|
Jack Limberlegs
Traditional Old-Time, Song Tune.
ARTIST: Arthur 'Cush' Holston (Florida) via Lloyd Baldwin [Reiner & Anick].
CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes. DATE: 1900’s. RECORDING INFO: OTHER NAMES:
SOURCES: Reiner & Anick (Old Time Fiddling Across America), 1989; pg. 118. Kuntz, A Fiddler's Companion;
NOTES: G Mixolydian. (2/4 time, irregular measure at beginning). DGDG. One part.
An American nonsense-type song, a take-off on the limberjack, a wooden doll with hinged limbs which 'dances' when place on a wooden strip that is then sprung. Other traditional names for a limberjack are "Dancing Dan," "Jack Limberlegs," "Yankee Doodle Dancer," "Clogging Man," "Paddle Puppet."
Sandy Paton: A French political quip dating to 1730 refers to a Limber Jack-type of puppet: "So-and-so is as useless as a puppet without the board he dances on!”
From Mudcat: Limberjacks are sometimes used to accompany fiddle music in French Canada. They tend to be lumberjacks, sailors, soldiers, or Habitants, although I once owned one shaped like a horse. I was never very good at keeping time with them, as I couldn't get the knack of getting the limberjack's feet and the kneeboard co-ordinated to the time of the music. In skillful hands they work well and it is amusing to see the limberjack dancing furiously to the fiddle music, legs and arms flailing away like it was step-dancing.
I went to the market sell some eggs,
There I spied Jack Limberlegs.
Twas limber legs and limber toes,
Two black eyes and a teapot nose.
Old Nan Tucker son-in-law
Biggest fool I ever saw.
He wore his shirt outside his coat,
Buttoned his britches up 'round his throat.
My gran-mammy lookin' like she been sheared,
'N gran-pappy he had a great ling beard.
He looked like his face was carved in stone,
He looked like a goat but he had no horn.
You talk about your honey but you ought to see mine,
She's humpbacked, bowlegged, crippled and blind,
She ain't so good lookin' but she dresses mighty fine,
Maybe some day she'll be divine.
I went to the market sell some eggs,
There I spied Jack Limberlegs.
'Twas limber legs and liber toes,
Two black eyes and a teapot nose.
|