Loesser, "Humor in American Song" at p.298 refers to "the famous "Lone
Fish Ball" composed about 1854." He says, Under the title is added the
interesting information, "Founded on a Boston Fact." He adds, "In
Carmina Collegiensa, one of the earliest anthologies, there is further
appended an affecting tale of a New York professor who made a nuisance
of himself in his habitual restaurant because he always wanted more than
one portion of three buckwheat cakes for six cents, but less than two
portions for twelve. He insisted on five buckwhjeat cakes for ten cents,
drove everybody wild, and finally had to stay away from the restaurant
altogether.
Lew Becker
Lewis Becker
Professor of Law
Villanova University School of Law
(610.519.7074)
(Fax - 610.519.5672)
>>> [log in to unmask] 12/09/03 6:17 PM >>>
An extremelypopular song in the early0middle 19th Century, in the US at
least. F.J. Childs was sufficiently impressed by it to have written a
mock-opera entitle Il Pescobello. It appeared in several college
songbooks in the pre-WWI years; reached a high level of popularity in
the 1940s when Josh White transmogrified it to "One Meat Ball" and added
a health dose of blues.
Still a good song.
dick greenhaus
Mary Seymour wrote:
>Recently I was at a family funeral and once most of the mourners had
departed, the daughters (respectable women in late middle age) sang the
following as a tribute to their father since it was a song with which he
had amused them - and infuriated their mother - during their childhood
and beyond.
>
>It is clearly some kind of ballad, though whether Music Hall, Camp Fire
or Student Common Room, I couldn't say.
>I would be very interested if any of the List know it, know of it, can
say where it originates and if they know any alternative words.
>
>I can't begin to represent the tune, only say that each couplet is sung
twice. The first time the last syllable is drawn out on 3 notes (down up
down) and the second time it is sung on one final note.
>
>It clearly predates the Credit Card! And might it be American since
Fish Fingers are more usual over here ? Yet half pence are British
pre-decimal coinage.
>
>The Fish Ball Song
>
>There was a man, walked up and down
>To see what he could find in town.
>
>He came unto a gorgeous place
>And entered in with modest grace.
>
>He drew his purse his pocket hence
>And found he had but five half pence.
>
>He scanned the menu through and through
>To see what five half pence would do.
>
>The only thing 'twould do at all
>Was o( - o - o - o - )ne fish ball.
>
>He called the waiter up the hall
>And softly whispered "One fish ball."
>
>The waiter bellowed down the hall:
>"THIS GEN'LEMAM HERE WANTS ONE FISH BALL!"
>
>The wretched man felt ill at ease
>And softly whispered: "Bread, sir, [if you] please!"
>
>The waiter bellowed down the hall:
>"YOU GET NO BREAD WITH ONE FISH BALL!"
>
>There is a moral to it all:
>YOU GET NO BREAD WITH ONE FISH BALL.
>
>
>Mary Seymour
>
|