RANKY TANKY - EARLY SONG EXAMPLES & THEORIES ABOUT MEANINGS

RANKY TANKY - EARLY SONG EXAMPLES & THEORIES ABOUT MEANINGS

Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem - Valley Stage '07 - Ranky Tanky

Uploaded by elcabi on May 12, 2008

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This post provides lyrics, information, and comments about six versions of the song "Ranky Tanky" (also known as "Ranky Tank", "Old Lady From Booster", and "Old Lady From Brewster"), and probably other titles.

Video versions of four of those examples are also included in this post.

I also share my theory the meaning of the phrase "ranky tanky"(ranky tank), And I include text analysis of specific lines from certain versions of "Ranky Tanky", as well as some examples of lines from versions of thathat are found in other songs.

The content in this post is provided for historical, folkloric, sociological, educational and aesthetic purposes.

My thanks to all those persons I am quoting and all those video uploaders whose videos I have embedded in this post.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-ranky-tanky-means.html "What Ranky Tanky Means" for an abbreviated form of this post.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Please send in examples of & comments "Ranky Tanky" to cocojams17@yahoo.com

Your email address is never posted or shared.

Or, if you are on facebook, visit me at cocojams jambalayah, befriend me, or send me a private message!

Ms. Azizi Powell, editor
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Latest Revision: January 18, 2012

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OVERVIEW
"Ranky Tanky" is traditional American social dance or movement song that comes from the African American Gullah traditions of South Carolina and Georgia. Although "Ranky Tanky" is generally considered to be a "children's song", I believe that it is more accurately considered a family song, meaning a song whose focus population can be people of all ages.

The earliest version of this song that I've found online has the title "The Little Old Lady from Booster". The title for another version of this song that is featured in this post is "The Old Lady From Brewster" However, in contrast to the other versions presented here, the lyrics to that particular version don't include the phrase "ranky tanky".

More information about Ranky Tanky (The Little Old Lady...) is found in the text analysis section of this post.

HOW SONG EXAMPLES IN THIS POST ARE PRESENTED
For referencing purposes, the featured examples of "Ranky Tank(y)" (Old Lady From Booster"; "Old Lady From Brewster") in this post are distinguished from each other by the use of the name of the performers who are associated with that particular rendition.

When a video is available for an example of this song, it is posted after the name of that example and is followed by that example's lyrics. If the performance acttivity for that example is known, it is included in that section.

A text version of the six featured examples is given in chronological order, with the earliest recorded version presented first. . Because I've not found any videos for Lyric Examples #1 and #2, the assigned video numbers don't coincide with the numbers assigned to the text (lyric) versions.

EXAMPLES OF RANKY TANKY (LITTLE OLD LADY FROM BOOSTER/BREWSTER)

Example #1 - St John's Island, South Carolina "Old Lady From Booster"

From http://media.smithsonianfolkways.org/liner_notes/folkways/FW03840.pdf
St John’s Island, South Carolina: It’s People And Songs

This song was collected during field work in 1970 that was conducted by City College, New York professor Henrietta Yurchenco and her students.

Lyrics & Performance (as quoted from that website]

Side 1 Band 1 – Old Lady From Booster

A line game. The players stand with their feet slightly apart. Throughout this game, both feet tap out the following pattern: left, right, left, right, right moving slightly to the right on the last tap. The last tap then becomes the first tap of the second pattern, thus, line 5 has the right, left, right, left left moving slightly to the left on the last tap. Continue the foot patterns to the rhythm of the song until the end. Place hands on the different parts of the body mentioned in the song.

Old lady comes from Brewster
Had to hens and a rooster
The rooster died, the old lady cried
She couldn’t get eggs like she used to.

Oh ma, you look so
Oh, pa, you look so

Well, who’s been here since I been gone
Two little boys with their blue caps on.
Hang them on a hickory stick
Ranky tanky, button my shoes.
ranky tanky
Bufflalo boy gonna buy me a bag.
Pain in my head, ranky tanky
Pain in my shoulder
Pain in my hands
Pain in my thighs
Pain in my knees
Pain in my legs
Pain in my foot
Pain all over me
Pain all over me.

