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Songs about chickens
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Subject: Lyr Add: JIMMY (Mike & Tawmmie Campbell) From: Alaska Mike Date: 19 Aug 14 - 12:10 PM Here's one I wrote with a littyle help from my lovely wofe.... Jimmy by Mike & Tawmmie Campbell 2012 Jimmy was a Barred Rock rooster, He lived outside in the yard, In any kind of weather Jimmy had a pretty feather, But living with Jimmy was hard. He was always great with the chickens, Seemed to have a pretty good head, But every morning at 4 am, Jimmy would wake us out of bed. There's a whole lot of squawking and a whole lot of talking, There's a whole lot of stinky chicken poo. But the worst thing about having chickens in the yard, Is Jimmy's old cock-a-doodle-doo. Doodle doo, doodle doo, doodle doo, doodle doo, doodle-doodle-doodle-doodle doo. Now the neighbor on the right was William, And the neighbor on the left was Vi, And the neighbors in the back were Jill and Jack, And they all wanted Jimmy to die. For he woke them up every morning, They were not very happy you see, And Vi and Bill and Jack and Jill, Were getting pretty mad at me. There's a whole lot of squawking and a whole lot of talking, There's a whole lot of stinky chicken poo. But the worst thing about having chickens in the yard, Is Jimmy's old cock-a-doodle-doo. Doodle doo, doodle doo, doodle doo, doodle doo, doodle-doodle-doodle-doodle doo. I tried to be a good neighbor, invited them over for a keg, I mowed their lawns and every week, I gave them each a dozen fresh eggs. Next year under my Christmas tree, Much to my surprise, I got a hatchet from old Jack and Jill, I got a roasting pan from Vi.. I got a summons from the city, That was Williams work you see, Cause he don't like noise and he don't like Jimmy, And he sure as hell don't like me.. Now there's still a lot of squawking and there's still a lot of talking, And there's still a lot of stinky chicken poo. But thanks to all of my neighbors, There's no more cock-a-doodle-doo. Doodle doo, doodle doo, doodle doo, doodle doo, doodle-doodle-doodle-doodle doo. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: AUNTIE SKINNER'S CHICKEN DINNER From: Jim Dixon Date: 19 Aug 14 - 12:03 AM Nobody said these songs had to be about live chickens, did they? From the sheet music at Mississippi State University: AUNTIE SKINNER'S CHICKEN DINNER "As introduced by Ruth Roye, Princess of Ragtime" Words by Arthur Fields and Earl Carroll; music by Theodore Morse. ©1915. 1. I got an invitation To see the celebration Down at Auntie Skinner's big jubilee. The picks from each plantation Will give her some ovation When they see the possum pie and fricassee. Just smell them onions cookin'. Just watch them darkies lookin' In the pot to see what old Auntie's got. Grab your best gal. Invite another pal. Ev'rybody's welcome there. CHORUS: Come along (come along, come along) to Auntie Skinner's chicken dinner. The pick who picks the wishbone will be the lucky winner Of a grand new pair of homespun panties. No other spinner spins a pair of panties like our Auntie's. Come along (come along, come along), you little cotton pickers, Picky picks from ev'rywhere. Down at Auntie Skinner's chicken dinner, ev'rybody will be there. 2. Come on you folks, meander In back of Alexander. He will lead the marching and show the way. They're down by Auntie's cabin, And Lordy, how they're havin' Such a time, 'cause it's Auntie's feedin' day. Oh, what is that I'm smellin'? It must be watermelon, Or the ham that's sizzlin' in Auntie's pan. Take your mother, Sister and brother, 'Cause ev'rybody's welcome there. [This song was recorded by Arthur Collins & Byron Harlan in 1915. It has become popular with New Orleans traditional jazz bands, who sometimes perform it as a tune without words.] |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: Haruo Date: 15 Aug 14 - 01:43 AM IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE The fish, it never cackles 'bout it's million eggs or so, The hen is quite a different bird, one egg-and hear her crow. The fish we spurn, but crown the hen, which leads me to surmise: Don't hide your light, but blow your horn. it pays to advertise. Tune: PLENARY aka "The Miller's Daughter", "The Miller's Wedding", "I Fee'd a Lad at Michaelmas", "Auld Lang Syne"... DigiTrad / MIDI I learned this from the 1954 ed. of Song Fest, from (I'm pretty sure) the same page as "On Mules We Find" to the same tune. