Topic: John Hurt's money molder

[uncle bud]

In Nobody's Dirty Business, John Hurt sings the line "Goin' back to Pensacola, gonna buy my babe a money molder(?)". First, does he actually sing that? Second, what is a money molder?

[Slack]

Maybe he got caught up in his "Ms" and meant money holder?  Doesn't really make sense thought since he is singing about things that may not be proper, or on the seamy side.

But you know, they used to counterfeit coins. (Money molder?)  My father-in-law has a great story of a couple of brothers, one of whom was a talented artist, in Lyon county Kansas, during the depression probably, that counterfeited 50 cent pieces out of babbitt.  They'd travel around to neighboring county drug stores, buy a pack of gum for a nickle and flip their coin on the counter top, which, as reputation had it, rang just like a real 50 cent piece.     

[waxwing]

I think this was discussed before with someone putting up the idea of 'money molar', i.e. a gold tooth. Is the 'd' sound distinct?

All for now.
John C.

[uncle bud]

Interesting thought. I wouldn't exactly call the 'd' sound distinct, but I hear it. Would be interested in other ears.

Slack, I had initially thought some kind of reference to a counterfeiting device but thought molder didn't sound like a term for that. I was of course thinking paper money, not coins. Also interesting!

No results from a Weenie search on these terms, BTW, so don't think it's been discussed.

[lindy]

What a bummer, until ten minutes ago I had always thought that he was singing "money mola," with "mola" being the equivalent of "moolah," as in "look at that car, that dude's got a lot of moolah." I've seen references to "money mola" before, but never to "money molder."

I listened to the original 1928 version, and I still heard "mola," but on the Lib of Cong recordings and on the "Legend" (Rounder) CD, I definitely hear the "d" sound, as in "molder." And I have no bloody idea what that means.

No help whatsoever,
Lindy

[Stuart]

I did some searching and as far as I can tell, MJH was singing his version of a "traditional" song. Perhaps there are versions by his contemporaries or transcriptions of lyrics that pre-date or are from around the same time period that might yield a clue. As for me, I'm clueless about what "money molar" or "money molder" is derived from or means. Maybe the answer lies somewhere in or near Pensacola, at an earlier time--or maybe not. Road trip, Andrew?

[Bunker Hill]

I think this was discussed before with someone putting up the idea of 'money molar', i.e. a gold tooth.

Probably me recounting how it was misheard by Paul Oliver in his Songsters & Saints transcription and how at least one review provided the 'money molar' explanation together with an etymological account of the term.

[waxwing]

Yes, maybe it was on the Pre War list.

All for now.
John C.

[uncle bud]

I'd thought of that and searched PWB, but no molars or molders there either.

So I guess Hurt is simply pronouncing molar as "molder".

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I am really dubious of the word "molar", in whatever guise, appearing in a song that almost certainly had Pop origins.  What next, Cryin' Sam Collins singing about bicuspids?  I can't believe the tooth explanation is correct, though I do believe Pensacola appears in the line only for the purpose of getting the rhyme.  I think it is more likely that John Hurt did a phonetic approximation of a line he heard sung with altogether different words and meaning.
All best,
Johnm

[uncle bud]

If I may get dental for a moment, it occurred to me that a molar is a back tooth, at the back of the mouth. It's not visible and therefore not likely to be a candidate for a flashy "front tooth crowned with gold" kind of style statement. So, if we're sticking with the molar theory, maybe he's just getting his gal's tooth filled? Hmm. It gets more dubious.

[JugStruggler]

I heard a theory that a money molar was a tooth you could have pulled and sell the gold from during hard times (really hard times I would guess).  He might be going back to buy his baby's money molar, the one she sold while in Pensicola.  I can't imagine you'd want just anyone's molar.

The only other thing I can't think of would be buying a "money molar" to replace the one that was knocked out when he beat the crap out of her one day.  That's nobody's dirty business but his though, so don't ask...

If MJH sang a phonetic approximation aproximation of a line he had heard elsewhere, does anyone have any theories of what that line might have been?  This could be fun, but I don't have anything good yet.

[doctorpep]

Jelly Roll Morton had a diamond in place of one of his front teeth. Could a "money molar" be somewhat similar to this? Maybe buying one's baby a "money molar" was considered a good thing, and made people more attractive, or at least stylish?

[Slack]

Oh lord, I think I'm having a dental breakdown.   

[Stuart]

I think it is more likely that John Hurt did a phonetic approximation of a line he heard sung with altogether different words and meaning.

I tend to agree with John on this point. Although part of my previous post re: Pensacola was in jest, I think that it is possible that there was an actual Pensacola connection. Perhaps it is the case that whatever the original form of "MM" was, it did rhyme with Pensacola and was closely associated with it. Could have been a drink or a food (or something else) that was specific to the place. A "Pensacola MM"--the meaning of which became obscure and forgotten with the passage of time.