-snip-

Video:
I don't have any sound file, recording, or video of this version.

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Example #2 - Bessie Jones -"Ranky Tank"

Bessie Jones and Bess Lomax Hawes, Step It Down: Games, Plays, Songs, and Stories from the Afro-American Heritage (Athens, Georgia, The University of Georgia Press, 1972, pp. 129-130)

Lyrics

Lead Voice - Oh, ranky tank
Group Voice- Ranky tank
Lead Voice - Oh, ranky tank
Group Voice- Ranky tank
Papa's goin' to rank
Ranky tank.
Mama's goin' to rank.
Ranky tank.
Down in the cornfield,
Ranky tank.
I'm goin' to rank.
Ranky tank.
Sun is hot,
Rank tank.
See me a-rankin',
Rank tank.
Oh, ranky tank,
Rank tank.
Oh, ranky tank,
Rank tank.

-snip-
Video: I don't have any sound file, recording, or video of this version

The book includes a musical score for this song. [Because I don't read music, I don't know whether the tune is the same as those found in videos of this song.]

Performance:

From Step It Down: Games, Plays, Songs, and Stories from the Afro-American Heritage, page 129

The Islanders had learned the "Ranky Tank" from the people of nearby Sapelo Island; no one was sure just how the dance was organized. but the chant and step was remembered. The step itself would be called a "buzz" step by dance teachers; the weight is keep on one foot while th other toe pushes the dancer along, very much like the motion of a child riding a scooter. The weighted foot "chugs" the offbeat. The dancer can progress either to the right or to the left (depending on which foot is carrying the weight) and in a straignt line or around in a circle.

The "Ranky Tank" chant is improvised, with the various lead lines used as the singer thinks of them. It should be chanted strongly with a pronounced anticipation of the downbeat, and a strong offbeat single or double clap.

-snip-

Based on that description, I'm intrigued by the possiblity that the "Ranky Tank" may have been the precusor of the 1980s Hip-Hop dance "The Running Man". Here's an instruction video of that dance:

How to Do The Running Man

Uploaded by livestrong on Jun 24, 2009

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Example #3 - King Biscuit Boy "Ranky Tanky"

Video #1:
King Biscuit Boy - Ranky Tanky (Canada; 1971)

Uploaded by MLM737 on Feb 15, 2011

Richard Newell (Canadá 1944-2003) English translation of Spanish sumary: (guitar, vocals, and harmonica) ; included in his second LP "Gooduns" (1971). Acompanied by the group "Crowbar"

-snip-

King Biscuit boy was a White Canadian Blues harmonica player and singer.

-snip-

Lyrics:*

There was an old lady from Brewster
She had two legs and a rooster
The rooster died, Old lady cried
Hens don’t lay like they used ter:

Chorus
Ah ah shake it little woman [4x]

Verse 2

I know a young lady name Sue
Her old rooster died too

There was an old lady named Booster
She doesn’t move like she used ter

-snip-

These lyrics seem appear to be based on the King Biscuit boy rendition of "Ranky Tanky".

-snip-

Performance: No information given about listener's performance.

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Example #4: Linda Tillery & The Cultural Heritage Choir

Video #2
Linda Tillery & The Cultural Heritage Choir - Ranky Tanky

Uploaded by bluesvoice04 on Jan 17, 2009

Editor: This is my transcription of the song from listening to the video, As such I can't vouch for its accuracy. The lyrics that I'm somewhat unsure about are given with asterisks. The brackets indicate that I'm really unsure about those lyrics. Corrections of and additions to this transcription are welcome.

Lyrics:

Lead singer-Old lady comes from Brewster
Group - Brewster!
Lead Singer - Had to hens and a rooster
Group- Rooster!
Lead singer and group -The rooster died
Old lady cried
Now she don’t get eggs like she useta

Lead singer and group-
Oh my
You look so
Oh my
You look so

Lead singer - Well, who’s been here since I been gone
Group - Ranky tanky
Lead Singer- Two little boys with the blue cap on.
Group - Ranky tanky
Lead singer- [Leanin on] a hickory stick
Group - Ranky tanky
Lead singer -One shoe on and one shoe off]
Group- Ranky tanky
Lead singer and group -Papa’s gonna slap ‘em good . Slap!

