zf stuttering songs

Stuttering Songs

From time to time people ask about stuttering in literature, films, and music. Below is the beginning of a collection of songs about stuttering. If anyone knows of any others, please send them to Judy Kuster

Scatman

The lyrics by "Scatman" John Larkin describe how "the stutter and the scat are the same thing."

Listen to "I'm the Scatman" (included here with the permission of Judy Larkin).
an MP3 audio file (6 MG) of Scatman's performance of the selection below.

Sweet Relief

A song about his stuttering by Jason Gray. From his CD, The Singer and The Song, by Jason Gay, available through
Now and Then Records
c/o Jason Gay
P.O. Box 17
Eagle Lake, MN
56024-0017.
Jason Gray's Home Page

"A Day in My Shoes" and "Man in the Mirror"

Two "rap" songs by Frankie Jones.

Listen to "The Man in the Mirror"
an MP3 audio file (7.1 MB) of Frankie's performance of the selection below.

'Freedom to speak - see yourself so strong

A song written and sung by Andy Paterson for the BSA's conference in Stirling ( words and pictures available)

"Stuttering"

Lyrics to this song performed by Jessica Sanchez.

I Just Want To Say My Name

Written by "A friend of ISTAR (Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research) wrote a song that reflected his experience with stuttering."

Just the Way You Talk

A song written by the musical staff at Camp Our Time and inspired by the campers. Words and pictures also available.

Stuttering by Ben's Brothers

Lyrics sent by Piet Steen:

It's been, it's been, it's been, it's been
su-su-such a long time, long time, long time
since anybody touched me, touched me, touched me
the way that you touch me
So if I stutter, stutter, stutter
and I feel so so so unsexy
so maybe I'll just keep my mouth shut at least until you kiss me

[Chorus:]
So kiss me again
Cause only you can stop this stut-stut-stut-stuttering
Kiss me again
And ease my su-su su-su su-su s-su-s-suffering

[Verse 2:]
I know I know
it's so it's so sy-sy-symbolic of everything
Everything that's wrong with me and you
So tell me what I'm supposed to do
Oh it's been ages since we've been really honest
but I can make ch-ch-ch-changes if you really want this

[Chorus]
So kiss me again
Cause only you can stop this stut-stut-stut-stuttering
Kiss me again
And ease my su-su su-su su-su s-su-s-suffering

Kiss me again
Cause only you can stop this stut-stut-stut-stut-stuttering
Kiss me again
And ease my su-su su-su su-su s-su-s-suffering

I'll Have a Blue Christmas Without You sung by Porky Pig

Some posting on Stutt-L in December 2004, pointed out a bit of controversy over this production. Some of the discussion is shared with permission.

Little Effin Annie by Joe Perkins

From a Looney Tune record. The entire record can be freely downloaded from here

Stuttering Song (mp3)

A song originally from the 1800's

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.

Help solve a mystery On June 1, 2015, Jeanine Dumas Fetterly wrote "I believe the woman who posed for the picture on the cover of the sheet music was my grandmother, Jeanette Dumas. Mimi, her nickname, always said she was on the cover of some sheet music. When she died 30 years ago I inherited a copy of the sheet music K-K-K-Katy. I found it recently. I can't imagine why she would have kept it all these years if the picture was not her. But for myself, my children and my grandchildren, I'd like to know if anyone could verify this - or prove or claim that it was of someone else. Mimi spent time in NYC about the time the song was written and had a large circle of artistic friends. Does anyone know who the artist was who did the cover painting? Below is a photo of the music cover and of my grandmother." Contact: Jeanine Dumas Fetterly, jfetterly@sbcglobal.net, 510-654-6484 - Oakland, CA

K-K-K-Katy

by Geoffrey O'Hara

Jimmy was a soldier brave and bold,
Katy was a maid with hair of gold,
Like an act of fate,
Kate was standing at the gate,
Watching all the boys on dress parade,
Jimmy with the girls was just a gawk,
Stuttered ev'ry time he tried to talk,
Still that night at eight,
He was there at Katy's gate,
Stuttering to her this love sick cry.

K-K-K-Katy, beautiful Katy,
You're the only g-g-g-girl that I adore;
When the m-m-m-moon shines,
Over the cowshed,
I'll be waiting at the k-k-k-kitchen door.

