"Summertime"
Posted by Warthog on October 12, 2004
In Reply to: "Summertime" posted by R. Berg on October 11, 2004
: : From the picker's viewpoint 'In high cotton' meant he/ she didn't have to stoop so low, the cotton bolls were thick on the stalk and easy pickin's. Used to indicate that times were good.
: : Conversely, to be in 'Low cotton', stalks, usually in the hill country, were less than two- three feet high and bolls were sparce making the picker work much harder. i.e. 'I'm in low cotton' meant things weren't going well, didn't feel good, etc.
: "Summertime
: And the livin' is easy.
: Fish are jumpin'
: And the cotton is high..."
: (Gershwin)
Gotta be the Janis Joplin version (Big Brother & the Holding Company).
Only the best will do.
- Knee high by the Fourth of July Ward 12/October/04