1889 - 1969
One of the fondest memories I have of my grandmother is her singing
the song, Playmate, to me back in the 1950's and the early 1960's. It stuck
in my mind for years, but as I grew older and had forgotten some of the words,
I became determined to find them again. After posting several mailing lists I was
inundated with replies -- people in their 40's to their 80's who also remembered the
song as sung in a different time. A far cry from the Rap songs of today and, perhaps,
that is why we cling to to this and other songs from our past.
Certainly a much simpler time...
Playmate (my grandmother's version)
Say, say, Oh, Playmate
Come out and play with me
And bring your dollies three
Climb up my apple tree
Holler down my rain barrel
Slide down my cellar door
And we'll be jolly friends
Forever more
Say, say, Oh, Playmate
I cannot play with you
My dolly's got the flu
Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo
Ain't got no rain barrel
Ain't got no cellar door
But we'll be jolly friends
Forever more more more
I know there are more complete versions of this song -- but this is
close
to how I remember it from my childhood in Hudson, Massachusetts.
All my love, Nana -- Pam
25 February 2000
