In response to the reposted “Classic” column http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a981030.html, while I can’t comment on the meaning of the rest of the song, I recall a profile of an African American folk historian on CBS’s “Sunday Morning” who claimed that “Jimmy” is a phonetic corruption of “Give Me” or “Gimme.” This seemed so plausible that I’ve corrected others with this information. As I don’t know the entire song, I can’t comment on whether this reading is consistent with the rest of the song. Any thoughts out there? Andy.
Andrew While the folk-historian you heard coud be right, there is nothing in Lighter(American Slang) which indicates that “jim crack” is a version of “gimme or give me.” And Lighter is probably the most complete up-to-date source available.
To make this whole topic more interesting, I’ll share my weekend’s adventures with anyone who cares.
I have read two books about Daniel Emmett this weekend. Dan Emmett and the Rise of Early Negro Minstrelsy by Hans Nathan. This is essentially Emmett’s most recent, and compently researched biography. Nathan make no mention of Emmett being the author of the song in question. As a matter of fact, no one has any written proof that Emmett wrote the song.
There are two competing versions of the song, both published about the same time. There is a version titled De Blue Tail Fly. It has no reference to jim crack corn. A copy of the song and lyrics appears in the book by Nathan with the note
I am making what I think is a valid assumption that the song was published by Keith in 1846, but his music biz was established in 1844. You can read the lyrics and actually hear a midi file of the song http://pdmusic.org/1800s.html
At the same site I have just given you can also read the lyrics and hear the midi file to the version which was has been attributed to Dan Emmett. This is from a copy of the song which survives and can be viewed at http://www.lib.unc.edu/music/eam/os3/os3_7.GIF Note that it was published in the same year, 1846. This is the famous “jim crack corn” version. Lending credence to Emmett’s association with the song is its’ main heading The Virginia Minstrels which was Emmett’s group.
So, who is right. Where did the non-jimcrackcorn version come from? And at the same time? I vote that Emmett adapted it from a traditional Negro song.
All of this does little to help us interpret what was meant by Jim Crack Corn but I ain’t doing 20 hours of work without someone reading it! TYVM!
samclem, he didn’t say that “jim crack” meant “gimme”, he said that “jimmy” meant “gimme”. Thus the lyric is [paraphrased] “Give me crack corn, I don’t care, master is dead.”
I am unable to check out the lyrics on the versions as posted - don’t have sound on this computer. Please print the lyrics, or link to a written form.
Irishman, you can find lyrics at the first site mentioned by samclem when you click on the song author’s name. Or in other words, try here.
Nice research samclem! Did the book you read mention anything about supposed abolitionist tendencies of Mr. Emmett or his parents?
You mentioned that in the biography by Hans Nathan there is a version of a song De Blue Tail Fly that doesn’t have the words “Jim(my) crack corn”. Are the lyrics otherwise identical, with only the refrain being different?
Gee, I wasn’t sure anyone would even read my earlier post. As long as I know people are reading, I’ll finish what I know (heard) on the subject. In the same CBS profile, the folk historian indicated that cracked corn was the sweet part of the kernal left over from the milling process. Supposedly, cracked corn was a real treat not usually allowed the slaves, but if the master was away (or dead), then . . .
Arnold the link I posted had words for both versions. Click on the version with words by CH Keith. If anyone has trouble with my links, this will show you the printed lyrics from the version without “jim crack corn.”
Irishman The song in it’s earliest know form says(and is titled) “Jim Crack Corn.” I can’t tell you when “Jimmy” was used. At least, not yet. So “Jimmy Crack” =“gimme crack” is a non-issue. That JUST weren’t the original words.
Oh! Arnold. I found nothing that would indicate that Emmett was in any way an abolitionist. I think he was just a guy makin a living anyway he could, doing what he liked best. mea culpa.
Arnold said:
Uh, Arnold, that was the same question I was asking. I saw the link to the first set of lyrics - the Jim Crack Corn version. What I wanted was the lyrics for the other version. (Thanks samclem.)
samclem said:
Fair enough. But my statement still stands: Andrew didn’t say that “Jim Crack” meant “gimme”, he said that “Jimmy” meant “Gimme”.
Irishman Fair enough back at you.
Andrew said that the folklorist said “jimmy=Gimme.” I say, prove it. Consult any slang/etymology source you wish. There are no cites that I can find. And, while you’re at it, supply a cite for when the term “jimmy” was introduced as lyrics, as oppposed to the original “jim.” Sorry if I sound upset, but people on the radio are instant heroes. Sometimes they are correct. Sometimes they are just blowing smoke out their ass with a pet theory. I am not trying to denigrate the folk-person that Andrew heard. I just need more info to form an opinion as to their fides.
As to what Andrew remembered in his last post
. This just doesn’t sound right to me. After corn is milled, what you have left is husk, chaff, crap, call it what you will. I just can’t imagine what the “sweet” leftover part was. Confused.
I agree with you on all that, just if you’re going to bust his chops, bust 'em correctly. 
I’ve also seen this song reproduced in books on American folk as “Gimme cracked corn”, meaning, I assume, popcorn.
I know there’s a view that unlikely lyrics are more likely to be correct than likely ones (because people tend to double-check unlikely readings), but this doesn’t apply in folk music, where people often seem happy to sing complete gibberish that began as a simple mis-hearing of mis-construction of a perfectly reasonable lyric. Consider “Little Sadie”, whose line “Went to bed/forty-four smokeless under my head” was rendered by later singers as “forty-foot smoker under my head”, or John the Revelator, who “wrote the book of the Seven Seas”, according to some gospel singers, as opposed to the obvious “Seven Seals”.
There are lots of other examples, such as “C.C. Rider” for “Easy Rider”.