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Jimmy crack corn - from my misty memory

Posted by Word Camel on May 07, 2003

In Reply to: Jimmy crack corn posted by ESC on May 03, 2003

: : What the heck does "Jimmy cracked the corn" mean in the old 'song lyrics'.."Jimmy cracked the corn and I don't care. Jimmy cracked the corn and I dont care, the master is gone away".

: I haven't found anything in my references on "jimmy crack corn" or "crack corn." I looked online and found a discussion but a quick read leads me to believe they don't know either.

: I found this on another site: " 'corncracking' or grinding dried corn for use as grits and meal, as in the lyrics of the folk song Blue Tailed Fly, 'Jimmy crack corn.'"

: Jimmy Crack Corn - The Blue Tail Fly
:

: refr: Jimmy crack corn an' I don't care,
: Jimmy crack corn an' I don't care,
: Jimmy crack corn an' I don't care,
: The Master's gone away.

: When I was young I used to wait
: On my Master 'n bring him his plate,
: And passed the bottle when he got dry
: And brush away the blue tail fly.
: refr.

: When he would ride around the farm,
: So numerous the flies they all would swarm,
: One chanced to bite him on the thigh,
: Oh, the devil take the blue tail fly.
: refr.

: When he would ride in the afternoon,
: I would follow with the hickory broom,
: The pony began to run and shy,
: When bitten by the blue tail fly.
: refr.

: The pony run, he jumped, he pitched,
: He threw my Master in the ditch,
: And when he died the juries wondered why,
: The verdict was the blue tail fly.
: refr.

: They burr'd him under the 'simmon tree,
: His epitaph was there to see:
: "Upon this stone I'm forced to lie
: A victim of the blue tail fly."
: refr.

I think it's referring to crows breaking getting into the cobs of corn and eating them.

I wonder if there is any relation to the term "Jim Crow".

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