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: Jim Carroll Date: 14 Aug 14 - 03:10 AM "My Mother, now 96, used to recite Delany's Chicken to us some 90 years ago" We recorded the version I gave from an elderly Irish singer back in the 1980s in London - It's the only version I've come across, though I did manage to trace some information on it for a note I have written for it. Our recording is due to go up on line on the Clare County Library website in the next couple of months, along with another 4000 songs from County Clare (West of Ireland) Jim Carroll This is the Note to it - would appreciate any further information, particularly the nationality of Sweeney and Barrett (English or Irish?). "*** Davy Miner – Miner's lamp invented by Sir Humphrey Davy This music hall song was composed in 1896 by Lester Barrett and P. Sweeney; Barrett wrote a similar piece, 'Hooligan's Mule', around the same time. Songs such as this, of creatures possessing wonderful attributes, abound in the song tradition, among the most popular being 'The Herring', 'The Derby Ram' and 'The Wonderful Crocodile'. Mikey's seems to be the only recorded version of this from a traditional singer." |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: GUEST,Frank Date: 14 Aug 14 - 12:29 AM From: Jim Carroll Date: 29 Oct 09 - 04:30 AM My Mother, now 96, used to recite Delany's Chicken to us some 90 years ago. She had some variations which make more sense to my ears. I am not sure, but I believe Mum learnt it at school. I still recite it myself from time to time |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: Artful Codger Date: 13 Aug 14 - 12:01 PM Oh, How Chicken Play a Ukulele |
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Subject: Lyr Add: UNDER THE CHICKEN TREE (Jones/Mills) From: GUEST,Arkie Date: 13 Aug 14 - 11:39 AM I did not see "Under the Chicken Tree" in the list. UNDER THE CHICKEN TREE Words by Irving Jones; music by Kerry Mills; ©1908. As recorded by Earl McDonald Louisville Jug Band, Columbia 14206D, 3/30/27. VERSE: I had a dream last night. It almost turned me white.* I dreamt that hens and roosters growed on trees. I dreamt I owned a great big ranch. On every hen-tree branch, The eggs was just as thick as bumblebees. I stepped out in the yard And shook one tree right hard, And about one hundred fowls come tumblin' down. Just as soon as they had died, I had them quickly fried With the gravy oozing out all nice and brown. CHORUS: It was under the chicken tree, Under the big fricassee. Eggs was droppin' from every blossom. I lost all my taste for the meat they call possum. Cows, hogs, ever' little thing Looked like feather, chicken, and wing. Eggs was droppin'. Wings were floppin', Under the chicken tree. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: LadyJean Date: 12 Aug 14 - 11:48 PM Stephen Collins Foster wrote a song called "Don't Bet Your Money on de Shanghai" about a fighting rooster. I don't have the words. But I've heard it. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: KERRY COCK From: Jim Carroll Date: 12 Aug 14 - 12:20 PM From County Clare, in the West of Ireland Jim Carroll Kerry Cock, (Roud 544) Jamesie McCatthy, Mountscott, Mullagh, Recorded at the Willie Clancy Summer School, July 1976 Spoken: Tisn't so long now; you'll have to laugh at a lot of it Oh, as I was walking down the road one day I met one cock under a tree. Oh, sure, I love my cock and my cock love me. My cock, Kerry cock crew; Every woman loves her cock and I love my cock too. As I was walking down the road one day I met one hen under a tree. Ah, sure, I love my hen and my hen love me. My hen chuck-a-chuck, My cock Kerry cock crew. Every woman loves her hen and I love my hen too. As I was walking down the road one day I met one duck under a tree. Ah, sure, I love my duck and my duck love me. My duck wicky-wak, My hen chuck-a-chuck, My cock Kerry cock crew. Every woman loves her duck and I love my duck too. As I was walking down the road one day I met one goose under a tree. Ah, sure, I love my goose and my goose love me. My goose guggle-gug, My duck wicky-wack, My hen chuck-a-chuck, My cock Kerry cock crew. Every woman loves her goose and I love my goose too. Ah, as I was walking down the road one day I met one goat under a tree. Ah, sure, I love my goat and my goat love me. My goat meggle-meg, My goose guggle-gug, My duck wicky-wack, My hen chuck-a-chuck, My cock Kerry cock crew. Every woman loves her goat and I love my goat too. As I was walking down the road one day I met one sheep under a tree. Ah, sure, I love my sheep and my sheep love me. My sheep maa, My goat meggle-meg, My goose guggle-gug, My duck wicky-wack, My hen chuck-a-chuck, My cock Kerry cock crew. Every woman loves her sheep and I love my sheep too. As I was walking down the road one day I met one cow under a tree. Ah, sure, I love my cow and my cow love me. My cow moo, My sheep maa, My goat meggle-meg, My goose guggle-gug, My duck wicky-wack, My hen chuck-a-chuck, My cock Kerry cock crew. Every woman loves her cow and I love my cow too. As I was walking down the road one day