My momma told me a long time ago,
“Son don’t you marry no girl you know.
She’ll spend all your money,
Sell all your clothes;
Then what will become of you
Goodness only knows.”
*Rhyme from Ethel Hicks – Buffaloe North Carolina early 1920s.
Tipper
The Penland Historical Society has graciously allowed me to share the following Historical Notes with you. Historical Notes…
Paul and me on one of our treasure hunting trips up the creek. I don’t know which is worse-my knee…
While people in Louisiana have had way too much rain, we’ve barely had any over the last month. The weather…
Ever since I stepped foot in the Historic Lufty Baptist Church I wanted to know more about the people who…
The rhyme Polly Put the Kettle on was first published in 1797. The history behind this nursery rhyme is my favorite…
In the early 1900s, folks living in the mountains of North Carolina lengthened the holiday season by celebrating the 2 weeks following…
shirley ellis, same one who sang the name game. i always associate it with new orleans. https://youtu.be/qWuSPPLtkEQ
and while we’re at it, here’s the name game. https://youtu.be/VxahOPzA9S8. which i know we can all recite for any name, in our sleep!
i remember it especially because the first boy ever to have a crush on me biked all the way to my house to give me the 45 for my 13th birthday. and i couldn’t figure out why. turned out he’d heard the girls singing it on the jr. high gym field; i thought that was pretty dumb as it was 1965 and didn’t he know nobody existed but the beatles? (i was verrrry slow on the uptake, never figured out anybody was ever interested in me until i was around 25 or so…)
I’ve heard most of these in various versions, and they bring back such memories. I had not heard Sue’s ‘Ella’, but I think it’s my favorite!
Ella-ma-knee and Pinch-ma-knee went down to the river to bathe.
Ella-ma-knee got “drownded” – who got saved?
I shan’t admit how many times I answered and got my knee pinched before the light dawned!!!!
I was trying to learn to whistle one day (and not doing a very good job of it). My grandmother heard me and said, “A whistling woman and a crowing hen, are sure to come to some bad end!” 🙂
Barbara H.
Tipper,—-
Go to U-Tube and listen to the song-
Blues in the Night—several artists sang
It. (My mama done told me-When I was in
Knee pants ———)
Charles Fletcher
Love these! They bring to mind one my Mama taught me about the rubber dolly but Mama’s version was slightly different. It goes:
My Mama told me if I’d be goody, that she would buy me a rubber dolly;
but if I tell her, I’ve got a feller,
then she won’t buy me a rubber dolly.
I want my dolly and I want my feller, too!
Betty Louise Saxon-Hopkins
My momma told me
If I was goody
That she would buy me
A rubber dollie
My aunty told her
I kissed a soldier
Now she won’t buy me
A rubber dollie!
3-6-9
The goose drank wine
The monkey chewed tobacco on the street car line
The line broke
The monkey got choked
And we all when to heaven
In a little row boat
Clap! Clap!
well, i was trying to reply to you, but it went in its own comment. and then i replied to myself. sigh.
Tipper–This post, together with Grandpa Ken’s comment, leaves me in the position of being unable to resist the marital experiences of a longtime friend. He’s now in his seventh (that’s right!–seven)marriage. After a great deal of practice, I think this one will actually “stick,” but what a character this fellow is.
Recently when I saw him he said, “Darn it, Jim,I had things all worked out. With six ex-wives I could be buried with them serving as pallbearers. Then I’ll be damned if one of them didn’t up and die on me.”
That should serve as some index to just what a character this guy is (and he’s as fine an outdoor writer as you are likely to find anywhere).
Jim Casada
http://www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com
I think folks back then made up rhymes to get a point across. My Grandmother
annoyed my brother with things like “little Dickie Dout with his shirttail out” which
just meant tuck your shirt in. I think he left it out just to irritate her.
Amen son your ma was right I’ve married 4 so I know!!!!
grandpa Ken
I think that could be a jump rope rhyme, but not one I am familiar with. If my memory serves me right, there was a hit song in the fifties/sixties with something similar to those words. I can’t remember the artist, but I can sort of remember the part of the rhythm.
Used to hear what may be a shortened version of this. It went “That’s the way it goes, first your money, then your clothes”.
Sounds like a formula for a Momma keeping her son to herself.
Well Tipper, I would call that fair warning from a mama to her son. But it seems to me she should have said “Don’t marry a girl you DON’T KNOW!” I would like to know if the girl and fellow are your kinfolks.
Hope your day is Sunny!
Eva Nell
Tipper, when I saw the title I thought it sounded familiar and I’d know this one but no, I don’t remember ever hearing it. Maybe it was a song that started with Momma done told me.
I do love the picture! That is Ruth, my mother’s older sister and her husband Guy. They were really good folks. They never had children but were grandparents to Ruth and my mom’s youngest sister’s two children.