Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: GUEST,Greycap
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 11:10 AM

'The Little Girl & The Dreadful Snake' - recorded by Bill Monroe & the Bluegrass Boys, also performed by the New Lost City Ramblers.
Lyrics on request.

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Bill D
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 10:06 AM

so...we come full circle.....I read thru the thread not realizing what we had started with was the song I remembered...

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Bill D
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 10:00 AM

ok...I heard this sung 35-40 years ago by a white guy who sang lot of black blues. He did it in a very driving blues-like style on 12 string guitar. I have not heard it before or since...It 'sounds' very composed and relatively modern, so someone ought to have heard it.

Here are some pieces I can remember.

"Adam and Eve was in the garden;
Everything was jake.
When a creature did come up sayin'
"MY...name...is...Snake!"

....then there are some lines about the apple, etc.
then a refrain:

"Go ahead and bite it...bet you'd be delighted"

"Go ahead and taste it...you don't wanta waste it!"


never mind...I refined my search terms in Google, and found this:
Forbidden Fruits (Nina Simone)

...so, I see it WAS composed....but the version I heard sung was way funkier and 'heavier' than the somewhat genteel version on that link.

ok...*grin* (following more links)....more like THIS with sound file in Real Audio....

This has a more of the feel of what I remember, but it is clear that the guy had adapted it heavily for 12 string.

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Cool Beans
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 09:56 AM

The Beach Boys' "Serpent USA"

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Alba
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 09:49 AM

Thanks Bob.
Now that sounds more like it and makes more sense!
I have the Song on an old Tape I made Years ago and I did have that earworm in my ear while I was listening to it this morning..heehee
Have a good Day Bob and Thanks again.
Best Wishes,
Jude

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 09:44 AM

Alba, I think the missing word is actually "coverture" (a thing that covers) rather than "curvature" (the state of being curvey).

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 09:35 AM

Does anybody besides me remember the late (and sorely missed) Jonathan Eberhart singing his own composition "Reptile Reel" ?? The refrain (apologies in advance for 15 years of Folk Process in my head) went:

Reptiles, reptiles, got 'em by the score
Rattlesnakes and garden snakes parading by my door
Put a 'gator in your garter and cobra in your creel
If you want to raise a ruckus with the Reptile Reel

Before posting I searched DT (no hits) and Googled on Jonathan's name-- no luck. There wre some 3-4 verses each one more outrageous than the previous. Would love to reconstruct that one. . .

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: SharonA
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 08:03 AM

Mo says of blue clickies: " ...in the reply box it looks as if it hasn't worked, then when I posted it, it had."

That's right! When you copy the HTML gobbledygook that the Link Maker makes (y'know, the line that starts with the "<" symbol and ends with the ">" symbol), and you paste it in the Reply box, it still looks like gobbledygook. If you want to check and make sure that you really put a link in your message, be sure to check the "Preview" box next to the "Submit Message" button BEFORE you click on the button! That way, you will see your message as it will appear on the thread, complete with link, AND you can click on the link that's IN THE PREVIEW to test it without losing your message! Once you've made sure that everything works, click on the "Submit Message" button without checking the "Preview" box first.

Hope that made sense!

Sharon

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Alba
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 06:14 AM

OK. The Earworm won.
I listened to the Song a minute ago to hear the word I had forgotten and here is the complete line:)

"She wrapped him up all cosy in a curvature of silk"

Now to find another piece of Music in an effort replace this earworm with another...**sigh**
Happy Fry Day All!
Jude

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Mo the caller
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 06:09 AM

Aha, in the reply box it looks as if it hasn't worked, then when I posted it, it had.
No wonder I'm confused.

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Mo the caller
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 06:07 AM

That link thing never works for me, let's try again
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=92940&messages=66#1782984
thats cut happened when I did what it said - "cut" and "pasted" Now let's try "copy" and "paste"
try again
No still no luck. What am I doing wrong, I followed Sharon's instructions.
On the link maker the Test this link had my link and it worked
try again
That's all I get if I copy and paste that bit!

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Alba
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 11:32 PM

Indeed Kat it very well could be...LOL!

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 11:28 PM

Ummm, Alba, would "earworm" be the diminutive of "earsnake?"**bg**

Subject: Lyr Add: THE SNAKE (Oscar Brown, Jr.)
From: Alba
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 11:24 PM

Ah Yes Dick. A Good Un for sure.

