Hambone
Kirby Stone Four Lyrics
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Hambone, hambone
Where you been?
Round the world and I'm going again
What you gonna do when you come back?
Take a little walk by the railroad track
Hambone
Hambone, hambone
Have you heard?
Papa's gonna buy me a mocking bird
And if that mocking bird don't sing
Papa's gonna buy me a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring don't shine
Papa's gonna take it to the five and dime
Hambone
Hambone, hambone
Where you been?
Round the world and I'm going again
I just skinned an alley cat
To make my wife a Sunday hat
Took the hide right off a goat
To make my wife a Sunday coat
Hambone, hambone
Where's your wife
Out to the kitchen, cooking beans and rice
Hambone
Hambone
Hambone, hambone
Trying to eat
Ketchup on his elbow, pickle on his feet
Bread in the basket
Chicken in the stew
Supper on the fire for me and you
Look at him holler, look at him moan
That hambone just can't hambone
Hambone
Hambone
The song "Hambone" by Kirby Stone Four is a traditional African American folk song that is believed to have originated from the days of slavery when people used to work in fields and sing songs to communicate with each other. The song is a playful conversation between two people, and in each verse, the singer answers a question posed by the other person. Throughout the song, the singer talks about his travels around the world, what he will do when he comes back, and how he has been providing for his wife by making her a Sunday hat and coat using an alley cat and goat hides.
The chorus of the song, "Hambone" is a reference to a traditional African American percussive dance technique, where the performer would use their hands, feet, and throat to create rhythms and beats. The song has a fun-loving and upbeat tone, with a catchy melody, and the lyrics are an example of the call-and-response tradition, where one person sings a line and others respond with a different line.
Line by Line Meaning
Hambone! Hambone!
The song's chorus which is repeated multiple times throughout the song
Hambone, hambone Where you been? Round the world and I'm going again What you gonna do when you come back? Take a little walk by the railroad track Hambone
The singer is asked where he has been and he responds that he has traveled the world and will continue to do so. When he comes back, he plans to walk by the railroad tracks
Hambone, hambone Have you heard? Papa's gonna buy me a mocking bird And if that mocking bird don't sing Papa's gonna buy me a diamond ring And if that diamond ring don't shine Papa's gonna take it to the five and dime Hambone
The singer asks his friend if he has heard about the gift his father promised him. His father will first buy him a mockingbird and if the bird fails to sing, he will buy him a diamond ring, and if that does not shine, he will take it to a store called five and dime
Hambone, hambone Where you been? I just skinned an alley cat To make my wife a Sunday hat Took the hide right off a goat To make my wife a Sunday coat Hambone
The artist is asked where he has been and he reveals that he has skinned an alley cat to make a hat for his wife and that he has also taken the hide off a goat to make a coat for his wife
Hambone, hambone Where's your wife Out to the kitchen, cooking beans and rice Hambone Hambone
The artist is asked about his wife's whereabouts and he reveals that she is in the kitchen, cooking beans and rice
Hambone, hambone Trying to eat Ketchup on his elbow, pickle on his feet Bread in the basket Chicken in the stew Supper on the fire for me and you
The singer is trying to eat and there is ketchup on his elbow and a pickle on his feet. There is bread in the basket and chicken in the stew that they will eat for supper
Look at him holler, look at him moan That hambone just can't hambone Hambone Hambone
The singer is seen hollering and moaning while trying to do the hambone dance but he can't seem to get it right
Lyrics © BROADWAY MUSIC CORPORATION
Written by: EINAR AARON SWAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind