To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=36137
6 messages

Lyr/Chords Req: Ha Ha This A-Way (Leadbelly)

02 Jul 01 - 08:00 PM (#497042)
Subject: Leadbelly-This way thataway
From: gaelicconquest

Hi all-Can anyone tell me if the above was written by Leadbelly?The reason I ask is that I picked up a book circa 1930 and the Chorus to this song was mentioned but the rest of the song was different?Maybe Leadbelly brought out his own version of an old tune??


03 Jul 01 - 07:28 AM (#497351)
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Leadbelly-This way thataway
From: Brian Hoskin

The following passage is from Wolfe and Lornell's book The Life and Legend of Leadbelly, it doesn't really answer your question, but it gives a little more information:

School itself even offered different types of music to a young boy fascinated with sounds and rhymes. During recess most of the boys played ball while the girls would organize "play-parties" or "ring" games. Sometimes the boys would join these activities that combined actions and songs into an infectious game, which could be expanded to fit a specific length of time. Such games fascinated young Huddie and gave him one of his first opportunities to actually sing about some part of his life. The "play" that he best remembered was one that later became one of his favorite musical pieces, "Ha, Ha Thisaway."

Leadbelly would have been at school at around 1900.

It would be interesting to know more details about the book that you found the song in.

Brian


03 Jul 01 - 09:51 AM (#497445)
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Leadbelly-This way thataway
From: gaelicconquest

Thank you,Brian. The book is called The Fireside Book of Childrens Songs-by Marie Winn-Arrangements by Allan Miller Simon and Schuster,New York-1966


04 Jul 01 - 06:52 AM (#498124)
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Leadbelly-This way thataway
From: Brian Hoskin

I've done some checking and that was the original publication date for that book - Marie Winn was born in 1936. So the song could have been collected from any version up to that point. Leadbelly himself sang and recorded numerous variations of the song and it is, of course, possible that the version in the book is one of these.

Brian


01 Jun 06 - 06:32 PM (#1751323)
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Leadbelly-This way thataway
From: GUEST


04 Jun 06 - 11:13 PM (#1753103)
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Leadbelly-This way thataway
From: Jim Dixon

I assume the song you mean is HA HA THIS A-WAY. At least Leadbelly recorded a song by that name. I can't find any record of a song called THIS WAY THATAWAY.