No one ever looked so nice and neat,
No one could be just as cute and sweet,
That's what Jimmy thought,
When the wedding ring he bought,
Now he's off to France the foe to meet.
Jimmy thought he'd like to take a chance,
See if he could make the Kaiser dance,
Stepping to a tune,
All about the silv'ry moon,
This is what they hear in far off France.

K-K-K-Katy, beautiful Katy,
You're the only g-g-g-girl that I adore;
When the m-m-m-moon shines,
Over the cowshed,
I'll be waiting at the k-k-k-kitchen door.

  • The Daughter of K-K-K Katy Loves a Nephew of Uncle Sam by Frank Crumit and others

    Oh Helen

    Ray Chandos and Mike Murray wrote about that this song written by Chas. R. McCarron and Carey Morgan, 1918.

    Willie Meet, tho' good at grammar,
    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. Mickey Bo wrote that the song was updated in 1956 by rockabilly artist Jimmy Lee Prow on the King label and is available online. Updated versions by The New Happiness (1966) and Homer & Jethro are both are truer to the original than the 1956 rockabilly version.

    Bill McCloskey was a husky healthy, handsome lad;
    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

    Bill Fabian's Real Audio Page for People Who Stutter included an audio clip from "Stuttering Blues" by the Five Scamps, recorded for Okeh records in 1951, and never released.

    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."

    SONG OF THE DEMOSTHENATORS

    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

    The songs are part of a CD which was produced by children and adults who stammer. The lyrics to all of the songs on the CD are also freely available. The entire CD is available for purchase from the British Stammering Association

    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

    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

  • Jessica Sanchez performs Jazmine Sullivan's song "Stuttering"

    Tongue Tied by Lewis, Mark / Covay, Don / Berry, John

    By WANDA JACKSON (CAPITOL LP CUT, 1960) (suggested by Mickey Bo) - Lyrics from website MetroLyrics at http://www.metrolyrics.com/tongue-tied-lyrics-wanda-jackson.html

    Oh, great good golly, he thrills me so
    When the apple of my eye whispers in my ear
    I get real speechless and I act so shy
    And all I can say is neenie-neenie-ny
    I get tongue tied, ooh
    I get tongue tied, yeah
    I go, well ah-ah-ah...
    What I'm tryin' to say is
    I love you, yeah!

    I met him one day at the candy shop
    My heart started poppin' like a popcorn pop
    When he walked up and said, hi sweety pie
    Well, all I could say is neenie-neenie-ny
    I get tongue tied, ooh
    I get tongue tied, yeah
    I went, well ah-ah-ah-bah...
    I love you, yeah!

    I love him so and he loves me too
    He's my flat top honey, stands six feet two
    I get an itchy twitchy feeling
    When he looks into my eyes
    But all I can say is neenie-neenie-ny
    I get tongue tied, ooh
    I get tongue tied, yeah
    I go... oh-wah-eh honey
    I love you, yeah!

    All I can say is neenie-neenie-ny
    I get tongue tied, ooh
    I get tongue tied, yeah
    I go... oh-wah-eh honey... I wanna say...
    [Fade]

    Stuttering Papa by Buck Griffin

    Buck Griffin produced "classic Texas Hillbilly bop and Rockabilly (1954-1956) on Lin and M-G-M." All of his songs and bio are featured on Bopping Archive (suggested by Mickey Bo)

    Clark Terry does Mumbles on Legends of Jazz

    Mumbles Blues by Paul Bascome for Mercury records (1952)

    Re-released by Bobby Lewis (1952 and 1955) (suggested by Mickey Bo)

    Johnny Otis Show Mumblin' Mosie

    (lyrics below from http://www.sweetslyrics.com/689846.Johnny%20Otis%20Show%20-%20Mumblin%27%20Mosie.html) (suggested by Mickey Bo)

    I got a gal and she's so sweet
    She's the cutest little thing you did ever meet
    That's the craziest chick I ever had
    Aah, just one thing, she stutters like mad
    And she said...