Great Song too Elmer.
I think it was written by a Man called Al Wilson but I could be wrong so don't qoute me..:)

I love the Song. The Snake is a man for sure in this one

The Snake

On her way to work one morning, down the path alongside the lake
A tender-hearted woman saw a poor, half-frozen snake
Its pretty coloured skin had been all frosted up with dew
'Oh wow' she cried 'I'll take you in and I'll take care of you'

Take me in, oh tender woman
Take me in, for heaven's sake
Take me in tender woman, yeah,
'Cos I'm the snake

She wrapped him up all cosy in a ??? of silk
And she laid him by the fire-side 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, oh tender woman
Take me in, for heaven's sake
Take me in tender woman, yeah,
'Cos I'm the snake

She clutched him to her bosom, 'You're so beautiful!' she cried
'But if I had not a-taken you in, by now you would have died'
She stroked his pretty skin again and kissed and held him tight
But instead of giving her the thanks, he gave her a viscious bite

Take me in, oh tender woman
Take me in, for heaven's sake
Take me in tender woman, yeah,
'Cos I'm the snake

'Oh snake, you' cried that woman 'you have bitten me, but why?
You know your body's poisonous and now I'm gonna die'
'Ah, shut up silly woman' said that reptile with a grin
'You knew I was a snake before you ever took me in'

Take me in, oh tender woman
Take me in, for heaven's sake
Take me in tender woman
'Cos I'm the snake
I'm the snake.

Oh no just what I needed. An earworm at Bedtime...!!

Jude

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: GUEST,Joe_F
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 11:23 PM

How happy I am when I crawl into bed And a rattlesnake rattles his tail at my head. -- The Old Settler's Song

--- Joe Fineman    [e-mail]

||: Art, being bartender, is never drunk, And magic that believes itself must die. :||

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 10:50 PM

And there's always "Charlotte the Harlot"

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Elmer Fudd
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 10:44 PM

There was a rock and roll song from the late fifties or early sixties with the chorus:

Let me in, oh tender woman,
Let me in for heaven's sake!
Let me in, oh tender woman,
Sssssighed the snake.

The last verse, after the woman takes in the snake and feeds and cuddles him and he turns around and bites her:

"Shut up silly woman,"
Said the snake with an evil grin.
"You knew darn well I was a snake
Before you let me in."

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Azizi
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 09:33 PM

Here's another children's rhyme that includes the "There's A Place On Mars" verses:

Coca Cola (clap clap clap)
went to town (clap clap clap)
Hi-C (clap clap clap)
knocked him down (clap clap clap)
7up (clap clap clap)
picked him up (clap clap clap)
Dr. Pepper (clap clap clap)
gave him (clap clap clap)
sleeping pills (clap clap clap)
jelly rolls (clap clap clap)
Theres a place on Mars
where the ladies smoke cigars
every puff they take
is enough to kill a snake
when the snake is dead
you put diamonds in his head
when the diamonds break
it's enough to bake a cake
when the cake is done
it is 1991
when you tie your shoe
it is 1992
when you get stung by a bee
it is 1993
when you slam a door
it is 1994
when you dance the jive
it is 1995
when you pick up sticks
it is 1996
when you like a boy named devon
it is 1997
when you close the gate
it is 1998
when you're feelin' fine
it is 1999
then it gets all cold
then you
FREEZE!

http://blog.oftheoctopuses.com/000518.php posted by Miranda at August 19, 2004

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 09:32 PM

Thanks for the info, Bob..

Jerry

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 09:31 PM

"We Need More Rattlesnakes." Was that Wayne Raney? Can't remember.

By the way, "Fattening Frogs" goes away back to the Mobile Strugglers in the 1940s. I recorded it too, in 1971.

Bob

Subject: Lyr Add: BLACK SNAKE MOAN (Blind Lemon Jefferson)
From: Azizi
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 09:21 PM

Speaking of black snakes, here's a classic song:


BLACK SNAKE MOAN
by
Blind Lemon Jefferson
recording of circa June 1926, Chicago, Illinois
from
Blind Lemon Jefferson (Milestone 47022)
I - I ain't got no mama now
I - I ain't got no mama now
She told me late last night, "You don't need no mama no how"
Mmm, mmm, black snake crawlin' in my room
Mmm, mmm, black snake crawlin' in my room
Some pretty mama better come and get this black snake soon
Ohh-oh, that must have been a bed bug, baby a chinch can't bite that hard
Ohh-oh, that must have been a bed bug, honey a chinch can't bite that hard
Ask my sugar for fifty cents, she said "Lemon, ain't a child in the yard"
Mama, that's all right, mama that's all right for you
Mama, that's all right, mama that's all right for you
Mama, that's all right, most seen all you do
Mmm, mmm, what's the matter now?
Mmm, mmm, honey what's the matter now?
Sugar, what's the matter, don't like no black snake no how
Mmm, mmm, wonder where my black snake gone?
Mmm, mmm, wonder where this black snake gone?
Black snake mama done run my darlin' home
__________
Note: Jefferson's first single for Paramount was also his most successful recording. An excellent example of how Blind Lemon used overtly suggestive sexual imagery without becoming salacious;
Note 1: Chinch bug, defined in different terms as a type of bed bug and as another insect which is destructive to types of lawn grass;
Note 2: lyric is garbled, "Most seen all you do" is a best guess.

