As a result of having lunch at a pub called the Duke of York
today I can’t get that bloody nursery rhyme out of my head. However, it got me
thinking about other nursery rhymes that I grew up with and I came to realize that
I had forgotten quite a few of them. What will happen when (if?) I’m a mother
and I can’t remember these to pass them on to my children?
So this is an attempt to sort of informally archive some of
the best nursery rhymes of my childhood (and I included links to the complete rhymes in case there were any some of you didn't know/couldn't remember).
The list was pretty long so I didn't include the basics like Little Miss Muffet, Three Blind Mice, This Little Piggy etc. but even then...I'm noticing a theme... Most of our nursery rhymes were either VERY BRITISH or VERY CARIBBEAN
** Feel free to add some of your favourites that I may have forgotten or never even heard in the comments section! **
There Was an Old Woman (Wow..lots of old people).
There Was a Little Girl My mom said this describes me... :S
Caribbean - Unfortunately most of these song versions are from Belafonte who DID NOT make any of them up.
Brown Girl in the Ring This song has been played at just about every wedding I've ever been to
(Listen Here) or, if you're up for a laugh, here's The Wiggles version hahaa
(Listen Here) or, if you're up for a laugh, here's The Wiggles version hahaa
Island in the Sun (MY ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE) (Listen Here)
Posts
Dare I say that I am one step ahead of you?
ReplyDeleteI have already compiled a rough lists of songs which I associate with mom/our childhood..
Dated Sept 16th 2009, I did this in a moment of nostalgic idleness and never followed it up..
The ones you missed are these, followed by some that I chose to discuss further..
1.Brown Skin Girl by King Radio
(not on youtube but I will upload it for the cause!)
The version we know is a sort of hybrid version.. The original 30's lyrics but with the line about "throw way the damn baby" changed to "stay home and mind baby" - a la Belafonte..
2. Mary Ann - Roaring Lion
Some censorship also occured here
Instead of "strings on her banjo can't tie a boat, water from the ocean can sail a boat" it was changed to "even little children love mary-ann"
See link - Uploaded by your own bruva!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hyd2658Q-xs&feature=related
3. Don't Let me Mother Know (Take me down to Los Iros) - Keskidee Trio (Atilla the Hun, Growling Tiger and Lord Beginner)
Once again, I have the tune, just never put it up on youtube.
4. I am so glad you remembered to insert Yellow Bird...
"Picker coming soon, Pick from night to noon."
That is the line that mom could never remember.. Praises to the internet!
5. You remember this one? Where did the naughty little flea go, nobody know nobody know?
It seems that mom merged Miriam Makeda/Belafonte's "Naughty Little Flea" with "Scratch Scratch" by Belafonte to come up with her own hybrid.
6. Another one of the Jamaican Mento/Ska classics that we have to thank Mrs. St Louis for is Sammy Dead by Eric "Monty" Morris..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9xvh87TtHw
7. Concerning both "Dis Long Time Gyal" by Monty Reynolds & The Silver Seas Orchestra and "Linstead Market" by Lord Messam & His Calypsonians were recorded by one Stanley Motta .. Dr. Motta's dad.. He was the first person to do recordings in Jamaica and he managed to capture all of those folk/mento tunes!
http://ghostcapital.blogspot.com/2010/10/va-mento-madness-mottas-jamaican-mento.html
http://www.allmusic.com/album/mento-madness-mottas-jamaican-mento-1951-1956-r695739
8. Mango Vert - I know its an old folk song, but the first recording is by Lovey's Trinidad String Orchestra (Band)..
I don't have a year for you but it's definitely one of the earliest recordings of Trinidad music.. Of course, it being instrumental you need to find the lyrics.. I think I still know them though..
http://www.myspace.com/557958124/music/songs/mango-vert-67661091
9. Concerning Island In the Sun, it is also probably my favourite.. I just want to know if there was a recorded version pre Belafonte.. I mean, its a folk song but where did it come from/when was it first recorded? Interesting think to research..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8Gbk4i41_M&feature=related
Also, thats my favourite Belafonte version.. No jazzy background music.. Just his voice.
There is also the classic rocksteady version by the Paragons - (I think "The Tide is High" was the B-side to this 45")
I am of course the uploader on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4dC7P3iqD0
10. Not Caribbean, but I always associtate the Song of St. Francis with Mom/my youth.. I always like to hear it..
Anyway, I must rest now, you say I never reply! HOLD THAT for a reply..
Ahhhhh thanks!
ReplyDeleteActually I had found Mango Vert and thought I put in the list... Here's the version I found http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7US7sC86H7Y and it has the lyrics at the bottom
Thanks for the additions to the list. I knew I was forgetting some big ones but I was too tired to keep searching.
Woahhhh I forgot about most of these :O
ReplyDelete