    (Chorus) Mumblin', mumblin', mum-mum
    Ninety-nine, nighty-nine-nine, ah-ah
    Mumblin', mumblin', mum-mum
    Ninety-nine, nighty-nine-nine, woh
    I took my girl for a bite to eat
    To the little drive-in down the street
    Aah, the waitress said 'How do you do?'
    She said 'What can I do for you?'
    My girl said...

    (Repeat chorus)

    I got weak and asked for her hand
    I even bought a wedding band
    And though I'm not the marryin' type
    I said c'mon and be my wife
    And she said...

    (Repeat chorus twice)

    A good thing that she stuttered so long
    When she finally said 'yes', I was gone

    Songs that refer to stuttering

    There are other songs that have the word "stutter" or "stammer" in them, but stuttering is not actually part of the song itself. Rather, the word is incidental or is used as an illustration. Below are several examples send by Johnnie Nielsen from Denmark. If you care to check the lyrics, you can access them at the International Lyrics Server by typing in the title of the song.
  • Several songs with the word stutter or stammer were uncovered in AZ Lyrics. A few are referred to in the above list. Some of these lyrics are "R" rated. What is below documents that the lyrics refer to stuttering or stammer. If the reference couldn't be made without the "R" rating, it was not included. For more information about the lyrics, it is suggested you search the AZ Lyrics site.
  • Additional Examples provided by others
  • There's a song called "Keep Talking" by Pink Floyd in their "Division Bell" album. Though they probably never had stuttering in mind, the connection to stuttering is unmistakable.(suggested by Vasu Parameswaran)
    Howard Schwartz from Northern Illinois University began the following list of songs which have stuttering-like behaviors as part of the song. The songs below may be using repetitions only to fill out the rhythm, without any intent of reflecting stuttering, even if the result may appear similar. Perhaps some are more like examples of "normal disfluencies" than stuttering. Andrew Kuster (ABD in choral conducting) wrote, "A type of music, called minimalism, frequently relies on repetition of a few elements over a long time. John Adams' opera Nixon in China has an aria that begins "News...News...News...News...has a kind of mystery...News has a kind of mystery." This isn't musically depicted stuttering, but rather repetition of musical elements for a minimalist purpose of filling in time with few elements. Still, it seems that this could be exploited into actually depicting real stuttering." Lou Heite also shared that Philip Glass' opera "Einstein On the Beach," uses electronically created stuttering to deliberately break the rhythm of the passage. The duet between Papageno and Papagena in Mozart's "Magic Flute" contains a long phrase in which Papageno and Papagena exchange "Pa" syllables and then break into "Pa-pa-pageno, Pa-pa-pagena!" It's supposed to resemble bird calls.

    If anyone can add to the list below, please contact Judy Kuster.