Hit 'ems in the hips *
Hit' em in the leg
Hit' em in the elbows
Hit' em in the shoulder (pronounced “shoulda”
Hit 'em in the neck
Hit 'em in your head
Hit 'em all over this [dance using all parts of your body]
Ranky tanky
Hit' em all over this

Ranky tanky

Let the bon ton roule
ranky tanky
let the bon ton roule
ranky tanky

let the bon ton roule
ranky tanky
let the bon ton roule
ranky tanky

Shake that to the east
ranky tanky
Shake that to the west
ranky tanky
Shake that all around
ranky tanky
[You know you’re the best]

[Repeat portions of song, particularly the"Hit 'em" 'chorus']

* "Hit 'em" might be "Hits".

Performance:
Various members of the choir are shown dancing solo. Their movements emphasize the part of the body that is mentioned. At one point, a man and woman dance together. Members of the audience are shown dancing solo, doing any dance for the fun of it.

Example #5 -mrdavidsmusicclass: The Little Old Lady from Brewster

Video #3
The Little Old Lady from Brewster - Hank.wmv

Uploaded by mrdavidsmusicclass on Aug 31, 2010

Hank the Rooster does "Little Old Lady From Brewster!" Oh yeah!

-snip-

Lyrics

Verse 1
There was an old lady from Brewster
She had two legs and a rooster
The rooster died. Old lady cried
Hens don’t lay like the used ta:

Chorus
Ah ah shake it little woman [4x]

Verse #2
I know a young lady name Sue
Her old rooster died too [?]

Verse #3
There was an old lady named Booster
She doesn’t move like she used ta

-snip-

Performance: No performance information is available.

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Example #6 - Arbo & Mayhem "Ranky Tanky"

Video #4 - Shown at the top of this page

Lyrics:
Verse 1
There was an old lady from Brewster
She had two hens and a rooster
The rooster died. Old lady cried
Can't get eggs like I use ta

Oh my you look so
Oh my you look so

Who's been here since I've been gone
Everybody here with sandals on *

I gotta pain in my knees
ranky tanky
pain in my shoulder
ranky tanky
pain in my waist
ranky tanky
I gotta pain all over this
ranky tanky
pain all over this
ranky tanky

* Repeat song with a different article of clothing or shoes mentioned with each rendition
-snip-

This CD entitled Ranky Tanky won the 2010 Parents' Choice Award.

-snip-

The lead singer suggests that the audience do movements that correspond to the part of the body mentioned in the song. However, it appears that members of the audience do whatever dance that they wish-as partners or dancing solo, just for the fun of it.

TUNE
I'm not a musician or a vocalist, and can't read music. Consequently, I'm not able to adequately comment about the tune that is used for the four songs whose videos are embedded here. However, I can say that all of those renditions use the same tune and have the same bouncy tempo.

TEXT ANALYSIS AND OTHER COMMENTS
I'm sharing my opinions about the meanings of certain "Ranky Tanky" songs for the purpose of sparking more thinking, discussion, and research about that song.

What Does "Ranky Tanky" Mean?
"Ranky tanky" (or "ranky tank") is

- a phrase that refers to certain styles of dancing.

- the name of a particular family of social dance songs which include the repeated use of that phrase .

- an exhortation to do the "ranky tanky" dance, and/or an exhortation to "to dance well" (using contemporary slang "to dance funky").

Also, notice in the Georgia Sea Isles version of "Ranky Tanky" (given above) that "rank" and "rankin" are used as a verb:
" I'm goin' to rank/ Ranky tank.../See me a-rankin'/ Ranky Tank"

-snip-

It's likely that these definitions of the word "rank" resulted in the use of that word for a form of dancing that in those times was probably considered to be risque:

From http://www.elook.org/dictionary/rank.html :

[adjective] very fertile; producing profuse growth; "rank earth"

[adjective] very offensive in smell or taste; "a rank cigar"

[adjective] growing profusely; "rank jungle vegetation"

-snip-

The phrase "Ranky tanky" or "ranky tank" is an example of reduplication.

