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Singing Together


Charles Bannerman

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What sparked this one off was a tale I heard that in Primary schools they no longer sing "Ba ba Blacksheep" because the current obsession with Political Correctness dictates that it has to be "Ba ba Woollysheep" ;) (I suppose the next thing we'll have is a stadium announcement that the Man of the Match is Ian Woolly!) (Oh well since it's him I'm talking about I might as well drop in another few :rotflmao: :thumb04: :018: :lol: )

Anyway, that made me cast my mind back to the old Singing Together books that we used to have in Primary school where the teacher put on the Home Service on the classroom radio and you sang along to these various songs with the help of your booklets. Some of the songs were absolute crackers but which nowadays would have absolutely no hope of an airing.

(Could I at this stage ask the Moderators to realise that I am merely QUOTING from the texts of material used in education of the under 12s just a few decades ago.)

Remember the "Wee Cooper of Fife" (Nickey, nackety noo noo noo)? This was a song about a guy who used to indulge in an orgy of wifebeating because his other half was reluctant to do the housework.

Then there was "De Camptown ladies sing dis song...doo-dah, doo-dah. De Camptown racetrack five miles long, oh doo-dah-day...... Gwine to run all night, gwine to run all day, I'll place mah money on de bobtail nag, somebody bet on de grey."

Yet another song of the same genre had the immortal line "De big buck nigger wit de seaboots on" (I kid you not... this is a quote from a traditional American song used in Singing Together in Primary schools in the early 60s!)

And there was also "Sally Brown is a bright mulatto.... she drinks rum and chews tobacco, spend your money on Sally Brown."

Can't see any of these returning to the curriculum in a hurry..... :015:

Edited by Charles Bannerman
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Singing Together - I remember that really well from my days in the Central School. I really remember a song which was drummed into us called Aiken Drum whose coat was made of the "guid roast beef". Always remember that one.

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In referance to schools I believe they don't use the term blackboard now. Haven't they changed them all to whiteboards anyway?

Kids in the playground can't decide who goes first by using 'Eneay meaney miney mo, catch a .......' anymore either.

On the subject of singing together I don't recall that 'lesson' from my schooldays.....am I too young? :rotflmao:

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Not a song, but a book we did at school ......Little Black Sambo by one Helen Bannerman - any relation Charles ?

The main bit I always remember was the bit about the tigers turning into butter, not that it was in any way racist or derogatory. Those connotations were later ladled onto it by the PC brigade. I somehow doubt it's still used.

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Not a song, but a book we did at school ......Little Black Sambo by one Helen Bannerman - any relation Charles ?

The main bit I always remember was the bit about the tigers turning into butter, not that it was in any way racist or derogatory. Those connotations were later ladled onto it by the PC brigade. I somehow doubt it's still used.

No relation but because of the surname, it's a book I was bought by my parents at a very early age and I soon became familiar with Epaminondas and his pals. One recollection I have is an episode involving a "tar baby" where a particularly objectionable character got stuck into, and as a result on to, the said object.

I suspect that this book, along with the Black and white Minstrels, fell victim of PC many yerars ago.

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Does anyone remember "Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree "

& the verse that goes GAY your life must be

Most kids nowadays only see the word GAY in a sexual context so would probably expect this song to be politically incorrect & find it very amusing

How times have changed :rotflmao:

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Singing Together - I remember that really well from my days in the Central School. I really remember a song which was drummed into us called Aiken Drum whose coat was made of the "guid roast beef". Always remember that one.

Aiken Drum has a Wikipedia page :rotflmao:

There was a man lived in the moon,

Lived in the moon, lived in the moon

There was a man lived in the moon,

And his name was Aiken Drum.

Chorus

And he played upon a ladle,

a ladle, a ladle

And he played upon a ladle,

and his name was Aiken Drum.

And his hat was made of good cream cheese,

of good cream cheese, of good cream cheese,

And his hat was made of good cream cheese

And his name was Aiken Drum.

Chorus

And his coat was made of good roast beef,

of good roast beef, of good roast beef,

And his coat was made of good roast beef,

And his name was Aiken Drum.

Chorus

And his buttons made of penny loaves,

of penny loaves, of penny loaves,

And his buttons made of penny loaves,

And his name was Aiken Drum.

Chorus

And his breeches made of haggis bags

of haggis bags, of haggis bags

And his breeches made of haggis bags,

and his name was Aiken Drum.

Yes, I know, I'm a sad git......

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