Rights holder for May Irwin's 'Frog Song

Subject: Rights holder for May Irwin's 'Frog Song'
From: GUEST,Nik Rolls
Date: 20 Mar 05 - 10:20 PM

Hey,

I was wondering if any of you knew (or would have any idea) who holds the rights for May Irwin's 'Frog Song'. I know Pete Seeger made his own version, but I was interested in the original (or original as can get, as I know May Irwin or her writers tended to pick up music from old folk songs anyway).

Thanks in advance,
Nik

Subject: RE: Rights holder for May Irwin's 'Frog Song
From: JJ
Date: 21 Mar 05 - 08:35 AM

I have a recording of Joan Morris singing this on her "Vaudeville" album (Nonesuch H-71330).

Words and music are credited to Charles E. Trevathan, who stole it, having heard the number "at Babe Connors's notorious St. Louis sporting house."

As the song's date is 1896, it sounds like it's in the public domain to me.

Subject: RE: Rights holder for May Irwin's 'Frog Song
From: GUEST,Nik Rolls
Date: 21 Mar 05 - 07:45 PM

Thanks for the the quick help. I thought that this might be the case, but just wanted to see what you thought.

-- Nik

Subject: RE: Rights holder for May Irwin's 'Frog Song
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 22 Mar 05 - 07:56 AM

Would love to know more about "Frog Song". Lyrics? Sources?

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: Lyr Add: FROG SONG
From: HipflaskAndy
Date: 22 Mar 05 - 08:56 AM

Don't know the original song mentioned. But I wrote one for my daughter when she was about two.....

Frog Song (HFA)

It was quite by chance while walking by the river
On an April day or maybe it was May
There on a lily so green – sat the saddest frog I had seen
And he was crying, crying, crying - he was crying, crying, crying
Cry - - ing'

So I said 'what's wrong' and he looked me in the eye
'There's a pike in the dyke and he's acting quite a tyke
He's chasing the tadpoles and fish – and frogs are his favourite dish
That's why I'm crying, crying, crying –why I'm crying, crying, crying
Cry - - ing'

So I thought of a plan and I said 'Now listen here
Just dangle from the bridge that spans across the weir
And I'll tell the pike that you're there – and down the river he'll tear
So stop your crying, crying, crying –stop your crying, crying, crying
Cry - - ing'

So when frog was in place I spoke to Percy Pike
And he licked his hungry chops and went tearing down the dyke
He charged at the frog dangling there, but frog pulled himself up onto the bridge at just the right moment and pike missed completely and flew through mid air
(Ok, the instrumentation stops while all that bit is garbled out in one quick torrent)
He went flying, flying, flying - He went flying, flying, flying
Fly - - ing'

So the frog and me – well, we sat and had some tea
And we sang this song – all the river joined along
'Cause with pike stuck beyond the weir
All the tadpoles, birds and fish (extend list at will while music stops once more) and frogs especially had nothing to fear
No more crying, crying, crying – no more crying, crying, crying
Cry - - ing'

Does this explain why I take to the brandy so much? Hic! HFA

Subject: RE: Rights holder for May Irwin's 'Frog Song
From: JJ
Date: 22 Mar 05 - 09:04 AM

Liner notes on the 1976 Joan Morris LP mentioned above (which seems to be OOP) read:

Like Bessie McCoy, May Irwin began her career with her sister as a song-and-dance team. They appeared frequently at Tony Pastor's, May gaining fame as a comedienne and "coon-shouter," performing songs like "The New Bully" and Ben Harney's "Mr. Johnson, Turn Me Loose," and the inimitable "'Frog' Song." After a performance at the White House, President Wilson offered her the portfolio of "Secretary of Laughter." (She was once quoted as saying, "An onion can make people cry, but there never has been a vegetable invented yet to make them laugh.") She went on to become a star of the legitimate stage in comedies such as THE WIDOW JONES and COURTED INTO COURT. "The New Bully" and the "'Frog' Song" were both copied down for May Irwin by Charles E. Trevathan, a sports writer and horse-racing judge who heard both numbers at Babe Connor's notorious St. Louis sporting house, where "Ta-Ra-Ra Boom-De-Ay!" also originated.

Subject: RE: Rights holder for May Irwin's 'Frog Song
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Apr 05 - 04:10 PM

Lyrics to MAY IRWIN'S FROG SONG were posted in another thread.