Online source: http://www.harptab.com/lyrics/ly2719.shtml

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 08:19 PM

How about I Ain't Fattening Frogs For Snakes, by the Larks? A guy singing about his woman he's taking care of so well, who's cheating on him with some snake in the grass..

Jerry

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: SharonA
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 07:06 PM

Azizi and Amy: No problem! Mind you, this is the method I've devised through trial-and-error. If there's an easier way to find the URL of a specific post (without having to take note of the name and date and time of the post, go to the top of the thread, and hunt for the link with the right name-date-time match), then I wish somebody would tell me!

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Amos
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 07:03 PM

It is funny to notice that no-one has offered the verse from "Keep On Truckin' Mama" which implores:

---

"Keep that black snake off, me it's cold and clammy to the touch!"

"Keep that black snake off, me it's cold and clammy to the touch!"

"Oh, mama, mama, donc'ha realize?

That blacksnake 'longs between your thighs"

"Keep that black snake off, me it's cold and clammy to the touch!"

---

But maybe that was better left unmentioned....


A

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Azizi
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 06:50 PM

Yes, thank you both!

And Amy, thanks for posting that comment. I guess maybe it's a case of misery liking company, but at least I know that I'm not the only one who didn't know how to do this.

I'll copy these instructions and put it in my files so I can find it when I get up the nerve to try it.

Best wishes,

Azizi

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: GUEST,Amy
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 06:42 PM

Wow! So that is how it's done.                                 
Thanks a lot SharonA and Katlaughing for the info!
Amy

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: SharonA
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 06:34 PM

More link-posting info for Azizi! In order to create a link on Thread A to a specific post on Thread B, you need to do the following:

Open the thread you want to link to (Thread B).

At the top of that thread is a list of posts that have been made to the thread (names, dates and times), all of which are links to those posts. Click on the link that takes you to the post you're targeting. (You can click on the name, the date or the time of the post -- any of those will link you to the post.)

The URL of that post will now appear in the "Address" section at the top of your window. For example, the URL of the lovely poem Kendall posted on the "Sorch's Most Recent Strange Experience" thread (11 Jul 06 - 10:08 AM) is http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=92868&messages=28#1781007

Copy the URL.

Click on the "Make a link ('blue clicky')" link to the right of the "Submit Message" button at the bottom of the thread.

Paste the URL into the "Link URL" box in the Link Maker window.

If desired, type some text in the "Link text (optional*)" box in the Link Maker window. (For our example, I will type "Bill Levenworth poem posted by Kendall".)

Click the "Create Link" button.

Copy the HTML gobbledygook that appears in the window -- this is your link to the message on Thread B. Paste it into your message on Thread A. Here's the link from my example: Bill Levenworth poem posted by Kendall

You can even make a link to a post that's on the same thread (Thread A)! Here's a link to Azizi's post where she asked for these instructions (13 Jul 06 - 05:25 PM): Azizi's question

Clear as mud?
Sharon

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Azizi
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 06:25 PM

Re "Dem Bones Gonna Rise Again":

I've found some online versions of this song that have this verse:

Serpent crawling around that trunk.
Dem bones gonna rise again
At miss Eve, his eye he wunk.
Dem bones gonna rise again

Source: http://www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/dembones.html

And other online versions that subsitute 'Satan' for 'serpent' like here:

Round that tree old Satan slunk
Dem bones gonna rise again
At Miss Eve his eye he wunk.
Dem bones gonna rise again

Source: http://ingeb.org/spiritua/dembones.html

I think that the serpent version is probably the oldest one, since a serpent 'slunking' makes more sense than Satan slunking. But it's an open question as to whether serpents can 'wink' or not...

Subject: Lyr Add: OUTRUNNING THE DEVIL
From: Azizi
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 06:07 PM

There was a time that I tried to read something heavy duty in the line from African American folk songs about snakes biting people on the heel. But now I figure these lines reflected the worry that people had who lived in areas where there are a lot of snakes-maybe this worry was even more pronounced in people who were barefooted, because they couldn't afford shoes, but I'm not sure about that.

