Origins: Half Past One (Traditional(?) bawdy song)

Subject: Origins: HALF PAST ONE Traditional(?) Bawdy Song
From: John M.
Date: 18 May 05 - 05:37 PM

Hello everyone,

If you are easily offended, please STOP READING.   This thread is for mature audiences only.  Please don't post "dreadful song" or "worst song written" as you are not helping. 

Below is a bawdy song titled:  "Half Past One"  ( recording 127KB )

              1.  Do you sing this song? 
              2.  If yes, when and where did you learn it?
              3.  Would you be willing to sing it for folklore purposes over the phone?

Any help is appreciated.

Sincerely,

John Mehlberg
[e-mail]
~
Afternoons:  314.647.3883
Evenings:     314.381.0492
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My website: www.immortalia.com
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HALF PAST ONE   ( recording 127KB )

Half past one,
We're going to have some fun.
Half past two,
My hand was on her shoe
Half past three,
My hand was on her knee.

There'll be a hot time in the old town tonight
Fire! Fire! Fire!

Half past five,
[spoken: Something.  I guess "alive" always rhymes with "five" ]
Half past six,
[spoken: I don't remember.  
Seven. I'm on my way to heaven]

Half past five
We're feeling full of jive.
Half past six,
We're going to get our kicks.
Half past seven
We're heading straight for heaven.

There'll be a hot time in the old town tonight
Fire! Fire! Fire!

Half past eight,
The doctor's at the gate
Half past nine,
The little bastard's mine.
Half past ten,
We're doing it again.

Notes: This was transcribed from the singing of Gregory Hildebrand on 7 Dec 2004.  Joybell's Hildebrand did not have a title for it so I have used the first line.

 

• Field Recording - John Mehlberg Collection - See Notes.
  • Digital Recording - Gregory Hildebrand - 2004.12.07
    • Half Past One  Size: 127KB  Time: 0:42

Subject: RE: Origins: HALF PAST ONE Traditional(?) Bawdy Song
From: Bill D
Date: 18 May 05 - 06:11 PM

seems to be related to "Roll Her Over in the Clover", which I heard from 'people' about 1962 in Kansas, but is well known and published.

But this version is not terribly close, just similar phrases & structure.

(And Lawrence Welk tried to have it sung on his program once, until staff finally convinced him it was NOT appropriate)

Subject: RE: Origins: HALF PAST ONE Traditional(?) Bawdy So
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 18 May 05 - 08:21 PM

A variant is "My baby rocks me with a solid beat"

My baby rocks me with a solid beat,
My baby rocks me with a solid beat,
Along about one, we start to have fun
And then he rocks me with a solid beat.


etc.

Subject: RE: Origins: HALF PAST ONE Traditional(?) Bawdy So
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 18 May 05 - 09:55 PM

Tampa Red's Hokum Jug Band, one of the alltime great hot song aggregations, did a version of the last. (Though the relation of either one to the song John quotes is tenuous at best, what the hay, it's all to the good.) If memory serves it went:

My baby rocks me, with one steady roll, (2)
I looked at the clock, clock struck one,
I said baby, let's have some fun!
Just keep on rockin' me baby, with that steady roll.

Clock struck two,
I said baby, ain't we through?

Clock struck three,
I said baby, you're killin' me,

Clock struck four,
I said baby, let's have some more,

THE song for the late late party, bar none. I have used it often. Bob