Turkey in the Straw
Turkey in the Straw is a well known United States folk song dating from the early 19th century.
It was popular both as a dance tune and in minstrel shows. Until the early 20th century, the tune was also known under the alternative title Old Zip Coon. Another alternative title for the melody is Natchez Under the Hill. The lyrics are thought to have been added to an earlier tune by Bob Farrell who first performed them in a minstrel show on August 11, 1834).
It can be heard in many movie sound tracks. As it was already public domain by the start of sound film, it was popularly used since no royalties needed be paid.
In animated cartoons it is commonly used for suggesting farms or rural life, or old fashioned country people. Perhaps the first use of the tune in an animated cartoon soundtrack was in the pioneering Steamboat Willie.
It is played by street fiddlers.
Many ice cream trucks have a recorded soundtrack which plays a segment of the A strain of the tune over and over.
It has an eight note range and stays in key throughout the tune.
It is a catchy tune that has many different lyrical versions.
One traditional version has a chorus with lyrics:
- Turkey in the hay, in the hay, in the hay.
- Turkey in the straw, in straw, in the straw,
- Pick up your fiddle and rosin your bow,
- And put on a tune called Turkey in the straw.
Another goes:
- Turkey in the straw -- Haw haw haw
- Turkey in the hay -- Hey hey hey
- The Reubens are dancing to Turkey in the Straw
- Hey highdy heydy, and a haw haw haw
"Reubens" was a term for U.S. farm people.
There are versions from the American Civil War, versions about fishing and one with non-sense verses. Folklorists have documented folk versions with obscene lyrics from the 19th century.
