I say "Lusitan-i-ay"

[Joel S. Berson]

At 8/20/2014 07:46 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:

>In this thread from many years ago I noted that Matthew Arnold formally
>rhymed  "Lusitania" with "I say" back in 1879.
>
>Here's another, if less formal example of the same principal.
>
>Fiddlin' John Carson and His Virgina Reelers recorded a song about the
>Civil War called "Dixie Division" in 1924.  You can very distinctly hear
>Fiddlin' John a-singin' "Georgia, Alabama, Flori-day."
>
>That's the normal "George-uh" and "Alabam-uh," Not "Georgy" or "Alabammy."
>
>Go, as they say, figger.

Eeraye, Eeraye, ay.  Well, close:

Patsy ory ory ay
Patsy ory ory ay
Patsy ory ory ay
Working on the railroad.

(Why the last line isn't published as "Working on the railway" I have 
no idea.  I'm sure around the campfires many sang it that way to 
introduce a rhyme.)

JSB.

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