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- The song delves into themes of poverty, hardship, and the resilience of the human spirit. It tells a story of a family’s struggle to survive, and the sacrifices they must make to overcome the challenges they face. Through its emotive lyrics and soulful melodies, it resonates with listeners on a deeply emotional level.
oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-son-of-hickory-hollers-tramp-by-o-c-smith/The Meaning Behind The Song: Son of Hickory Holler's Tramp by ...
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"The Son of Hickory Holler's Tramp" is a song written by Dallas Frazier and first recorded by country musician, Johnny Darrell in 1968. [1] The song tells the story of a woman with 14 children who is abandoned by her worthless alcoholic husband and turns to prostitution to support her large family.
Sep 28, 2023 · Son of Hickory Holler’s Tramp is a timeless song that was popularized by O.C. Smith in the late 1960s. This poignant ballad explores the life of a young boy who grows up in poverty and the struggles he faces alongside his mother, the titular character, with whom he shares a bond that transcends their circumstances.
Sep 12, 2023 · The song revolves around the story of a young boy who grows up witnessing the hardships faced by his mother, a woman often labeled as a tramp or a prostitute. This emotional ballad speaks to the universal themes of love, sacrifice, and the judgmental nature of society.
May 21, 2014 · The meaning: The protagonist of the song is an African-American slave who is portrayed as dumb and naive. In the song, the singer can't grasp the ideas of temperature and...
- Alex Abad-Santos
- Origins
- Other Variations
- Possible Historical Explanations
- More Possible Historical Connections
- Sad, Racist Controversies
- More Recent Versions
- Final Thoughts
The catchy tune is known as a “counting-out rhyme” and it’s often used to select a person for a game or for a prize. It’s also commonly used (as above with Homer Simpson) when choosing what button to push, what car to select (see Dodge commercial below), or any other number of options. Scholars say that the rhyme existed well before 1820 and is com...
Throughout history, many variations have been recorded, which include additional words, phrases, concepts, and even characters. For example: My mother said to pick the very best one and you are it. Or… …and you are NOT it.
The first record of a similar rhyme, known as the “Hana, man,” originates in 1815. That’s when children in New York City are said to have often said the rhyme: Hana, man, mona, mike Barcelona, bona, strike Hare, ware, frown, vanac Harrico, warico, we wo, wac. The scholar Henry Carrington Bolton also discovered this rhyme in German: Ene, tene, mone,...
Likely, the rhyme that we know today comes to us from Old English or Welsh counting, likely from farm jobs, such as counting sheep or crops. An old shepherd’s count is known as the “Yan Tan Tehera” and the Cornish “End, mena, mona, mite” above. Another explanation comes from British colonists who returned from India after learning the rhyme used in...
Of course, the rhyme has been made ugly and abused. During times of slavery, the word “tiger” was replaced by the N-word. Bolton even reports that this was the most common version among American school children as of 1888, showing how ugly our history has been at times. Versions like the below also appeared in Australia, unfortunately. Bert Fitzgib...
During the Second World War, a reporter for the Associated Press in Atlanta, Georgia, reported that local school children were heard reciting a wartime variation that went: Eenie, meenie, minie, moe, Catch the emperor by his toe. If he hollers make him say: ‘I surrender to the USA.'” Another one from the 1950s U.K. went: Eeeny, meeny, miney, mo. Pu...
Today, while the rhyme has been used to cause severe racist harm, it is not thought of in these terms by most. It’s often considered a cute, quirky rhyme. But, of course, not everything we enjoy today can be taken for granted. It’s important to know the history of even the things that today seem innocuous. If we don’t know our history, we are doome...
- Jacob Uitti
- 17 sec
- Senior Writer
One song that has touched my heart and resonated with me on a personal level is “The Son of Hickory Holler’s Tramp” by Merle Haggard. This powerful song, released in 1968 as part of his album “Sing Me Back Home,” tells a poignant tale of love, sacrifice, and resilience.
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, Catch a tiger by the toe. If he hollers make him pay, Fifty dollars every day. During the Second World War, an AP dispatch from Atlanta, Georgia reported that Atlanta children were heard reciting this version: [15] Eenie, meenie, minie, moe, Catch the emperor by his toe.