    1. You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet - Bachman Turner Overdrive
        In 1975, "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" made it to Billboard's #1 chart position. Stutterer Gary Bachman managed his brother Randy's band, Bachman-Turner Overdrive. The song was written as an inside joke, and the band didn't intend it to be heard by anyone else, but a label executive heard the song and insisted that it be included on an album. (TD Kehoe on Stutt-l, May 8, 1999).
    2. Bad to the Bone - George Thorogood and the Destroyers
    3. Bennie and the Jets - Elton John
    4. Surrender - Miami Sound Machine
    5. Jive Talkin - Bee Gee's (note from Ed Slofkosky, March 18, 2007 "Bee Gees' "Jive Talking" shouldn't be on the list. I distinctly remember listening to the American Top 40 with Casey Kasem way back in the early 80's; he was discussing #1 songs that contained stuttering. He had included "Jive Talking" on his list. However, a couple weeks later he announced a correction to the list. A listener had written him, stating that Barry Gibb sounds like he's singing "J-j-j-jive talking," but he's actually singing "It's just your jive talking.")
    6. Changes - David Bowie
        The lyrics to Changes are available online. On that link also appears an interesting comment: "The stuttering in "ch-ch-ch-ch-changes" was a popular technique at the time (possibly inspired by the Who's My Generation). Further information indicates that stuttering was a common problem amongst Mods in the 1960's as a side-effect of some of the drugs they took."
    7. I Love You Like A Ball And Chain - Eurythmics
        The live version of this 1980s hit can be found on Eurythmics' album "Eurythmics Live 1983-1989" released around 1994. Annie Lennox and the backing vocalist Joniece Jamieson interchange the chorus: " i love youuu...mmmm i love youuu
        jus' like a little ball and ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ...chain chain chain..."         This song is one of my favourites and I love to sing it particularly the live version which features the "ch-ch-ch" part. One thing I would always notice was I was never able to repeat that part without making a mistake. I myself stutter but also am a huge fan of Annie Lennox's style of singing and am very good at immitating her. I have learnt through the years all the exact places in their recordings where I know she will breathe in or abruptly out produce this or that vocal effect but this little part I was never able to imitate. I would always end up uttering this endless row of blended chchchch's. The tongue just could not obey and listen to me. It always seemed paradoxical but it is true. (submitted on April 7, 2002 by (a-26-year-old-language-teacher-who-copes-quite-well-with-her-stuttering-problem.")
    8. Take a Chance on Me - Abba
    9. Blue Moon - Marcels
    10. Barbara Ann - Regents, Beach Boys
    11. My Generation - The Who (suggested by Robin Sullivan).
    12. The Reflex - Duran Duran (suggested by Gabe Samrock)
        "The Reflex, fle-fle-fle-fle-flex."
        "So, why-i-i-i-i don't you use it?
        Try-i-i-i-i not to bruise it;
        Buy-i-i-i-i time don't lose it."
    13. My Sharona - The Knack
    14. Surfin Bird- the Trashmen (suggested by Bob Wells)
    15. Temptation Eyes - Grass Roots has a line "Temptation eyes, looking through my my my soul" (suggested by Jason Benson)
    16. Katmandu by Bob Seager (suggested by Mark Anderson)
    17. Back in the USSR - Beatles (that georgia's always on my ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma mind.) (suggested by Larry Ripani)
    18. Birthday - Beatles (birthday, I would like you to dance. birthday, take a ch ch ch chance) (suggested by Larry Ripani)
    19. Lola - Kinks (la la la la lola, lo lo lo lo lola) (is it a stutter or Ray Davies just singing "la"???
    20. Be Bop a Lula - Gene Vincent Be bop a lula, she's my baby. Be bop a lula, I don't mean maybe. Be bop a lula she he he he's my baby now. (suggested by Larry Ripani)
    21. Sussudio - is from Phil Collin's "No Jacket Required" album, and the chorus goes..."Su..su... sussudio.. whoa..oa..." (suggested by Molly Laster)
    22. Foolin' by Def Leppard - Fo, Fo, Fo, Fo, Fo Foolin' (suggested by Bruce C. Heather)
    23. "Psycho Killer" - by Talking Heads ("...f-f-f-f-f-f-far better") - (suggested by Ray Brunsberg)
    24. "K-Mart Wardrobe" by Was Not Was ("K-K-Mart, K-Mart Wardrobe" in the refrain) - (suggested by Ray Brunsberg)
    25. "I Wanna Be Sedated" by The Ramones (suggested by Tali Moshevich)
    26. "Urgent" by Foreigner from the Foreigner "4" album (suggested by William H)
    27. A Praise Chorus - Jimmy Eat World (suggested by Becca N.)
    28. D'yer Mak'er - Led Zeppelin (suggested by Becca N.)
    29. C-C-C-Cinnamon Lips - OK Go (suggested by Becca N.)
    30. Cherry Bomb - The Runaways (suggested by Becca N.)
    31. Dude (Looks Like a Lady) - Aerosmith (suggested by Becca N.)
    32. Girl O'clock - The Dismemberment Plan (suggested by Becca N.)
