I debated a bit as to whether or not I should share this. But it is doughnut art of a sorts, even if it is only mediocre. I will warn you; it is a clear knock-off of Don Williams song, Wonderful Tonight. And it contains some profanity and self-induced bodily noises and is deliberately (I’m assuming) sang haphazardly and out of key. I enjoy the parody, but believe it would have been funnier sung in earnest and not in a seemingly drunken state. The performer is named Johnny Mayo and all I can tell you is that he resides in Detroit and is now retired. Maybe that is a good thing.
I haven’t had much problem at all finding representations of doughnuts in art and have been deluging you recently with painted offerings. I have been neglectful on other forms of media and am pretty excited at what I’ve stumbled on here.
Washboard Sam was the stage name for American Blues musician Robert Brown (July 15, 1910 – November 6, 1966). He was known for a particular style of music known as skiffle, a uniquely American-based style of music which seemed to generate from New Orleans. Stemming from the African American music culture, it was a style of jazz which utilized more common household items like washboards, jugs, comb-and-paper, and the musical saw. Undoubtedly, this is where Washboard Sam got his name.
This particular song, Who Pumped The Wind In My Doughnut? is full of double entendre and sexual innueno.We have lyrics like “Who pumped the wind in my doughnut… sure don’t resemble me…” I could be wrong, though. I don’t claim to understand “down on that yam-yam tree” but I think much of it, such as “I like my doughnuts nice and sweet…” alludes the idea that the doughnut is his woman but that there was progeny who does not look like the father. Obviously, if it were a song about a fried dough, it would probably have best been sung, Who Pumped The Jam In My Doughnut?
Recorded sometime between 1935 and 1947, it is raw and rude and bawdy and fun. Take a gander and enjoy this little doughnut ditty!
No, we are not celebrating Christmas yet. This is yet another mostly-obscure media reference which I wanted to share from American actor, writer, and folk musician Burl Ives.
I grew up listening to Burl Ives sing The Big Rock Candy Mountain on one of my 38 rpm records. From my childhood, I knew he was the narrator voice of Sam the Snowman in the classic Christmas classic television show Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. And when I embraced classic movies, saw Oscar® winner-Ives in his larger-than-life portrayal of Rufus Hannassey in The Big Country, Big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and as the implacable Dr. Hasselbacher in one of my absolute favorite movies, Our Man In Havana.
As the banjo-playing folk musician, he penned dozens of folksy, down-home tunes and I stumbled on a feel-good ditty which inspired one to look at the big picture through doughnut philosophy:
When you walk the streets you’ll have no cares
If you walk the lines and not the squares
As you go through life make this your goal
Watch the donut, not the hole.
It’s written on the rainbow, in letters made of gold
Written on the rainbow, there’s wisdom to behold
My friend the little sparrow flew
Close enough to see
Written on a rainbow is this philosophy.
I’m off to jolly England where
Bulldogs all wear pants
Off to Pago Pago where alligators dance
My friend the little sparrow will
Take me where he flies
Even to the rainbow to read with my own eyes