Here's a definition of reduplication from http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/reduplication.html

Reduplication:
"The repeating of parts of words to make new forms is called reduplication. There are various categories of this: rhyming, exact and ablaut (vowel substitution). Examples, are respectively, okey-dokey, wee-wee and zig-zag. The impetus for the coining of these seems to be nothing more than the enjoyment of wordplay. The words that make up these reduplicated idioms often have little meaning in themselves and only appear as part of a pair. In other cases, one word will allude to some existing meaning and the other half of the pair is added for effect or emphasis."

-snip-

Ranky Tanky Dancing
In the late 19th or early 20th century Gullah traditions where the "ranky tanky" family of songs originated, "Ranky tank!" referred to a certain style of dancing. There are different descriptions of how this dance was done. See the excerpts above for Song Example #1 from South Carolina and Song Example #2 from the Georgia Sea Isles.

It's likely that the phrase "ranky tanky" was used as a general exhortation to dancers the same way as the 1970s African American vernacular phrases "Get Down!", "Let it all hang out!", and "Ah Sukie Sukie!" None of those phrases are meant to be taken literally. "Do that funky dance!" and "Get funky!" are equivalent exhortations which also originated in African American culture. Another equivalent exhortation from contemporary African American culture is "Work it! Work it!"

I believe that "Ranky tanky!" may have come to mean the same thing as "Get funky" and each of those other exhortations - that is "to dance skillfully and with flair in an free, unrestrained manner. Of course, prudish people would probably consider those dancing styles to be "dirty" or "improper", but they don't know the value of being funky.

Also notice in the Georgia Sea Isles version of "Ranky Tanky" that "rank" and "rankin" are used as a verb:
" I'm goin' to rank/ Ranky tank.../See me a-rankin'/ Ranky Tank"

"Rank" in "Ranky Tanky" Is Not The Same Thing As Ranks In Dancehall Music
As an aside, the Caribbean Dancehall music's use of the word "ranks" as a last name for vocalists (such as in "Shabby Ranks" and "Cutty Ranks") is different than the use of the base word "rank" in "ranky tanky". In the case of Dancehall music, the last name "ranks" comes from this definition of that word:

Rank -"a high or eminent status"
Source for definition: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/rank
Shared Lyrics In The Featured Examples

The Phrase "Ranky Tanky"
Regardless of its title, every song featured on this page includes the phrase "ranky tanky" or "ranky tank".

Although there may be no way of proving this, it seems likely to me that the "ranky tank" form predates the "ranky tanky" form.

**
The Old Lady From Brewster (Booster) verse
With the exception of the Bessie Jones, Sea Isle, Georgia version, every version of this song includes "Old Lady Brewster (Booster) as a first verse.

**
Pain in various body parts (also given as "hit 'em in body parts)
The following examples featured on this page include those lines:
Example #2
Example #4
Example #6

**
Lline "Oh ma, you look so / Oh, pa, you look so" (usually given as "Oh my, you look so")

The following examples featured on this page include those lines:
Example #1
Example #4
Example #6

**
The lines "Who's been here since I've been gone"
The following examples featured on this page include those lines:
Example #1
Example #4
Example #6

My Theory About The St John's Island, South Carolina version of this song (Example #1 ; hereafter sometimes referred to as St. John's version)
I believe that the St. John's Island, South Carolina rendition of "Old Lady From Booster" is much more than a dance song, particularly if my interpretation of certain lines that are found after the first verse have any merit.

My position is that the St. John's version of the song as recorded in 1970 is made up of three different sections, at least one of which-the first verse, was composed much later than the other two.