    33. I'm Shakin' - Rooney (suggested by Becca N.)
    34. Move Your Feet - Junior Senior (suggested by Becca N.)
    35. My Kingdom - Echo & the Bunnymen (suggested by Becca N.)
    36. Without Me - Eminem (suggested by Becca N.)
    37. Jenny - Stellastarr (suggested by Becca N.)
    38. Stacy's Mom - Fountains of Wayne (suggested by Becca N.)
    39. Welcome To The Jungle - Guns & Roses (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
    40. Hey Jude - The Beatles (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
    41. Naughty Naughty - John Parr - "Your naughty, naughty, you t-t-t-tease me" (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
    42. I Am The Walrus - The Beatles (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
    43. The Heart Of Rock & Roll - Huey Lewis & The News - "Th-th-th-they say the heart of rock and roll is still beating" (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
    44. Ramble On - Led Zeppelin - lyrics at end of song (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
    45. 5:15 - The Who (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
    46. Wildfire - Kim Fowley (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
    47. Drunk Skitzo - Fishbone (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
    48. Kickstart My Heart -- Motley Crue (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
    49. I'm Not Your Stepping Stone" The Monkees (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
    50. Cool One - Starz (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
    51. Boom! Shake the Room - DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
    52. R.E.M.'s The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite - "Today I need something more sub-sub-sub-substantial" - (suggested by Matt Hall).
    53. Ice Cream Man by Van Halen (Towards the end of the song, David sings "B-b-b-b-b-baby") - suggested by Ed Slofkosky
    54. F-F-F-Falling by The Rasmus - suggested by Ed Slofkosky
    55. Toot, toot, tootsie (goo'by) Kahn-Erdman-Russo.
    56. "See You Again" by Miley Cyirus (suggested by Charley Adams)
    57. pixies - "La La Love You" by Pixies (suggested by Jason Savvy)
    58. "Uncontrollable Urge" by Devo (suggested by Jason Savvy)
    59. "Hey Ya!" by Outkast (suggested by Jason Savvy)
    60. Strut - lyrics by Jimmy Smith (with Taj Mahal, the song's composer)
    61. N-N-Nervous by Ian Whitcomb
    62. Stuttering Mopsy by Lord Brigo
    63. There'll Be Blue Christmas Without You by Elvis Presley (suggested by JL Kato)
    64. Handy Man by James Taylor or Jimmy Jones (suggested by JL Kato)
    65. On The Run Electric Light Orchestra (suggested by Mark Prater)
    66. Sh-Sh-Shakin' Eddie Money (suggested by Mark Prater)
    67. Disney's Duck Tales Original Theme Song at 33 seconds into the video, there is a line "D-d-d-danger! Watch behind you! There's a stranger out to find you!" (suggested by Florian Blaschke)
    68. "Ay ay ay" by Saukrates (suggested by "Funkenstein")
    69. Nobody's Fault But Mine by Led Zeppelin (listen for it at the end!) (suggested by Jeff Foster)
    70. Nobody But Me by Human Beinz (suggested by Jeff Foster)
    71. Peggy Sue by Buddy Holly (suggested by Jeff Foster)
    72. Runaway by Del Shannon (suggested by Jeff Foster)
    73. Too Much Time On my Hands by Styx (suggested by Jeff Foster)
    74. Get A Job by The Silhouettes (suggested by Jeff Foster)
    75. Sugar Town by Nancy Sinatra (suggested by Jeff Foster)
    76. TongueTied by Grouplove (suggested by Kara Steenstra
    77. Stutter by Maroon 5 (suggested by Emily Wheatley
    78. Wake me up before yo go-go by Wham (suggested by Megan Williams)
    79. Abracadabra by Steve Miller Band (suggested by Megan Williams)
    80. TKO by Justin Timberlake (suggested by Megan Williams)

    Daniel Goldmark, "Stuttering in American Popular Song, 1890-1930." in Sounding Off: Theorizing Disability in Music, co-edited by Joseph Strauss and Neil Lerner, 91-105. New York: Routledge, 2006.

    This interesting chapter documents how people who stutter were portrayed in music between 1890 and 1930. Songs which were cited are below. Additional information found in American Memory from the Library of Congress There's another chapter in the book on stuttering, by Andrew Oster about a character who stutters in the Cavalli opera Giasone (from the early 17th century).

    A very interesting article was posted on "Locust St." on June 24, 2008 - 6 Easy Pieces: Stuttering Songs

  • Old time stuttering songs on YouTube from StutterTalk.

  • Classic Rock News shares videos of what they consider the Top 5 Stuttering Songs

  • Lisa Fields' The 16 Best Stuttering Songs of All Time Blender magazine, April 09 2008

  • Songs With Stuttering is an interesting site featuring 18 popular songs by various artists that have lyrics that "stutter." Each song is linked to song facts, lyrics, and a recording of the song.

    last updated August 31, 2016


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