"Turkey in the Straw" is an American

folk song Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be ca ...

that first gained popularity in the 19th century. Early versions of the song were titled "Zip Coon", which were first published around 1834 and performed in

minstrel show The minstrel show, also called minstrelsy, was an American form of theater developed in the early 19th century. The shows were performed by mostly white actors wearing blackface makeup for the purpose of portraying racial stereotypes of Afr ...

s, with different people claiming authorship of the song. The melody of "Zip Coon" later became known as "Turkey in the Straw"; a song titled "Turkey in de Straw" with different music and lyrics was published in 1861 together with the wordless music of "Zip Coon" added at the end, and the title "Turkey in the Straw" then became linked to the tune of "Zip Coon". The song is related to a number of tunes of the 19th century and the origin of these songs has been widely debated. Links to older Irish/Scottish/English ballads have been proposed, such as "The Old Rose Tree". The song became highly popular and many variations of the song exist. It was also frequently adapted and used in popular media.

Origin

"Turkey in the Straw" is thought to be originally a tune from 19th century minstrel shows, "Zip Coon" or "Old Zip Coon", published around 1834. The authorship of the song has been claimed by

George Washington Dixon George Washington Dixon (1801?Many biographies list his birth year as 1808, but Cockrell, ''Demons of Disorder'', 189, argues that 1801 is the correct date. This is based on Dixon's records at a New Orleans hospital, which list him as 60 years ol ...

who popularized the song, as well as Bob Farrell and George Nicholls. "Zip Coon" in turn has been linked to a number of 19th century folk songs believed to have older antecedents in Irish/Scottish/English folk songs. Songs proposed it has links to include "Natchez Under the Hill", "The Old Bog Hole", "The Rose Tree", "Sugar in the Gourd", "The Black Eagle", "Glasgow Hornpipe", "Haymaker's Dance", "The Post Office", "Old Mother Oxford", "Kinnegad Slasher" and others. Eloise Hubbard Linscott believes the first part of the song is a

contrafactum In vocal music, contrafactum (or contrafact, pl. contrafacta) is "the substitution of one text for another without substantial change to the music". The earliest known examples of this "lyrical adaptation" date back to the 9th century in Gregor ...

of the ballad "My Grandmother Lived on Yonder Little Green", published in 1857 by Horace Waters, which is in turn said to be a contrafactum of the Irish/Scottish/English ballad "The Old Rose Tree" published by at least 1795 in Great Britain.''Folk Songs of Old New England,'' by Eloise Hubbard Linscott ''(née'' Eloise Barrett Hubbard; 1897–1978),

Macmillan Publishers Macmillan Publishers (occasionally known as the Macmillan Group; formally Macmillan Publishers Ltd in the United Kingdom and Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC in the United States) is a British publishing company traditionally considered to be on ...

(1939; reprinted 2011 by

Dover Publications Dover Publications, also known as Dover Books, is an American book publisher founded in 1941 by Hayward and Blanche Cirker. It primarily reissues books that are out of print from their original publishers. These are often, but not always, book ...

), pps. 101, 102, & 244; ; The link to "The Old Rose Tree" has been questioned, but a number of musicologists suggest that it may be a composite of "The Rose Tree" and "The (Bonny) Black Eagle". Similar tune was popular with

fiddle A fiddle is a Bow (music), bowed String instrument, string musical instrument, most often a violin or a bass. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including European classical music, classical music. Althou ...

players as early as 1820, and the tune of "Turkey in the Straw"/"Zip Coon" may have come from the fiddle tune "Natchez Under the Hill" believed to have been derived from "Rose Tree". The title "Turkey in the Straw" later became associated with the tune of "Zip Coon" in an unusual way. According to James J. Fuld, Dan Bryant copyrighted a song with new lyrics and music titled "Turkey in the Straw" on July 12, 1861, but with the wordless music of "Zip Coon" (titled "Old Melody") attached at the end. The tune of "Zip Coon" then became known as "Turkey in the Straw".

