Boil Them Cabbage Down facts for kids

"Boil Them Cabbage Down" (also known as "Bile 'Em Cabbage Down") is a famous American folk song. It has a simple tune and words that many people enjoy. The song's title mentions "hoecakes," which are small cakes made from cornmeal. These cakes were often cooked over a fire on a hoe blade. Eating hoecakes with cabbage soup shows the song's humble beginnings. A music expert named Alan Lomax said this song might have come from African slaves brought from Niger.

Many artists have played this song. Some well-known performers include Pete Seeger, Ruby Jane Smith, and the Smothers Brothers. Sam Hinton also sang it on the album How the West Was Won in 1959.

About the Song's Content

The words and music of "Boil Them Cabbage Down" can change a lot. Performers often swap verses around. This means you might hear different versions of the song. It can even sound similar to other folk songs like "Old Joe Clark" or "Cindy". This makes it a very flexible and fun song to play.

Learning Music with "Boil Them Cabbage Down"

This simple tune is great for learning instruments. Many people use it to teach young musicians how to play. It's popular in old-time music groups. Instruments like the fiddle, banjo, mountain dulcimer, and guitar are often taught using this song.

The main part of the song, called the chorus, goes like this:

Boil them cab-bage down, down.

Turn them hoe-cakes 'round, 'round.

The on-ly song that I can sing is

Boil them cab-bage down.

This song is easy to learn because of its repeating tune. It helps new players practice basic notes and rhythms.