When I was a kid (1950) there was a song by Phil Harris:
While I was walkin' down the beach one bright and sunny day
I saw a great big wooden box a-floatin' in the
bay
I pulled it in and opened it up and much to my
surprise
Oh, I discovered a (Boom-ba-boom), right before
my eyes
Oh, I discovered a (Boom-ba-boom), right before
my eyes
I picked it up and ran to town as happy as a king
I took it to a guy I knew who'd buy most anything
But this is what he hollered at me as I walked in
his shop
"Oh, get out of here with that
(Boom-ba-boom), before I call a cop"
"Oh, get out of here with that
(Boom-ba-boom), before I call a cop"
I turned around and got right out, a-runnin' for
my life
And then I took it home with me to give it to my
wife
But this is what she hollered at me as I walked
in the door
"Oh, get out of here with that
(Boom-ba-boom), and don't come back no more"
"Oh, get out of here with that
(Boom-ba-boom), and don't come back no more.
*********** ************* ******* *************
There
are several more verses but if you don't know it, you get the idea. For months
there was speculation among kids and on the radio. What did he find on the
beach? It is amazing the speculation and guesses.
*********** ************* ********
Okay, one newer (1967) There was Bobbie
Gentry and the 'Ode to Billy Joe!'
It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty
Delta day
I was out choppin' cotton, and my brother was
balin' hay
- --
-- ------- ---
Seems like nothin' ever comes to no good up on Choctaw Ridge
And now Billy Joe MacAllister's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge
And now Billy Joe MacAllister's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge
------ ------ --- -----
And papa said
to mama, as he passed around the blackeyed peas
Well, Billy Joe never had a lick of sense; pass the biscuits, please
Well, Billy Joe never had a lick of sense; pass the biscuits, please
******* ************* *****************
That nice young preacher, Brother Taylor, dropped
by today
Said he'd be pleased to have dinner on Sunday, oh, by the way
He said he saw a girl that looked a lot like you up on Choctaw Ridge
And she and Billy Joe was throwing somethin' off the Tallahatchie Bridge.
Said he'd be pleased to have dinner on Sunday, oh, by the way
He said he saw a girl that looked a lot like you up on Choctaw Ridge
And she and Billy Joe was throwing somethin' off the Tallahatchie Bridge.
- ----------------- ------------------ ---------------
For weeks/months folks were singing the song and
trying to guess what was thrown off Tallahatchie Bridge.
It seems like there were more songs like this. But
for the life of me I cannot think of more.
** ************* *************
You may ask why this entry? Now that I
can hear myself, I sing and whistle again. I have this terrible problem of only
knowing one or two lines of a song and sing them (over and over). I get the words mixed also.
In the Ode.. I have papa marrying Becky Thompson and moving to Tupelo, (Instead
of getting a virus and dying)etc. BUT I never get "Mama hollered at the back
door, 'y'all remember to wipe your feet', mixed up, cause I remember hearing my
mama saying that a lot myownself. LOL.
I just noticed in re-reading this that every one 'hollered' at Phil in his song too!
I just noticed in re-reading this that every one 'hollered' at Phil in his song too!
Okay that is my serious entry for this
week.
Nite Shipslog
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8 comments:
This is a cute post. There are a lot of songs that keep you guessing. Ive always wondered what Meat Loaf wouldnt do for love?
Love from hot and sunny gtown
Lisa
Gotta keep the humor going. Thanks for a smile this morning. Hope you all are having some success there in your hunt. Going to have a heat wave here in our part of the world the next few days. Just keeping cool here and staying in for the most part.
This was cute to read. I often find I have the wrong words I am singing with a song, but sometimes I like my words better.
Betty
When I see that picture of Phil Harris I had to ask myself, "WAS HE EVER THAT YOUNG?" Life gets in the way of youth! LOL
Cute post! All these years later, I STILL love Ode to Billy Joe.
Reminds me of a couple truisms I've glimpsed out on FB:
"I hate it when I'm singing a song along with the radio and the artist gets the words wrong."
The other goes something like, "When I'm singing a song and don't recall all the lyrics ... but those two lines I do remember, I belt out with gusto."
... yup, that's me.
Songs are funny with some of the titles.."A Boy Name Sue"..."Don't it make
my brown eyes Blue"...Why would they make a song "Hello Walls"...Wonder is
a person is having a sad time when they write some of these songs. Lot of
them are hits.
An anniversary of sorts of the Bobbie Fentry song was back in June and Facebook lit up with people discussing what was thrown off the bridge. It's still a mystery.
I've actually never heard of the first song.
I like the songs where no one knows the lyrics and everyone sings different words.
R
R
Guess the movie answered the question, "what was thrown off Tallahatchie Bridge." Interesting lyrics always capture imagination.
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