"Mighty Lak A Rose"

[Bill Palmer]

Well, maybe I've just led a sequestered existence.  I'd be curious to know
if it's well known to other subscribers.

Bill P
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wilson Gray" <hwgray at GMAIL.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, May 30, 2010 3:24 PM
Subject: Re: "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:      Re: "Mighty Lak A Rose"
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Whoa! That is surprising! My memory is that it was a national hit or,
> at least, nationally popular. I heard recordings of it by various
> singers, black and white, when I was a child living in Saint Louis. As
> a consequence, I've never connected the song with the *real* South or
> even with East Texas, but, rather, with some Tin Pan Alley hack
> looking for an easy buck.
>
> Youkneverknow.
>
> -Wilson
>
> On Sun, May 30, 2010 at 3:04 PM, Bill Palmer <w_a_palmer at bellsouth.net>
> wrote:
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail
>> header -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       Bill Palmer <w_a_palmer at BELLSOUTH.NET>
>> Subject:      Re: "Mighty Lak A Rose"
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> 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
>>
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>>
>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>> Version: 8.5.437 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2906 - Release Date: 05/30/10
>> 09:21:00
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
>
>
>
> --
> -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


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.437 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2906 - Release Date: 05/30/10
09:21:00

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org