Undoubtedly the best known song about stuttering is "K-K-K-Katy," from Songs of World War I, by Billy Murray, 1917. Dr. W.F.Rannie shares some interesting historical information about the composer and about his grandmother, Katherine Gertrude Craig Richardson, the actual Katy this song was written about.). An mp3 audio file of K-K-K-Katy performed by Billy Murray is online.
Oh Helen
Ray Chandos and Mike Murray wrote about that this song written by Chas. R. McCarron and Carey Morgan, 1918.
When he'd speak, he'd always stammer
And when he tried,
He'd be mortified
He'd call on a girl named Helen,
Most ev'ry day
He'd start signin' like a dyin'
calf and then he'd say:
Oh H-H-Hel
Oh H-H-Hel
Oh Helen please be mine
Your f-f-feat
Your f-f-feat
Your features are divine
I s-s-swear
I s-s-swear
I swear I will be true
Oh D-D-Dam
Oh D-D-Dam
Oh Damsel I love you
Helen's daddy knocked him silly
Ripping mad, he went for Willy
Thought him profane
Nearly went insane
But when Willy Meek explained it
It was all right
Now her father doesn't bother
When he says each night:
Oh H-H-Hel
Oh H-H-Hel
Oh Helen please be mine
You s-s-simp
You s-s-simp
You simply are divine
You m-m-mud
You m-m-mud
You muddle me it's true
Oh D-D-Dam
Oh D-D-Dam
Oh Damsel I love you
Stuttering Jasper
Stuttering Jasper was written by Robt. Cohn. New York, NY: F.A. Mills, Music Publisher, 1899. (http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/cgi-bin/condisp.pl?/Box_172/172.127.html). It was considered cakewalk music, "an important and likely necessary precursor in the late 1800's to the development of classic ragtime piano music. Although cakewalks and ragtime piano are technically distinct styles of music, they are often lumped together due to their similarities in origin and influences. . . . the cakewalk as a distinct music and dance style had its formal beginning in the 1870's and reached its peak of popularity at the end of the 19th century and early 20th century. Unlike classic piano ragtime, cakewalk music was meant to be danced to and often performed by a small orchestra or band. Although cakewalks were generally lightly syncopated, their melodies and harmonies were generally not as sophisticated as those found later in the classic rags of Joplin, Scott and Lamb." (http://www.ragtimepiano.ca/rags/cakewalk.htm)
Billy Budd
Billy Budd by Benjamin Britten, is an opera based on Hermann Melville's novel by the same name. The main character, Billy, stutters.
You Tell Her I Stutter
The words to "You Tell Her I Stutter" were written by Billy Rose and the music was written by Cliff Friend and recorded by Billy Murray. The song is about a young man who wants to propose, but asks the girl's brother to do it for him because he stutters. It was Friend's first "hit" and was recorded in 1922. The lyrics to the song were sent by Jeff Shames
And McCloskey had a pretty little girl by the name of Pearl
But McCloskey, big and husky, stuttered very bad
So when he wanted her to marry him,
He told her brother Jim
Chorus
You, you, you, you, you, you tell her
"Cause i, i, i, i, i, i stutter and
O, o, o, o, always get in dutch,
She, she, she, she, she, she ought to know,
I've a bun, bun, bun, bun, bungalow,
WHere we two can raise a little
"Eefff offf Eeff-a-soff-a-Loff-a"
Help, help, help, help, help, a feller,
And go, go, go, go, go and tell her
I've boo, boo, boo, boo, bought the ring and such,
I'm thinking Ow! wow! wow! wow! of her
'cause I Low! wo! wo! wo! love her
So you, you tell her, oh
you, you tell her
'cause I, I, stutter too much.
Her big brother told his mother what McCloskey said,
She said "Go ahead,"
And so he telephoned to McCloskey's home
Billy grabbed a taxicab right to his sweetie's door,
He saw the family upon the porch,
And started into roar:
Chorus
You, you, you, you, you, you, tell her
"Cause I, I, I, I, I, I stutter and
Some, some, some, some day I'll get in dutch,
When, when, when I hear the parson say,
Will you hon, hon, honor and obey?
I'm afraid that I will answer
"Eepp-eipp Gimmee a piece of peipp"
When I'm in her poo, poo parlor,
I ki, ki, cough and sneeze and hooer
my tu, tu, tongue, and tonsils seems to touch,
And when I foo, foo, fool around her,
I'm a foo foo fraid I'll drawn her
So you you tell her,
oh, you, you tell her 'cause
I, I, stutter too much.
