chicken songs revisited

Subject: chicken songs revisited
From: DADGBE
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 12:39 PM

There have been other threads about chicken songs but I'm looking for silly ones. Anybody out there in Mudcat land have any good ideas for silly, stupid, bizarre chicken songs?

Ideas boggle the mind. How about, The Day I Set My Chickens Free. How's that for boggling?

This is a search for material for an alterego band but I can't tell you about the band yet. Rumors abound.

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 12:52 PM

Chicken on a raft on a Monday morning, Oh what a terrible sight to see........

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Cool Beans
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 01:37 PM

As opposed to all those profound and culturally significant songs about chickens.

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 01:57 PM

Oh, gee, I guess I can't talk about the band, either. DADGBE called me at the crack of dawn this morning, dragging me out of bed because he wanted ^&*%$ chicken songs. So, I'm going to partially spill the beans and say the band consists of Ray Frank and two beautiful women, and I sometimes wonder why Ray Frank has all the luck.

We have already come up with the usual chicken songs, even at the crack of dawn - first one on the list was C-H-I-C-K-E-N, and then there's the "Chickens Are Into the To-Ma-Toes" incantation from Rise Up Singing. And then, of course, there's the Rooster Song (No eggs would she lay). "Cluck Old Hen" would be another, although I suppose it isn't really silly.

Hey, maybe Ray and his band can do the Chicken Dance...

-Joe-

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Scoville
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 02:12 PM

Oh, where to begin . . .

Old-time is chock-full of chicken songs, all of which are silly either in lyrics or in tune.

C-H-I-C-K-E-N (in Digitrad under "Chicken")
The Old Hen Cackled and the Rooster's Gonna Crow
Who Broke the Lock on the Henhouse Door?
Chicken Reel
Hen's March to the Midden (I think that one's Scottish)

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Cool Beans
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 02:15 PM

Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Bernard
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 02:19 PM

Hmmm... this is a fowl thread...!

What about Jake Thackray's 'Bantam Cock'?

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Barry Finn
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 02:24 PM

"All the little chickens in the garden"

Barry

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 03:30 PM

try entering "chicken" in the digiTrad search box and see what comes out!

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 03:37 PM

"Fishing for Chickens" (recorded by Seamus Kennedy)

And Bob Webb did an entire CD of chicken songs and tunes for, I think, the Rhode Island Chicken Council (or something).

Linn

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Goose Gander
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 03:48 PM

One-man band / rock n roller Hasil Adkins did numerous chicken songs, most of which sounded remarkably similar. "Chicken Walk" I suppose was his 'hit song'.

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: GLoux
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 03:49 PM

A couple of years ago, I tried to decipher the words to a Frank Stokes' song, "Chickens Don't Roost Too High"

Here's a link to that thread (looks like it has been shuffled a bit...).

-Greg

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: GUEST,JimP
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 03:50 PM

When I was a scout leader, "Ghost Chickens in the Sky" was a favorite.

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Goose Gander
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 03:52 PM

The late Mr. Adkins collected his finest chicken songs in Poultry in Motion which I am not ashamed to say I own on vinyl.

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: GLoux
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 04:42 PM

How about this from the '20s:

Chick Chick Chick Chick Chicken

Good old Farmer Haysack is the cleverest of men
He cuts a rasher off a pig and then shouts out to a hen

Chick chick chick chick chicken
Lay a little egg for me
Chick chick chick chick chicken
I want one for my tea
I haven't had an egg since Easter
And now it's half-past three
So chick chick chick chick chicken
Lay a little egg for me

Now Rip van Winkle woke up after twenty years or more
He found a bird's nest in his beard and shouted out O Lord!!

Chick chick chick chick chicken
Lay a little egg for me
Chick chick chick chick chicken
I want one for my tea
I haven't had an egg since Easter
And now it's half-past three
So chick chick chick chick chicken
Lay a little egg for me

-Greg

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: DADGBE
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 07:19 PM

Thanks for all the help so far. Keep 'em coming. Cool Beans is right, I don't want no stinkin' profound and culturally significant songs about chickens.

Just remember, a chicken ain't nothing but a bird.

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 08:54 PM

"Nobody here but us chickens"

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Big Jim from Jackson
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 10:35 AM

Paul Stamler of KDHX radio in St. Louis has a CD full of chicken songs that he has found on old recordings. I'm sure you can contact him through the station.

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 03:09 PM

Hayes Carll has a song called CHICKENS, cowritten with Ray Wylie Hubbard, on his latest CD. I've heard him do it, but can't remember the words. I think it's a 12 bar blues and it's pretty funny.
Fred Eaglesmith has ROOSTER FIGHT, but it probably wouldn't be appropriate.
If you do instrumentals, the Chicken Reel is a great tune for kids.

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 03:24 PM

Spitting Image's Chicken song

Hold a chicken in the air
stick a deckchair up your nose
Fly a jumbo jet
and then bury all your clothes
Paint you left knee green
then extract your wisdom teeth
Form a string quartet
and pretend your name is Keith

Any more for any more?

:D (tG)

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Greg B
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 03:51 PM

Of course there's the famous crossed-up
animal husbandry song about the rooster
that fertilzes everything in sight...it's
in the DT, but I from childhood loved the
version the Christy Minstrels did on their
'Live from the Troubador' album.

What about 'Des Colores?' The second
verse seems to take place in the chicken
coop :-)

Pretty song, too.

