“Blue-Haired Boy (Little Willie II, Blue-Haired Jimmy)”
Description
(Willie/Jimmy) has gone ("He never died so suddenly before"). After undergoing horrendous medical treatments..."he sneezed and smiled and died/He blew his nose and smiled and died again". Singer vows to plant a bunch of whiskers on his grave
Long description
Parody of sentimental death songs; (Willie/Jimmy) has gone ("He never died so suddenly before). After undergoing horrendous medical treatments, including bathing his head in boiling lead and filling his mouth with glue..."he sneezed and smiled and died/He blew his nose and smiled and died again". Singer vows to go to the barber shop, per the deceased last request and plant a bunch of whiskers on his grave
Notes
It sounds like this should be a parody of a particular song, rather than a pastiche of a genre, but so far I haven't found an original on which it's based. - PJS
Listed by the Pankakes as being sung to "Jesse James," although other versions appear to use different tunes. One suspects that their tune is a retrofit by their informant.
The Pankakes also have a song (on the same page) called Little Willie I. It is by no means clear that this is the same song, but I haven't seen it elsewhere; I suspect it is a parody of all the various songs about murderers and other vile folks named Willie. - RBW
Cross references
- cf. "Little Willie (I)" (lyrics)
Recordings
- Horton Barker, "Blue-Haired Jimmy" (on Barker01)
References
- Pankake-PHCFSB, pp. 134-135, "Little Willie II" (1 text, tune referenced)
- Cumberland Mountain Fret Pickers, "Little Blue-Haird (sic) Boy" (unissued Brunswick/Vocalion mx TK-145, 1929)
- Roud #1411
- BI, RcBlHaJi