Origins: Pink Pajamas

18 Oct 23 - 04:22 PM (#4191144)
Subject: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: matthewdechant

I've been looking around for origins on this song (the Pink Pajamas parody of Battle Hymn of the Republic) and have been surprised to find absolutely nothing, considering it must be a fairly recent (within the last hundred years or so) song. Seems to be very common in boy scout camps and the like. Does anyone have any information on where it might have come from?

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18 Oct 23 - 05:17 PM (#4191145)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: Robert B. Waltz

I've been looking around for origins on this song (the Pink Pajamas parody of Battle Hymn of the Republic) and have been surprised to find absolutely nothing, considering it must be a fairly recent (within the last hundred years or so) song. Seems to be very common in boy scout camps and the like. Does anyone have any information on where it might have come from?

It certainly seems like a scouting song, doesn't it? And, indeed, the traditional mentions mostly come from camps (see Patricia Averill's Camp Songs, Folk Songs, which cites it three times.

And yet, it's not in that incredible source of silly camp songs, Harbin's Parodology, and it's very rare in camp songbooks, presumably because it's considered a little risque. I found it in a Boy Scout songbook from 1997, but not in any of the many early scouting books I checked.

And Alice Kane claimed to have learned it in Belfast around the First World War. That's not absolute proof -- she was recalling her songs more than half a century later. Her memory was very good, but that isn't the same as being demonstrably perfect.

Still, best bet is that the song was in existence in Ulster by the 1920s, but somehow ended up sung in American camps. Which I agree is strange.

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18 Oct 23 - 05:51 PM (#4191137)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: Lighter

Plain Dealer (Cleveland, O.) (May 23 1913), p. 14:

"I wear my pink pajamas in the summer, when it's hot;
I wear my flannel nightie in the winter when it's not.
But sometimes in the springtime, and sometimes in the fall,
I creep right in between the sheets with nothing on at all!"

The Arkansas Democrat (Little Rock) (May 15, 1915), p. 6, has the same, but with "dive" for "creep."

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18 Oct 23 - 06:13 PM (#4191138)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: Lighter

Times-Leader (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) (Dec. 3, 1932), p. 20:

“[U.S. soldiers in France in 1917-18 sang] impromptu dulcet measures of ‘Where Do We Go from Here’ or ‘Eyes Right’ or ‘Yo, Ho, The Merry King of England’ or ‘I’ll Tell You Where the Captain Is’ or ‘She Wears Her Pink Pajamas in the Summer When It’s Hot,’ which latter gem was followed by the booming chorus of ‘Glory, Glory Hallelujah!’”

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18 Oct 23 - 06:44 PM (#4191146)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: Robert B. Waltz

Lighter wrote: Plain Dealer (Cleveland, O.) (May 23 1913), p. 14

Thank you!

Interesting that that matches the version I've always heard, and that Alice Kane's version had changed.

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21 Oct 23 - 06:26 AM (#4191142)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: Mo the caller

I didn't know the song but wondered why my memory insisted that the sheets were lily-white
Then from 60+ years ago I dredged up this to a similar tune
O Sir Jasper do not hurt me
"As she lay between the lily white sheets with nothing on at all"

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21 Oct 23 - 10:00 AM (#4191143)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: Mo the caller

Or am I combining 2 memories

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21 Oct 23 - 10:32 AM (#4191139)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: Lighter

Not at all:

https://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/o/ohsirjasper.html

But why Sir "Jasper"? That's a somewhat unusual name, isn't it?

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21 Oct 23 - 02:45 PM (#4191147)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: Robert B. Waltz

Lighter wrote: But why Sir "Jasper"? That's a somewhat unusual name, isn't it?

Maybe he was hard as a rock? (Growf. The things I think of when dealing with bawdy songs.) It's not a common name, but it's not extremely unusual; I believe I knew a man named "Jasper" half a century ago, and there is a radio host with a cat named "Jasper."

