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The poetry crew, F351, 2008
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Folklore Materials
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ARCHIVES
Shannon’s rugby songs from the archives:
Lyrics to the three main
IU rugby songs (1982).
Text 1: “Daisy”
Daisy, Daisy,
Give me your answer do,
I’m half crazy
Six inches into you—
It won’t be a stylish
entry
I can’t afford a frenchie,
But you’ll look sweet
Between the sheets
When I’m six inches into
you.
Text 2: “Haka”
Ka mate Ka mate
It is death It is death
Ka ora Ka ora
It is life It is
life
Ka mate Ka mate
It is death It is death
Ka ora Ka ora
It is life It is
life
Tenei Te Tangata
Puhuruhuru
This is the hairy man
Nana I tiki mai whakawhiti
te ra
Who caused the sun to
shine again for me
Upane Upane
Up the ladder Up the
ladder
Upane Kaupane
Up to the top
Whiti te ra
The sun shines!
Text 3: “California Bear”
The California bear
Is losing all his hair
His teeth are gone out,
he’s got the gout
He don’t know what it’s
all about
His eyes are made of glass
He’s falling on his ass
The mighty California bear
Is losing all his class!
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Clair’s graffiti samples
 This
is Clair
Collection 1
Title of Collection: “A look at the subjects and psychological mechanisms of graffiti”
Collector’s Name: Katie Pursley
Collected: 1975. The Regulator, 319 N. Walnut
1
We hold these truths to be self-evident
All men are fucked up over women
and some over men!
2
Help stamp out Mother’s Day
3
Up the republic- England’s trouble is Ireland’s opportunity
Collection 2
Title of Collection: “Graffiti on I.U. Campus “
Collector’s Name: Rick Haywood
Collected: 1973, Ballantine Hall (#4); Education Building (#5)
4
To do is to be and to be is to do so, do-be-do-be-do-be
5
A friend with weed is a friend indeed, a friend without weed is a friend in need.
Collection 3
Title of Collection: “N. America, U.S., Indiana, Monroe County, Bloomington”
Collector’s Name: Elaine Bussard
Collected: 1967, Nick’s English Hut (#6); Royal Oaks Tavern (#s 7,8)
6
If you can keep your head when others around you are losing theirs, perhaps you’ve misunderstood the situation.
7
"A butterfly fluttered by “Look I almost said but I was alone”
Issa
8
Disturbing the blossoms gell a white camilia into the dark well
Collection 4
Title of Collection: “Top Graffiti at Indiana University”
Collector’s Name: Robert Steele
Collected: 1973
9
Change what you can and cope with things you cannot
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Joey’s graffiti archive
 This
is Joey
Item 1: “Draft Beer Not Students”
Collector’s name: John Conner
Collector’s location: Marion County Library,
Bloomington Indiana
Date collected: 1975
Genre/ subgenre : Political Graffiti
(This is a
recreation of the graffito, in the original collection.)
Item 2: “Stop the War I Want To Get Off”
Collector’s name: Elaine Bussard
Collector’s location: Back of Nick’s English
Hut in Bloomington Indiana
Date collected: 1967
Genre/ subgenre : Political Graffiti
(This is a
recreation of the graffito, in the original collection.)
Item 3: “Fxck Censorship”
Collector’s name: Oliver Evans
Collector’s location: Nicks English Hut in
Bloomington Indiana
Date collected: 1968
Genre/ subgenre: Political Graffiti
(This is a
recreation of the graffito, in the original collection.)
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Rafael’s folksongs
Text 1
Collector: Robert Rudd
Date: April 10, 1971
Informant:
Jack McLaughlin from Alabama, age
49
"Nothing Could Be Finer"
Nothing could be finer
than to be in her vagina in the mornin',
Nothing could be sweeter than to crawl right in and eat
her in the morn.
Nothin could be greater than to screw and masturbate her
in the mornin',
Nothing's so enormous as to have a little clitoris in the mornin'.
