Lyr Req: When the Band Begins to play

Subject: Lyr Req: When the Band Begins to play
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 15 Oct 06 - 09:49 PM

Hi,

Looking for some information/versions about the African-American folk song, "When The Band Begins to Play" which is the possible lyric origin of "Woah Mule."

It's also known as "When De Ban' Begins to Play" and is usually used as a tag at the end of the chorus.

Richie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When the Band Begins to play
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 15 Oct 06 - 10:36 PM

Hi,

I was also wondering about the line, "Hold on to the sleigh."

Any info about the meaning or origin of that line?

Is Whoa Mule of minstrel origin?

Thanks

Richie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When the Band Begins to play
From: Peace
Date: 16 Oct 06 - 09:20 AM

There is some discussion of the song with a google of

JSTOR: Folk-Song and Folk-Poetry as Found in the Secular Songs of ...

However, the site says I cannot access it from my location. Possibly from yours?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When the Band Begins to play
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 16 Oct 06 - 09:38 AM

Hi,

The JSTOR site says "Individual access to journals in the JSTOR archive is provided by participating publishers."

I'd be interested in accessing the site. Anyone know why it wouldn't be available for individuals? Need to start a thread on this!

I do have some info from Odum (and the article you mentioned) which I will post at some point.

Thanks,

Richie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When the Band Begins to play
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Oct 06 - 05:23 PM

Here's a page where the Journal Storage Archive explains how its policy works - the higher education system, or the academic world.

I imagine it's all down to their funding arrangements.   All pretty loopy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When the Band Begins to play
From: Micca
Date: 16 Oct 06 - 07:57 PM

Doesn't this line occur also in Kiplings poem "Tommy" of 1892? see here for complete poem I wonder which is the earlier occurance?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When the Band Begins to play
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Oct 06 - 08:51 PM

Thanks for the replies. "When the band begins to play" is a catch phrase from around 1900. I was wondering if this and "Whoa Mule" were of minstrel origin?

Notice the floating lyrics are found in many songs today, esp. "Whoa
Mule"

Here's some info from 1911:

THE JOURNAL OF AMERICAN FOLK-LORE Vol. XXIV. —JULY-SEPTEMBER, 1911— No. XCIII

FOLK-SONG AND FOLK-POETRY AS FOUND IN THE
SECULAR SONGS OF THE SOUTHERN NEGROES

BY HOWARD W. ODUM

WHEN THE BAND BEGINS TO PLAY:
Much has been said of the negro's love of music. It is needless to
repeat that a musical band in the community is enough to thoroughly
"demoralize" every negro within hearing distance.

The song "When the Band begins to Play" shows much of the complexity of feeling possible. Here, again, the negro is at his best in clownish portrayal of unusual scenes. His memory carries him back; his feeling idealizes the present. The chorus, always sung after each stanza, serves to unify the song; while the two-line refrain gives hilarity to the singing.

|: When de ban' begins to play, :| (three times as chorus)

See dat mule a-comin', ain't got half a load,
If you think he unruly mule, give him all de road,
Whoa, mule, whoa! Whoa dere, I say!
Keep yo' seat, Miss 'Liza Jane! Hold on to the sleigh!

Had ole banjo one time, strings made out o' twine;
All song I could sing was "Wish dat Gal was Mine!"
An' it's whoa, mule, whoa! Whoa dere, I say, etc.

Sung like the above, each of the following stanzas of two long lines,
but sung with emphasis and pause as if four short lines, is followed
by the two lines as refrain, "whoa, mule," etc., with the original chorus,
"When the band begins to play," following each stanza. This, too, is
the negro's vaudeville song:

If you want to see dat mule kick,
If you want to hear him hollar,
Tie a knot in his tail,
An' poke his head through a collar,
Den you kin hollow, "Whoa, mule," etc.

He taken her down to blacksmith shop,
To have her mouth cut smaller,
She made a whoop, she made a squall,
Den swallowed shop an' all.

Keep yo' seat, Miss Liza Jane!
Don't act jes' lak a fool.
Ain't got time to kiss you,
'Cause I'm tendin' to dis mule.

Ole master had little ole mule,
Name was Simon Slick,
Dey tied a knot in his tail,
Oh, how dat thing did kick!

An' it's whoa, mule, whoa! Whoa dere, I say!
Keep yo' seat, Miss Liza Jane! Hold on to the sleigh,
When de ban' begins to play.

Richie