Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)

Subject: Lyr Add: HELLO MUDDAH, HELLO FADDAH (Allan Sherman
From: Fergie
Date: 21 Nov 04 - 07:34 PM

Hello Mudduh, Hello Faddah (A Letter From Camp)

Hello Mudduh, hello Fadduh,
Here I am at Camp Granada:
Camp is very entertaining
And they say we'll have some fun if it stops raining.

I went hiking with Joe Spivey:
He developed poison ivy;
You remember Leonard Skinner:
He got ptomaine poisoning last night after dinner.

All the counsellors hate the waiters,
And the lake has alligators,
And the head coach wants no sissies,
So he reads to us from something called Ulysses.

Now I don't want this should scare you,
But my bunk mate has malaria.
You remember Jeffrey Hardy:
They're about to organize a searching party.

Take me home, oh Mudduh, Fadduh,
Take me home, I hate Granada,
Don't leave me out in the forest where
I might get eaten by a bear.
Take me home, I promise I will not make noise
Or mess the house with other boys,
Oh please don't make me stay!
I've been here one whole day!

Dearest Fadduh, darling Mudduh,
How's my precious little brother?
Let me come home if you miss me,
I would even let Aunt Bertha hug and kiss me.

Wait a minute, it's stopped hailing:
Guys are swimming, guys are sailing,
Playing baseball; gee, that's better;
Mudduh, Fadduh, kindly disregard this letter.

Thought I should post the lyrics.
Fergus

Subject: RE: camp grenada origin?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 21 Nov 04 - 08:10 PM

The southern-rockers Lennerd Skynard always claimed that they took their name from their high-school gym teacher Leonard Skinner, but it sure seems coincidental that Allen Sherman had used that exact same name years earlier in "Hello Muddah Hello Fathah." He's probably the true inspiration for their identity.

Back to the original question -- those of us alive at the time Allen Sherman introduced this song on nationwide TV *all* recognized the tune. We may not have known *where* it came from, but I think pretty much everyone found it at least vaguely familiar, i.e., knew it came from *somewhere.* Thanks to Joe O, we all now know that it was a well-loved classical piece that was featured in "Fantasia."

Subject: Spanish song lyrics to Granada
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Dec 04 - 11:03 AM

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From:
Date: 03 Jun 05 - 02:03 PM

so, how did you make up the song anyway? was it something someone said???

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Fad
From: GUEST,Steve
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 10:18 AM

More on the origins of this song on the Wikipedia (yeah I wrote this article, or most of it.)

Stuff you didn't know: Song was partly based on Sherman's son Robert's first camp experience: http://www.petabit.com/steve/LATimes_Granada.html

Robert is now a TV Producer: http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0792564/

Song has been translated not only into Swedish (where it's now a popular folk tune) but also Esperanto and Dutch.

Song was the basis for:
* A children's book
* A travelling theatric revue

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Fad
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Nov 05 - 01:01 AM

Hello all. I am from the University of Illinois and I just found out that the song you are referring to, "Camp Granada" was written by a former student Allen Sherman who lived in a dorm called the Granada Club House. Click on the link below to the portion of the website.

Thanks. And now you too can say you have been to Camp Granada if you stop by the University of Illinois.

http://www.pti.uiuc.edu/facilities/atc.htm

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: voyager
Date: 25 Nov 05 - 12:02 PM

In one of life's little ironies....

My father passed away last summer and was interred at the
Hillside Memorial Park (LA, CA) where Allan Sherman (and lots
of well-known Jewish entertainers) are also laid to rest.

Hillside Memorial Park - Allan Sherman

My mother was also buried at the same site back in 2000.

At the Memorial Service I found myself chanting -
"Hello Mudda, Hella Fadda
I'd RATHER BE in Camp Granada"

voyager

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: GUEST,vivienne oldham nee ferris
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 02:45 AM

hi everyone,, I am Greg Ferris' sister. Greg of Twilighters fame. My brother died of a brain tumor over thirty years ago so it is lovely to see this info on the screen. I have Gregs records still and love the music but no one listens to folk now.

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Jul 08 - 12:15 PM

Has anyone found out the actual name of the movie to this song Hello Muddah, Hello Fadah? I want to see the movie so bad but I can't think of the name or where I would even go to find it? Everytime I type it in it just brings up the song. I want the show! Please Help!!! Thank you

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: Bill H //\\
Date: 09 Jul 08 - 01:40 PM

An interesting sidelight---the original song was pulled and replaced with a 45 --Camp Granada Revisited. EVen funnier than the first one Allan SHerman did.   A rarity ---perhaps you might find it on e bay as I did.

I have played it on my Sunday Simcha program many a time and much of his other material---all clever--even more-so than his signature song that people seem to remember him by.