I met one big bull under a tree. Ah, sure, I love my bull and my bull love me. My bull mm-ooo, My cow maa, My sheep maa, My goat meggle-meg, My goose guggle-gug, My duck wicky-wack, My hen chuck-a-chuck, My cock Kerry cock crew. Every man loves his bull and I love my bull too. "This has been found extensively, both among children and adults, the former type being associated with a selection game and the adult's as a test of vocal dexterity and breath control. William Wells Newell described it as having been widely distributed throughout Europe and dating back to a remote past. Nowadays it is probably best known in its re-written form as 'Old MacDonald's Farm'. Ref: 'Games and Songs of American Children', William Wells Newell, Pub. Harper and Brothers 1883. Other recordings: George Blackman; Wisborough Green, Sussex, 'Songs of Animals, Folk Songs of Britain', Topic 12T198; John Curtis, Newfoundland, 'Songs from the Newfoundland Outports', Folkways FE 4075" The above commentary, lyrics and recording are taken from 'Around the Hills of Clare: Songs and Recitations from the Jim Carroll and Pat Mackenzie Collection' (2004) Musical Traditions Records MTCD331-2/Góilín Records |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: Musket Date: 12 Aug 14 - 11:42 AM Just about any banjo tune played by a friend of mine (who looks in on Mudcat so no names no pack drill.) If the tune doesn't have "chicken" in the title, he doesn't play it.... Or at least that is my take on it. "I've got the Fleetwood Mac, Chicken Shack, John Mayall, Can't Fail blues...." |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: GUEST,gillymor Date: 12 Aug 14 - 11:39 AM Crow Black Chicken |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: GUEST,Gealt Date: 12 Aug 14 - 10:26 AM How about Kris Kristofferson's Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down? Then I walked across the street And caught the Sunday smell of someone fryin' chicken And oh it took me back to somethin' That I'd lost somewhere, somehow along the way |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: GUEST Date: 12 Aug 14 - 03:07 AM Ghost Chickens in the Sky is excellent and was sung mos4 excellently by Terry Gilder. It should be on youtube. |
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Subject: RE: T'Owd Brawn Hen / The Old Brown Hen From: Artful Codger Date: 11 Aug 14 - 12:21 PM The Old Brown Hen (T'Owd Brawn Hen), as sung by Nigel & Christine Owen of the group Tinker's Bag: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BmGV_yPxfg Written by Gerald Short, lyrics posted above. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: GUEST,Sa york Date: 11 Aug 14 - 10:39 AM We just heard a duet sing a song in New Orleans but don't know if there is a version on line we could get it. Chicken in a box, mashed potatoes..... Is all I remember. Sounded old. Does anyone know this one? |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: GUEST,josepp Date: 01 Aug 11 - 12:02 PM Look an ol' rockabilly guy called Hazil Adkins who did songs like "Chicken Flop" and once did a whole album about chickens called "Poultry in Motion." |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: MGM·Lion Date: 01 Aug 11 - 05:06 AM Didn't find "The Chickens They Are Crowing" anywhere above ~~or did I miss it? ~Michael~ |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: Joe_F Date: 11 Jul 11 - 02:52 PM Mama killed a chicken, thought it was a duck, Put it on the table with its legs stickin' up. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: phinque Date: 11 Jul 11 - 01:53 PM More "Rooster" verses There was a monastery and it was empty (2x) One day that rooster came into the yard He caught that monastery right off its guard It's filled with friars....etc. There was a jukebox, no rock would it play One day that rooster...... It's playin HENdrix...etc |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: MorwenEdhelwen1 Date: 07 Jul 11 - 12:23 AM What about "Sly Mongoose"? The first verse has the mongoose stealing chickens: "Mongoose go eena Bedward kitchen, Tek out one a 'im righteous chicken. Put it eena 'im wescut pocket, Sly mongoose." |