“The situation
was the same as the first item, myself and the informant were just sitting
around drinking beer with some other kids and after
being asked about the first song he proceeded to sing this one
without being asked. I had heard him sing this one before also
and usually in conjunction with the first one.
This song was included in his claimed
original works and was part of the question about the meaning of the songs
to which he replied that I should know by how and that he wouldn't
tell me. This is also just an obscene
song used by the informant to act younger and not be the fatherly type to
the kids that are in this group of friends.”
The meaning behind this song
definitely pulls from the perspective of tradition, and male bonding. The
song’s creativity holds the values of today’s college male, thus revealing
an in-depth insight into the male culture in college. It adds to the
reflection of good times within this culture (college life) and definitely
should be considered folklore, despite some vulgarity.
Text 2
Date: March 10, 1971
Collector: Terri Silverstone
Informant: Konnie Sanders
I was born on a farm down in I-O-Way Flaming youth was bound to fly-o-way,
Pack my bags and pack my sax-o-phone-phone A rootie-toot-toot.
This folksong is told for amusement
and it also tells the story of how young people want to live and fly away
before they get too old. It tells of escape and freedom and the flying music
of youth. This folksong has a sing-song type rhythm which is easy to follow
and also the words are very easy and repetitive.
Konnie told me this song while sitting
in the Commons of Indiana University one day. Konnie and I are friends and
she was relating this childhood folksong to me. However, I truly doubt that
it is original folklore, but rather fakelore, which has been printed in
literary books previously. I seem to remember hearing it while I was in
elementary school.
Konnie said she first heard this song
when she was attending grade school in Carmel Indiana. Konnie is anxiously
awaiting leaving her home in Carmel and getting a job away from home--that
is why this song appeals to her. Konnie was very enthusiastic while singing
this song--she said that it brought back pleasant memories of her childhood.
The song is sung mostly for amusement, however.
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Rich’s folksongs
Item 1
Sorority Folksong
Contributor: Clune McDermott
Informant: Ruth Ford
Date of Text: July 25, 1969
AOPI,
AOPI, AOPI;
How we
like to show the thigh;
AOPI,
AOPI, AOPI;
It is
always us who seduce the guys;
AOPI,
AOPI, AOPI;
How our
reputation is so high;
AOPI,
AOPI, AOPI;
Is surely
a mystery to every guy.”
Context:
This song was typically sung at the
bars with sororities. At the time of this interview the informant was a
senior at I.U. The informant also stated that she heard this song at a Fort
Wayne, Indiana bar which leads her to believe that it is a popular song.
Item 2
College Song
Contributor: Joe Cuttriss
Informant: William R. Masters
Date of Text: May 3, 1969
High
above her Pi Phi garters;
High
above her knee,
Lies a
pit of hallowed passion,
Waiting
there for me.
Context:
The informant learned this from IU
boys at the IU Geological field station in Cardwell, Montana. It is
typically sung to the parody of the IU Alma Mater. The informant attended
the IU Kokomo campus.
Item 3
Contributor: Debbie Atz
Informant: Dennis Harper
Date of Text: March 7, 1971
Now
listen I.U. maidens,
listen
close to me;
Don’t
ever trust a T.K.E.,
an inch
about your knee,
I trusted
one last summer,
and look
what he did to me.
The son
of a gun left me with
the son
of a T.K.E.
Context:
This ballad was learned at a party at
the Teke house. The informant was drunk at the time of the interview. It is
also usually sung at serenades by almost all fraternities who insert their
own Greek letters.
tem 4
Folk Song
Contributor: Clune McDermott
Informant: Terry Barrows
Date of Text: July 20, 1969
DG’s,
they are the campus queens, oh yes they are;
DG’s,
they are the very best. DG’s are the campus queens.
DG’s are
the very best. They go down like submarines.
Yeah, rah; Delta Gamma.
