“Fond of Chewing Gum”

Description

The singer "fell in love with a pretty little girl" who was "fond of chewing gum." He describes their courting, always recalling the gum. When they are to be wed, she cannot say "I do" because her mouth was full of gum. Now he avoids gum-chewers

Notes

The Carter Family version of this song includes a number of floating verses ("I wouldn't have a lawyer/Now here's the reason why/Every time he opens his mouth/He tells a great big lie"; "Mama don't 'low me to whistle/Papa don't 'low me to sing/They don't want me to marry/I'll marry just the same"). Their absence in the Randolph text implies that they are intrusions. - RBW, (PJS)

Cross references

  • cf. "A Railroader for Me (Soldier Boy for Me)" (floating verses)

Recordings

  • Carter Family, "Chewing Gum" (Victor 21517, 1928)
  • Lake Howard, "Chewing Chewing Gum" (Perfect 13128/Melotone M-13355/Oriole 8449, 1935; on CrowTold02)
  • New Lost City Ramblers, "Chewing Gum" (on NLCR10) (on NLCR12)

References

  1. Randolph 368, "Fond of Chewing Gum" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
  2. Randolph/Cohen, pp. 297-299, "Fond of Chewing Gum" (1 text, 1 tune -- Randolph's 368A)
  3. Cohen/Seeger/Wood, p. 158, "Chewing Gum" (1 text, 1 tune)
  4. Silber-FSWB, p. 239, "Chewing Gum" (1 text)
  5. Roud #3714
  6. BI, R368

About

Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1915 (Pound)
Found in: US(SE,So)