Greg

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Greg B
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 03:55 PM

From Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Colores

    Canta el gallo, canta el gallo con su quiri quiri quiri quiri quiri
    La gallina, la gallina con su cara cara cara cara cara
    Los polluelos, los polluelos con su pío pío pío pío pío pí
    Y por eso los grandes amores de muchos colores me gustan a mí
    Y por eso los grandes amores de muchos colores me gustan a mí

We used to sing this one in Catholic churches in the Bay
Area on occasion. I understand it translates roughly to
'Oh Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes...'

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 05:34 PM

Anything by Slim Chickens?















I'll get me coat.

LTS

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 06:41 PM

Here's a newly hatched chicken song for you. I'll try to upload a recording of it to my page at New Music Canada this weekend. Meanwhile, you could PM me your address and I'll e-mail you a quick and dirty mp3.

THE WHISPERING ROOSTER

(C)Out in the barnyard
I heard a (F)hullabal(C)loo
It was a big red rooster
Going cock-a-doodle-(G7)doo
But a cocky little (C)bantam
Muttered (F)under his (C)breath
"Go a(F)head you (C)fool
(G7)Crow yourself to (C)death"

You can strut your (F)stuff
Be a big (C)noise
The whispering rooster
Has style and (G7)poise
While you're up on the (C)dunghill
(F)Raising the (C)sun
He's in (F)back of the (C)hen house
(G7)Having his (C)fun

Then he looked at me
And he winked his eye
Said, "I can fight
About as well as I fly
But while Chanticleer
Is proclaiming his might
I'm helping myself
To some chicken delight"

You can strut your stuff
You can cock-a-doodle-doo
The whispering rooster
Knows a trick or two
While you're up on the dunghill, etc.

You can shake your wattles
You can shake your comb
You can cock-a-doodle-doo
Till the cows come home
You can rant and rave
Laying down the law
Half the chicks on the farm
Are calling me pa

You can strut your stuff
Like the rest of the cocks
The whispering rooster's
More action than talk, etc.

The hens lay eggs
And the roosters lay hens
And when they're finished
They do it again
You can only lay
Just the one at a time
While you're getting yours
I'm getting mine

You can strut your stuff
You can tread your hen
The whispering rooster
Is treading her friend, etc.

There's a lot of these boys
Like to spin their wheels
To prove they are
Big hairy deals
The whispering rooster
Doesn't squawk or trill
He keeps his beak shut
But he gets his fill

You can strut your stuff
Like a mighty mighty man
The whispering rooster
Has a different plan, etc.

The whispering rooster
Said, "Listen up, Jim
Don't have to crow
As loud as him
If he's got action
Just cut yourself in
By being handy
And whisperin'"

You can strut your stuff
Like an arrogant twit
The whispering rooster
Has grace and wit, etc.

You can strut your stuff
As much as you please
I ask them nicely
Down on my knees (does a rooster have knees?), etc.

You can strut your stuff
All day and all night
The whispering rooster
Is more polite, etc.

You can strut your stuff
Shake your feathery ass
The whispering rooster
Has a little more class, etc.

© Robert D. Stubbs 2006

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: GUEST,Marks
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 10:29 PM

Forgot the author - maybe Paul Goodman?

The Chicken Cordon Blues

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Steve-o
Date: 19 Oct 06 - 01:41 PM

Here's a beauty:

Chicken A-la-Blues
        (Blues in E) by Tom Ball and Kenny Sultan

I used to eat so many hot dogs,
You know I couldn't look a cold dog in the face
I used to eat so many hot dogs,
You know I couldn't look a cold dog in the face
I'd eat some with chili and onions,
You know I'd eat some with tomato paste

Yeah, but now all I eat is chicken,
And it's drivin' me insane
Yeah, now all I eat is chicken,
And it's drivin' me insane
You know I eat so many chickens,
Well, it clucks all in my brain!

BREAK

Sunday I had fried chicken, (stop)
Monday I had chicken wings, (stop)
Tuesday I had chicken fricasee, (stop)
Wednesday I had chicken a-la-king, (stop)
Thursday I had chicken giblets, (stop)
Friday I had chicken stew, (stop)
Saturday I had scrambled eggs.......and you know that's chicken too, oh,

No more hot dogs,
My hot dog days are gone,
You know I eat so many chickens,
Yeah, it clucks all in my bones!

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: DADGBE
Date: 19 Oct 06 - 05:50 PM

You're right, GUEST Marks, Chicken Cordon Blues is high on my list. Great song by two great folks, Paula Ballan and Steve Goodman.

That's a great blues, Steve-o. Thanks for it.

Alright all you chicken song people, come out of your shells. Get your brains unscrambled and come up with those great chicken songs, yokes... um... jokes and any other chickenalia. Come on now, lay it on me.

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Splott Man
Date: 20 Oct 06 - 09:09 AM

Well a farmer had a chicken and it had a wooden leg.
That wooden leggèd chicken, well, it wouldn't lay an egg.
So he poured boiling water all up and down his leg.
The chicken went and laid him a hard-boiled egg.

Tune: Turkey in the Straw

If you can find it: All Birds Look Like Chickens To Me - Irving Welsh 1899

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Goose Gander
Date: 20 Oct 06 - 11:36 AM

Look here, it's a plethora of chicken songs mmmmm, chicken . . . .

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Scoville
Date: 20 Oct 06 - 03:27 PM

Score!

Online listing of chicken songs!!

Subject: RE: chicken songs revisited
From: Scoville
Date: 20 Oct 06 - 03:30 PM

Folk songs about chickens

Wikipedia on "Chicken Reel", complete with 1910 cover art.