Lyr/Tune Req: Grandma's Lye Soap

Subject: Grandma's Lye Soap
From:
Date: 23 Oct 98 - 11:03 AM

I am looking for the words and music to the old song called "Grandma's Lye Soap". Anybody ever heard it? I would like to come up with written words and printed sheet music, if possible, but if not, any input would be wildly appreciated.

Reply to Richard Hamner E-mail is [e-mail]

Thanks!

Subject: RE: Grandma's Lye Soap
From:
Date: 23 Oct 98 - 11:34 AM

It's in the book, er...
in previous MUDCAT FORUM posts, that is...

* GO HERE *

Subject: RE: Grandma's Lye Soap
From: Wolfgang
Date: 23 Oct 98 - 11:41 AM

or go to an even older thread.

Subject: RE: Grandma's Lye Soap
From: BSeed
Date: 23 Oct 98 - 02:24 PM

That's amazing! Two days ago I was thinking--for the first time in many years--about this song and considering checking the DT for the lyrics. For those of you who may never have heard of it, it's a relative of "That Good Ol' Mountain Dew," i.e., a comic, hyperbolic look at hillbilly culture:

Do you remember Grandma's lye soap,
Good for anything in the home?
And the secret was in the scrubbing,
Didn't suds and didn't foam.

--seed

Subject: RE: Grandma's Lye Soap
From: Richard
Date: 23 Oct 98 - 09:14 PM

I found another source on the web. It is a children's video, I think. You might want to check it out.

Linda Van Zant, P.M.G., Inc. 192 "A" West Barstow Fresno, CA 93704

Her video costs $10 plus some shipping costs.

Thanks to all of you who sent inputs! I am still looking for the music.

Richard.

Subject: RE: Grandma's Lye Soap
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Jul 11 - 03:01 PM

You can find the lyrics by googling "Grandma's Lye Soap lyyrics"
The tune is the old hymn "Blessed Assurance"
You will find a variation in the lyrics but you can still have fun.

Subject: RE: Grandma's Lye Soap
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 31 Jul 11 - 04:09 PM

The original that we had ca. 1950 was a 78 RPM record with "Grandma's Lye Soap" on one side and "It's In the Book" on the other, with both delivered as the "Rants" of a tent revivalist.

For an "authentic" performance of "Lye Soap," in the style of that version, the lead must alternate randomly between screaming and mubling unintelligibly, and you should have several "backups" to interject random "Amen" and "Hallelujah" comments. One "distinctive" backup voice might be consistently where a spontaneous outburst might be appropriate in the context, to suggest that not all the congregations was drunk (revivalists of the time called it being enraptured) but the majority should be random = with a few outbursts at "obviously inappropriate" times.

The lead voice "minister" made several "interjections" during Lye Soap as though leading a group sing and I don't believe I've seen these in printed lyrics. A couple were "C'mon Now, Let's Hear It" and "Sing It Up Now," "Sing Out," and "Let's All Sing Out Now."

"It's in the Book" was delivered as a "sermon" with less need for backup "singers."

John

Subject: RE: Grandma's Lye Soap
From: PHJim
Date: 31 Jul 11 - 04:37 PM

We had that as well, a 78. The "It's In The Book" side was a dramatic reading of Mary Had A Little Lamb.

"...Leave him alone...Leave him alone...If the lamb was lost and you didn't know where to find him you'd HAVE to leave him alone wouldn't you?
Leave him alone and he'll come home...He, he being the lamb, he will come home...Ah yes, it'll be a brighter day tomorrow, he WILL come home..."

I haven't heard this in 50 years, but I still remember it.

Subject: RE: Grandma's Lye Soap
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 31 Jul 11 - 04:58 PM

Actually Jim our record was sort of a "75-90 RPM". We didn't have a very good record player back then; but if you heard it played as often as my sister put it on you got a fair idea of an average.

John

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Grandma's Lye Soap
From: Bill D
Date: 31 Jul 11 - 09:03 PM

Like PHJim, I had the record.. (a 10" LP) of Johnny Standley... and *I* can still quote much of it. I especially liked "Rock-a-Bye Baby"...."...and down will come baby, cradle and...oh, what a gooey mess!"

I played the grooves out of that record.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Grandma's Lye Soap
From: GUEST,williamofcrestone
Date: 01 Aug 11 - 03:09 AM

Where can I get a copy of this record? much prefered-- a digital re-do of the record. MP3 or .wav or whatever.
Please responde to [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Grandma's Lye Soap
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Aug 11 - 03:24 AM

Hi, William - this YouTube link (click) will lead you to a number of recordings.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Grandma's Lye Soap
From: GUEST,WilliamofCrestone
Date: 01 Aug 11 - 03:27 AM

Thanks Joe, and good morning to yah.