Jimmy crack corn

Posted by ESC on May 03, 2003

In Reply to: What the heck does this mean? posted by LisSuz 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. www.mudcat.org/ thread.cfm?threadid=9514

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.'" [Dead link removed - ed]

Jimmy Crack Corn - The Blue Tail Fly
[Dead link removed - ed]

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.

• Jimmy crack corn - from my misty memory Word Camel 05/07/03
  • Jimmy crack corn - from my misty memory Jim 05/07/03