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Subject: Lyr Add: T'OWD BRAHN HEN From: Rank Date: 07 Apr 11 - 04:30 PM T'owd brahn hen, written by Gerald Short and recorded on Map of Derbyshire by Mckram Wakes (sung by John Tams) T'OWD BRAHN HEN Gerald Short Ee sez me mother, to me and me brother, Will you kill that owd brahn hen? For she eats more oats than Jackson's goats, And she'll not lay again. For times is hard and we've not much cash, So we'll have her in the pot. So off to find that owd brahn hen, Me and me brother shot. Well we chased her together, but we couldn't catch a feather, For she were a wily bod. She hopped around upon the ground, Like fleas on our owd dog. Well we catched her in the yard at last, My how she scrat and fought, You'd have thought it were an eagle not, An owd brahn hen we'd caught. Well all in a dither I says how shall we kill her, And me brother says, I knows. Me mates I saw kill fowls before, And this is how it goes. So he grabs her by the neck and turns, A couple of times or three, Then tweaks it hard and turns and smiles, As if to say now see. Now all in a hurry and feathers in a flurry, He's dropped her to the ground, Where to our surprise, before our eyes, The funniest thing we found. This fowl stood up, unscrewed her neck, And gave a strangled cry, Then blinkin' 'ard ran down the yard, And out of sight did fly. Now it's strange to relate and I know it's right, Next morning in our shed, That bald necked hen has laid again, And waited to be fed. So if your old bod won't do her job, You mun heed now what I say. Just tweak her neck and then by heck, You'll get fresh eggs each day. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: reggie miles Date: 07 Apr 11 - 01:26 AM There's a 1947 Merle Travis song that I picked up from a 45rpm by The Green River Boys (featuring Glen Campbell) called, "Kentucky Means Paradise". There's a wonderful verse in there that goes... "Take a K and an E N and a T U and a C-K-Y That spells Kentucky And it means paradise Take a chicken and ya kill it Then ya put it in a skillet And ya fry it up golden brown That's southern cookin' and it's mighty nice" |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: SammySkillet Date: 06 Apr 11 - 07:44 PM Pork Fat Makes My Chicken Tan! unless someone said it already. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: Crowhugger Date: 06 Apr 11 - 12:58 AM My favourite chicken song is here in the DT: FARM OUT WEST. I learned it from my mother who sang it regularly though my childhood and IIRC it was one of the first songs learned to play & sing when I took up guitar in my teens. And I still sing it for myself and for anyone who'll listen. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: CupOfTea Date: 05 Apr 11 - 06:04 PM Tim Wallace of the Smoking Fez Monkeys penned a song "Sacred Chickens" that details exactly WHY There ain't no such things as sacred chickens, Ain't nobody ever thought there should be Cause God don't want no sacred chickens Or else He wouldn't have made them taste So finger -licking good Tim has explained lots of the universe in his songs, but his is the closest he gets to sacred, even if it's in the negative! Joanne |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: GUEST,doubleoseddon Date: 05 Apr 11 - 04:37 AM Evidently Chicken Town - John Cooper Clark Chicken Skin Planet - Graham Massey and Dave Prescott |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: Bill D Date: 03 Nov 09 - 05:19 PM refresh...for those who really need another 'chicken' song... |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: Bill D Date: 02 Nov 09 - 12:41 PM Well, you'll have to decide whether this is about chickens or not. Tex Ritter, "Chicken My Chicken" |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: PHJim Date: 02 Nov 09 - 11:41 AM Here's Hayes Carll's chicken song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luTnYj9d2os [Lyrics posted here: CHICKENS.] |
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Subject: Lyr Add: WILL THERE BE CHICKENS IN PARADISE From: cetmst Date: 02 Nov 09 - 07:04 AM The Mill Run Dulcimer Band on the album "We Shall Meet" record "Will There Be Chickens In Paradise?" attributed to Emily Luertzing and Neal Walters. "This song, straight from Vineland NJ, the egg basket of America, poses the profound philosophical question that haunts us all. With a special guest appearance from the Sister Cluckers". Will there be chickens in Paradise, In that sweet bye and bye, Any roosters and hens all freed of their sins, In that great chicken coop in the sky? Cho: Will there be chickens in Paradise Perched on the throne of our Lord, Hatchin'and layin' and peckin' and prayin', Crowin' a heavenly chord? Will I see my old friends in Paradise, Henrietta and old Chanticleer? I'd be so lonely in Paradise If those sweet little pluckers weren't there. Cho: Will the Colonel be thrown from his heavenly home? Only the future will tell, For the chicken he's et, I'm sure it's a pet. He'll be deep fat fryin' in Hell. Cho: Will there be chickens in Paradise Roostin' in clouds in God's sky? They'll be the only angels in Paradise Too dumb to learn how to fly. Cho: (accompanied by the Sister Cluckers) |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: Dave the Gnome Date: 30 Oct 09 - 01:49 PM Gallo de Ciello - or the Mexican Chicken Song as we used to ask of the late great Jim Couza. Then there is always