The song is in the DT -- file SIJASPR.

Roud mixes it with "Pink Pajamas" (both #10311), but I certainly wouldn't.

Averill's Camp Songs, Folk Songs cites it three different times, so it likely was popular in camps although, of course, no camp songbook would include the thing.

I have not found any early references to it, but there are some interesting notes which I derive in part from Averill:

The trick here, of course, is that each time through, one more word is left out (perhaps with muffled sounds replacing it), until the final sounds are almost orgasmic.
It really should end with a "Tee hee," at least if anyone knows Chaucer's "Miller's Tale."
I would love to know what camps allowed this thing!
Averill calls this sort of thing, where words are left out of a song, a "decremental song." All I can say is, in terms of cleverness, this stands head and shoulders above the rest, even if it is not usable in polite company.
"John Brown's Body" seems to be a popular tune for decemental songs, being used for both this and "John Brown's Flivver." - RBW

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21 Oct 23 - 03:40 PM (#4191140)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: Lighter

The earliest reference I've found to the song "Oh, Sir Jasper" is in John Brunner's story, "The Number of My Days," in Nebula Science Fiction, 19 (Dec., 1956).

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21 Oct 23 - 04:07 PM (#4191148)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: Robert B. Waltz

Lighter wrote: The earliest reference I've found to the song "Oh, Sir Jasper" is in John Brunner's story, "The Number of My Days," in Nebula Science Fiction, 19 (Dec., 1956).

Thank you!

Once again we see that folk/SF connection.

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21 Oct 23 - 07:34 PM (#4191141)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: Lighter

There's no text of either song in Harold Bennett's "Bawdy Ballads & Dirty Ditties of the Wartime R.A.F.," which suggests the popularity of "Sir Jasper" postdates WW2.

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21 Oct 23 - 08:08 PM (#4191149)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: Robert B. Waltz

Lighter wrote: There's no text of either song in Harold Bennett's "Bawdy Ballads & Dirty Ditties of the Wartime R.A.F.," which suggests the popularity of "Sir Jasper" postdates WW2.

I wouldn't have expected "Pink Pajamas" in a serviceman's anthology -- it really does sound like a camp song -- but I agree about "Sir Jasper." I haven't seen it in any military anthologies, either. The earliest field collection I know of is Ritchie's (James Ritchie, not Jean) The Singing Street, from 1964.

I do wonder how long it took to get from an "adult" song to a street song.

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23 Oct 23 - 09:58 AM (#4186090)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: Mo the caller

"I do wonder how long it took to get from an "adult" song to a street song."
I think I heard it at school in about 1960.

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23 Oct 23 - 10:04 AM (#4186091)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: Mo the caller

But then some 6th formers are very ready to think about such 'adult'
subjects

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27 Oct 23 - 07:26 PM (#4186089)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)

The version that Lighter posted on 18 October is exactly what my best friend's big brother used to sing when I was eight.

11 years later when I was dating him, he had no memory of singing it to us girls, though he did remember the song. It's good to see some of the sources of the song. I've lost track of him, so I don't know where he got it from.

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08 Mar 24 - 10:25 PM (#4198784)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: and e

THE CLAM DIGGER
(Air, "John Brown's Body")

I know a man who went digging for some clams.
I know a man who went digging for some clams.
I know a man who went digging for some clams.
And he didn't catch a bally bally clam.

Glory, glory, to the CLAM DIGGER.
Glory, glory, to the Clam Digger.
Glory, glory, to the Clam Digger.
For he never caught a bally bally Clam!

I put on my pink pajamas in the summer when its hot
I put on my flannel nightie in the winter when its not
And sometimes in the sping tie but more often in the fall
I jump right in between the sheets with nothing on at all

Glory, Glory, for the Springtime,
Glory, Glory, for the springtime,
Glory, Glory, for the springtime,
When I jump right in between the sheets with nothing on at all.

