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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsIs this tune from the 1930s referring to something obscene?
Or instead of obscene should I say sexual? Theres isnt a lot of info on the web about this popular 1930s tune. My dad who was young during the depression used to sing this song all the time. I asked him what the lyrics referred to regarding sweet mama, treetop tall, baby turn your damper down, whether it was just about a stove or had a sexual connotation of a woman taking off her intimate apparel. My dad admitted he didnt know exactly what it meant in the context of the song. My dad would chew me out if I ever used the F word around the house and he himself never cursed more than an occasional damn it so I know he wouldnt intentionally sing a raunchy song.
I just got a letter from a gal in Rome.
Says she got plenty money, gonna bring it home.
Sweet mama, treetop tall, baby, turn your damper down.
Sweet mama, treetop tall, baby, turn your damper down.
Oh, sweet mama, treetop tall, won't you kindly turn your damper down.
I can smell them hoe-cakes a-burnin', honey. They done burnt up brown.
You make the best hot biscuits with the honey, too,
But I tell you, baby, nothin's sweet as you.
Oh, sweet mama, treetop tall, won't you kindly turn your damper down.
I can't find all the lyrics but I remember it mentioned something about "if you don't like my peaches don't you shake my tree". My dad didn't think anything of it, yet he found the tunes of the Rolling Stones or Jimi Hendrix (my generation) too sexually suggestive.
This is the original recording:
A number of artists followed up with covers of it:
Ptah
(32,983 posts)RILib
(862 posts)but since this is talking about cooking stuff, I assume it actually means the damper in a fireplace/stove.
nolabear
(41,915 posts)I need a little sugar in my bowl,
I need a little hot dog on my roll.
You been different, I'm told.
Move your fingers, drop somethin' in my bowl.
I need a little steam heat, on my floor.
Maybe I can fix things up so they'll go.
What's the matter Hot Papa?
Come on and save your Mama's soul.
I need some sugar in my bowl.
Or:
I'm your blender, Baby.
I can slice, chop and puree...
Or:
Big leg woman,
Pull your dress tail down.
You got somethin' up there
make a Bull Dog out of a hound.
Big leg woman,
sure got somethin' good.
If you don't believe me,
ask anybody in the neighborhood!