Sam Cooke's Twisting the night away - He's dancing with the chicken slacks... ...or is that some sort of mondegreen? DeG |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: GUEST Date: 30 Oct 09 - 12:36 PM Did anyone mention Spike Jones' "I Ain't Gonna Take it Sittin' Down"? I only remember a couple of verses: I've heard it said while on the loose You make the rounds with Sarah Goose From all reports of how it looked You tell that goose her goose is cooked Oh, by the way, while you were out I met a movie talent scout He loves my walk, he loves my cluck, He's starrin' me with Donald Duck. I ain't gonna take it sittin' down, I ain't gonna take it sittin' down, You needn't stand around and plead, Quit handin' me that chicken feed, I ain't gonna take it sittin' down! |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: open mike Date: 29 Oct 09 - 12:45 PM has this one in Spanish been mentioned? Los Pollitos dicen pio pio pio cuando tienen hambre, cuando tienen frio La gallina busca el maiz y el trigo y hasta un otro dia duermen los pollitos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTApI_rUZ2E&NR=1 |
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Subject: Lyr Add: DELANEY'S CHICKEN From: Jim Carroll Date: 29 Oct 09 - 04:30 AM This from the singing of Mikey Kelleher - fisherman and curragh maker originally from Quilty, West Clare, but when recorded in the 1970s, a retired building worker then living in Deptford, South East London. Jim Carroll DELANEY'S CHICKEN Now Delaney, from the market bought a fowl a month ago, If he find the man that sold it he'll kill him with a blow; Delaney bought this chicken, being of a tender breed And of a more deceitful bird you never heard agreed. So when they sought to pluck it, their efforts was in vain, Their hands were torn and blistered and their muscles they were strained, And resting of this chicken, they put him down to stew, If you want to see Delaney crack, cry cock-a-doodle-doo. So Delaney bought this chicken for to give us all a spread And after they arriving home they tried to pull off his head, They ordered picks and shovels, they got twisted up like tin, They tried to carve the chicken but they couldn't break the skin. So this bird must have been crowing since they built the Tower of Abel (Babel) He was fed by Cain and Abel and he lived in Noah's Stable, All the shots and shells was fired in the field of Waterloo, Could not penetrate or dislocate the tilugated, armour-plated, double-breasted, iron-chested cock-a-doodle-doo. So they borrowed Daley's rammer, by which he rammed the stones, Thinking that when tapped, would break the tender chicken's bones, But the first one has rebounded like an India-rubber ball, And knocked twelve yards of coping out of Muligan's garden wall. So this bird must have been crowing since.....etc. Oh the Dundee Extra Gunners came to excavate the thing, And the sword he carved the Russian with while light three yards of string (???) Old Tim brought the Davey Miner, through him they showed daylight, While blowing up himself and the chicken with a pound of dynamite. So to scrape the walls for chicken, it wasn't easy work, It wasn't easy to know which was chicken or which was Burke, But they found a leg of chicken on a friendly blacksmith's head, And a pair of everlasting heels upon my boots it made. So this bird it must have been crowing since....etc. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: GUEST,RickS Date: 28 Oct 09 - 12:53 PM Haven't waded thru the whole thread, but Frank Stokes' 'Chicken You Can Roost Behind The Moon' is one I like. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: Songbob Date: 27 Oct 09 - 04:04 PM Corrections: A Yardbird isn't a chicken. From Wickipedia: 1 : a soldier assigned to a menial task or restricted to a limited area as a disciplinary measure 2 : an untrained or inept enlisted man Charlie Parker (the sax Charlie, not the banjo one) was nicknamed "Yardbird," though I don't recall why. And "Chickasay" is "Chickasaw" (an Indian tribe) in local dialect. That is all. Bob |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: GUEST,Barnacle Babe Date: 27 Oct 09 - 03:56 PM The one that came to my mind was about a Rooster...[MY ROOSTER] by Bradley Kincaid. My mom used to sing it to me. I love my rooster, my rooster loves me I play with my rooster neath the green bay tree. My little rooster goes cockledoodle doo de doodle le doodle doodle do I love my cat, my cat loves me I play with my cat neath the green bay tree My little cat goes meow, meow, meow, My little rooster goes cockledoodle doo de doodle le doodle doodle do. I love my dog.... and so on and so on. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: GUEST,Roger in Baltimore Date: 27 Oct 09 - 02:13 PM Mississippi John Hurt did a Chicken Song, just spelling out the word CHICKEN. I don't remember all of it. It starts out: "C", that's the way it begins, "H", the first letter in. etc. Roger in Baltimore |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: bobad Date: 27 Oct 09 - 11:46 AM The Felice Brothers Run Chicken Run on YouTube. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: muppett Date: 27 Oct 09 - 11:18 AM Deep Fried Chicken to the tune of honky tonk woman (made famous by the Rolling Stones) |
