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Lyr Req: And We Hunted and We Hunted (Ruth Seeger)

12 May 06 - 11:04 AM (#1739023)
Subject: Lyr Req: Peggy Seeger's And We Hunted
From: GUEST,Mrr at work

Hi, I found the song that she was probably doing a version of in the Trad, it's called Three Jolly Welshman but I have memories of additional verses, with a Ship In Full Sail among other things... Thanks,

-Mrr

12 May 06 - 11:05 AM (#1739025)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Seeger's And We Hunted
From: GUEST,Mrr

I also think I asked this a few years ago, but couldn't find the thread?

14 May 06 - 12:55 PM (#1740572)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Seeger's And We Hunted
From: Jim Dixon

I found a song called AND WE HUNTED AND WE HUNTED, on the album "Animal Folk Songs for Children and Other People," Rounder CD 8023/24, 1992.

The songs on the album were selected from Ruth Crawford Seeger's book "Animal Folk Songs for Children," originally published 1950, reissued 1993—and recorded by her children Mike, Peggy, Barbara & Penny Seeger, with several of her grandchildren.

An earlier recording was made by Peggy Seeger on "Animal Folk Songs for Children," Smithsonian Folkways FW07551, 1957. This album is also based on the book.

I listened to some sound samples, and it goes like this:

And we hunted and we hunted and we hunted and we found
A pig in the lane and it we left behind.
Look 'ee there!
Some said it was a pig but others said nay.
Some said it was an elephant with its snout shot away.
Look 'ee there!

The only complete verse I heard that isn't like one in the DT is this one:

And we hunted and we hunted and we hunted and we found
The moon in the sky and it we left behind.
Look 'ee there!
Some said it was the moon but others said nay.
Some said it was a cheese with a half cut away.
Look 'ee there!

There are two other versions in the DT called THREE JOLLY WELSHMEN (not to be confused with Welchmen!) and THE THREE HUNTERS.

There are other versions, or other verses, in these threads:
Lyr Add: Three Jovial Huntsmen
Lyr Add: The Three Hunters
Lyr Req: Three Wise Men of Gotham
    Maybe I should add this here for the sake of completeness.
    -Joe Offer-
Thread #37602   Message #1741896
Posted By: Joe Offer
16-May-06 - 01:06 PM
Thread Name: Add/Origins: Three Jovial Huntsmen
Subject: ADD: And We Hunted and We Hunted
Let's see if I can transcribe exactly what's in the book, Animal Folk Songs for Children:

And We Hunted and We Hunted
(Three Jolly Welshmen)

And we hunted and we hunted and we hunted and we found
A pig in the lane and him we left behind.
Look 'ee there!
Some said it was a pig but others said nay.
Some said it was an elephant with its snout shot away.
Look 'ee there!

And we hunted and we hunted and we hunted and we found
A frog in the well and him we left behind.
Look 'ee there!
Some said it was a frog but others said nay.
Some said it was a canary with his feathers washed away.
Look 'ee there!

And we hunted and we hunted and we hunted and we found
A man in the road and him we left behind.
Look 'ee there!
Some said it was a man but others said nay.
Some said it was a monkey with his tail cut away.
Look 'ee there!

And we hunted and we hunted and we hunted and we found
An owl in an ivy bush and him we left behind.
Look 'ee there!
Some said it was an owl but others said nay.
Some said it was the devil and we all ran away.
Look 'ee there!
Verses:
A pig in the lanean elephant with its snout shot away.
A frog in the wella canary with his feathers washed away.
A man in the roada monkey with his tail cut away.
An owl in an ivy bushthe devil and we all ran away.
A horse in the wooda deer, but its horns are shot away
A cat in the woodan owl, but its ears are shot away
The moon in the elementsa cheese, but the half's cut away
A hedgehoga pincushion with the pins stuck in the wrong way.
A girl in a cottagean angel with her wings blown away
A barn in the meadowa church with the steeple washed away
A ship in full saila washtub with the clothes hung out to dry
A snake in the grassa branch with the twigs cut away
A ball in the roada turtle with its legs tucked away
A child in the beda bear, and we all ran away
or a pony gone to sleep on the hay
or any number of other things


Ruth Crawford Seeger said one traditional singer claimed he knew upward of a hundred stanzas of this old nonsense song, made up around the lumber camp in which he learned the song. The tune is the same as Three Jolly Welchmen in the Digital Tradition (the Seeger tune is in 2/4, and the DT tune switches between 4/4 and 2/4 -otherwise, they're the same)

16 May 06 - 09:15 AM (#1741766)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: And We Hunted and We Hunted (Ruth Seeger)
From: GUEST,Mrr

Thanks Jim!

16 Jun 07 - 08:20 PM (#2078959)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: And We Hunted and We Hunted (Ruth Seeger)
From: SINSULL

Jacqui picked up a copy of the book today at a garage sale (not mine). Anyone have any idea of its value? First Edition hard cover.

16 Jun 07 - 08:24 PM (#2078961)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: And We Hunted and We Hunted (Ruth Seeger)
From: SINSULL

Copy on eBay for $100. No dust jacket and some damage to the boards.

17 Jun 07 - 07:08 AM (#2079143)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: And We Hunted and We Hunted (Ruth Seeger)
From: jacqui.c

Sorry Mary - the item you looked at was AMERICAN Folk Songs For Children.

I have the hardback version of ANIMAL Folk Songs For Children, first edition. I haven't been able to find anything about this one, all the google hits go to the paperback version issued in the 60s.

17 Jun 07 - 09:40 AM (#2079222)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: And We Hunted and We Hunted (Ruth See
From: dick greenhaus

Both "Animal Folk Songs for Children" and "Amrican Folk Songs for Children" are on CDs by Rounder. Goo suff. AAvailable from CAMSCO, of course.

17 Jun 07 - 08:02 PM (#2079561)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: And We Hunted and We Hunted (Ruth Seeger)
From: Stringsinger

Check out Cape Ann by the Hutchinson Family who were popular during the Civil War.
It's a variation of the above.