# B/W movie with singing porters

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/b-w-movie-with-singing-porters/36788>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [October 13, 2000, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/b-w-movie-with-singing-porters/36788 "2000-10-13T14:24:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/b-w-movie-with-singing-porters/36788/1 "2000-10-13T14:24:07Z")

</div>

I had this question on this board a year ago, and nobody knew the answer. I’ve had the same question of IMDB for a year, and no hits there, either. But, I’m trying again:

I saw this clip on AMC a few years ago (June, 1996). It takes place in a railroad car, with some (three or four) porters (all Black as they typically happend to be in those days) singing to a White couple.

The only lyrics I can remember were something like “Come on, little children, hustle down the road,” and “It’s the early bird that a-catches the worm.” Also, as part of the singing, while one is singing the others are making (dubbed) intermittent train whistle sounds with their mouths.

Any ideas???

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/b-w-movie-with-singing-porters/36788/2 "2000-10-13T14:30:43Z")

</div>

Singing porters sound like something that would be in a Shirley Temple movie. Was it a Shirley Temple flick? If you are not sure, that might be a place to start looking.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/b-w-movie-with-singing-porters/36788/3 "2012-05-02T14:41:02Z")

</div>

[Star Spangled Rhythm (1942)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO_cOAF3bbE)