Songs about chickens

Subject: Lyr Add: FIGHTIN' LITTLE ROOSTER (Big Bill Broonzy
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Apr 17 - 12:35 PM

FIGHTIN' LITTLE ROOSTER
As recorded by Big Bill Broonzy, 1939.

Folks had a church on a chicken ranch.
The rooster spurred the dog on the mourner's bench.

CHORUS: He was a spurrin' little rooster, don't you know.
Oh, what a spurrin' little rooster, don't you know.
Yes, he was a spurrin' little rooster from that black hen's nest.

Rooster was scratchin corn in a tub.
Bull come out an' tried to take his grub.
Flopped his wings, made a pass,
Spurred that ol' bull in his yas, yas, yas. CHORUS

Barnum an' Bailey had come to town.
My brother taken the rooster to the circus groun'.
The rooster told the monkey: "Doggone your soul!"
Made that monkey climb a eight-foot pole,

CHORUS: He was a fightin' little rooster, don't you know.
Oh, what a fightin' little rooster, don't you know.
Yes, he was a fightin' little rooster from that black hen's nest.

He flopped his wings, started to crow,
Said: "I can whup any animal on this show."
The tiger come out from under the tent.
He spurred that tiger and away he went.

CHORUS: He was a spurrin' little rooster, don't you know.
Oh, what a fightin' little rooster, don't you know.
Yes, he was a fightin' little rooster from that black hen's nest.

Subject: Lyr Add: IF YOU SEE MY ROOSTER (Memphis Minnie)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Apr 17 - 04:48 PM

IF YOU SEE MY ROOSTER
As recorded by Memphis Minnie, 1936.

If you see my rooster, please run him on back home. (2x)
I have found no eggs in my basket since my rooster been gone.

I heard my rooster crowin' this mornin' just about the break o' day. (2x)
I guess that was the time he was makin' his getaway.

I just found out how come my hens won't lay. (2x)
Ev'ry time I look around, my rooster have done gone away.

I've got too many hens for not to have no roosters on my yard. (2x)
And I don't know what's the matter; something have done got him barred(?).

Now, Bob, if you see my rooster, please run him on back home. (2x)
I have found no eggs in my basket since my rooster been gone.

[I just realized this seems to be a source for Willie Dixon's LITTLE RED ROOSTER, recorded by Howlin' Wolf in 1961.]

Subject: Lyr Add: RED ROOSTER BLUES (Sonny Scott)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Apr 17 - 05:48 PM

RED ROOSTER BLUES
As recorded by Sonny Scott, 1933.

I got a rooster in my back yard, been crowin' all day long. (2x)
I believe to my soul in my chicken wants some corn.

I went out last night tryin' to get myself two hens.
Lord, I went out last night; I [de]cide to get myself two hens.
Lord, to put with my rooster, 'cause I wants to hear him crow again.

Lord, he crowed this mornin', crowed 'fore the break o' day. (2x)
And it puts me on the wonder when my rooster crows that way.

I went out in my henhouse; I did not make a sound.
Lord, I went out in my henhouse; did not make a sound.
By that time my rooster is crowin' an' there weren't no hens around.

If my rooster don't stop crowin', baby, I don't what I'd do.
If my rooster don't stop crowin', don't what I'd do.
Because he wants one hen, baby; b'lieve I wants one too.

Subject: Lyr Add: ROOSTER (The Ravens)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Apr 17 - 06:16 PM

ROOSTER
As recorded by The Ravens, 1947.

I got a great big rooster [that] runs in my back yard. (2x)
I bought that rooster when the times was hard.

Says, during the depression when you couldn't get eggs,
He kept me safer(?); didn't have to beg.

I got a great big rooster that runs in my back yard. (2x)
I bought that rooster when the times was hard.

He's a big red rooster; he's mixed with stripéd green. (2x)
He's a pretty old thing, but he's oh, so doggone mean.

I bought that rooster when the times was hard. (2x)
In fact, I stole him out o' Clem Williams' yard.

[This recording includes lots of patter that I have omitted.]

Subject: RE: Songs about chickens
From: GUEST,Nipper Seaturtle
Date: 28 May 17 - 01:29 PM

I can't believe NON of the songs I know bout chickens are here!
Chicken Farm - Dead Kennedys
Don't Count Your Chickens - Honey Cone
How Funky is Your Chicken? - Jackson 5
Chicken - The Cramps
Chicken Little Was Right - The Turtles
Rooster - Alice in Chains
Drunken Blue Rooster - Todd Rundgren
Chicken Sqwuak - M.D.C.
Chicken - Toad The Wet Sprocket
Little Red Rooster - Cherry Vanilla

Subject: Lyr Add: PICKIN' A CHICKEN (Eve Boswell)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Mar 19 - 12:18 AM

PICKIN' A CHICKEN
Words by Paddy Roberts, music by Derek Bernfield & Garfield De Mortimer.
As recorded by Eve Boswell, 1955.

Come to the barbecue and sit by my side.
We couldn't choose a better night if we tried.
Can't you imagine what a thrill it will be,
Pickin' a chicken with me?

[§] It's so romantic; the moon up above
Is extra bright on a night such as this.
Pulling a wishbone with someone you love
Is almost certain to end with a kiss.

So come to the barbecue, my darling, my dear.
I'm so in love with you and when you are near
I get a feeling that forever you'll be
Pickin' a chicken with me.

REPEAT FROM §.

Subject: Lyr Add: DARS A LOCK ON DE CHICKEN COOP DOOR
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Mar 19 - 10:29 AM

Lyrics below are from the sheet music at the Library of Congress. You can hear a 1920 recording by Harry C. Browne and The Harmonizers at The Internet Archive:

[This is presented for historical interest only; I don't recommend singing it, due to its blatant racism. The tune is nice, though.]

DARS A LOCK ON DE CHICKEN COOP DOOR
Words and music by Sam Lucas, ©1885.

1. Dis kintry's gwine to de dogs at last when de farmer sets a watch
And a big bull dog and a big steel trap in de watermillion patch;
An' wus dan all dat's happened yet dat makes us all feel sore,
Whenebber you trabbel around, you'll find dar's a lock on de chicken coop door.

CHORUS: Oh! Aunt Susan! Did you eber hear ob dat before?
Wharebber you trabbel around, you'll find dar's a lock on de chicken coop door.

2. De pullets dey flop dar wings and crow when a darkey passes by.
Dey seem to say dat dey can't be cotched and it ain't no use to try.
Oh! Gabriel blow de mighty horn! We can't stay here no more,
For if we do, we will starve to death; dar's a lock on de chicken coop door.

3. And when we've a wedding party now, oh! what am we a-gwine to do?
Oh! whar am de pullets a-comin' from for to put dat party froo?
Oh! hang up de banjo on de wall; we'll rattle de bones no more.
Dis kintry's gwine to de dogs at last; dar's a lock on de chicken coop door.

[The following verse is sung in the linked recording, but does not appear in the sheet music:]

4. Oh, what is a darky gwine to do when the parson's asked to eat
And there ain't no fowl to feed him with as he sits there in his seat?
The good Lord knows it isn't right to tease a darky so.
It's just enough to break his heart; there's a lock on the chicken coop door.

Subject: Lyr Add: CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP (Happy Johnson)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Mar 19 - 07:16 PM

My transcription from the recording at the Internet Archive:


CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
Words and music by Jack Hoffman & Bert Pellish.
As recorded by Happy Johnson and his International Jive Five, ©1947.

[SPOKEN:] Although you may beg,
You've laid your last egg,
'Cause tonight you belong to me.

[SUNG:] Here, chicky, chicky, chicky! Here, chicky, chicky, chicky!
Won't you try some corn today?
Nice chicky, chicky, chicky! Nice chicky, chicky!
We're groomin' you for consommé.

Pick the feathers one by one, boy.
Let me know when you are done, boy.
A feathered friend from a chicken coop
Makes delicious chicken noodle soup.

Do you dig me, what I said, boy?
What a fine dish you'll be fed, boy!
A feathered friend from a chicken coop
Makes delicious chicken noodle soup.

Now, you stir the mixture with precision.
Let the fire warm the pot.
Man! You better get ready for your nutrition,
'Cause chicken soup and noodles always hit the spot.

Need I mention what to do, boy?
Have another plate or two, boy
A feathered friend from a chicken coop
Makes delicious chicken noodle soup.

[SPOKEN:] Oh, shucks, man! You let that bird get away!
Now we can't make no chicken noodle soup!

Subject: RE: Songs about chickens
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Apr 21 - 04:42 AM

When you stay up late in online Zoom sessions, people get to talking. So, we got talking about things we'd listen to on the radio Way Back When. I was born in Detroit, but I moved to Southeast Wisconsin when I was nine, and I thought it was cool to listen to Chicago radio stations. My favorite radio personality was Dick Biondi on WLS, but I really liked the Chickenman radio series on WCFL (named after the Chicago Federation of Labor). "He's Everywhere! He's Everywhere!"

Subject: RE: Songs about chickens
From: BrooklynJay
Date: 11 Apr 21 - 05:38 PM

On our weekly Zoom session, a couple started singing a song about chickens, and it sort of...ah...took flight.

One week, I rewrote a verse to Seven Drunken Nights as follows:

I came home on Saturday night,
Drunk as drunk can be,
I saw a chicken with my wife,
A-cackling with glee,

Well, I called to my wife and I said to her,
Now will you tell to me,
Why you've left me for a chicken?
Now, explain yourself to me.

You're drunk, you're drunk, you silly old fool,
So drunk you cannot see,
He's just the lad from Grub Hub
And he's brought me KFC

Well, I have traveled near and far,
A hundred miles or more...
But, after this I think I'm going vegan,
That's for sure!

Chicken? Nah... Duck and Cover!

Jay

Subject: RE: Songs about chickens
From: John C. Bunnell
Date: 12 Apr 21 - 04:28 AM

Surely any compilation of chicken songs must include the iconic introductory number for Super Chicken's animated adventures:

SUPER CHICKEN THEME SONG

When you find yourself in danger,
When you're threatened by a stranger,
When it looks like you will take a lickin', (buk-buk-buk-buk)
There is someone waiting who
Will hurry up and rescue you,
Just squaw-awk for Super Chicken! (buk-ack!)

Fred, if you're afraid you'll have to overlook it,
Besides you knew the job was dangerous when you took it! (buk-ack!)

He will drink his super sauce
And throw the bad guys for a loss
And he will bring them in alive and kickin' (buk-buk-buk-buk)
There is one thing you should learn
When there is no one else to turn to
Squaw-awk for Super Chicken! (buk-buk-buk-buk)

Squaw-awk for Super Chicken! (buk-ack!)


I don't have formal credits to hand, but one assumes that Jay Ward probably wrote these lyrics, together with those for George of the Jungle and Tom Slick (Tom and Super Chicken were the backup segments on George's TV series back in the day).