My favorite is Westchester Hadassah (to the melody of Winchester Cathedral)


Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: Bill H //\\
Date: 09 Jul 08 - 04:08 PM

If you tune in to Sunday Simcha on WFDU at 10 AM on 7/20 (or on the web www.wfdu.fm) you will be able to hear the second version (the one mentioned above) Camp Granada Revisited---by request.

BH

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Fad
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 09 Jul 08 - 04:20 PM

Camp Granada / Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah in the Digital Tradition database (Joe's link, way up in this thread, no longer works).

~ Becky in Tucson
sending her boy to camp next week...

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: GUEST,Linda
Date: 13 Jun 09 - 11:34 PM

I need help with this song. When I was a kid my mom had a 45 record with this music on it. It started out 'Hello mudder, hello fadder, hello sister, hello brodder. It was about a man in a courtroom facing a judge for his crime. It was funny & I'd really like to get a copy of it since my brother broke the 45 of my mom's. Does anyone know what it's title was for sure & who performed this version? Thanks, Linda

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: David C. Carter
Date: 14 Jun 09 - 05:28 AM

Terry Thomas,British actor,recorded an album "Discovering America"
sometime in the '60s.He did a song called "Hello Mater,Hello Pater,here I am at Alma Mater".I can't remember the rest of it and can't find it.
If anyone knows or could find it,I would much appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.

David

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: GUEST,Curt
Date: 17 Aug 09 - 09:58 PM

David asked about the lyrics to 'Hello Mater, Hello Pater' by Terry-Thomas. I don't remember *all* the lyrics, which is frustrating, but here's what I recall:

Hello Mater, Hello Pater I shall mail this letter later Here am I at good old Eaton Our athletic teams are almost never beaten

We play rugby, where you kick it Then we take a crack at cricket If you buy a season ticket You could watch me kick it on a sticky wicket

Loved your letter, it was thrilling Thank you for the extra shilling! Eaton's quaint and quite ironic They keep serving tea instead of gin and tonic

--

Oh, I say, we had a lovely hunt to-day Except for Cecil Hem-ing-way He's such a clumsy ox, his socks Were eaten by the fox!

Don't feel blue, oh Mater, Pater I miss you My life is complicated too I fired my valet today He left my vest unpressed

--

Is it true 'bout Lady Plinker? I do hope so, she's a stinker! How is Cedric, oh incidentally, Does he really keep his Aston in his Bentley?

...and that's where the memory fails.

Curt

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: David C. Carter
Date: 18 Aug 09 - 05:55 AM

Good one Curt.I recall the last line,which goes something like:

...And just think tomorrow,I,ll be thirty seven.

Thanks again

David

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 18 Aug 09 - 07:16 PM

Alan Sherman, as I recall, was a comedy writer who used to play piano and sing these songs at Hollywood parties with no thought of making a career of it. Someone, probably a record producer who knew an opportunity when he saw it, convinced him to do a record. The rest, as they say......led to this thread.

Spike Jones, on the other hand, was a talented musician who simply had a demented approach with an equally talented stable of players. You have to be really good to be that bad.

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: Don Firth
Date: 18 Aug 09 - 08:18 PM

I first heard "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah" on an Allan Sherman record in the early 1960s (a friend of mine had it). Until I read it in this thread, I had never hear of it being attributed to Spike Jones. I would need extraordinary proof to convince me that it was actually written by Spike Jones because it is so much the kind of thing that Allan Sherman did.

Another song about "Granada" that was mentioned above, and for which Megan provided an English language version is a sort of pop-classic song that was written by Agustin Lara, and just about every operatic tenor and his pet chicken have take a shot at it. Here's Spanish tenor Placido Domingo giving it his all:

Granada, by Agustin Lara.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: GUEST,MtheGM
Date: 18 Aug 09 - 11:31 PM

"Spike Jones' talented group of players" the City Slickers [including incidentally vocals by the great Mel Blanc, voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck & such Warner Bros immortals] belonged firmly to the 1940s, well before Muddah/Faddah: his association with the song must be due to some folk·process-style misremembering on someone's part, surely?

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: Bill H //\\
Date: 19 Aug 09 - 03:52 PM

Not sure if this was mentioned above but Sherman put out a sequel on a 45 single that updated it with new lyrics---such as"..the little black things don't move in my food anymore...", "...weve got some great entertainment--thats this truth---this week Lenny Bruce", and many more.

As to classical music. I always get a kick when popular things use classical--cartoons, recordings (Sherman), etc; How many realize that some of the scenes in Curb YOur Enthusiasm that call for some fast moving by the characters uses "Three Little Maids" from The Mikado.

As to Allan Sherman---the most requested comedy music on my Sunday SImcha radio program on WFDU in Teaneck NJ---Tune it on Sundays at 10 AM ET (we stream on the web and the shows are archived for 2 weeks there)

Bill Hahn

Subject: Lyr Add: HELLO MATER, HELLO PATER (Allan Sherman)
From: GUEST,Curt
Date: 03 Sep 09 - 05:45 PM

For David - I couldn't stand it anymore, bought the album on eBay for five bucks and shipping. Here, at last, are the full lyrics:

HELLO MATER, HELLO PATER
(Busch-Sherman-Barnett)

I. As recorded by Terry-Thomas on "Terry-Thomas Discovers America" (1964) - YouTube.

Hello, Mater; Hello, Pater!
I shall mail this letter later.
Here am I at good old Eton.
Our athletic teams are almost never beaten.

We play rugby, where you kick it,
Then we take a crack at cricket.
If you buy a season ticket,
You could watch me kick it on a sticky wicket.

Loved your letter; it was thrilling.
Thank you for the extra shilling.
Eton's quaint and quite ironic.
They keep serving tea instead of gin and tonic!

Tell me, dear old darling mummy,
Is the chauffeur still as chummy?
And you, Pater, so majestic:
Have they caught you lately pinching the domestic?

BRIDGE: Don't feel blue.
O Mater, Pater, I miss you.
My life is complicated too.
I fired my valet today.
He left my vest unpressed.
Oh, I say!
We had a lovely hunt today,
Except for Cecil Hemingway.
He's such a clumsy ox!
His socks
Were eaten by the fox.

Is it true 'bout Lady Plinker?
I do hope so; she's a stinker.
How is Cedric? Oh, incident'lly,
Does he really keep his Austin in his Bentley?

I'm enjoying all my studies
Here with all my third-grade buddies.
I love Eton; Eton's heaven,
And just think, tomorrow I'll be 37!

[The following lyrics inserted by Jim Dixon.]
II. As recorded by Allan Sherman – YouTube.

Hello, Mater; Hello, Pater!
I shall mail this letter later.
Here am I at good old Eton.
Our athletic teams are scarcely ever beaten.

We play rugby, where you kick it,
Then we take a crack at cricket.
If you buy a season ticket,
You can watch me kick it with a sticky wicket.

Loved your letter; it was thrilling.
Thank you for the extra shilling.
Eton's quaint and quite ironic.
Must they serve us tea instead of gin and tonic?

Tell me, dear old darling mummy,
Is the chauffeur still so chummy?
And you, Pater, so majestic:
Has she caught you lately pinching the domestic?

BRIDGE: Don't feel blue.
O Mater, Pater, I miss you.
My life is complicated too.
My butler is decrepit.
He made my teapot too, too tepid.
Oh, I say!
We had a lovely hunt today,
Except for Cecil Hemingway.
He's such a clumsy ox!
His socks
Were eaten by the fox.

Is it true 'bout Lady Clinker?
I do hope so; she's a stinker.
How is Cedric? Oh, incident'lly,
Does he really keep his Austin in his Bentley?

I'm enjoying all my studies
Here with all my third-grade buddies.
I love Eton; Eton's heaven,
And just think, tomorrow I'll be 37!

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Sep 09 - 06:17 PM

Curt, that is truly a significant and generous contribution to our Body of Knowledge here.

Tell me -
Is it MAY-tur and PAY-tur
or
Is MAH-tur and PAH-tur????

America wants to know.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Fad
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 03 Sep 09 - 07:38 PM

Cool. But, it's Eton, not Eaton, right?

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: GUEST,Curt
Date: 04 Sep 09 - 09:08 AM

It's MAY-tur (rhymes with "later"), not MAH-tur. As to the spelling, I ain't ever been to England yet - you may well be right.

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: GUEST,Curt
Date: 05 Sep 09 - 09:55 AM

I had some fun scanning the cover artwork from Terry-Thomas' album, if anyone is interested I have posted it on my web site:

http://www.verifine.org/terry-thomas_america.jpg

Quite a bit of retouching and restorative work in Photoshop, but looking like new!

Curt

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jun 13 - 04:55 AM

It was originally a classical piece called "Dance of the Hours" by Amilcare Ponchielli. Allan Sherman was a master at musical parody -- taking a piece of music and writing different words for it.

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 02 Jun 13 - 08:01 AM

Joe Offer provided the Ponchielli Dance of the Hours link on 20 Jan 98. You are a mere 15 years late with your information thank you, Guest.

~M~

Subject: RE: Origins: Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah)
From: David C. Carter
Date: 24 Jun 13 - 03:57 AM

Mant thanks to Curt.

I should have thanked you long before but!

Sorry about that.

David