jug o' Punch

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Midchuck
Date: 04 Jun 01 - 01:48 PM

It bein' on the twenty-third of June, As I sat weavin' all on my loom, I heard a Thrush, singing in yon bush, And the song he sang, was the Jug of Punch...

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Abby Sale
Date: 04 Jun 01 - 02:10 PM

Folks, I'm sad to say you've never seen the "Happy!" file. It was on exactly this type of request that the file was begun about 8 years ago. You'll fine a small number of examples at Gaughan's pages, Clicky.

The File editors now have 4-12 songs or events for every day of the year. Many don't specifically mention the day, it is true - they may ony note an historical event, it's date and a folk song that deals with it. Or perhaps a Folk NHoweverotable's birthday. But a large percent of the days do have songs asociated. Martinmass is particularly populated with songs. We used to run a contest for who could come up with the most.

Allan C: You know there is a real Juneteenth celebrated in Texas. Further, "The Trusty Lariot" mentions 'Oh, we will all remember the 45th of May.' (

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: mousethief
Date: 04 Jun 01 - 02:24 PM

What about "minor" holidays?

On Armistice Day the Philharmonic will play
But the songs that they sing will be sad
(Paul Simon)

Hurry take me to the Mardi Gras
In the city of my dreams
You can legalize your lows
You can wear your summer clothes
Into New Orleans
(Paul Simon, again)

Specific dates in history, courtesy of Al Stewart:

Europe lies sleeping with no heartbeats through the floor
On the last day of June, 1934.

For tonight is New Year's Eve
Uncork your spirits and welcome it in
Who knows what it's got up its sleeve?
Can't wait for it all to begin
...And we're laughing, laughing into 1939.

Alex

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Abby Sale
Date: 04 Jun 01 - 02:28 PM

cont. (ie, June 14.)

As to June 3rd, you should know that this year, Whitsun falls today. And there are a very large number of songs that take place on Whitson. One of the best known is the modern "(Ladies Go) Dancing At Whitsun." However, a favoorite of mine also does: Ae Whitsun day in Huntley toon, It's there I did agree,/ Wi' Bogie, head o' Carnie a six months for tae fee., etc. There's even a Child Ballad that uses Whitsun, #119.

Any other days you're especially interested in, just ask.

Ah, Malcolm...I'd forgotten this came up here in the prior thread you mention. thanks.

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: BobP
Date: 04 Jun 01 - 03:02 PM

"A winter's day in a deep and dark December."

as long as we're on significant time-lines.

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Snuffy
Date: 04 Jun 01 - 08:00 PM

June 23 - "Midsummer's Eve it fell on a Saturday" (Stanton Drew)

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Nancy King
Date: 04 Jun 01 - 09:46 PM

On the 30th day of June,
I am condemned to die
For the murder of James A. Garfield,
Upon the scaffold high.

--From "The Ballad of Charles Guiteau." Garfield was assassinated July 2, 1881, and Guiteau hanged June 30, 1882.

Cheers, Nancy

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Mountain Dog
Date: 04 Jun 01 - 09:58 PM

"It was the third of September, a day I'll always remember, 'cause that was the day that my Daddy died..."

Papa Was a Rolling Stone

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Crazy Eddie
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 02:33 AM

On the 4th of July Eighteen Hundred & Six The Irish Rover
It being on the 23rd of June, the Day before the fair Spancill Hill
It was on a dreary New-Year's eve Se´an Sabhat

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 03:54 AM

On the 16th day of August (The fields of Peterloo)
On the 11th of October nineteen hundered and forty three (College Valley Hounds)

DtG

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: kendall
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 06:11 AM

I well recollect it was Michaelmas night,
To a hearty good supper he did me invite,
A cup of sour milk that was more green than white
And, it gave me the "trotting disorder". (Darby O'Leary)

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: The Walrus at work
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 08:39 AM

'Twas on the 18th Day of June In Flanders, where we lay, The trumpets the alarm did sound before the break of day.....

(One of the many songs under the title "Plains of Waterloo")

Walrus

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: GUEST,MJ
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 08:59 AM

There's a Mickey Newbury song which starts "It's the thirty third of August ....."

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Snuffy
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 09:09 AM

It's the twenty-first of Liverpool, the city of July,

Subject: RE: Dates/Songs Quiz?:It was the 3rd of June
From: Peter T.
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 09:11 AM

Thanks to all, this is very interesting calendrically. yours, Peter T.