My theme is Musical Memories: The Memories that music brings rushing back.
Mother grew up in the 1920's and 30's. Living in small town East Texas, there were few entertainments. They'd have taffy pullings (where they would cook the candy, then butter their hands and pull it between them until it was the right consistency to set. And they'd have josey parties. Which were similar to square dances. I still have Mama's josey party dress in my cedar chest. I wore it one year on Halloween in high school when I wanted to be a gypsy.
Or they could go to the movies. Mama, together with her friends, would remember and record the words to the songs in the films in a blue bound book. Then, they'd get together and sing them. She would get out that old book and sing with me. And many days, when little, she'd rock me to those old songs. Then I had first one child and then another, and I sang those old songs to them when they were little and then taught them to sing them with me.
Four of them stick out to me. And I share them here with you in this post. The first, was a comical, funny song about a fellow that went off to join the fight in WWI, "Long Boy".
If you go to the link, you can flip through the sheet music and read the whole song. The chorus, was "Goodbye, ma! Goodbye, pa! Goodbye mule with the ol' hee haw! May not know what the war's about, but I bet by gosh, I'll soon find out. And oh, my sweetheart don't you fear! I'll bring you a king for a souvenir. Get you a Turk and Kaiser, too, and that's about all one fellow can do." We'd always make the actual hee haw sounds when we sung it, as Daddy had a jenny he plowed his garden with for most of my life.
Then there was "Red Wing", which, as a little girl I found so poignant. It was sung by the Duke (John Wayne) himself in several westerns. From one of his earliest, "In Old Oklahoma", to "The Comancheros" and ending with his last film, "The Shootest". Mother may have gotten this song from elsewhere, as it was written in 1907, and she was grown and married by the time John Wayne ever sang it. It's very hard to find recorded with the words. For that I offer you this gentleman's rendition from YouTube.
Another favorite of mine was the song of two little girls who had a fight, called "I Don't Want to Play in Your Yard". A few years ago, Hannah and I practiced singing it together, made up motions to go along with it and sung it to family gathered over at my sister's house for Christmas. You can sample this tune, too.
Or they could go to the movies. Mama, together with her friends, would remember and record the words to the songs in the films in a blue bound book. Then, they'd get together and sing them. She would get out that old book and sing with me. And many days, when little, she'd rock me to those old songs. Then I had first one child and then another, and I sang those old songs to them when they were little and then taught them to sing them with me.
Four of them stick out to me. And I share them here with you in this post. The first, was a comical, funny song about a fellow that went off to join the fight in WWI, "Long Boy".
Then there was "Red Wing", which, as a little girl I found so poignant. It was sung by the Duke (John Wayne) himself in several westerns. From one of his earliest, "In Old Oklahoma", to "The Comancheros" and ending with his last film, "The Shootest". Mother may have gotten this song from elsewhere, as it was written in 1907, and she was grown and married by the time John Wayne ever sang it. It's very hard to find recorded with the words. For that I offer you this gentleman's rendition from YouTube.Another favorite of mine was the song of two little girls who had a fight, called "I Don't Want to Play in Your Yard". A few years ago, Hannah and I practiced singing it together, made up motions to go along with it and sung it to family gathered over at my sister's house for Christmas. You can sample this tune, too.
The last song I'd like to share with you from that old song book, I don't know the title too. And searching all the lyrics I could recall, yielded no results. But it was such an amusing little ditty and I want to share with you anyway, some of what I can recall.
She was fat and he was skinny,
He had freckles and red hair.
...spooning in the merry month of May.
...I heard him say.
Will you love me when my radiator's ruined?
Will you love me when my taillights fail to shine?
Will you love me when my brakes they need adjusting?
Sweetheart, will you let me call you mine?
Will you love me when my differential's ruined,
...the frame is bending too.
The nuts and bolts are falling,
the old junk yard's a calling.
Will you love me when my little Ford is through?
If anyone out there, knows this one, and can give me a title or a link, I'd be pleased as punch.
Are there any special songs from you childhood?
Have you ever actually heard any of these before?
Do you have memories of your mother's voice as she sung?