The Stuttering Lovers
An Irish song about a couple of teenagers who were supposed to be minding a flock of geese. The one who stutters is the narrator, not the lovers. The tune is probably in almost any printed collection of Irish music-hall songs, and The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem recorded it. LH on Stutt-X, March 18, 1997
A wee bit over the lee my boys
A wee bit over the green
The birds went into the poor man's corn,
I fear they'll never be se-se-se-se-seen again
I fear they'll never be seen.
Now up comes a bonny wee lass
And she was one so fair,
And she went into the poor man's corn
To see if the birds were the-the-the-the-there my boys
to see if the birds were there.
And up comes a bony young lad
And he was handsome and strong,
And he went into the poor man's corn
To see where the birds had go-go-go-go-gone, my boys
To see where the birds had gone.
He kissed her once and he kissed her twice
And he kissed her under the chin,
"You mustn't be kissin' this bonny wee lass,
I fear it is a si-si-si-si-sin," she says,
"I fear it is a sin!"
Then up comes the poor old man,
and he was all tattered and torn,
"If that's the way of mindin' the birds,
I'll do it meself in the mo-mo-mo-mo-morn," he says
I'll do it meself in the morn!"
Little Willy
Vicki Schutter writes: Did you ever have to sing a song called "Little Willy" when you were in elementary school? I did, and it went something like this:
"My n-n-n-n-name is Little Willy,
and I-I-I-I-I am only three.
Some p-p-p-p-people say I stutter,
and n-n-n-n-no one cares for me.
My m-m-m-m-mama used to stutter,
when she m-m-m-m-married papa, too.
It t-t-t-t-took three days to marry,
because the p-p-p-p-preacher stuttered, too."
Another version of this song was sent by Birdie Loughmiller (personal correspondence - dec 21, 2003) who said, "My mom sang a stutter song to me when I was a kid in the 60's It goes:
-
My nnname is Sssssally sstutter,
I llllive on stutter street,
They ssssay that I stutter,
cause nnnnno one cares for me.
My mmmmommmom sshe got mmmarried,
My ddddadddady got mmmarried ttoo'
It ttttooottotook sssssix wwweeks ffor the wwwwedding
because the ppppppreppprepreacher stuttered too!
The following two songs were found in the searchable index of the Digital Tradition Folk Song Database
The Stutterer
There once was a man from Calcutta,
Who had an unfortunate stutter.
He-e said pa pa pa pa ple-ase pass the cha cha cha cha cha cheese
And the bu bu bu bu bu . . . bu bu butter.
Ballybay
In the town of Ballybay, there was a lassie dwellin'
I knew her very well, and her story's worth-a-tellin'.
Her father kept a still, and he was a good distiller,
But when she took to the drinkin' what the devil wouldn't fill 'er.
Wish me ring-a-ding-a-dong, a-ring-a-ding-a-derrio,
A-ring-a-ding-a-dong, whack fol' the derrio.
And she said she couldn't dance, unless she had her welly on,
But when she had it on, she could dance as well as anyone.
She wouldn't go to bed, unless she had her shimmy on,
But when she had it on, she would go to bed with anyone.
Chorus (Wish me ring...)
Well she had a wooden leg, it was hollow down the middle,
And she used to tie a string on it and play it like a fiddle.
She fiddled in the hall, she fiddled in the alleyway,
She didn't give a damn, she had to fiddle anyway.
Chorus
She had lovers by the score, every Tom and Dick and Harry,
She was courted night and day, but still she wouldn't marry.
And then she fell in love with a fella with a stammer,
When he tried to run away, she hit him with a hammer.
Chorus
They had children by the score, they had children by the byer,
And another ten or twelve sittin' growin' by the fire.
She fed 'em on potatas and on soup she made from nettles,
And on lumps of hairy bacon that she boiled up in the kettle.
Chorus
So she led a sheltered life, eatin' porridge and black puddin'
And she terrorized her man, until he died right sudden.
And when her fella died, she was feelin' kinda sorry,
So she rolled him in a sheet, and she threw him in the quarry.
