23 June 2013

Jay Bird Song of Oldtime Tennessee

The Jay-bird Song. February 11, 1858. Marshall County Republican 2(14): 4.

A corn-shocking refrain. Tune, "Jango Malango-ho!"

Dedicated to Col. Henry W. McCorry, of Jackson, Tenn.

By Gen. W.T. Haskell, of Tennessee.

A Jaybird lived on the Forked deer,
Jango Malango-ho!
And a blue-bird lived him neighbor near,
Jango Malango-ho!
And he with the Jay-bird court a Tom-tit,
Jango Malango-ho!
The Blue-bird laughed and the Blue-bird swore,
Jango Malango-ho!
That he never saw such fun before,
Jango Malango-ho!
Says the Jay-bird, "Blue-coat you be done,"
Jango Malango-ho!
"Or I'll stop your way of poking fun,"
Jango Malango-ho!
But the Blue-bird kept on laughing all,
Jango Malango-ho!
Says the Jay-bird, "Go it, have your will,"
Jango Malango-ho!
So the Jay-bird winked at the Blue-bird's sister,
Jango Malango-ho!
And flew to the Paw-paw bush and kissed her,
Jango Malango-ho!
The Blue-bird ripped, and the Blue-bird swore,
Jango Malango-ho!
That he was never no mind before,
Jango Malango-ho!
So he fluttered about, and he could not rest,
Jango Malango-ho!
And he went and spoiled the Jay-birds nest,
Jango Malango-ho!
Then the Jay-bird eloped with the Blue-bird's wife,
Jango Malango-ho!
And it almost took the Blue-bird's life,
Jango Malango-ho!
And all the birds from the Crow to the Wren,
Jango Malango-ho!
They poked their fun at the Blue-bird then,
Jango Malango-ho!
And the Blue-bird moved from the Forked deer,
Jango Malango-ho!
But where the Jay-bird did not hear,
Jango Malango-ho!
For the Blue-bird went to Arkansas,
Jango Malango-ho!
But the Jay-bird still stuck in his craw,
Jango Malango-ho!
And he cried one day with melancholy,
Jango Malango-ho!
Because he did commit the folly,
Jango Malango-ho!
To laugh at the Jay-bird and the Tom-tit,
Jango Malango-ho!
As he was sitting atop the saw-pit,
Jango Malango-ho!
And because he thought it all for the best,
Jango Malango-ho!
To go and spoil the Jay-bird's nest,
Jango Malango-ho!
And he wiped his bill and signed his will,
Jango Malango-ho!
And the will is in the family still,
Jango Malango-ho!
And he left to his son this last request,
Jango Malango-ho!
To never fool with a Jay-bird's nest,
Jango Malango-ho!

In the stage of Nashville, on the way there with McCorry, in December, 1841.