Shortnin' Bread
Paul Chaplain And His Emeralds Lyrics
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Put on the lid
Mammy's little baby
Wants shortnin bread
Mammy's little baby
Loves shortnin, shortnin
Mammy's little baby
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Mammy's little baby
Loves shortnin, shortnin
Mammy's little baby
Loves shortnin bread
Well, I put on the skillet
I put on the lid cause
Mammy's little baby
Wants shortnin bread
Well, I slipped to the kitchen
I kicked off the lid
I filled my pockets full
Of shortnin bread
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Mammy's little baby
Loves shortnin, shortnin
Mammy's little baby
Loves shortnin bread
Well, Mammy's little baby
Loves shortnin, shortnin
Mammy's little baby
Loves shortnin bread, yeah
Well, Mammy's little baby
Loves shortnin, shortnin
Mammy's little baby
Loves shortnin bread
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Mammy's little baby
Loves shortnin, shortnin
Mammy's little baby
Loves shortnin bread
Well, two little children
Are sitting in bed
One of them is sick and
Then the other one's dead
Well, I called for the doctor
And here's what he said
You better feed the children
On some shortnin bread
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Mammy's little baby
Loves shortnin, shortnin
Mammy's little baby
Loves shortnin bread
Well, Mammy's little baby
Loves shortnin, shortnin
Mammy's little baby
Loves shortnin bread
Shortnin bread
Shortnin bread
Shortnin bread...
"Shortnin' Bread" is a traditional Afro-American folk song that tells a story of a mother's love for her infant child. The lyrics depict the mother's efforts to please her child's desire for shortnin bread (a type of cornbread cooked with lard or shortening, popular in the Southern United States). The first stanza sets the scene of the kitchen and introduces the desire for the child's favorite food. The repetition of the chorus, "Mammy's little baby loves shortnin, shortnin, Mammy's little baby loves shortnin bread," emphasizes the joy and satisfaction that the mother derives from spoiling her child.
The second stanza talks about how the mother quickly fulfills her child's cravings by cooking shortnin bread on the skillet. The third stanza portrays the singer secretly stealing shortnin bread from the kitchen while the mother was away. The next several stanzas continue to repeat the chorus, expressing the child's love for the food. The song is somewhat lighthearted, but the final stanza reveals a darker side: one child is sick, and the other is dead, prompting the doctor to suggest feeding the remaining child shortnin bread to nurse them back to health.
In summary, "Shortnin' Bread" is a catchy and upbeat tune about a mother's love for her child and their shared love of shortnin bread. It's been covered and adapted by numerous artists, becoming a staple of traditional American folk music.
Line by Line Meaning
Put on the skillet
Start heating up the frying pan
Put on the lid
Cover the skillet with a lid
Mammy's little baby
This refers to a child who is the son or daughter of a black domestic worker in the Southern United States
Wants shortnin bread
The child desires a sweet and delicious bread made from fat, flour, and sugar
Loves shortnin, shortnin
The child has a strong affection for shortnin bread
Loves shortnin bread
The child enjoys eating shortnin bread very much
I put on the skillet
I followed the child's request and started heating up the frying pan
I put on the lid cause
I covered the skillet to keep the heat inside
I slipped to the kitchen
I walked quietly towards the kitchen
I kicked off the lid
I removed the lid from the skillet
I filled my pockets full
I put as much shortnin bread as I could in my pockets
Of shortnin bread
I took the sweet and delicious bread that the child desired
Two little children
Two kids
Are sitting in bed
They are resting on a bed
One of them is sick and
One of the children is feeling unwell
Then the other one's dead
Unfortunately, the other child has passed away
I called for the doctor
I asked for the help of a healthcare professional
And here's what he said
This is the response I got from the doctor
You better feed the children
It is advisable to feed the children
On some shortnin bread
This bread is recommended as a suitable food for the children to eat
Shortnin bread
The song repeats the name of the delicious bread that the child craves
Shortnin bread
The song repeats the name of the delicious bread that the child craves
Shortnin bread...
The song ends with the name of the bread being repeated one final time
Contributed by Julian V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@sueoorbeck4887
Still have the 45. Great memories
@G8GT364CI
I used to play with Paul during the 80's, played with fast Eddie Morgan who was the original drummer on this record a few times too, he was 15 when he recorded this and couldn't go the road with the rest of the band. I think I met all of the original band members at one time or another.
@bobprince1767
My father, Bob Prince is on guitar and George D’bonaventura is on base.
@G8GT364CI
@@bobprince1767 Bob, I used to play with Joe Consolie and Paul and met the whole band at one time or another at local gigs. I didn't remember their names but I know I met them all except for Taz DiGregorio who played piano on this, he was long gone with the Charlie Daniels Band.
@Dickneeds
Another great Rock-A-Billy from Massachusetts.
@G8GT364CI
This is rock n roll.
@hurricanes976
Pau was on a bus tour with our band Johnny and the Hurricanes in the fall of 1960.
Jan and Dean were also on that tour among others.
I like backing him up on this recording as a drummer since I could do more than just play a backbeat.
He was a nice guy to work with and a lot of fun. A lot of laughs on this tour.
@The_Rebelles
Great drums! Thanks for the music :)
@elichappa3914
Thts my granpa
@G8GT364CI
I knew Paul, pretty well as a matter of fact, I played bass with him during the 80's with Joe Consolie.