Turkey in the Straw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "Turkey in the Straw" |
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Sheet music
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"Turkey in the Straw" is an American folk song that first gained popularity in the early 19th century.
"Turkey in the Straw" was initially a popular tune for fiddle players as early as 1820. In the late 1870s until the 1930s, "Turkey in the Straw" was performed in minstrel shows by blackface actors and musicians.
The first part of the song is a contrafactum of the ballad "My Grandmother Lived on Yonder Little Green", aka "My Grandma Lived on Yonder Little Green", aka "My Grandma's Advice", published in 1857 by Horace Waters, 333 Broadway, New York, which itself is a contrafactum of the Irish ballad "The Old Rose Tree" which was published by at least 1795 in Great Britain.
Lyrics
- 1st verse
Turkey in de straw, turkey in de hay
Turkey in de straw, turkey in de hay
Roll 'em up an' twist 'em up a high tuc-ka-haw
An' twist 'em up a tune called Turkey in the Straw
- Traditional chorus
Turkey in the hay, in the hay, in the hay.
Turkey in the straw, in the straw, in the straw,
Pick up your fiddle and rosin your bow,
And put on a tune called Turkey in the Straw.
- 1st verse of another version
Turkey in the straw — Ha ha ha
Turkey in the hay — Hey hey hey
The Reubens are dancing to Turkey in the Straw
Hey highdy heydy, and a haw haw haw
- 1st verse of another version
Turkey in the straw, turkey in the hay
Tune up the fiddle, doodle de day
With a rump and riddle and a high tuc-ka-haw
Strike up that tune called "Turkey in the Straw"
- The Full Lyrics
As I was a-gwine down the road,
Tired team and a heavy load,
Crack my whip and the leader sprung,
l seys day-day to the wagon tongue.
Turkey in the straw, turkey in the hay,
Turkey in the straw, turkey in the hay
Roll 'em up and twist 'em up a high tuckahaw
And twist 'em up a tune called Turkey in the Straw.
Went out to milk, and I didn't know how,
I milked the goat instead of the cow.
A monkey sittin' on a pile of straw,
A-winkin' at his mother-in-law.
Met Mr. Catfish comin' down stream.
Says Mr. Catfish, "What does you mean?"
Caught Mr. Catfish by the snout,
And turned Mr. Catfish wrong side out.
Came to a river and I couldn't get across,
Paid five dollars for a blind old hoss;
Wouldn't go ahead, nor he wouldn't stand still,
So he went up and down like an old saw mill.
As I came down the new cut road,
Met Mr. Bullfrog, met Miss Toad
And every time Miss Toad would sing,
Old Bullfrog cut a pigeon wing.
Oh I jumped in the seat and I gave a little yell
The horses ran away, broke the wagon all to hell
Sugar in the gourd and honey in the horn
I never been so happy since the day I was born."
See also
In Spanish: Turkey in the straw para niños