Book of Songs by Associated Harvard Clubs. 1916. pg 32.

See online here:

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Book_of_Songs/tX0-AAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22pink%20pajamas%20in%20the%20summer%22

This combines "Mary Anne McCarthy (went to dig some clams)" with "Pink Pajamas".

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11 Mar 24 - 10:42 AM (#4198901)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: and e

113. She Wears

A song understandably attractive to the sexually
underprivileged servicemen of World War Two.

She wears her silk pyjamas in the summer when it's hot
She wears her flannel nightie in the winter when it's not,
But sometimes in the springtime and sometimes in the fall
She creeps between the bedclothes with fuck all on at all.

So glory, glory, glory, to summer when it's hot,
And glory, glory, glory, to winter when it's not,
But Gloria in Excelsis to the springtime and the fall
When she creeps between the bedcloths with fuck all on at all.

The Bawdy Beautiful by Alan Bold. 1979

See online here:

https://archive.org/details/bawdybeautiful1979unse/page/202/mode/2up?q=%22her+silk+pyjamas%22+summer

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11 Mar 24 - 10:44 AM (#4198902)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: and e

71. GORBLIMEY

My Father was the captain of the Day’s Bay Ferry Boat.
He wore gorblimey britches and a little gorblimey coat,
A littie gorblimey waistcoat and a little gorbliimey hat:
Oh, gorbtimey, what do you think of that?

Chorus: Don't you think he looks. peculiar (three times)
In his little gorblimey hat.

T wear my silk pyjamas in the summer when it’s hot,
i wear my flannel nighty in the winter when it’s not,
And sometimes in the springtime and sometimes in the fall
I hop right in between the sheets with nothing on at all.

Chorus: Don't you think he looks peculiar (three times)
With nothing on at all.

From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli
We fight our country’s battle on the land as.on the sea.
Admiration of the nation is the finest ever seen
And we glory in the title of the United States Marines.
Chorus:
Don't you think he looks peculiar (three times)
The United States Marines.

Kiwi Youth Sings by Conrad Bollinger and Neil Grange. 1951

See here:

https://archive.org/details/kiwiyouthsings/page/n41/mode/2up?q=%22sheets+with+nothing+on+at+all%22

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11 Mar 24 - 10:46 AM (#4198903)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: and e

PINK PAJAMAS

I wear my pink pajamas in the summer when its hot,
I wear my flannel nighties in the winter when its not.
And sometime in the spring-time and sometime in the fall,
I jump right in between the sheets with nothing on at all.
Glory, glory, what!s it to you. Glory, glory, what!s it to you.
Glory, glory, whatfs it to you, if I jump right in between the sheets with nothing on at all.

One grasshopper jumped right over the other grasshopper's back.
One grasshopper jumped right over the other grasshopper's back.
One grasshopper jumped right over the other grasshopper's back.
And one g ras shopper jumped right over the other grasshopper's back. They were only playing leapfrog, they were only playing leapfrog.
They were only playing leapfrog.
When one grasshopper jumped right over the other grasshopper's back.

One Mosquito bit the other mosquito on the back, etc.
They were only playing cannibal.

One Mosquito scratched the other mosquito's skito bite, etc.
They were only being friendly

IOCA Song-Fest. [Undated (1938)]. Pg 74.

See online: https://archive.org/details/1938iocasongfest/page/73/mode/2up?q=%22sheets+with+nothing+on+at+all%22

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11 Mar 24 - 10:47 AM (#4198904)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: and e

Parody:
PYJAMAS
(Tune: "Merry Widow Waltz"

We wear our silk pyjamas
In the summer when it's hot
We wear our flannel nighties,
In the winter when it's not,
But often in the springtime,
And sometimes in the fall
We hop right in between the sheets
With nothing on at all.

Good-Will Songs 1936 Listed in the "Irish Songs" section.

