Ra-Ta-Tum-De-Dum; Pennington (AL) 1952 Browne
[From the CD: Traditional Musics of Alabama: A Compilation; Volume 1 by the Alabama Center for Traditional Culture.
This version named after the nonsense Chorus is a good one. The recording can be accessed here: http://www.arts.alabama.gov/Traditional_Culture/cd1.aspx Almost inexplicably, the site gives another version of "Black Jack Davy" and doesn't transcribe her version. She (Pennington) sings Rattle not Ra-Ta, making the title wrong as well.
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
"RA-TA-TUM-DE-DUM"- Sung by Corly Pennington from Fernbank, AL Recorded by Ray Browne 8-14-52. Dr. Browne recounts that Pennington was from Fernbank, just west of Millport in North Alabama. She lived in Alabama almost all of her life. She was about forty years old at the time of the recording. She learned all of her songs from her father. Her vocal style is unique with the upturned pitch ornamentations she delivers at the end of certain phrases. This short piece is a fragmented rendition of a well known ballad "Black Jack Davey". Nonsense words are used between the verses. The melody is basically the same as other renditions of "Black Jack Davey," or American variant, "Gypsy Davey."
[Listen: Corly Pennington]
"Go fetch me out my iron-gray,
The brown one's not so speedy.
I'll ride all night and I'll ride all day,
Till I'll overtake my lady."
CHORUS: Rattle tum te dum dum
Tettle tum te dum dum
Tettle tum te dum
So i-dy.
He rode and rode till he came to the waters deep
It looked so deep and miry.
Till the tears came flowing down his cheeks
And thought he lost his lady.
CHORUS
Won't ya turn back my pretty little miss
Now won't ya turn back my honey.
I'll try* by the sword that hangs from my side
We never shall lack for money
"I won't turn back my pretty little miss
I won't turn back your honey.
I'd rather take a kiss from gypson's lips,
Than you and all your money."
CHORUS
Pull off, pull of those high-heeled shoes,
That's made with Spanish leather.
Put on, put on those low-heeled shoes,
And we'll take a walk together.
I won't pull off these high-heeled shoes,
That's made with Spanish leather.
I won't put on those low-heeled shoes,
And I won't take a walk together.
CHORUS
Last night you lay on a feather bed
Your husband he lay by you
Tonight you lay on an old straw bed
With the gypson's all around you.
CHORUS
*try; perhaps "swear" should be substituted here. A version of the song in Bronson from Utah has a version of this verse with swear in that position:
"Come go with me, my pretty fair maid,
Come go with me, my honey,
I swear by the sword that hangs by my side
You never shall want for money."