Lyrics

: First verse : Traditional chorus : First verse of another version : First verse of another version : The full lyrics :: :: Tuckahoe (''

Peltandra virginica ''Peltandra virginica'' is a plant of the arum family known as green arrow arum and tuckahoe. It is widely distributed in wetlands in the eastern United States, as well as in Quebec, Ontario, and Cuba.Whigham, Dennis F., Robert L. Simpson and Ma ...

'', also called green arrow arum) = an edible wetland plant with long petioles :: Reubens = farmers There are versions from the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, versions about fishing and one with

nonsense Nonsense is a form of communication, via speech, writing, or any other formal logic system, that lacks any coherent meaning. In ordinary usage, nonsense is sometimes synonymous with absurdity or the ridiculous. Many poets, novelists and songwri ...

verses. Folklorists have documented folk versions with obscene lyrics from the 19th century. : First verse of another version In 1942, a

soundie A soundie is a three-minute American film displaying both the audio and video of a musical performance. Over 1,850 soundies were produced between 1940 and 1946, regarded today as "precursors to music videos". Soundies exhibited a variety of mu ...

titled, "Turkey in the Straw" was created by Freddie Fisher and The Schnickelfritz Band (directed by Sam Coslow and produced by Josef Berne). There are two versions to the chorus that are sung. The first goes: : Chorus; first version : Chorus; second version

"Zip Coon"

The title of "Zip Coon" or "Old Zip Coon" was used to signify a dandified free black man in northern United States. "Zip" was a diminutive of " Scipio", a name commonly used for slaves. According to Stuart Flexner, "coon" was short for "

raccoon The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the North American, northern or common raccoon (also spelled racoon) to distinguish it from Procyonina, other species of raccoon, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest ...

" and by 1832 meant a frontier rustic and by 1840 also a Whig who had adopted

coonskin cap A coonskin cap is a hat fashioned from the skin and fur of a raccoon. The headwear became associated with European Americans occupying lands on the United States borders with Indigenous nations in the late 18th century and the first half of the 1 ...

as a symbol of white rural people. Although the song "Zip Coon" was published 1830, at that time, "coon" was typically used to refer to someone white, it was only in 1848 when a clear use of the word "coon" to refer to a black person in a derogative sense appeared. It is possible that the negative racial connotation of the word evolved from "Zip Coon" and the common use of the word "coon" in minstrel shows. Another suggested derivation of the word meaning a black person is ''

barracoon A barracoon (an adaptation of Portuguese ''barracão'', an augmentative form of the Catalan loanword ''barraca'' ('hut') through Spanish ''barracón'') is a type of barracks used historically for the internment of enslaved or criminal human bei ...

'', an enclosure for slaves in transit that was increasingly used in the years before

. However, on the stage, "coon" could have been used much earlier as a black character was named Raccoon in a 1767 colonial

comic opera Comic opera, sometimes known as light opera, is a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending and often including spoken dialogue. Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a ne ...

. The song was first performed by Bob Farrell, and popularized by

in the 1830s. This version was first published between 1829 and 1834 in either New York or

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

. Dixon, and Bob Farrell and George Nicholls had separately claimed to have written the song, and the dispute has not been resolved.

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

songwriter

Daniel Decatur Emmett Daniel Decatur Emmett (October 29, 1815June 28, 1904) was an American composer, entertainer, and founder of the first troupe of the blackface minstrel tradition, the Virginia Minstrels. He is most remembered as the composer of the song " Dixie" ...

is sometimes erroneously credited as the song's author. The song gave rise to the blackface minstrel show character Zip Coon.

Music and lyrics

"Zip Coon" has a vocal range of an octave and a minor sixth. Both the verse and the chorus end on the tonic, and both begin a major third above the tonic. In the verse, the highest note is a fifth above the tonic and the lowest is a minor sixth below. In the chorus, the highest note is an octave above the last note, and the lowest is the last note itself. The song stays in key throughout. "Zip Coon" has many different lyrical versions. Thomas Birch published a version in 1834, while

published a version called "Ole Zip Coon" with different lyrics circa 1835. Both Birch's and Dixon's versions keep the same chorus and the first four stanzas: : Chorus : Chorus : Chorus In subsequent stanzas, both lyricists talk about events in the life of

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before Presidency of Andrew Jackson, his presidency, he rose to fame as a general in the U.S. Army and served in both houses ...