See online here:
https://archive.org/details/N029629/N029629/page/6/mode/2up?q=%22sheets+with+nothing+on+at+all%22

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11 Mar 24 - 10:47 AM (#4198905)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: and e

(I) My Flannel Shirt
Tune: "Battle Hymn of the Republic"

I used to wear my flannel night shirt when the nights were cold;
I used to wear my pink pajamas, now they're getting old.
So, often in the summer, and sometimes in the fall,
I have to crawl between the sheets with nothing on at all.

Songs of Lions. Lions International. 1926.

See here:

https://archive.org/details/songs-for-lions/page/126/mode/2up?q=%22sheets+with+nothing+on+at+all%22

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11 Mar 24 - 10:48 AM (#4198906)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: and e

22 FLANNEL NIGHT SHIRT (Key F)
Tune: "Merry Widow Waltz."

I used to wear my flannel night shirt when the nights were cold,
I used to wear pink pyjamas when the nights were old;
But often in the summer, and sometimes in the fall,
I used to slip between the sheets with nothing on at all.

Song Sheet. O.E.S [Order of the Eastern Star] General Grand Council. Toronto, 1925.

See online here:

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Eastern_Star_World/ASnnAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22pink+pyjamas%22+summer&pg=RA7-PP4&printsec=frontcover

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11 Mar 24 - 10:49 AM (#4198907)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: and e

PINK PAJAMAS
Tune-Merry Widow Waltz

I wear my pink pajamas in the summer when it's hot,
I wear my flannel nightie in the summer when it's not;
But sometimes in the springtime
And sometimes in the fall,
I crawl right in between the sheets,
With nothing on at all!

The Aggie Squib. Massachusetts Agricultural College. December, 1915. pg 29.

See online here:

https://archive.org/details/squib23mass/page/29/mode/1up?q=%22nothing+on+at+all%22

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11 Mar 24 - 10:50 AM (#4198908)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: and e

158.--THE MERRY WIDOW.

I like to wear my flannel night shirt when the nights are cold
I like to wear my pink pyjamas, 'cus they're nice and old;
And often in the summer, and sometimes in the fall,
I crawl right in between the sheets with nothing on at all.

Jolly Song Book of the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada. May 24, 1913. Pg 42.

See online here:
https://archive.org/details/jollysongbookofq00unse/page/n43/mode/2up?q=flannel+night

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11 Mar 24 - 01:28 PM (#4198920)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: and e

"The Merry Widow Waltz" was song in the The Merry Widow
(German: Die lustige Witwe) an operetta by the Austro-Hungarian
composer Franz Lehár.

In its English adaptation by Basil Hood, with lyrics by Adrian Ross,
The Merry Widow became a sensation at Daly's Theatre in London,
opening on 8 June 1907. The first American production opened on
21 October 1907 at the New Amsterdam Theatre on Broadway for another
very successful run of 416 performances, and was reproduced by
multiple touring companies across the US, all using the Hood/Ross
libretto.

The "Merry Widow" versions of "Pink Pajamas" song fit the opening
stanzas of the Waltz.

Listen here:

https://archive.org/download/a_20220711_20220711_0713/Orchestre%20ODEON%20%E2%80%93%20Merry%20Widow.mp3

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12 Mar 24 - 12:02 AM (#4198952)
Subject: RE: Origins: Pink Pajamas
From: and e

(Tune: "Yes, We Have No Bananas")

Yes! we wear our pajamas
In winter and springtime and fall,
We've short ones and long ones,
And right ones and wrong ones,
But summer styles beats them all.
Cause when hot nights get too many
We don't wear any;
But yes! we wear our pajamas
In winter and springtime and fall.

Foresters Songbook. [Undated (1930s)]. Untitled song. Pg 7.

See online here:

https://www.horntip.com/html/books_&_MSS/1930s/1935ca_foresters_songbook_(mimeo)/1930s_foresters_songbook_(ccc_and_iowa_state_university).pdf

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