Verse1 of the St. John's Version:
Focusing on that song's first verse, in the "Old Lady From Booster" lines, "Booster" seems certain to be a folk etymology form of "Brewster". The exact wording of that verse is found in some renditions of the song "Seven Old Ladies (In The Lavatory)". Seven Old Ladies is an expansion of the British song "Three Old Ladies (In The Lavatory)". "Three Old Ladies" is "a bawdy parody of the much older song "Oh Dear What Can The Matter Be" (Johnny's So Long At The Fair"). "The "Seven Old Ladies" song has been attributed to American Oscar Brand who composed it in the 1950s though I'm not certain if the "Old Lady From Brewster" was one of the original verses in that composition. That song's pattern invites the creation of additional bawdy limericks, and "the old lady from Brewster" may be a relatively new addition to that song. However, it seems likely to me that the "old lady from Brewster verse" was added to the St. John's version of "Ranky Tank" no earlier than the 1950s.

Click http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=19733 "Ladies in the Lavatory" for examples and information about those songs "Seven Old Ladies" and "Three Old Ladies".

Verse #2 of the St. John's Version
My position is that the second verse of the St. John's Island, South Carolina version of this song may have been the actual beginning of that song or at least predates what is now the first verse by multiple decades. Here's that verse:
"Well, who’s been here since I been gone
Two little boys with their blue caps on.
Hang them on a hickory stick
Ranky tanky, button my shoes.
ranky tanky
Bufflalo boy gonna buy me a bag".

-snip-

It's my position that this verse was composed during the United States Civil War and alludes to the Union army, hanging Union soldiers, and the intention of the Black singer of that verse to join that Union army.

I don't hold the position that all or most spirituals were coded songs that signaled the imminent escape of enslaved people.However, I do believe that some 19th century Black secular songs contain coded language that was designed to communicate attitudes that were dangerous for Black people to openly express, and to convey communication to some or all other Black people hearing that renditions of those songs. Some (but not all) renditions of spirituals, and some play songs and dance songs could therefore hide "subversive" content in plain sight and hearing of the slave master, mistress, other White people, and overseers (who might be White or Black).

My theory is that the South Carolina song which is now called "The Old Lady From Booster" was such a subversive song. It seems to me that the "Who's been here since I've been gone" verse is in the form of a "play", to use folklorist Bessie Jones' definition of that word as found in the Step It Down book that she co-authored with Bess Lomax Hawes. To paraphrase that concept, in the Gullah islands, "plays" are singing games that are dramatic productions with roles reflected by the different "voices" in the song. Ths particular play dramatizes how an enslaved Black man would have wanted to respond to questioning by his White master (though to actually respond this truthfully would have resulted in his being physically punished or killed).

Here is how I attribute the lines in that verse with my comments given in parenthesis. Notice that I believe that some of these lines were sung in standard call & response pattern.
1. Slave master (SM) - Who's been here since I've been gone
2. Enslaved Black person (EBP) - Two little boys with their blue caps on
(The Union army distinguished by the color "blue")
3. SM - Hang them on a hickory stick
(If the Union soldiers would be found, they would be lynched)
4. EBM - Ranky tanky, button my shoes/ ranky tanky
(The phrase "ranky tanky" and the inclusion of a line from a childhood rhyme is meant to show disrespect for the slave master. Using contemporary terms, in the context of this verse, the "ranky tanky" line was the same as "giving the slave master the finger" or "mooning him".
5. EBM - Bufflalo boy gonna buy me a bag.
(The Black man expresses his intention to go join the Union army)

I'll write more about the "Buffalo boy line" later in this section, but want to first continue with my theory about the rest of the St. John's version of this song.

Segue lines "On ma you look so/ oh pa you look so
In my opinion, the "Oh my, you look so" is a compliment with the complete sentence probably being something like "Oh my, you look so good". I think that these lines call attention to how the older people (and later, anyone dancing) were doing the dance moves. Those lines have the same "feel" to me of the lines in the Johnny Otis song "Willie And The Handjive" which says "Look at Uncle Joe/doin the hand jive with Sister Flo".

In other versions of this song, these lines are often given as "Oh my, you look so".
Verse #3 of the St. John's Version
I believe that the "Pain in my shoulder etc" verse reflects the physical reality of people who are enslaved. That verse encapsulates the fact that enslaved Black people had to work regardless of whether they felt sick or not. If they didn't, they were beaten. Furthermore, the hard labor of field workers, in particular, resulted in those workers feeling "pains all over the place".

That said, I believe that the purpose of those lines in particular -and the entire song - were to serve as a framework for dancing. Dance moves that showcased the particular body part mentioned in the lyric was showcased at that time by the dancers. And, given African American aesthetics, the way the dance moves were done weren't fixed - multiple dancers could perform that particular dance their own way.

-snip-

More Comments About The "Buffalo Boy" Referent In The St. John's Version
"Buffalo Boy" may have been a familiar referent for the Union soldiers as a result of the two folk songs "(My Dear Old) Buffalo Boy (when we gonna get married)" and "Buffalo Gals" (will you come out tonight). I believe that in the context of the St. John's version of this song, "Buffalo" was a referent for Union soldiers because those soldiers came from the North, and not just from Buffalo, New York. It's possible that the "Buffalo boys" in this song referred to Black Union volunteers (contraband) and later, Black Union soldiers. But I'm not certain when "Buffalo soldiers" was first used as a referent for Black soldiers and how familiar Black people in South Carolina would be with that referent.

Click http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=11904 (My Dear Old) "Buffalo Boy" and http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=13658 "Buffalo Gals" a for and for lyrics and information about those two songs.

Other comments about the St. John's version
Given the nature of late 19th and early 20th century Southern African Americans songs, it's also likely that if "two little boys with the blue cap on" refers to Black boys or Black men, that earlier line would have used what we now call "the n word" in place of the word "boys" .

**
While there may have been standard lyrics to early versions of this song, performers probably added their own lines, or substituted them for some of those standard lines. Because of that, and because the primary purpose of the song-even with the "subversive" lyrics was to serve as a framework for dancing- the song was open-ended (It had no set length).

**
I believe that a population of people or individuals who remember old songs may not know the original or early meanings of words and phrases in those songs, or how and why the songs were sung. It's likely that we may never know why this version "The Old Lady From Booster" was composed, and whether my theory is accurate. That said, I believe my take on this song is plausible.

Floating Verses In Various Examples Of "Ranky Tanky"
1. The first verse "(There was a) Little Old Lady From Brewster (also given as "Booster")
Five of these examples begin with basically the same verse. That "old lady from Brewster" . See the "text analysis- St John's Island version" for more comments about that verse. about verse is composed in the form of a limerick.

2, Who's been here since I've Been Gone
Among the songs that include this line are:

3. Who's been here since I've been gone?
a) "Kitty And I Alone" from the "Frog In The Well" family of English/ American folk songs*

From http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=hes&p=1868 Mama Lisa's International Music & Culture

Excerpt:
There Was a Frog Liv'd in a Well

And when her uncle Rat came home,
Kitty alone, Kitty alone;
And when her uncle Rat came home,
"Who's been here since I've been gone?"
Cock me cary, Kitty alone,
Kitty alone and I

*I'm inclined to believe that most American minstrel songs & many vaudeville songs have some African American content,particularly when I see call & response structure, references to Black dances, and floating verses that are documented to come from acknowleged 19th century or earlier African American songs. That said, I agree with a comment that I've read (somewhere) that there has been so much appropriation and re-appropriation in these songs that it's often impossible to determine which is the Black content and which is the Wihite content of those songs.

b) "Pretty Little Girl" (in Thomas W. Talley's Negro Folk Songs, Wise & Otherwise(Port Washington,New York, Kennikat Edition, 1968, p 172 ; originally published by Macmillan Company, 1922)

Excerpt:
"Who's been here since I'se been gone?
A pretty liddle gal wid a blue dress on.

