Concertina Limericks

[Robert Booth]

Well, when I wrote the post about Popeye I was thinking mostly about the little melody, wondering if there were more tunes written to fit the form. I don't know what style of tune, jig, reel, limerick, whatever it may be, but it's fun.

 

The rhyme I used came from an entry in B.A. Botkin's Treasury of American Folklore, which strongly features materials collected during the Roosevelt Administrations' W.P.A .Federal Writers Project during Americas' Great Depression. It appears that Popeye was a minor folk figure that E.C.Seegar eventually copyrighted with the well known comix and cartoons. The book lists eight verses, and I'll bet there were many more.

 

The book itself is a real trove of old timey Americana, and is well worth picking up; it must have been quite popular, since copies abound in used bookstores. As well as stories and exerpts from longer works including some hair-raising speeches in Congress, it contains many old American Folk songs, as well as childrens' games and rhymes. Pretty good stuff and a lot of fun.

 

Merry Christmas, All.

May Fortune smile on you.

Robert

[Richard Morse]

It occurs to me that the Popeye song... is a musical limerick. Any others around that you can think of?

YES! Bless Be the Tie That Binds

Bless be-ee the ti-ie that binds

My co-ollar to-oo my shirt.

I'm wasting no dollars

In buying new collars

To hi-ide that ri-ing of dirt!

 

This college gets better each day.

The seniors will soon go away.

We'll meet them in Hades,

A-necking the ladies,

And there'll be the Devil to pay.

 

The fro-og he are a queer bird.

He ain't got no tail almost hardly.

When he yump he sit down,

When he sit down he yump

Where he ain't got no tail almost hardly.

 

I wi-ish this room had a floor.

I wouldn't care much for a door,

But walking around,

Without touching the ground

I-is getting to be quite a bore.

 

I know that my face ain't no star.

I know I'm not lovely by far.

But then I don't mind it

Because I'm behind it

It's them that's out front gets the jar

 

I'd rather have eyes than a nose.

I'd rather have fingers than toes.

And as for my hair,

I'm glad it is there

I'll be sorry the day that it goes.

And there was one about a Hindu that has to make his skin do, and Poor little fly on the wall.... Jeeze that was a long time ago we used to sing those!

 

-- Rich --

[Jody Kruskal]

This one received an honorable mention at the '08 NESI.

 

My lover, sweet lucious Louise

She’s mad jealous, she yelled at me “Please

Put that damn thing away”

Said “I love you, but hey...

My Jefferies is still my main squeeze”

[drbones]

I don't think this is considered a limerick. The first 2 lines don't rhyme. I understand a limerick has 5 lines which includes a doublet and a triplet. But I like this one anyway. I don't know who originally wrote it. I got it off a Sea tunes CD by Skip Henderson. A little long but amusing.

 

The Chivalrous Shark

 

A rhyme on the prince of the ocean

For ladies forbearing and mild

Though his record be dark

The man-eating shark

will eat neither woman or child

 

He dines upon seamen and skippers

And tourists his hunger assuage

And a fresh cabin boy

Would inspire him with joy

If he’s past the maturity age

 

A doctor a lawyer a preacher

He’ll gobble up one any fine day

But the ladies god bless ‘em,

He’ll only address ‘em

Politely and go on his way

 

I can readily site you an instance

When a lovely young lady from Breem

Who was tender and sweet

And delicious to eat

Fell into the bay with a scream

 

She struggled and flounced in the water

And signaled in vain for her bark

She’d most certainly been drowned

If she hadn’t been found

By a chivalrous man-eating shark

 

He bowed in a manner most polished

Thus soothing her impulses wild

Don’t be frightened he said

I’ve been properly bread

And will eat neither woman or child

 

He pro offered his fin and she took it

Such gallantry none could dispute

And the vessel they neared

And the crew they all cheered

And a broadside was fired in salute

 

The shark stood off to the leeward

while the life saving dingy was lowered

With the thick of the crew

And her relatives too

And the mate and the skipper on board

 

Well they had her aboard in a jiffy

The shark stood attention the while

Then he raised on his flipper

And he ate up the skipper

And he went on his way with a smile

 

This proves the prince of ocean

To ladies forbearing and mild

Though his record be dark

The man-eating shark

Will eat neither woman or child

[drbones]

If I could play the concertiner

She’d be the happiest you’ve ever seener

Although I practice every day

She tells me she can’t stand to stay

I hope she moves to Pasadener

[drbones]

God help me, I'm wasting so much time with this stuff. I just can't stop.

 

If I could ever have my way

I’d play my squeezebox through the day

I know I’m really not that good

So don’t let me be misunderstood

It helps to keep the roaches at bay

Edited December 18, 2008 by drbones

[Marien]

This one received an honorable mention at the '08 NESI.

 

My lover, sweet lucious Louise

She’s mad jealous, she yelled at me “Please

Put that damn thing away”

Said “I love you, but hey...

My Jefferies is still my main squeeze”

 

Is this about Louise Lachenale?

[Jody Kruskal]

This one received an honorable mention at the '08 NESI.

 

My lover, sweet lucious Louise

She’s mad jealous, she yelled at me “Please

Put that damn thing away”

Said “I love you, but hey...

My Jefferies is still my main squeeze”

 

Is this about Louise Lachenale?

 

Sadly, no. Louise is merely a name that rhymes with Squeeze. I don't actually have a lover by that name though I do have a mother-in-law, Louise. She has not seen the limerick and I hope she never does

[drbones]

Buttons stickin’ on my squeezy

Shouldn’t have bought one so cheesey

I’ll take it apart

I can do it in the dark

I’ve done it so much now it’s easy

[Bill N]

Buttons stickin’ on my squeezy

Shouldn’t have bought one so cheesey

I’ll take it apart

I can do it in the dark

I’ve done it so much now it’s easy

 

I think it might be time for an intervention !

[JimLucas]

I think it might be time for an intervention !

Is that where an invention is interred?

Or just an invention that makes burial easier?

[Bill N]

I think it might be time for an intervention !

Is that where an invention is interred?

Or just an invention that makes burial easier?

 

Here's the definition from Wikipedia:

 

Intervention (counseling), an attempt to compel a subject to "get help" for an addiction or other problem.

[drbones]

I think it might be time for an intervention !

 

So you say I need intervention

Well let me to you just mention

It helps me to think

And drives me to drink

Or it could just be anal retention

 

 

Oh jeeze…you’re right.

[LDT]

Eeek ekk erk eek eek

wheeze schreech eek

Errrrrk eek squeeky

errrrrk erk erk eek

Eerrk wheeze eeky

 

A concertina limerick

Edited December 19, 2008 by LDT

[Dave Rogers]

A concertina limerick

 

It's missing a line. AND it doesn't scan.

[LDT]

A concertina limerick

 

It's missing a line. AND it doesn't scan.

I've added the missingline

[Dave Rogers]

A concertina limerick

 

It's missing a line. AND it doesn't scan.

I've added the missingline

 

Still doesn't scan...

[drbones]

Eeek ekk erk eek eek

wheeze schreech eek

Errrrrk eek squeeky

errrrrk erk erk eek

Eerrk wheeze eeky

 

A concertina limerick

Sounds like somebody needs the Hindlick (sp)? maneuver