“Why Do You Bob Your Hair, Girls?”
Description
"Why do you bob you hair, girls, It is an awful shame To rob the head God gave you To bear the flapper's name." The singer proclaims that "short hair belongs to me," and maintains that women with long hair will be commended by God
Notes
Needless to say, there is no scriptural rule mandating long hair -- Paul (1 Cor. 11:15) calls long hair a woman's pride, but nowhere requires it; indeed, in 11:6, he offers shaving the head as an alternative to wearing a veil!
It's hard to imagine how such a heavy-handed piece came to be traditional -- but I suppose anyone stupid enough to believe the arguments it contains could also think them persuasive.
According to the Digital Tradition, this is by Blind Alfred Reed. Norm Cohen reaffirms this, and credits Reed also with the sequel. I can't prove this false -- but why would a blind man produce such a piece? - RBW
Cross references
- cf. "The Good Old Days of Adam and Eve" (theme) and references there
- cf. "The Bobbed Hair" (theme)
Recordings
- J. E. Mainer's Mountaneers, "Why Do You Bob Your Hair Girls?" (Bluebird B-6792/Montgomery Ward 7131, 1937)
- Blind Alfred Reed, "Why Do You Bob Your Hair Girls?" (Victor 21360, 1928); compare "Why Don't You Bob Your Hair Girls-No. 2" (Victor V-40196, 1930)
References
- [Randolph 644, "Why Do You Bob Your Hair, Girls" -- deleted in the second printing]
- Randolph/Cohen, pp. 442-443, "Why Do You Bob Your Hair, Girls?" (1 text, 1 tune -- Randolph's 644)
- BrownIII 56, "Why Do You Bob Your Hair, Girls" (1 text)
- DT, WHYBOBHR*
- Roud #7842
- BI, Br3056