, Birch of President Jackson's battle with the

Second Bank of the United States The Second Bank of the United States was the second federally authorized Second Report on Public Credit, Hamiltonian national bank in the United States. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the bank was chartered from February 1816 to January ...

and Dixon of General Jackson at the

Battle of New Orleans The Battle of New Orleans was fought on January 8, 1815, between the British Army under Major General Sir Edward Pakenham and the United States Army under Brevet Major General Andrew Jackson, roughly 5 miles (8 km) southeast of the Frenc ...

. When the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...

began, Dixon published a new version of "Zip Coon" with updated lyrics pertaining to the war: Another version of "Old Zip Coon" with new self-referencing lyrics by David K. Stevens (1860–1946) was published in the ''Boy Scout Song Book'' (1920). Stevens' lyrics contain no direct racial references other than the title of the song itself:

"Nigger Love a Watermelon, Ha! Ha! Ha!"

"Nigger Love a Watermelon, Ha! Ha! Ha!" is a 1916 adaptation of "Turkey in the Straw", performed by Harry C. Browne and produced by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

. It has since been named the most racist song title in the United States for its use of

watermelon stereotype The watermelon stereotype is an anti-Black racist Trope (literature), trope originating in the Southern United States. It first arose as a backlash against African American End of slavery in the United States of America, emancipation and econom ...

s. The song was released in March 1916. It was performed by the silent movie actor Harry C. Browne. It was released with "

Old Dan Tucker "Old Dan Tucker," also known as "Ole Dan Tucker," "Dan Tucker," and other variants, is an American popular song. Its origins remain obscure; the tune may have come from oral tradition, and the words may have been written by songwriter and perfor ...

" as a B-side. The music for it was based upon "Turkey in the Straw" and performed with Browne singing baritone whilst playing a banjo with orchestral accompaniment. A contemporary review in July 1916 called it: "... a treat to tickle the musical palates of those who love to listen to the old-time slave-day river songs". Columbia Records continued to promote it up to 1925. The song used racist stereotypes in it with Browne describing watermelons as "colored man's ice-cream". Radio DJ

Dr. Demento Barret Eugene Hansen (born April 2, 1941), known professionally as Dr. Demento, is an American radio broadcaster and record collector specializing in novelty songs, comedy, and strange or unusual recordings dating from the early days of phonograp ...

, who had played older songs with racial overtones on the radio, refused to ever play this song because he felt that the title showed it was always intended to be hateful. In 2014, Dr. Theodore R. Johnson asserted that the jingle used by many

ice cream truck An ice cream van (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English) or ice cream truck (North American English) is a commercial vehicle that ice cream products are sold from, usually during the spring and summer. Ice cream vans ...

s in the United States was based upon this song. It has been argued that this allegation is incorrect, as the "Turkey in the Straw" tune had been used long before this song was created. Nevertheless, because of the association, a number of American ice cream truck companies ceased to use the "Turkey in the Straw" melody for their jingles.

Performance history

thumbtime=3:34, The early Mickey Mouse cartoon ''Steamboat Willie'' which prominently features Turkey in the Straw">Steamboat_Willie.html" ;"title="Mickey Mouse cartoon ''Steamboat Willie">Mickey Mouse cartoon ''Steamboat Willie'' which prominently features Turkey in the Straw * In 1928, this was used as the base melody in the famous early Mickey Mouse cartoon ''Steamboat Willie''. The rendering of the tune in the cartoon is noted for being one of the first instances of successful synchronization in animated films. * The 1990s animated television series ''

Animaniacs ''Animaniacs'' is an American Animated series, animated Comedy television, comedy Musical film, musical television series created by Tom Ruegger and produced by Warner Bros. Television Animation. It originally aired on Fox Broadcasting Company ...