Context:
The informant explained that she first
heard this at a sorority picnic. The informant also explained that this was
the only song that she knew of this type. The contributor states that she
has heard this song many times at bars or when many boys are together.
Item 5
Folk Song
Contributor: Clune McDermott
Informant: Susie Connors
Date of Text: July 6, 1969
I love,
love;
Love a
Chi O,
I always
will in my dreams and thoughts,
Always
because a Chi O always will.
Context:
The informant first heard this song at
a party and everyone joined in on the verse. The song is often heard at
parties, serenades and often in bars.
Item 6
Folk Song
Contributor: Clune McDermott
Informant: Pam Collins
Date of Text: July 2, 1969
Ring a
ling, ling, ling; blow it out your ass;
Ring a
ling, ling, ling; blow it out your ass;
Ring a
ling, ling, ling; blow it out your ass;
We are
the Pie Phi Girls;
Balls,
balls, balls;
Whenever
we go to a dance,
We wear
no bras and we wear no pants,
We like
to give those freshmen a chance;
We are
the Pie Phi Girls;
Balls,
Balls, Balls., etc.
Context:
The informant said that the first time
she heard this song was during a serenade. The informant also stated that
she doesn’t think that girls sing this song when they get together because
it is mostly sung when a group of males get together.
Item 7
Folk Song
Contributor: Clune McDermott
Informant: Sarah Green
Date of Text: June 26, 1969
Tri Delts,
they are the tried and true, tried and true;
Tri Delts,
they are the tried and true,
Tri Delts,
are the tried and true,
I tried
one, how about you?
Glad I’m
a boy.
Context:
The informant first heard this song at
a slumber party with some of her friends. Back in 1969, girls would
typically not tell spooky stories at slumber parties and instead they would
sing risqué songs. The informant also said that the girls would never sing
this song when males were around.
Item 8
Folk Song
Contributor: Clune McDermott
Informant: Carol James
Date of Text: July 14, 1969
High
above a Pi Phi garter, high above her knee,
Lies the
sign of Pi Phi honor, her virginity.
Lay her
gently, lay her gently, lay her on the grass.
All I
live and all I die for is a piece of Pi Phi ass.
Context:
The informant first heard this song at
“Ye Old Regulator.” She said she was with a party of six, which was three
couples.
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_____________________________________________________
ETHNOGRAPHY
Sayings
from Lindsey B’s journal
“Here’s to you, here’s to
me, and if we shall ever disagree, then fuck you and here’s to me”
“It is better to be loved
and lost, than to never have loved at all.”
“Sex is like bridge. If
you don’t have a good partner, you better have a good hand.”
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_______________________________________
Speech
items from the journal of Lindsey H.
Text 1
“While at a Halloween
party, I saw a guy dressed in a plaid shirt, jeans, and a red wig. I wasn’t
sure what his costume was, until he spoke in a Scottish accent. The accent
helped me figure out what he was dressed as.
Context:
The guy used speech, in
the form of his accent, to help enhance his costume. The clothing and accent
together enabled his costume to be understood. The costume shows that the
person has a sense of humor, and is creative.
Text 2
“While working out at the
SRSC with a friend, she made the comment, “I’m sweating like a whore in
church.”
Context:
This is a metaphorical
feature, and was probably said by someone with a religious background. In
some religions, being promiscuous is a sin, and for a “whore” to sit in
church, she would be nervous of her sins and begin sweating. The saying tells
what kind of condition the girl’s body was in.
Text 3
“The freshman fifteen”
Context:
This saying is an urban
legend created by college students. It is used as a way to describe the amount
of weight a girl will supposedly gain during her freshman year of college.
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from
Leah’s journal, some proverbs overheard:
“A man is
known by his friends”
o
I heard this
on the way to class, as one girl was talking about a boy she was interested
in.
“Actions Speak Louder
than Words”
o
I read this
proverb on someone’s wall of facebook.
“Bad news travel quickly”
o
After a
incident over the weekend had happened, people were discussing how many people
know already.