Chorus
Ugliest Girl In The World
by Bob Dylan
Well, the woman that I love, she's got a hook in her nose
Her eyebrows meet, she wears second-hand clothes
She speaks with a stutter and she walks with a hop
Don't know why I love her, but I just can't stop
You know I love her, yeah I love her
I'm in love with the ugliest girl in the world
If I ever lose her I'll go insane
I go half crazy when she call's my name
She says ba..ba..baby I lo..lo..love you
There ain't nothing in the world that I wouldn't do
You know I love her, yeah I love her
I'm in love with the ugliest girl in the world
The woman that I love she got two flat feet
Her knees knock together walking down the street
She cracks her knuckles and she snores in bed
She ain't much too look at, but like I said
I love her, yeah I love her
I'm in love with the ugliest girl in the world
I don't mean to say that she got nothing going
She's got a weird sense of humor that's all her own
When I get low she sets me on my feet
Got a five inch smile, but her breath is sweet
You know I love her, yeah I love her
I'm in love with the ugliest girl in the world
The woman that I love, she's got a hook in her nose
Her eyebrows meet, she wears second-hand clothes
She speaks with a stutter and she walks with a hop
Don't know why I love her, but I just can't stop
I know I love her, yeah I love her
I'm in love with the ugliest girl in the world
Stuttering Blues
by the Five Scamps
Transcribed Lyrics for Stuttering Blues, from Maura Alia Bramkamp
Yes I'm a stut-stut-stutterin' man
And I can't ta-ta-ta-talk worth a damn
And I can't ta-ta-ta-talk worth a damn
Sometimes I wanta cry cry
Sometimes I wanta die
Yes, my fr-fr-friends all laugh at me
And they don' don't even have a friendly
Yea-Yea-Yea-Yes my fr-friends all laugh at me
And they don't even have a friendly word
They say I'm the no no talkinest man that they have ever heard
When I walk up the str-street I tip tip my hat to speak
I can't even say a thing and that's when I begin to sing:
I'm a stut-stut-stut-stutterin' man
And I can't talk worth a damn
Sometimes I wanta cry
Sometimes I wanta die
When Two str-strange men
Were stealin- jus-just the other night
Before I could tell the cop
Them cats had run clean outta sight
I'm a stut-stut-stutterin man
And I can't ta-ta-ta-talk worth a damn
But that is one thing I can say
And that is Muscatel Wine
"Stutter Rap (No sleep till bedtime)"
by Morris Minor & the Majors
Mitch from Michigan sent the lyrics of this song and reports that "Stutter Rap was a hilarious spoof of the Beastie Boys' 'No sleep till Brooklyn, except it's all about stuttering. This trio released the song in the late 80s and was quite popular in the UK at the time."
Bedtime boys!
Oh mom!
Now hey there people, won't you lend an ear?
'cause I've a story to tell and I'm telling it here
I was born in a town in the great UK
From a baby to a boy to a man today
And I'm a musical man, and I'm a man of verse
But I've got a little problem and it's getting worse
Well my life was so well planned
Survivin' and a-jivin' in a f-f-funk band
'cause rappin', it's my, bread and butter
But it's hard to rap when you're born with a st-st-st, st, st-st, st,
st-t, st-t, stutter!
Well no-one's ever seen what I mean
From the age of n-n-n-n-n-n-thirteen
We've all been caught in a m-m-mouth trap
So join with us and do the st-st-st-st-st-st-st-stutter rap
Well it was '82 when I joined the boys
And I was hip, and I was cool, but now I've lost my poise
The kids, our fans, are starting to doubt
When you open your mouth and nothing comes out
And it breaks my heart that we're not on the chart
'cause the record's nearly over when the vocals start
And I'm down and out, and I'm down on my luck
And I'm livin' on my own and I'm dying for a fr-riend to say "You're
great!"
But I'm under the hammer
'cause all I seem to do is s-s-s-st-
Come on man!
s-s-s-st-stammer!
Well no-one's ever seen what I mean
From the age of n-n-n-n-n-n-thirteen
We've all been caught in a m-m-mouth trap
So join with us and do the st-st-st-st-st-st-st-stutter rap
Neighbours
Well interviewers turn away
Who wants to be covered with spray?
Talkin' to me for more than an hour
Is equivalent to an April shower
It's tough! Tough! Tougher than tough!
It's worse than Benny Hill and that's bad enough!
Something must be wrong with your vocal technique
When the twelve inch mix goes on for a week
I was rappin' in my club the other night
When nothin' I said was comin' out right
The crowd got angry, and this one man
He was gonna throw a bottle
He was gonna chuck a can, chuck a can, chuck it, chuck it, chuck it,
chuck it
Well no-one's ever seen what I mean
From the age of n-n-n-n-n-n-thirteen
We've all been caught in a m-m-mouth trap
So join with us and do the st-st-st-st-st-st-st-stutter rap
N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-NO, NEED, FOR SHOUTING!
W-w-w-w-why's that then?
Well, you'll wake Mr Whittaker at number thirty-two
Besides, it's not very good for the voice
(An amplifier or similar shorts out)
Uuhhh!
That's a bit harsh isn't it?
NO, SLEEP, 'TIL BEDTIME!
