Talley. Jaybird Died with the Whooping Cough

From Negro Folk Rhymes by Thomas Talley.

This song is about a series of birds: it starts off with the birds who died from different diseases (jaybird/whooping-cough, sparrow/colic, bluebird/measles), but then it morphs into a dance party: the redbird announces the frolic, the crows dance with the weasels, and then come the mocking bird, the gray goose, and the thrasher bird, who happens to be the state bird of Georgia.

This bird-song is Roud 748. For bits and pieces of this song as attested throughout the southern states, see: Frank C. Brown Collection of North Carolina Folklore, volume 3, 153: The Jaybird. There are many versions of this song without the series of birds as in Talley; for more, see the Traditional Tune Archive: Jaybird Died of the Whooping Cough.

For another collection of birds in a song, see Roud 747: Bird Song.

JAYBIRD DIED WITH THE WHOOPING COUGH


(bluejay)

De Jaybird died wid de Whoopin' Cough,
De Sparrer died wid de colic;
'Long come de Red-bird, skippin' 'round,
Sayin': "Boys, git ready fer de Frolic!"

De Jaybird died wid de Whoopin' Cough,
De Bluebird died wid de Measles;
'Long come a Nigger wid a fiddle on his back,
'Vitin' Crows fer to dance wid de Weasels.

Dat Mockin'-bird, he romp an' sing;
Dat ole Gray Goose come prancin'.
Dat Thrasher stuff his mouf wid plums,
Den he caper on down to de dancin'.

Dey hopped it low, an' dey hopped it high;
Dey hopped it to, an' dey hopped it by;
Dey hopped it fer, an' dey hopped it nigh;
Dat fiddle an' bow jes make 'em fly.


Here's the fun from Banjojukebox:

(thrasher)

Someone made this recording of a thrasher bird singing: