3:09
single, 1928
traditional
This song, a primitive version of "Froggie Went A-Courting," dates back in various forms to the 1500s. In Parker's version, the frog has to kill three other suitors before he can wed Miss Mouse, and then they go on their honeymoon and live in a hollow tree. Parker's reedy, nasal tenor suits the antique fairy-tale weirdness of the song, and the chorus' nonsense syllables trip off his tongue into a toe-tapping, catchy refrain. It's a spirited slice of American folk surrealism, where violence, humor, and romance mingle in the way only the oldest ballads do.
No comments:
Post a Comment