E SONGS - If a query has come in and there’s no answer as yet, that song title will appear in red

EDDIE K. BROWN
EL GATO
EVERY EVENING WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES EIGHT
EVERY TIME I GO TO TOWN (see “Hound Dog” on H page)


EDDIE K. BROWN
 From Tom R. Hello folkies, I did a very random search and I can't believe I hit a sight (sic) that knows this song. You can tell it's a folk song cause my father sang a version growing up that followed the same characters but added a bit of audience participation. I must know is there any published version of this song that you know of apart from the lyrics on the site. I would love to track down its heritage. Any info would help thanks.
   
Ed Note: Delighted to have you find "Eddie" on our site, but I'm afraid I know less than you do about its origins. In fact, I can't remember when and where I learned it a long time ago. At one point I even tried to trace it through (US) Library of Congress, but no luck. I'd be interested to learn about your father's variations of my version. So, I guess we have to be content in the knowledge that this is truly in the folk tradition --- someone wrote it, but we don't know who; and some of us sing it and carry it on.

More on EDDIE
From:  Paul C. M

Thanks for putting this song out there on the web!  Like Tom R.'s father I was taught this song growing up by my oldest sister, whom learned it as a young girl in Brownie scouts.  However she never remembered the last (4th) verse.  She is now in her early 50's and I in my early 40's. She got our family of nine kids singing this on long outings and camping trips.  We all reminisce about singing this and other folk songs when we were growing up.

We knew the town came out too late and Eddie drowned.  I find it interesting how the verses/lyrics change a little. Differences include name - Susie Brown (presumably Eddie's daughter . . making this a tragic family event). . . . "Ma" is "Mom" (because we are mid-western).  But, the biggest difference is the 3rd verse.  Ours is much longer . 2 lines . . .

"Then old Joe, laid his plow aside; grabbed his cane,
and hobbled into town and cried that..."

I would be interested in any animations that go with the song.  I too have no idea on its origins or history.  I just like the song.

Thanks again
Paul C.M.


EL GATO

   Q. A request from "Wild Bus Driver" for a song called something like "Poor El Gotto" that he wanted to use to calm down his busload of schoolkids
   A. Hope this El Señor Don Gato does the trick --- we can't have kids careening around on buses, eh?

Estaba el señor Don Gato,
sentadito en su tejado,
marramiau miau miau,
sentadito en su tejado.

Ha recibido una carta,
que si quiere ser casado,
marramiau miau miau,
que si quiere ser casado.

Con una gatita blanca,
sobrina de un gato pardo,
marramiau miau miau,
sobrina de un gato pardo.