To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63324
8 messages

Lyr Req: Uncle Remus (children's song)

01 Oct 03 - 10:38 AM (#1027243)
Subject: Lyr Req: Uncle Remus (children's song)
From: GUEST,Cheryl Lee

My son is studying Uncle Remus in school. We were talking about it and I sang him the chorus and only verse I remember of a song about Uncle Remus that I learned in 2nd or 3rd grade. He loves it and keeps asking for other verses; I can't remember any. What I remember follows. Do any of you know this? Can anyone contribute additional verses? Thanks.

Uncle Remus, Uncle Remus, Uncle Remus says
Gather round here little children before you go to bed
Now give me your attention and turn your ears to pay
And I'll tell you how the animals got that way.

The leopard pappy got the gout from eating too much speckled trout
His mammy dreamed of polkey-dots, and that's how the leopard got his spots
That's what Uncle Remus says, that's what Uncle Remus says
His mammy dreamed of polkey-dots, and that's how the leopard got his spots.

More, more, tell us more.
More, more, tell us more.

(Then another animal, then another....)


01 Oct 03 - 11:14 AM (#1027272)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Uncle Remus (children's song)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

Harris originals, "Plantation Songs" (Joel Chandler Harris) in thread 59230, but these are not the tales: Uncle Remus

Best source is the book, "The Complete Tales of Uncle Remus," Joel Chandler Harris, (Houghton-Mifflin and many other editions), 875 pp., which compiles the tales from his several books. It should be available at your library.

Your quote is not from Uncle Remus, but is a parody written by someone else.
Polka-dot leopards, indeed!


01 Oct 03 - 02:28 PM (#1027400)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Uncle Remus (children's song)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

Forgot to note- Uncle Remus is in Gutenberg transcription online: Remus

Also the best-known, from his first book, in easily readable form, at Uncle Remus Plantation

(http://whitewolf.newcastle.edu.au/words/authors/H/HarrisJoelChandler/prose/UncleRemus/index.html)
Popular in Australia, too!


01 Oct 03 - 02:33 PM (#1027402)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Uncle Remus (children's song)
From: Bonnie Shaljean

I don't know the song you're referring to, but if by chance it came not from JC Harris but the Disney film about Uncle Remus, "Song Of The South", I believe the composer for that film's songs was Robert MacGimsey (who also wrote Sweet Little Jesus Boy, which a lot of folks think is trad). Worth a look, unless you KNOW for sure your song is not from the film.


01 Oct 03 - 02:56 PM (#1027422)
Subject: LYR ADD: What Uncle Remus Said (children's song)
From: katlaughing

I think the one you are looking for is from the movie Bonnie mentioned. Here are the lyrics, from Song of the South dot net:

Words and music by Johnny Lange,
Hy Heath, and Eliot Daniel.
Performed by the Hall Johnson Choir
© 1946 Walt Disney Music Company


That's what Uncle Remus said.
That's what Uncle Remus said.
Listen now to what I say:
That's how the critters got that way.

The leopard's pappy got the gout,
From eatin' too much speckled trout.
His mammy dreamed of polka dots—
That's how the leopard got his spots.
That's what Uncle Remus said.
That's what Uncle Remus said.
Speckled trout and polka dots—
That's how the leopard got his spots.
More, more, tell us more!

The camel crossed the dessert sands,
With all them mighty caravans.
His bed was full of sandy lumps—
That's how the camel got those humps.
That's what Uncle Remus said.
That's what Uncle Remus said.
Bed was full of sandy lumps—
That's how the camel got those humps.
More, more, tell us more!

The pig he saw his monkey friend,
A-swinging by his other end.
He tried the same thing on a rail—
That's how the pig got a curly tail.
That's what Uncle Remus said.
That's what Uncle Remus said.
Tried the same thing on a rail—
That's how the pig got a curly tail.
More, more, tell us more!
More, more, more.


01 Oct 03 - 06:22 PM (#1027570)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Uncle Remus (children's song)
From: GUEST,Cheryl Lee

So I see my memory is a little rusty after almost 40 years! Thanks so much. My son will be thrilled.


06 Nov 12 - 02:57 PM (#3431959)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Uncle Remus (children's song)
From: GUEST

the elephant took a trip one day
he had to travel far away
he had to carry so much junk
that's how the elephant got his trunk


12 Dec 12 - 07:57 PM (#3451156)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Uncle Remus (children's song)
From: GUEST,jacquetta nacoste harris

i have the records to unckel remus and wonted to know what price i could sale my for is you know would u call or email me at pitbull6803@yahoo.com or 503 8394625