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My Son, the Folk Singer is a monophonic album by Allan Sherman, released by Warner Bros. Records in 1962. On the album sleeve, the title appears directly below the words "Allan Sherman's mother presents."
[edit] Track Listing
[edit] Side One
- The Ballad of Harry Lewis ("The Battle Hymn of the Republic")
- Shake Hands with Your Uncle Max ("Dear Old Donegal", a.k.a. "Shake Hands with Your Uncle Mike")
- Sir Greenbaum's Madrigal ("Greensleeves")
- My Zelda ("Matilda")
- The Streets of Miami ("The Streets of Laredo")
[edit] Side Two
- Sarah Jackman (with Christine Nelson) ("Frere Jacques")
- Jump Down, Spin Around (Pick a Dress o' Cotton) ("Bale of Cotton")
- Seltzer Boy ("Water Boy")
- Oh Boy (Chiapanecas a.k.a. "The Hand Clapping Song")
- Shticks and Stones
[edit] Chart positions
| Year |
Chart |
Position |
| 1962 |
Billboard Pop Albums (Billboard 200) (mono) |
1 |
- The Ballad of Harry Lewis" is a parody of the Battle Hymn of the Republic, and includes many puns: "His name was Harry Lewis, and he worked for Irving Roth/He died while cuitting velvet on a hot July the Foth.", and "Oh Harry Lewis perished/ In the Service of his lord/ He was trampling through the warehouse/ Where the Drapes of Roth are stored."
- "Shake Hands with Your Uncle Max" is replete with Jewish surnames (..."Humburger, Schlumberger, Minkus, and Pincus, and Stein with an 'e-i' and Styne with a 'y.'"
- "Sir Greenbaum's Madrigal" gets topical (and punny), taking up the subject of smoking: "All day with the slaying and slewing and smiting and smoting like Robin Hood/Oh, wouldst I could kick the habit and give up smoting for good")
- "My Zelda, my Zelda, my Zelda, she took the money and ran with the tailor!"
- "Sarah Jackman, Sarah Jackman, How's by you? How's by you? How's by you the family? How's your sister Emily? etc." (Jackman pronounced "JOCK-man"). "How's your cousin Shirley?" "She got married early." "How's your uncle Sidney?" "They took out a kidney" etc. The second verse had her asking the questions, "Jerry Bachman, so what's new?" etc.
- The liner notes for the next album claimed that "Sarah Jackman" was so popular that U.S. President John F. Kennedy had been heard singing it. Sherman also reported that story on p.20 of his autobiography, A Gift of Laughter.
- "The Ballad of 'Oh Boy'", as Sherman called it, is sort of a reading-and-response song, in which Sherman merely says the phrase "Oh Boy" with differing inflections to express different reactions, for example:
- "Shticks and Stones" is a medley of short ditties. For example:
