# Old contradictory story about the two dead boys getting up to fight **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 5, 2006, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-contradictory-story-about-the-two-dead-boys-getting-up-to-fight/355562 "2006-05-05T16:18:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dan\_Norder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@Dan\_Norder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Norder)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-contradictory-story-about-the-two-dead-boys-getting-up-to-fight/355562/41 "2012-08-19T23:20:23Z")
I guess the two dead boys thread by its nature had to be zombified twice. But then I appreciate hearing about variants of these, so I’m not complaining. ---
**Author:** ![Shakebac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Shakebac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakebac)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-contradictory-story-about-the-two-dead-boys-getting-up-to-fight/355562/42 "2017-01-23T02:54:53Z")
This is how I learned it in California back in 1978 Early in the morning, in the middle of the night Two dead boys got up to fight One was blind, the other couldn’t see Chose the devil as the referee Back to back they faced each other Drew their swords and shot each other The deaf police man heard the noise Came and killed the two dead boys If you don’t believe me that the story is true You can ask that blind man, he saw it too. I am so happy that I wasn’t the only one who had heard this story. I have taught to my daugter to pass it on. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-contradictory-story-about-the-two-dead-boys-getting-up-to-fight/355562/43 "2017-01-23T03:08:03Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Five and a half years and nobody dared post the dirty Barnicle Bill lyrics. “Hello, young zombies, wherever you are…” The best story I know about this song concerns the 1930 “hot jazz” recording by Hoagy Carmichael and his Orchestra, featuring Bix Beiderbecke, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Bud Freeman, Bubber Miley, Eddie Lang, and Gene Krupa. (For all you non-jazzbos, those are VERY FAMOUS musicians) During the second verse, when the band joins in singing, you can clearly hear violinist Joe Venuti happily going “Barnacle Bill, the SHITHEAD.” Hey, and it’s online! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/LaRUzoeC2T0/maxresdefault.jpg "Bix Beiderbecke - Barnacle Bill the Sailor") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaRUzoeC2T0) ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-contradictory-story-about-the-two-dead-boys-getting-up-to-fight/355562/44 "2017-01-23T04:24:41Z")
The version my dad taught me: One dark night in the middle of the day, Two dead boys came out to play. Back to back they faced each other. Pulled out their swords and shot each other. A deaf policeman a mile away Heard those shots and shot those two dead boys. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-contradictory-story-about-the-two-dead-boys-getting-up-to-fight/355562/45 "2017-01-23T05:13:24Z")
I know the “It was midnight on the ocean” variants as part of the lyrics to [“Ain’t We Crazy”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RJ6FF2bxbE) by Harry “Haywire Mac” McClintock (of “Big Rock Candy Mountain” fame). ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-contradictory-story-about-the-two-dead-boys-getting-up-to-fight/355562/46 "2017-01-23T05:35:11Z")
“I’ll take my cock And break the lock”, said Barnacle Bill the sailor. And as for the original posted poem, as I learned it surely went like this… “And if you don’t believe this lie, it’s true”. And here’s another: As I was sitting in my chair, I knew the bottom wasn’t there, Nor legs or back, But I just sat, Ignoring little things like that. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-contradictory-story-about-the-two-dead-boys-getting-up-to-fight/355562/47 "2017-01-23T05:57:11Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > “I’ll take my cock > And break the lock”, said Barnacle Bill the sailor. A fine addition to the dirty ditty. I will be sure to add it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-contradictory-story-about-the-two-dead-boys-getting-up-to-fight/355562.md?page=2)