3. Pain In My Head etc lines
Among the African American dance/play songs with the lyrics "I've Got A Pain In My Head (and other body parts) are:

a) "This A Way Valerie" in Let's Slice The Ice( Eleanor Fulton and Pat Smith: St. Louis, Missouri, Magnamusic-Baton, 1978, pp. 23-24) ; described as a line game

Excerpt:
"A big fat lady from Tennessee
called up the doctor
Got a pain in my head
Oo ah
got a pain in my neck
Oops see wa wa
Oo see wa, oop see wa wa
all night long.
Oops see wa wa
Oo see wa, oop see wa wa
all night long"

b) "Josephine" in Bessie Jones and Bess Lomax Hawes, Step It Down: Games, Plays, Songs, and Stories from the Afro-American Heritage (Athens, Georgia, The University of Georgia Press, 1972, pp. 59)

Excerpt:
Lead voice: I've got a pain in my back,
Group: Shout, shout!
I've got a pain in my back,
Shout, shout!
I've got slipper shoes,
Shout, shout!
I've got slipper shoes,
Shout, shout!
I've got a pain in my knee,
Shout, shout!
I've got a pain in my knee,
Shout, shout!
I'll shake the baby, *
Shout, shout.
I'll shake the baby, *
Shout, shout.

* Dancers hold arms as though cradeling a baby, swing them from side to side.

4. Hitting / Whacking lines
I think it's worth noting that there's no mention of hitting in either of the Gullah versions of this song (St, John's Island, South Carolina, and Bessie Jone's Sea Isles, Georgia (Step It Down -although there is mention of "hanging on the hickory stick". There also is no mention of hitting (whacking) in the King Biscuit boy rendition of "Ranky Tanky".

The hitting (whacking) lines found in the Linda Tillary & Choir rendition and the Dave Music Class rendtion of "Ranky Tank(y) may have come about because of the association with beating that "hickory stick" has in 19th century African American play songs. A key example is this verse in "I Like Coffee I Like Tea"::
"grandma grandma you ain't sick
all you need is a hickory stick".

5. Each of these examples of the "Ranky Tanky" song demonstrate the creative ways that this song has evolved.

I have already shared my theory about The St. John's version - Example #1 - .

The Bessie Jones (Georgia Sea Isles version -Example #2 shows how this song was performed as a way to show off dance moves.

The King Biscuit Boy version (Example #3) and the Dave's Music Class version (Example #5) suggest how multiple bawdy "Seven Old Lady In The Lavatory" limericks could be used as verses for this song.

The Linda Tillary and Choir version (Example #4) shows how different floating phrases from Black music traditions, including children's play songs can be added to that song (the addition of "bon ton roule" (from New Orleans Zydeco traditions) and "Shake it to the East" lines (from Black Caribbean and American versions of the English children's game "Little Sally Walker").

The Linda Tillary and Choir version also demonstrates how more call & response can be added to this song as in the first verse-
Lead singer "Little old lady from Brewster
Group response - "Brewster!".

The video of the Linda Tillary and Choir's rendition of this song also demonstrates how contemporary R&B dances fit well in the performance of this song. Notice that while each dancer showcased the part of the body mentioned by the song, she or he did that dance in her or his own way. This is a further reflection of Black dance aesthetics.

The Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem version of this song (Example #6) shows how this African American originated song can be easily adapted for use as a group involvement song. i love the creative way that the lead singer engages the audience as shown in the video of this song that is embedded at the beginning of this post. The lead singer asks those who are wearing a particular type of clothing to stand up and dance. In the last rendition of the song, she asks all those with underwear (presumably everyone in the audience) to stand and dance. While the lead singer suggests that people do dances that showcase the particular body part that she calls out and demonstrates, the audience shown mostly disregards that and "does their own thing". I think that's fine. I'm also glad that this very popular version of the "Ranky Tanky" song doesn't include the "Papa slap / whack" lyrics. I don't approve of parents or any other adults hitting children, and the exclusion of those lyrics make this song much more suitable for young children, which might be a large part of the target audience for this song.

Final Thoughts (for now) On The "Ranky Tanky" Family Of Songs
In spite of my delight that the Arbo & Mayhem version of "Ranky Tanky" have familiarized this song to many people in the United States and around the world, I am concerned about how often the few old African American secular songs which are revived are removed from their cultural & historical context, and become pale, sanitized versions of their old selves.