“Love will find a way”
o
I heard as
girls were talking about one breaking up with her boyfriend.
“Think globally, act
locally”
o
I was
traveling home for Thanksgiving, I saw this bumper sticker
“You are a sight for sore
eyes”
o
I heard a
boyfriend say to his girlfriend after having a hard week.
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A
sampling of toasts from students in E103, Spring 2006
From James:
High School Graduation Cheer
The majority of shots you
take
Will not be in a glass.
The majority of hurdles made
Won’t require running
fast.
The thing about life is
That it is worth more than a
game.
Still, I cheer that you
win
And achieve goals all the
same.
From Hanna:
Family Prayer
Lord Jesus --
May I always be
tender and kind
of heart like thee.
If any suffer
or are sad
help me to try
to make them glad.
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From Tawanda:
For Sunday dinners
Gracious Lord, we truly thank
you
for this food we are about to
accept
for the nurturing and caring
for our bodies
for Christ’s sake.
From Harrison:
“My grandparents put this in
graduation cards and say it to each child that graduates.”
May you have the hindsight to
know where you’ve been,
The foresight to know where
you are going,
And the insight to know when
you have gone too far.
From Shane:
“Song before long family
meals”
Bless this food, O Lord
and bless all those who dine
here.
Feed the poor wherever they
are
With Christian bread and
wine, Amen.
From Derrick:
The Universal Toast
Observe, when Mother Earth is
dry
She drinks the dropping of
the sky,
And then the dewy cordial
gives
To every thirsty plant that
lives.
The vapors which at evening
weep
Are beverage to the swelling
deep;
And when the rosy sun appears
He drinks the ocean’s misty
tears.
The moon too quaffs her paly
stream
Of luster from the solar
beam.
Then hence with your sober
thinking!
Since nature’s holy law is
drinking,
I’ll make the law of Nature
mine,
And pledge the universe in
wine.
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of 'toasts'
Two from Rachel:
1)
“It is a tradition at my
house to recite the following toast before dinner each night, each person
saying one line. The toast originated as a Buddhist prayer or mantra used in
Yoga and meditation. ‘I’, ‘my family’, ‘the world’ etc. can replace ‘we’.”
May we be filled with love
and kindness
May we be well
May we be peaceful and at
ease
May we be happy
2)
“One I learned in Perú
(moving the glass as instructed)”
Arriba Up
Abajo
Down
Al centro
To the center
Para adentro
And inside
From Andley:
Here’s to smiling instead of
frowning
to swimming instead of
drowning
and doing everything the hard
way –
Cheers for living every day!
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of 'toasts'
From Josiah:
“I’d like to raise a toast
to the girl I love most”
--Alfalfa, The Little Rascals
Movie
From Leah:
Come, Lord Jesus, be our
guest
and let thy gifts to us be
blessed, amen.
From Miyako:
“Toast made on my Dad’s
birthday”
Here’s to a loyal husband
a generous father
a dedicated soldier
a bad gardener –
here’s to a good man!
From John:
A Christmas Toast
'Tis the season of the year
We bring good fortune to
those of cheer.
A pocket full of money and a
cellar full of beer
And a big fat pig to last you
all the year.
Cheers, and Merry Christmas!
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of 'toasts'
From Natalie:
As we gather around this
wonderful meal
we thank the Lord for his
blessings,
each and every day.
Family and friends,
we each hurry to our seat.
In the name of the Father and
the Son,
good bread, good meat
good God, let’s eat!
From Megan:
A Thanksgiving Toast
Cheers to family, friends,
health and happiness,
On this Thanksgiving Day.
Our blessings are many and
our misfortunes few,
So let us give thanks.
From Whitney:
May you both live as long as
you want
and never want as long as you
live.
From Peter:
Merry met, and merry part
I drink to thee with all my
heart.
From Matt:
Here’s to a sweetheart, a
bottle, and a friend.
The first beautiful, the
second full, the last ever faithful.
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of 'toasts'
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