clementine (1884)/found a peanut (1940s)

Percy Montrose, USA

Clementine, performed by Andy Z

Found a Peanut, performed by James Hudyma.

key: F major
mode: F major/ionian — F G A Bb C D E F
melody: STdrmfs
form: AB
meter: triple

English function names:     tonic     dominant
Tagg (modified):            home      counterpoise (away)
Riemann:                    T         D or D7
Scale degrees:              I         V or V7
Chords:                     F         C or C7

 F           C7
|///|///|///|///|
 C7  F   C7  F
|///|///|///|///|

I used to teach “Clementine,” but discovered “Found a Peanut” (never sang it as a kid!) and felt that lyrically it was much closer to where my young students were at, than a old-timey death ballad. I suppose it’s closer to where I am at, as well.

What do we call a “folk” song when we actually know who the composer is? Is it just a pop song? A pop song from the 1880s? Just because there weren’t top 40 countdowns on the non-existent radio doesn’t mean we don’t know what songs were popular. Is it country? Is it western?

The first phrase has a clear tonic-counterpoise structure, second has a counterpoise-tonic/dominant-tonic/V-I shuttle.

Students often have a bit of a problem with triple meters, as they have fallen out of fashion in popular music. It’s become a signifier, even, for old, old-timey, long-ago-and-far-away. This depends, of course, who you are teaching. Kids growing up around strong folk traditions may have more familiarity with it. Here in the Czech Republic, everyone learns some basic ballroom dancing in their high school years, including waltzes. I remember having a klezmer gig at the dramaturgical conservatory theater space here in Prague for a college-age crowd. When our leader called for a waltz, I thought maybe a handful of folks would remain, but the floor was packed! Everyone knew what to do. It was like calling “The Hustle” at a wedding in the early 80s. (I think “Macarena” may still fill that role, these days, but it’s been a long time since I’ve been to a wedding — clearly).

---

other recordings:

[Clementine]

Bing Crosby, My Favorite Country Songs, Geffen Records. Db

Gene Autry, Always Your Pal, Columbia Records. Eb

Pete Seeger, American Favorite Ballads Vol. 1, Smithsonian Folkways. Eb

Jay Laga’aia, Big Rock Candy Mountain, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. E

Tom Lehrer, The Masochism and his hits, Digital World Contents. F 

Bobby Joe Bratcher, Yellow Rose of Texas, QED. G

[Found a Peanut]

Susie Tallman, Children’s Songs: A collection of childhood favorites, Rock Me Baby Records. C

Lisa Loeb, Sing-along with…, Furious Rose Productions. A