I'm also saddened by the way that old songs-such as "Ranky Tank-aren't seen as repositories of history and culture, but are considered to be fit only for enjoyable singing & movement games for children and older folks remembering how it was to be young.

Even if the cleaned up versions of these songs are taught to young children, it seems to me that it is important to retain and teach those earlier versions of those songs. I also believe that it's important to study these old songs with the goal of deepening our knowledge of what life was like for those people, in that place and time.

I'm not asking for rigid adherance to early ways of singing or performing a singing game or rhyme. But I think it's interesting (if not overly important in the scheme of things) to learn whether lyrics, and tunes, and accompanying movements for a game song or rhyme changed, and if so how and why. meaning where did those new words, or tune, or movements come from?. Researching these questions help flesh out history, which is why I love it.

I can understand the preference for the sanitized version of this song, and personally applaud the creativity of certain new renditions and performances of old songs. But when folk songs are reduced to children's summer camp movement ditties, so much history is lost.

Furthermore, I'm concerned that so may African American folk songs are simply labeled "American traditiona" without being taught as part of African American culture. I admit that my concerns spring from my experiences growing up in the 1950s and being told that Black people didn't contribute anything to civilization but spirituals, blues, jazz, and Rock and Roll music. Nowadays, that list of music that is acknowledged to be of Black American origin would be (or at least should be much longer). But do most people in the USA and elsewhere know which American folk songs have Black origins or likely Black origins? I don't think so.

I think that Black people should do a better job of retaining, claiming, and explaining our historical creative products - which is the main reason why I publish post like these.

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UPDATE 12/15/2012
Hat tip to Dan Greenwood, who performs a version of "Old Lady From Booster". I received the following information from Dan in two emails:

"The version I referenced is sung by National Heritage Fellow Mrs. Janie Hunter, collected by Guy and Candie Carawan on John's Island in the early/mid '60s and later released on the 'Been In the Storm So Long' CD"

http://www.folkways.si.edu/been-in-the-storm-so-long-spirituals-folk-tales-and-childrens-games-from-johns-island-sc/african-american-music-spoken-gospel/music/album/smithsonian Been in the Storm So Long: A Collection of Spirituals, Folk Tales and Children's Games from Johns Island, South Carolina, Various Artists SFW40031

http://www.amazon.com/Been-The-Storm-Long-Collection/dp/B000001DHJ has a brief sound sample A sound file & MP3 purchase link to that song (credited to The Moving Star Hall Singers)

Here's that version of "Old Lady From Booster":
The old lady come from Booster.
She had two hens and a rooster.
The rooster died.
The old lady cried.
He* couldn't get egg like he use ta.

Oh ma,** you look so.
Oh pa,*** you look so.

Who been here since I will gone?
Two little boy with the blue cap on.
Hang **** him on the hickory stick.
Ranky tanky done***** my shoe
The buffalo boy ****** want to buy it back.
Pain in the hip
Pain in my knee.
My leg
Ranky tanky
Pain in my elbow
Ranky tanky
Ranky tanky
Pain in my shoulder
Ranky tanky
Pain in my neck
Ranky tanky
Pain in my head
Ranky tanky

You'll didn't hear?
The old lady come from Booster.
He couldn't tell the news like he use ta.
[singers start giggling.]

*The pronoun "he" is also used for females.
Old lady come from Booster

** This word sounds like "my", but I think it's "ma".
*** This word sound like "pie", but I think it's "pa".
**** This word might be "hit".
***** "done my shoe" - took my shoe?; In that line "Ranky Tanky" appears to be used as a person's name or nickname.
****** Buffalo boy - I wonder if this could be a referent for a Black soldier (Buffalo soldier) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Soldier
-snip-
Here's a link to a sound file of Dan Greenwood's group's rendition of "Old Lady From Booster". That example is based on the version of this song that was sung by Mrs. Janie Hunter: https://soundcloud.com/#lonesomedstringband/old-lady-from-booster

Thanks Dan Greenwood for that information & example!

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Thanks for reading this post.

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