Talking of which it's ten-thirty already!
Is it? Ooooh!
What time do they stay up 'til in America?
(I mean)
Oh, very late. Sometimes quarter to eleven
(Ahhhh)
Well actually I've heard in New York they sometimes even stay up 'til midnight
No! No wonder they do all that shouting
(I mean)
Yes, they must be very snappy and irritable
That's right
(Ahhhh)
Do you know, I heard a story that those Toastie Boys stayed up 'til
quarter past twelve!
Really? Well that's just silly!
They're just gonna get burnt out
Burnt out!
Well no-one's ever seen what I mean
From the age of n-n-n-n-n-n-thirteen
We've all been caught in a m-m-mouth trap
So join with us and do the st-st-st-st-st-st-st-stutter rap
Well no-one's ever seen what I mean
From the age of n-n-n-n-n-n-thirteen
We've all been caught in a m-m-mouth trap
So join with us and do the st-st-st-st-st-st-st-stutter rap
Well no-one's ever seen what I mean
From the age of n-n-n-n-n-n-thirteen...
(Fades out)
Stutter
Artist: Joe Album(s): My Name is Joe
Baby don't go, baby don't go, baby don't go.
Talk to me, tell me, where you were (late last night),
You told me, with yer friends, hanging out (late last night)
,
You lying, cuz you stuttering, now where were you (late last night),
Stop lying to me, cuz you're ticking me off, see you're ticking me off,
oh girl.
I can tell you're lying, because when you're replying,
Stutter, stutters, stutter, stutters.
I can tell you're lying, because when you're replying,
Stutter, stutters, stutter, stutters.
I can tell you're lying, because when you're replying,
Stutter, stutters, stutter, stutters.
I can tell you're lying, because when you're replying,
Stutter, stutters, stutter, stutters.
I called you, on your cell phone, no answer (tell me why).
So I paged you, on your two-way, still no response (tell me why).
I took care of you, I loved you, and you played me (tell me why).
Stop lying to me about where you been,
Cuz you're ticking me off,
ticking me off.
I can tell you're lying, because when you're replying,
Stutter, stutters, stutter, stutters.
I can tell you're lying, because when you're replying,
Stutter, stutters, stutter, stutters.
I can tell you're lying, because when you're replying,
Stutter, stutters, stutter, stutters.
I can tell you're lying, because when you're replying,
Stutter, stutters, stutter, stutters.
It's funny to me, when you lie to me,
You start stuttering, tripping, I caught you, baby.
It's funny to me, when you lie to me,
You start stuttering, tripping, I caught you, baby.
I smell cologne, damn it's strong,
How'd you get it on (I'm not done).
He messed up your hair, makeup's everywhere.
Oh yeah, (I'm not done).
Girl you're crying cuz you're lying to my face (I'm not done).
Stop lying, about sentiment, Cuz you're ticking me off.
I can tell you're lying, because when you're replying,
Stutter, stutters, stutter, stutters.
I can tell you're lying, because when you're replying,
Stutter, stutters, stutter, stutters.
I can tell you're lying, because when you're replying,
Stutter, stutters, stutter, stutters.
I can tell you're lying, because when you're replying,
Stutter, stutters, stutter, stutters.
Why did I? You should know by now.
I gotta know baby, I just can't keep going on girl.
Oh, get on baby, no love from you.
I hear you lying, I hear you,
Stuttering, stuttering, stuttering, stuttering, stutter, stuttering.
Oh girl, you should leave me alone,
Get the hell on.
Boom! Shake the Room!
William McGee, Jr. added in Stutt-l, May 12, 1999, "What about Will Smith's "Boom! Shake the Room!" off 1993's_Code Red_album by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (their last album before Smith went solo)? If you haven't heard it, Smith raps and stutters at the same time.
Part of one verse of that song goes
here I go
the the f-f-f-f-fresh p-p-p-prince is who I am
so tell my mother that I never wrote a whack jam
but some times I get n-nervous and start to stutter
and I f-fumble every word for word I utter
so I just try to ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-chill
but it gets worse-a but worse-a but-but-but worse still
I need the c-c-c-crowd to k-k-k-kick it to me
they help me calm down and I can get through it
so higher higher
get ya hands to the ceiling
let it go y'all don't fight the feeling
Stuttering is OK!
by Timothy, from Belgium
Every Friday night I have a place to go
I have a date with Lucky just to talk you know
I've been stuttering ever since I was a little kid
Only 3 years old and still I learned to deal with it
Do do do do do you know
That stuttering is okay
Anytime and anyplace
You can go on all day!
(You you you don't have to be afraid!)