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Subject: Lyr Add: CHICKENS FOR PEACE (Peter Alsop) From: open mike Date: 25 Oct 09 - 01:03 PM http://www.peteralsop.com/TakeMeWithYou.htm#Chickens here are the lyrics to the song i mentioned earlier:
CHICKENS FOR PEACE Written by Peter Alsop, ©1985, Moose School Music (BMI) |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 25 Oct 09 - 08:00 AM This is the story: How Earl Got Herbert I got Herbert as a throw-in when I bought my friend Earl's Harley Davidson 125 for $90. Herbert was a Banty rooster. How Earl came about getting Herbert is an interesting story. Actually, it's two interesting stories, each of them kinda true. Back in 1953, when Earl and I graduated from High School, Earl headed out to go to college at the University of Oregon, and because they frowned on Banty roosters in their dormitories, Earl reluctantly gave Herbert to me as a going away present. This is the way I remember Earl telling me how he came to have Herbert in the first place. Over the last fifty-some years, the story has become much more ornate. According to what I remember, Earl was out in his front yard one Summer's day, when a car drove by and a Banty rooster came flying out of the rear window. The rooster immediately made a bee-line toward Earl's house and the man jumped out of the car and hit the road, running. The rooster, later to be named Herbert, was running, Hell Bent for Leather when he spotted an unsuspecting squirrel running across the yard. Even though Herbert was running for dear life, he couldn't ignore the challenge of the squirrel, and took off after it. As Herbert came skidding around the corner in hot pursuit of the squirrel, he almost ran into Earl and Earl, being quick of mind and sure-handed reached down and caught the rooster. When the man came around the corner puffing like a steam engine and saw Earl, he hit the brakes and asked Earl for his rooster. Now Earl, being a real slick talker, managed to convince the man that what he really wanted to do was give the rooster to Earl. So, Earl kept the rooster and named him Herbert and when he went away to college in the Fall, he gave Herbert to me. As I said, that's the way I remember Earl telling it. Here is what actually happened, according to Earl in 2006. The rooster did indeed escape from a passing car, but it was someone else who lived across the street who caught it. When he couldn't keep it, he gave it to Earl. Earl has no idea how the rooster came to be called Herbert. There was no hot pursuit of a squirrel, or any slick-talking done by Earl. As I tell Earl, he remembers what happened. I remember how it should have happened. I like my story a lot better. I even had Herbert riding in a Cadillac when I wrote a song about him. Nothing was too good for Herbert. "He came a' riding in to town in a great big Cadillac With the windows all rolled down, tied in a gunny sack But the sack was for potatoes, and not for Herbert's kind And with his spurs as sharp as razors, he cut the ties that bind" So, how did the squirrel get in the story? When I owned Herbert, he was one of the first "Free-range" chickens in the country. Earl kept him tied to a pole with a stout string around one leg. I let Herbert have the run of the yard, and because it wasn't fenced in, he had the run of the whole neighborhood. "When Herbert strolled the neighborhood, the squirrels stayed in their nests The dogs all looked the other way, and the cats would genuflect" Herbert found squirrels to be a personal affront, and he made life Hell for the neighbor's cat and the pigeons I raised in our garage. Early on, the cat made the mistake of stalking Herbert, and when he pounced for the attack, Herbert had mysteriously disappeared. He reappeared just as mysteriously on the cat's back with his spurs dug in as firmly as a rodeo cowboy. Herbert took the cat for a little ride, and it was the last time the cat came within one hundred yards of him. "And Herbert was the terror of the local countryside Sometimes he'd flag the neighbor's cat and he'd take him for a ride And the pigeons in my Dad's garage got up to bar the door For those who messed with Herbert, were never seen no more" So you see, my memory of how Earl got Herbert was about 90% wrong, but it was 100% Herbert. If Earl HAD been the one to catch Herbert, he WOULD have smooth-talked the guy out of his rooster. For something that never happened, I got the story just about right. The next year, when I went away to college, I took Herbert out to my Uncle Jim's farm. But the song tells the rest of the story. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: HERBERT From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 25 Oct 09 - 07:58 AM I m surprised I didn't post this before. These are the lyrics to a song I wrote about a Banty Rooster I had as a teenager. He was a throw-in on the deal when I bought my friend Earl's Harley Davidson 125 when he went off to college in Oregon back in 1954. I had to give him to my Uncle when I went away to college the next year. I'll see if I can find the chapter I wrote about him, but these are the lyrics. HERBERT He came a' riding in to town in a great big Cadillac With the windows all rolled down, tied in a gunny sack But the sack was for potatoes, and not for Herbert's kind And with his spurs as sharp as razors, he cut the ties that bind CHORUS: And Herbert was the terror of the local countryside Sometimes he'd flag the neighbor's cat and he'd take him for a ride And there never was a man or beast who could make him miss a step And you can bet your bottom dollar, he hasn't met one yet When Herbert strolled the neighborhood, the squirrels stayed in their nests The dogs all looked the other way, and the cats would genuflect And the pigeons in my Dad's garage got up and barred the door For those who messed with Herbert were never seen no more We took him to my Uncle's farm when I had to move away The roosters met him at the gate, just to have a little play But when he rode them 'round the yard, their enthusiasm waned And I swear he'd jump them through a hoop, he had them so well trained … My Aunt Gladys told me that when she went out into the yard the first night that Herbert was there, all the roosters were settled down in the yard. Except for Herbert. He claimed the hen house all to himself, and was feeling mighty pleased about it. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: eddie1 Date: 25 Oct 09 - 06:46 AM Another verse for "The Rooster" We had elephants, no tusks would they grow These goddam elephants, no tusks would they grow My wife said "Honey, we're losing money These goddam elephants, no tusks will they grow" Until that rooster came into our yard And caught them elephants right off their guard. They're laying eggs now, of solid ivory Ever since that rooster, came into our yard. Eddie |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: Thompson Date: 25 Oct 09 - 02:21 AM Tá an coileach ag fogairt an lae |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: GUEST,lyn Date: 25 Oct 09 - 01:35 AM Ozark Mountain Daredevils have a great song "Chicken Train" |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: GUEST,guest Date: 25 Apr 07 - 11:46 AM How about "How do you like your eggs in the morning?" - Dean Martin |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: TonyK Date: 02 Dec 05 - 02:42 PM Parody of When a Man Loves a Woman, When a Man Loves a Chicken by Bob Rivers. Not suited for polite company, but good though. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: TheBigPinkLad Date: 02 Dec 05 - 11:49 AM There was a belter 12-bar from Stackridge, circa 1972, Keep on Cluckin' Can't remember all the words but some of them are: Way down on old Sam McGurky's spread Things are happenin' in his brand new shed He's sold his wife and seven kids And bought a thousand chickens instead. chorus It's a super[something], [something][something] Super market, super chicken time Give a booster to your rooster Have a hundred per cent potential diamond mine But you'd better keep on cluckin' Or you'll end up on the factory line! Six lonely bantems sitting on a wall Along came a farmer and now there's none at all One went to Tesco, one went to [Dell?] The rest are pushing daisies coz they wouldn't sell. So won't you listen all you L-brained dudes When you open up your barbecues Have the low-down at the ho-down and you ain't got nothin' to lose. chorus to fade ... plus much clucking Clucking good song. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about chickens From: GUEST,Jack Campin Date: 02 Dec 05 - 11:40 AM There is also a pipe march "The Hen's March" (no relation to the "to the midden" one) and a pipe tune "The Cockerel in the Creel". The story behind that one is that when the composer was a boy, his strict Presyterian mother tried to stop their cockerel from making un-Christian noises on the Sabbath by caging it in a lobster creel. The cockerel didn't think much of this and said so, the resulting sounds being the basis of the tune. |
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