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Thought for the day... dump a spoonful of dirt in your digital stuff for increased blues ambiance... if that doesn't suit you, a little oil will give it that greasy sound with the pops and scratches... - John Heric, audio tip of the day

Author Topic: Evolution Mama -- Doc Dasher  (Read 1653 times)

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Offline Uncle Hazbin

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Evolution Mama -- Doc Dasher
« on: October 29, 2014, 04:43:37 PM »
Hi there

I've been tracking down the origins of this song. As most of y'all know, it was recorded by the Even Dozen Jug Band in '64; they credited it as "traditional."

Various forums, like Mudcat, have had extensive threads about this from time to time; the consensus seems to be that the authorship credit goes to "Dasher/Heywood."

Eventually someone will point out that there seem to have been only two previous recordings; a 1925 side by Doc Dasher with Eddie Heywood on piano, and a 1938 recording by Carl "deacon" Brown and His Orchestra.

Turns out the Doc Dasher & Eddie Heywoodd version is a different song. The only line in common with the version the Dozens did is "Evolution Mama, don't try to make a monkey out of me."

You can find it on Document # DOCD 5380, or on iTunes as part of a different compilation (search under Doc Dasher)

To make things more interesting, the Carl Deacon Moore version (credited to Terry Shand) is essentially the same song as the Dozen's version! I found an mp3 on Robert Harwood's blog: http://iwentdowntostjamesinfirmary.blogspot.com/search/label/Evolution%20Mama

Not sure who Terry Shand is; a correspondent said he was a composer, not a lyricist, and that "Evolution Mama" is not listed among his works; so we still may have a mystery here as to where Carl Moore got the song.

Anyway, here's what I've gleaned of the Doc Dasher song.

I'm still stumped by a couple lines, so any help would be appreciated:

Evolution Mama
Doc Dasher, vocal Eddie Heyward, piano

A brown skin man named Sam was called the sheik ol Alabam? 
He had a high yella who could get his legs (?) over
Till at night he (cried forlorn hand???)  --- (Obviously that makes no sense.)

She said ?Look a'here, monkey man
That started trouble in the land.
She said, ?Who?s a monkey?? She said ?You?s a monkey.
If I?m a monkey, You?s a monkey,
Here?s where fightin? began.?

He cried, ?Evolution mama, don?t try to make a monkey of me.
There?s plenty more good women, who thinks I?m just a honey bee.
 I?ve never even been to monkey land, don?t take my money and give it to some outside man
You see me flirtin? ?round with some high brown, don?t let it fill your head and act like a clown.
Evolution Mama, don?t you set appeal to me (?) ? (I think the singer forgot the lyric here--he stumbles on the vocal)
If you want yourself a monkey, shake yourself a coconut tree
Remember all monkeys don?t live in a tree, remember all honey don?t come from  a bee
Evolution mama, you have nothin? that appeals to me.?


?Evolution mama, don?t try to make a monkey of me.?
There?s plenty more good women, who thinks I?m just a honey bee.
 I?ve never even been to monkey land, don?t take my money and give it to some outside man.
You see me flirtin? ?round with some high brown, don?t let it fill your head and act like a clown.
Evolution mama, you have nothin? that appeals to me,
If you want yourself a monkey, go shake yourself a coconut tree.
I ain?t good lookin?, I don?t dress fine,
Just a do-right papa, love to take my time.
Evolution mama, don?t try to make a monkey of me.?
 

Onward!

Offline bnemerov

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Re: Evolution Mama -- Doc Dasher
« Reply #1 on: October 30, 2014, 05:29:22 AM »
Hi Uncle H,
You might like to take a look at this short NEA-sponsored video.
It uses this song and several others that were popular responses to the Scopes trial in 1925.


best,
bruce

Offline Uncle Hazbin

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Re: Evolution Mama -- Doc Dasher
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2014, 12:13:56 PM »
Hi Brice

Thanks for that. I'd seen the video sometime back & I'd forgotten it had the Doc Dasher recording in it. Great little video!

I'm still intrigued by the, ahem, evolution of this song. Given that most of the Doc Dasher song is pretty much not about evolution, I'm wondering if maybe he adopted part of another song to create his version. Wouldn't be the first time someone did that, eh?

I'm following up on one trail hinted at in the vid; the sheet music of "Evolution Bill." I couldn't make out the composers names, but there was a reference to "Jud Hill's Band." Haven't found that recording, but I did find "Evolution Blues" by Jud Hills Blue Devils. Its an instrumental, but that melody sure sounds like the Carl "Deacon" Moore and Even Dozen's "Evolution Mama."



Cheers!


Offline bnemerov

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Re: Evolution Mama -- Doc Dasher
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2014, 12:46:58 PM »
Uncle H,
"The Blue Devils" was Jud Hill's band.
And the tune is "Evolution Blues" (from a time when everything from a fox-trot to a beguine was called a blues by the record company).
Must have been a popular tune to have an instrumental cover recorded.
"Evolution Blues" was written by Jean Harmon and Walter Goodwin; published in 1925.

I suspect the tune and some verses predate the "timely" chorus.
best,
bruce

Offline Uncle Hazbin

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Re: Evolution Mama -- Doc Dasher
« Reply #4 on: October 30, 2014, 04:41:19 PM »
Quote
And the tune is "Evolution Blues" (from a time when everything from a fox-trot to a beguine was called a blues by the record company).
Must have been a popular tune to have an instrumental cover recorded.
"Evolution Blues" was written by Jean Harmon and Walter Goodwin; published in 1925.

Thanks for that, Bruce!

As always, I am humbled by the knowledge and courtesy of the members of this forum.

Onward!

 


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