'' used the tune for "Wakko's America", in which Wakko names all 50-state capitals in the form of a song. * In 1942,

Carson Robison Carson Jay Robison ( – ) was an American country music singer and songwriter. Although his impact is generally forgotten today, he played a major role in promoting country music in its early years through numerous recordings and radio appear ...

performed an anti-Axis Powers version of "Turkey in the Straw". * In 1909, the composer

Charles Ives Charles Edward Ives (; October 20, 1874May 19, 1954) was an American modernist composer, actuary and businessman. Ives was among the earliest renowned American composers to achieve recognition on a global scale. His music was largely ignored d ...

incorporated the tune, along with other vernacular American melodies, into his orchestral Symphony No. 2. * According to survivors, "Turkey in the Straw" was among songs played by the

band Band or BAND may refer to: Places *Bánd, a village in Hungary * Band, Iran, a village in Urmia County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran * Band, Mureș, a commune in Romania * Band-e Majid Khan, a village in Bukan County, West Azerbaijan Province, ...

of the RMS ''Titanic'' at one point during the

sinking Shipwrecking is any event causing a ship to wreck, such as a collision causing the ship to sink; the stranding of a ship on rocks, land or shoal; poor maintenance, resulting in a lack of seaworthiness; or the destruction of a ship either intent ...

on April 14 and 15, 1912. * In 1926, "Turkey in the Straw" was recorded by the old-time band

Gid Tanner James Gideon Tanner (June 6, 1885 – May 13, 1960) was an American musician and old-time fiddler, regarding as one of the earliest stars and pioneers of country music. His band, the Skillet Lickers, was one of the most innovative and influential ...

& His

Skillet Lickers The Skillet Lickers were an old-time band from Georgia, United States. When Gid Tanner teamed up with blind guitarist Riley Puckett and signed to Columbia in 1924, they created the label's earliest so-called "hillbilly" recording. Gid Tanne ...

with

Riley Puckett George Riley Puckett (May 7, 1894 – July 13, 1946) was an American country music artist, best known as a member of Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers. His dynamic single-string guitar playing, featuring dramatic bass runs, earned for him an ...

. The full melody is quoted in a fiddle and whistling solo in the "

Skip to My Lou "Skip to My (The) Lou" (Roud Folk Song Index, Roud 3433 and 3593) is a popular American folk song and partner-stealing dance from the 1840s. Carl Sandburg, poet and biographer of President Abraham Lincoln, writes that "Skip-to-my-Lou" was a ...

" number from the 1944 musical film ''

Meet Me in St. Louis ''Meet Me in St. Louis'' is a 1944 American Christmas musical film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Divided into a series of seasonal vignettes, starting with Summer 1903, it relates the story of a year in the life of the Smith family in St. Louis ...

'' starring

Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. Possessing a strong contralto voice, she was celebrated for her emotional depth and versatility across film, stage, and concert performance. ...

. * The melody is played by many

ice cream trucks An ice cream van (Commonwealth English) or ice cream truck (North American English) is a commercial vehicle that ice cream products are sold from, usually during the spring and summer. Ice cream vans are often used for street vending and ...

* In the 1953 short "Two Little Indians" of ''

Tom and Jerry ''Tom and Jerry'' is an American Animated cartoon, animated media franchise and series of comedy short films created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Best known for its 161 theatrical short films by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the series ...

'', in order to disguise their retreat, Jerry plays this song with a "violin", which is made by a bow and an arrow.

References

External links

Turkey in the Straw

*
NPR: Recall That Ice Cream Truck Song? We Have Unpleasant News For You

The New Republic: That Viral Story About the Racist Ice Cream Song Is Wrong
{{DEFAULTSORT:Turkey In The Straw American folk songs American country music songs Blackface minstrel songs American children's songs Traditional children's songs 1834 songs 1923 singles 1926 singles Songs of the American Civil War Thanksgiving songs Articles containing video clips