"Mighty Lak A Rose"

[Bill Palmer]

Wilson, my late mother-in-law (b. 1908, Moultrie GA) and now you, are the
only ones I've ever known to sing/recite that little verse.

I wonder if anyoneoutside the southern US is familiar w/ it.

Bill P
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wilson Gray" <hwgray at GMAIL.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, May 30, 2010 2:44 PM
Subject: "Mighty Lak A Rose"


> ---------------------- Information from the mail
> header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Wilson Gray <hwgray at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      "Mighty Lak A Rose"
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Some of the more readers may recall that popular "Negro-dialect" song
> from the '40's.  Personally, I found the song rather pleasant.
> Hooever, I was never able to make any sense out of the opening verse,
> refrain, or whatever it was:
>
> Sweetis' little feller
> Ev'rybody knows
> Don't know what t' call 'im
> But he's _mighty lak a rose_
>
>
> After dekkids of thought, I've conclded that the title/phrase in question
> means:
>
> "... very much resembles or is very similar to, in some unspecified
> sense, a rose."
>
>
> Analyzing it as "strong like a rose," which makes no kind of sense,
> had been driving me nuts.
>
> -Wilson
> ---
> All say, "How hard it is that we have to die!"--a strange complaint to
> come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
> -Mark Twain
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org


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