Most people think that it's so embarrassing
But it is not, to me it is a normal thing
I dare to dare the things I never did before
We have lots of fun I can tell you that for sure
Do do do do do you know
That stuttering is okay
Anytime and anyplace
You can go on all day!
(You you you don't have to be afraid!)
When you start to stutter do not panic
Even if you're talking to that pretty chick
Take your time and do it just the way you can.
Even if you thought it wouldn't go, "oh man!"
Do do do do do you know
That stuttering is okay
Anytime and anyplace
You can go on all day!
(You you you don't have to be afraid!)
J. David Williams contributed the following song composed by Win Frear, a member of the U. of Iowa Demosthenator Club in 1945-46. "It is sung to the tune of "Bless 'Em All", the popular WW-II military ditty. Win's husband was a paratrooper in Italy, and returned to the USA in late 1945. Win was scared that when her husband returned he would probably want a divorce because he intended to stay in the military and would not want a stuttering wife because it would hurt his career as an officer (!). Suffice to say that when he returned to the States, he just laughed at Win's fears, and they stayed happily married."
Bless "em all, bless 'em all
The long and the short and the tall;
We never stutter, we de-mos-then-ate,
People who listen will just have to wait---
'Cause we've got lots to say after all,
And all of us are on the ball.
We'll all stick together
In all kinds of weather---
So cheer up, my lads, bless 'em all!
Two of the songs from a new CD of music, Time2Talk, designed to to raise awareness of stammering are freely available online
- Stammering is Cool (3 minutes 47 seconds)
- Avoidance Blues (2 minutes 52 seconds)
Billy Joel - Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)
Lyric below are from http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/movin'-out-anthony's-song-lyrics-billy-joel/cd2464552ecc8c0f48256870001b3f45
Anthony works in the grocery store
Savin' his pennies for someday
Mama Leone left a note on the door,
She said,
"Sonny, move out to the country."
Workin' too hard can give you
A heart attackackackackackack
You oughta know by now
Who needs a house out in Hackensack?
Is that all you get for your money?
And it seems such a waste of time
If that's what it's all about
Mama, If that's movin' up then I'm movin' out.
Mmm, I'm movin' out. Ooh-hoo, uh-huh, mmmm
Sergeant O'Leary is walkin' the beat
At night he becomes a bartender
He works at Mister Cacciatore's down
On Sullivan Street
Across from the medical center
Yeah and he's tradin' in his Chevy for a Cadillacacacacacacacac
You oughta know by now
And if he can't drive
With a broken back
At least he can polish the fenders
And It seems such a waste of time
If that's what it's all about
Mama, If that's movin' up then I'm movin' out.
Mmm, I'm movin' out. Ooh-hoo, uh-huh, mmmm
You should never argue with a crazy mi-mi-mi-mi-mi-mind
You oughta know by now
You can pay Uncle Sam with the overtime
Is that all you get for your money?
And if that's what you have in mind
yeah if that's what you're all about
Good luck movin' up 'cause I'm movin' out.
Mmm, I'm movin' out. Ooh-hoo, uh-huh, mmmm
I'm movin' out...
Stuttering by Jazmine Sullivan
Lyrics to Jazmine Sullivan's song, Stuttering
-
I ain't usually lost for words
This has got to be a first
And I'm tryna find the reason why I'm
Stu- stu- stu- stuttering
Something funny's happening
I'm at a place I've never been
And there's got to be a reason why I'm
Stu- stu- stu- stuttering
Every time you look my way
Something in me feels so strange
And I'm starting to think you are why I'm
Stu- stu- stuttering
I said hel, hel, hel, hello
And my, my, my, my, my name is
And it's so frustrating 'cause I don't wanna let you down
My mind is racing, but it won't come out
Can't believe that I can't talk
But it's not my fault
'Cause there's something that you do that's got me
Stu- stu- stu- stuttering
There's so much that I wanna say
But something's getting in my way
And I gotta figure out how to stop
Stu- stu- stuttering
I said hel, hel, hel, hello
And my, my, my, my, my name is
And it's so frustrating 'cause I don't wanna let you down
My mind is racing, but it won't come out
Try to breathe but I'm suffocating
Just be me but it's complicated
I wanna tell you who I am, where I'm from
Where I go when I wanna be alone
I want you to know me better
Once I get my thoughts together
It should be so easy to tell you how I'm feeling
But I can't stop stuttering
Stuttering, stuttering
Stu- doo doo doo doo doo
Stuttering
I ain't usually lost for words
This has got to be a first
And I'm starting to think you are why I'm
Stu- stu- stu- stuttering
