Frog Went a' Courtin'
"This one is a real gem. This is 'Frog Went A Courtin', Appalachian style! This version comes from the wonderful singing of Alemeda Riddle. The song itself is a very old English ballad, and I mixed and matched my verses, which are plentiful... The great difference between this version and other versions is the 'mouth music' aspect of the chorus and at the ends of the verses." -Dejah Leger (Singer)
Frog Went a' Courtin'
Folk Song
Frog went a' courtin' and he did ride,
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble
With a sword and a pistol buckled at his side,
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble.
(Chorus)
Hee mo hi mo keemo kimo
Rowdy rowdy ray, oh rop strop,
Pennywinkle flannel doodle yellowbug
Rop-strop by mister gammble.
He rode right up to Mouse's house,
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble
Saying, "Please won't you marry me Miss Mouse?"
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble.
Well, sir I cannot tell you that
You'll have to ask my Uncle Rat,
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble.
(Chorus)
Well Uncle Rat gave his consent,
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble
Now the Weasel wrote a publishment,
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble.
Well where will the wedding be?
Way down yonder in the old oak tree,
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble.
(Chorus)
The first to come was a little white Moth,
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble
She spread her wings for a tablecloth,
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble.
Next to come was a big black Bug
And on his back was a cider jug,
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble.
(Chorus)
The next to come was a Bumble Bee,
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble
A banjo buckled on his knee,
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble.
The next to come was a nimble Flea
To dance the jig for the Bumble Bee,
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble.
(Chorus)
Next to come was the old grey Goose,
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble
She picked up a fiddle and she cut loose,
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble.
Next to come were the two little Lambs
They were fixin' round to have a dance,
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble.
(Chorus)
The Frog and the Mouse they went to France,
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble
This is the end of my romance,
Rop-strop-by-mister-gammble.
(Chorus)
Many thanks to Dejah Leger for sharing her wonderful recording of Frog Went a' Courtin'! Check out her Hand Sewn Lullabies cd and mp3 downloads on CD Baby.
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Thanks to Dejah Leger for sharing this version of Frog Went a' Courtin'.
Thanks so much!
