Lyr Req: Forbidden Fruit (Oscar Brown Jr)

Subject: Lyr Req: Oscar Brown's 'Forbidden Fruit'
From: Lanfranc
Date: 12 Jul 06 - 07:16 PM

I'm putting together a set of a few songs with the common theme of snakes. I have Pat Sky's "Rattlesnake Mountain" and Al Wilson's "The Snake", but can't find Oscar Brown's "Forbidden Fruit" on the internet.

Can anyone help with this and/or suggest any other songs with a herpetological bent?

Alan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oscar Brown's 'Forbidden Fruit'
From: Peace
Date: 12 Jul 06 - 07:31 PM

Do you have any lyrics from "FF"?

Subject: Lyr Add: FORBIDDEN FRUIT (Oscar Brown, Jr.)
From: Peace
Date: 12 Jul 06 - 07:50 PM

FORBIDDEN FRUIT
Oscar Brown, Jr.

Eve and Adam had a garden. Everything was jake,
Till one day a voice said, "Pardon, miss, my name is Snake.
You see that apple over yonder; if you'll take a bite,
You and Adam both are bound to have some fun tonight.
Go on and eat forbidden fruit.
It's quite a treat, forbidden fruit.
It's mighty sweet, forbidden fruit.
Go ahead and taste it. You don't wanna waste it."

The Lord had said in the beginning, "Everything here's free,
Except that apple. It leads to sinning. Leave that apple be."
But Eve got tempted so she tried it, and as chicks can do,
She teased her man till he decided he'd just try some too.
"Go on and eat forbidden fruit.
It's quite a treat, forbidden fruit.
It's mighty sweet, forbidden fruit.
Go ahead and bite it. Bet you'll be delighted."

I hate to tell you all what followed: the Lord was most upset.
Saw them making love and hollered, "What have you two et?"
And when they made a full confession, the Lord said, "Well, I see.
I'll just have to teach you a lesson about not minding me.
Go on and eat forbidden fruit.
It's quite a treat, forbidden fruit.
It's mighty sweet, forbidden fruit.
You all went and did it. Now you're gonna get it."

The Lord made Eve be Adam's madam, have his kids and all,
Laid some labor laws on Adam, and he made the snake to crawl.
And ever since the days of Eden, this world's been sinful, my!
Nowadays folks are even eating apples in their pie.
Go on and eat forbidden fruit.
It's quite a treat, forbidden fruit.
It's mighty sweet, forbidden fruit.
Go ahead and taste it. You don't wanna waste it.
Go ahead and bite it. Bet you'll be delighted.
You all went and did it, now you're gonna get it:
Forbidden fruit.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oscar Brown's 'Forbidden Fruit'
From: Peace
Date: 12 Jul 06 - 07:55 PM

The Black Snake Moan (Blind Lemon Jefferson)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oscar Brown's 'Forbidden Fruit'
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Jul 06 - 07:59 PM

There's a different one in This thread

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oscar Brown's 'Forbidden Fruit'
From: pdq
Date: 12 Jul 06 - 08:02 PM

A progressive Bluegrass group named Emerson and Waldron did another Oscar Brown Jr. number about a snake. The snake is sick and a young woman takes him in. After he has recovered he bites her and says "you knew I was a snake when you took me in". Good song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oscar Brown's 'Forbidden Fruit'
From: Margret RoadKnight
Date: 12 Jul 06 - 09:31 PM

Few amendments to "Forbidden Fruit" lyrics, posted above 12 July 06 (by line):
Verse 1: 1. Jake (not great) 2. voice (not boy)
Verse 2: 2. here's (not is) 4. She teased
Verse 3: 2. two et (not to add) 8. You all went and did it
Verse 4: 1. add "be" after Eve 2. Laid (not placed), crawl (not fall) 3. this world's (not folks)

"The Snake" is the title of song mentioned above

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oscar Brown's 'Forbidden Fruit'
From: Azizi
Date: 12 Jul 06 - 10:11 PM

"you knew I was a snake when you took me in".

I've read traditional African folktales with this theme [snake asks farmer or someone else to hide him from some other animal; farmer does so; snake bites him; when farmer asks the snake how could you do this when I helped you, the snake responds with those words...moral: be careful who you befriend].

I wouldn't be surprised if there are folktales from African American culture * that Oscar Brown Jr. may have heard-with that same theme.

* and/or other cultures for that matter...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oscar Brown's 'Forbidden Fruit'
From: dwditty
Date: 12 Jul 06 - 11:08 PM

Pretty much everything Oscar Brown, Jr. wrote and sang about was from his surroundings (Rags & Old Iron) or history (Bid 'Em In). The Signifyin Monkey (his version is clean) is another example of his use of folk tales.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oscar Brown's 'Forbidden Fruit'
From: Azizi
Date: 12 Jul 06 - 11:11 PM

dwditty-

true dat.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oscar Brown's 'Forbidden Fruit'
From: Azizi
Date: 12 Jul 06 - 11:23 PM

Somewhat off topic:

See this excerpt on the signifying monkey:

"African Americans trace the origin of signifying back to the African tale of the Signifying Monkey. According to Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (head of Harvard's African American Studies program), the Signifying Monkey is a trickster figure of Yoruba mythology (Esu-Elegbara in Nigeria and Legaba among the Fon in Dahomey), who became Exu in Brazil, Echu-Elegua in Cuba, Papa Legba in the pantheon of the loa of Vaudou in Haiti, and Papa La Bas in the loa of Hoodoo in the United States).

"In the narrative poems, the Signifying Monkey invariably repeats to his friend, the Lion, some insult purportedly generated by their mutual friend, the Elephant. The Lion, indignant and outraged, demands an apology of the Elephant, who refuses and then trounces the Lion. The Lion, realizing that his mistake was to take the monkey literally, returns to trounce the monkey."

"There are thousands of "toasts" of the Signifying Monkey, Gates continues, "most of which commence with a variant of the following formulaic lines:

"Monkey," said the Lion, Beat to his unbooted knees, "You and your signifying children Better stay up in the trees." Which is why today Monkey does his signifying A-way-up out of the way.

Endings, too, tend toward the formulaic, as in the following:

Deep down in the jungle so they say There's a signifying monkey down the way There hadn't been no disturbin' in the jungle for quite a bit, For up jumped the monkey in the tree one day and laughed, "I guess I'll start some shit."

-snip-

Source:
Signifying

****

Also see this Mudcat thread about the "Signifying Monkey":

RE: Lyr Req: monkeys more humane than humans

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oscar Brown's 'Forbidden Fruit'
From: Azizi
Date: 12 Jul 06 - 11:27 PM

Hmmm...

The ending quoted in that article is actually the formulaic beginning and the formulaic beginning quoted in that article is actually the ending...

oh well...

Now back to "Forbidden Fruits"...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oscar Brown's 'Forbidden Fruit'
From: GUEST,Lanfranc the Cookieless
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 05:16 AM

Thanks, chaps and chapesses.

Does anyone know for certain whether Oscar Brown wrote "The Snake" (take me in tender woman, etc) as well as "Forbidden Fruit"?

Thanks for the reminder about "Black Snake Moan". Any more .... ?

Alan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oscar Brown's 'Forbidden Fruit'
From: dwditty
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 06:57 AM

According to the credits on his "Tells It Like It Is" record, OBJ did, in fact, write The Snake.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE SNAKE (Oscar Brown, Jr.)
From: pdq
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 09:46 AM

THE SNAKE
Oscar Brown, Jr.

On the way to work one morning, down the path alongside the lake,
A tenderhearted woman found a poor half-frozen snake.
His pretty colored skin had been all frosted with the dew.
"Poor thing" she cried. "I'll take you in and I'll take care of you."

"Take me in, tender woman.
Take me in, for heaven's sake.
Take me in, tender woman,"
Sighed the snake.

She wrapped him up all cozy in a comforter of silk,
And laid him by the fireside with some honey and some milk.
She hurried home from work that night, and as soon as she arrived,
She found that pretty snake she'd taken in had been revived.

"Take me in, tender woman.
Take me in, for heaven's sake.
Take me in, tender woman,"
Sighed the snake.

She clutched him to her bosom. "You're so beautiful," she cried,
"But if I hadn't brought you in, by now you might have died."
Well, she stroked his pretty skin again and kissed him really tight.
Instead of saying thanks, the snake gave her a vicious bite.

"Take me in, tender woman.
Take me in, for heaven's sake.
Take me in, tender woman,"
Sighed the snake.

"I saved you!" cried the woman, "and you've bitten me, but why?
You know your bite is poisonous and now I'm gonna die."
"Ha! Shut up, silly woman," said that reptile with a grin.
"You knew damn well I was a snake before you took me in."

"Take me in, tender woman.
Take me in, for heaven's sake.
Take me in, tender woman,"
Sighed the snake.
"Take me in, tender woman,"
Sighed the snake.
"Take me in, tender woman,"
Sighed the snake.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oscar Brown's 'Forbidden Fruit'
From: Bill D
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 10:11 AM

so...in that other thread started about snakes, I posted a link to a recording of Forbidden Fruit

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oscar Brown's 'Forbidden Fruit'
From: Alba
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 10:22 AM

Things are getting a bit muddled now what with two Threads dealing with a similiar topic.
I have already posted the words to the Song "The Snake" on This Thread

Can anyone verify the writer of this Song please.
Ta Muchly.
A slightly confused Jude!:)..(but hey that's nothing new!)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oscar Brown's 'Forbidden Fruit'
From: Margret RoadKnight
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 09:01 PM

"The Snake" written (words & music) by Oscar Brown Jr, first recorded on his "Tell It Like It Is" LP

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oscar Brown's 'Forbidden Fruit'
From: Alba
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 09:45 PM

Thanks a lot Margaret.
I had been looking for Information about the Song this evening and luckily found a wonderful Interview with Oscar Brown Jr. In it He said that his "Tell It Like It Is" LP came out on the Columbia Lable in 1963 and that it includes his Song "The Snake".
He went on to say that Al Wilson then released his version of the Song in 1968.


Again many Thanks for your help Margaret. Much appreciated.
a slightly less confused..:)
Jude

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oscar Brown's 'Forbidden Fruit'
From: pdq
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 10:29 PM

"…and I Know You Wanna Dance" by Johnny Rivers is on Imperial Records (LP12307) from 1966. Songs are The Snake, I Can't Help Myself, You Must Believe, Uptight, Respect, In The Midnight Hour, Secret Agent Man, Every Day I Have to Cry, You've Lost That Lovin Feelin, Foolkiller, Run For Your Life, and You Dig.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Forbidden Fruit (Oscar Brown Jr)
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Sep 13 - 02:30 PM

wmb. How about "boa consrtictor"    sung by Gil Robbins
when he was with THE HIGHWAYMEN back in the '60's...
I think it was a Shel Silvertein song

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Forbidden Fruit (Oscar Brown Jr)
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Sep 13 - 02:32 PM

wmb. Does anyone have the chord sequence for FORBIDDEN FRUIT ??
found the words,,,,...nedd the chords...