Origins: Our Baby Died Last Night

Subject: RE: Origins: 'Baby Died of Spinal Meningitis'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 02:43 AM

Thanks, Joe - Song Fest has it in the 1948 and 1958 editions. Same lyrics as what Joe posted, except that the baby died a year ago. So, we have it back to at least 1948, which means that the song is probably older than I am, which means that I am surprisingly young.

allmusic.com says Patrick Sky was born in 1940, which means he was eight when Song Fest came out. I guess that rules out attributing the song to him, unless he was really precocious.


-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Origins: 'Baby Died of Spinal Meningitis'
From: Joybell
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 02:29 AM

Hildebrand says lots of university students were singing it in 1958. He learned it from Dave Hubble(?el)when they shared a room while working at a Phoenix resort. Some girls from Minnesota were also singing it he remembers. Dave was from around the Phoenix area.
Here it is as he learned it:

Last night our little baby died
He might have died of suicide
He died, I think, to spite us
Of spinal meningitis
He was a naughty baby anyway
Sooooo we ate him.

Cheers Joy

Subject: RE: Origins: 'Baby Died of Spinal Meningitis'
From: Joe_F
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 09:29 PM

There's a version in _The New Song Fest_:

A week ago our baby died.
He died committing suicide.
Some say he died to spite us,
Of spinal meningitis.
'Twas a nasty baby anyhow
And cost us forty dollars
And only lived three hours.
We didn't send it flowers,
Because it wasn't ours.

Subject: RE: Origins: 'Baby Died of Spinal Meningitis'
From: Peace
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 06:18 PM

It's possible that the words in Sky's version are his and that they parody a traditional song. Any chance of that?

Subject: RE: Origins: 'Baby Died of Spinal Meningitis'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 06:14 PM

John, I think I've seen this song in an old sonbook, perhaps earlier than the Patrick Sky recording. I checked the "usual suspect" songbooks, and didn't find it. I'll keep looking.

I think Gargoyle knows this song - maybe he can enlighten us.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Origins: 'Baby Died of Spinal Meningitis'
From: Peace
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 05:49 PM

www.wirz.de/music/skydsc.htm

or google

Illustrated Patrick Sky discography

On this site the titles of songs on his various albums and CDs are listed along with authors of said songs. He is listed as the writer of "Our Baby Die" [sic]

Bruce Murdoch

If you need further info, I think that site lists a way to reach Pat. If you do, say hello from me.

Subject: RE: Origins: 'Baby Died of Spinal Meningitis'
From: John M.
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 05:26 PM

Yes, I know that Pat Sky recorded a version of the song but did Sky adapt a underground folksong as the Korat reference would place the song in Vietnam as early as the 1960's.

Subject: RE: Origins: 'Baby Died of Spinal Meningitis'
From: Peace
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 04:42 PM

The song is from Pat Sky's "Songs That Made America Famous."

Subject: Lyr Add: OUR BABY DIED LAST NIGHT
From: John M.
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 04:41 PM

Hello everyone,

Here is a song from the Digital Tradition database.

OUR BABY DIED LAST NIGHT

Our baby died last night
It only lived for 24 hours
And it cost a hundred dollars
It was a lousy baby, anyway

Its head had turned into mush
It squushed between our fingers
Its sticky blood still lingers
It was a lousy baby, anyway

It soiled a dozen diapers;
And died for just to spite us
Of spinal meningitis
It was a lousy baby, anyway

I have a version of this song form the Korat AFB (ca 1970) which goes:

Spoken: Boys, my baby died last night.

Sung:

Oh, my baby died
She died of suicide
She died to spite us
Of spinal meningitis
She wasn't a good baby, anyway
So we ate her, yum yum.

Does anyone sing this song? If yes, where / when did you learn the song?

Yours,

John Mehlberg