Indaba Music is a place for musicians to find one another, create and remix music, and showcase their work. Record with our online session console, find musicians around the world, and blog about your new creations.
Songs are long, aren't they? Sometimes a song is so long we can't be bothered to learn all the words. Or with some songs for one reason or another, a verse of a song is lost to history. Luckily, I'm here to hunt them down and bring them to light. I present the first installment of Forgotten Verses!
Yankee Doodle Dandy
Arguably America's first true patriotic tune, the version of "Yankee Doodle Dandy" most of us know isn 't nearly the full song. In fact, most of us only know the first verse and chorus. Depending on which source you find, there are anywhere from zero to fifteen more verses. For brevity's sake, let's look at two forgotton verses.
Father and I went down to camp
Along with Captain Gooding
And there we saw the men and boys
As thick as hasty pudding.
There was Captain Washington
Upon a slapping stallion
A-giving orders to his men
I guess there was a million.
Wikipedia has a full version that is equal parts impressive and exhausting to read. Give it a shot if you dare!
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
The story is as old as time itself: In West Philadelphia born and raised, on the playground is where I spent most of my days, etc. We go on to hear the Mr. Smoth's tale of a fight, a nervous mother, a taxi cab ride and, finally, Mr. Smith's transformation into teh Prince of Bel Air. But did you know the song contains a whole verse about his plane ride to California? It's true and here it is:
She said 'You're movin' with your auntie and uncle in Bel Air'
I begged and pleaded with her day after day
But she packed my suite case and send me on my way
She gave me a kiss and then she gave me my ticket.
I put my walkman on and said, 'I might as well kick it'.
First class, yo this is bad
Drinking orange juice out of a champagne glass.
Is this what the people of Bel-Air Living like?
Hmmmmm this might be alright.
But wait I hear there're prissy, wine all that
Is Bel-Air the type of place they send this cool cat?
I don't think sow
I'll see when I get there
I hope they're prepared for the prince of Bel-Air
Well, the plane landed and when I came out
There was a dude who looked like a cop standing there with my name out
I ain't trying to get arrested
I just got here
I sprang with the quickness like lightening, disappeared
I whistled for a cab and when it came near
The license plate said fresh and it had dice in the mirror
The full song did make it to the air 8 times but by episode #9 the shorter version was the chosen. For posterity's sake though, here is the full version.
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
This song is chock full of fun trivia facts like, did you know the song's composers, Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer, hadn't seen a baseball game when they wrote the song and wouldn't until 30 or so years later? Neat-o! Also interesting is the two forgotten verses which tell the tale of a young woman who was, as the lyrics say, "baseball mad."
Katie Casey was baseball mad,
Had the fever and had it bad.
Just to root for the home town crew,
Ev'ry sou1
Katie blew.
On a Saturday her young beau
Called to see if she'd like to go
To see a show, but Miss Kate said "No,
I'll tell you what you can do:
Chorus
Katie Casey saw all the games,
Knew the players by their first names.
Told the umpire he was wrong,
All along,
Good and strong.
When the score was just two to two,
Katie Casey knew what to do,
Just to cheer up the boys she knew,
She made the gang sing this song:








digg this