Here's another song I found with a line about a snake biting a person on the heel. This song also has the line about falling into a hornet's nest:

OUTRUNNING THE DEVIL

I went upon de mountain,
An' I seed de Devil comin'.
I retched an' got my hat an' coat,
An' I beat de Devil runnin'.

As I run'd down across de fiel'.
A rattlesnake bit me on de heel.
I rears an' pitches an' does my bes'
An' I falls right back in a hornet's nes'.

For w'en I wus a sinnah man,
I run by leaps an' boun's.
I wus afeard de Devil 'ould ketch me
Wid his ole three legged houn's.

But now I'se come a Christun,
I kneels right down an' prays.
An' den de Devil runs from me-
I'se tried dem other ways.

Source: Thomas W. Talley "Negro Folk Rhymes" {Kennikat Press, Inc. Edition, 1968, p. 108; originally published by The Macmillan Co., 1922}

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Azizi
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 05:52 PM

katlaughing,

I'm continuing this exchange here rather than by pm, because other people might also be interested in finding out how to do this.

I have used the blue clicky thingy on the bottom of these posting boxes for hyperlinking to a thread, but how do you ensure that you hyperlink to a specific post on a thread?

I'm grateful to have that easier make a blue clicky thingy because frankly the red html or whatever it is that Joe Offer has scares me. I'm not sure that I understand how to do it.

As to how I make hyperlinks on my website, my webmaster showed me how to do it and it works there, but the same thing doesn't work here. And sometimes I forget how to do it there, and have to ask him for a reminder course.

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Azizi
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 05:46 PM

Here's another version of the song "Johnny Booker" than I found on the Digitrad. The source for this version is Dorothy Scarborough
"On The Trail Of Negro Folk Songs" {Folklore Associates, Inc. edition; 1963; p.100 ; originally published by Harvard, University Press, 1925}

JOHNNY BOOKER
I went down to de back of de fiel'
A black snake cotch me by de heel.
I cut my dus', I run my bes,'
I run right into a horney's nes'.

Chorus:
Oh, do, Mr. Booker, do! Oh, do, Mr. Booker, do!
Oh, do, Mr. Booker, Johnny Booker,
Mr Booker, Mr, Booker, Johnny Booker, do!

-snip-

See Scarborough's introduction to that song:

"Dr. Wyeth performed magical tricks with a banjo, as he had been taught by old Uncle Billy in slavery times. He evoked melodies of wishful gaiety by drawing a handkerchief across the banjo strings, and lively tunes by playing it with a whisk-broom. And when he danced some of the old breakdowns for me, just to show how they went, I felt transported to an old plantation of days before the war. Another of the dance-songs he gave me was Johnny Booker."

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 05:44 PM

The addy which is in that above example, the text in RED, is just an example. You would want to replace it with whatever the addy is of the place/page you want to link to. I thought you had links on your website, no?

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 05:42 PM

When you get the box up in which you type your post, you will see at the righthand bottom "Make a link (blue clicky)" Click on that.

Failing that, here's the html which you can put in manually, as posted in the FAQs by Joe Offer:

<a href="http://www.mudcat.org">Click here</a>

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 05:41 PM

Springfield Mountain, there was a snake there as I remember.

Fod

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 05:34 PM

Here's a "toast" version of St Patrick Was a Gentleman. I seem to recall getting it from the 1950s Penguin book of Folk Songs:

Saint Patrick was a gentleman
Who through strategy and stealth
Drove all the snakes from Ireland
Here's a bumper to his health.

But not too many bumpers
Or we'll lose ourselves and then
Forget the good St Patrick
And see the snakes again.

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Azizi
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 05:25 PM

katlaughing -

I very much appreciate the effort and dedication that went into the creation of the Digitrad. I recognize that every song posted on Mudcat won't be added to the Digitrad. And I also recognize it was/is not meant to be a source for children's rhymes.

As to my providing a link to a song/rhyme/post that I [or presumably] anyone else has written on Mudcat, I don't know how to post a link to a specific post on a thread. I'm technologically challenged, and just learned how to post to a specific thread a little more than a year ago. I'd appreciate it if you or someone else could share those instructions with me.

Thank you.

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 03:57 PM

That "list" is a song database of many, many years of work on the part of Dick Greenhaus and Susan of the DT, long before the Mudcat even came into being. Not every song which gets listed on Mudcat makes it into the DT; it's up to Dick and Susan what gets included.

Also, IF you have already posted a song/rhyme/whatever elsewhere on Mudcat, save the space and just post a link.

kat

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Azizi
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 03:37 PM

Dick, I agree that the Digitrad is a Great start.

But that list doesn't appear to include any children's rhymes.
Also, I started this thread because I'm curious what examples folks would share [examples that may or may not yet be in the DigiTrad].

And besides, I was hoping that there might be some discussion of the origin/source materials/meanings of some of these songs.

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 10:46 AM

Y'know-
This is the kind of thing that DigiTrad is especially handy for. Just look for "snake", then "snakes", then "serpent" etc. and you get a very healthy start to a list.

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: webfolk
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 09:38 AM

Letterland, the tool used in may schools to teach the alphabet, has a set of songs with it for each charachter and there is one for Sammy Snake.

Geoff

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: webfolk
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 09:37 AM

The Lambton Worm could be thought of as being about a snake, or a dragon. I think of it as a sort of 'Geordie' verion of 'George and the Dragon' really seeing as how Lord Lambton (Sir John) goes off to fight in the crusades in it.

Geoff

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Scrump
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 09:30 AM

Oops! That last GUEST was me. Sorry, my cookie must have been deleted or something.

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 09:27 AM

'Snakes on everything' by Little Feat.

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 09:18 AM

What about:

Rattlesnake Rock - Pete Atkin (lyrics by Clive James)
The song about Hissing Sid from Captain Beaky (don't know the song title) - Keith Michell
Trust in Me (from the Disney animated movie Jungle Book)

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 09:16 AM

and one from Lancashire

My brother Billy's got a ten foor willy
and he showed it to the girl next door
She thought it was a snake and she hit it with a rake
and now it's only five foot four

Had to come down to it didn't it?

:D (tG)

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Snuffy
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 09:11 AM

The Shakespeare Mummers have been singing "Not for Joe" including a variant of that verse at the end of our plays for many years:

My Uncle Billy had a ten foot willy
And he showed it to the girl next door.
She though it was a snake, so she hit it with a rake
And now it's only five foot four

We've never changed that verse, but we did change the first verse:

We had a little N***** and he grew no bigger
So we put him in the Wild West Show
He fell through the window and broke his little finger
And he couldn't play the old banjo

This is now
We had a little mummer and he was no strummer etc

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Mo the caller
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 08:27 AM

Yes we had Sesame Street in England.
The last time I overwatched it (if there isn't a word like overheard that means seeing something accidentally, there should be) was 6 years ago, while caring for my Mother-in-law. She was chair bound with Arthritis and Parkinsons, so had nothing much to do but listen to tapes and watch TV. She found Sesame Street highly amusing.
Didn't I read somewhere that the puppet makers were English?

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 08:15 AM

"The Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea" - in Child's collection. Recently anglicised, recorded and released as 'The Loathsome Worm and the Mackerel of the Sea" by young English singer and guitarist James Raynard on his 'Strange Histories' LP.

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: Azizi
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 08:13 AM

One of the things I like best about Mudcat is that it provides opportunities for folks around the world to share their versions of songs and rhymes.

And Mudcat also provides the opportunity for folks with that interest to ponder about and exchange thoughts about the origin and meaning of songs and rhymes.

And-no it's not of heavy duty importance, but it is interesting and fun for folks like me...so in that spirit, I'd like to take a station break [sorry, a discussion break] from examples of rhymes to return to add some thoughts on the "I was dreamin of genie' rhyme found in my 12 Jul 06 - 09:02 PM post:

I'm wondering if this was the original American version of that rhyme was the same as the English version that Mo the Caller posted "My friend Billy had a 6 foot willy"? If so, the "I Dream of Jeanie" television show probably accounts for the USA change.
Re-runs of that show are probably still on tv, but the show was first seen in 1965 and filming ended in 1970.

Click http://www.tv.com/i-dream-of-jeannie/show/608/summary.html for a summary of that show and some clips from that show.

Also-you probably figured this out- but the words 'i dont realli care' are not part of the rhyme, but are Cassi's statement about folks' opinion of her for reciting such a risque rhyme.

Btw, Cassi has other entries & witty comments on that Octoblog thread. I wish I knew more about her. I'm assuming that she's from the USA. In one of her posts she says she's a pre-teen [or was it a teenager?]. At any rate, she's a delight!

Subject: RE: Songs & Rhymes That Mention Snakes
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 08:07 AM

I adder, I adder, I adder I aye,
I ups and I shows her the way....