[Dixielandjazz] Evolution Mama

[Stephen G Barbone]

"Evolution Mama" is one of those songs inspired by Charles Darwin and  
his publishing of Evolution of Species. Like "In Monkey Land" or  
"Evolution or "The Darwinian Theory" or Too Thin" - "Darwin's Little  
Joke", "Aba Daba Honeymoon," etc. These songs started as early as 1874  
or so. Even Gilbert and Sullivan wrote a musical play replete with  
Darwinian digs called "Princes Ida", circa 1884.

Here is what one essay says about the "pure" meaning of the peanut  
whistle as opposed to the double entendre meaning put forth by Dav  
Richoux's research. The Essay  is "Singing His Praises - Darwin and  
His Theory in Song and Musical Production." by Vassiliki Betty  
Smocovitis

"African-American voices were not silent on the subject of evolution  
either. They
responded with songs like “Evolution Mama,” written and performed by  
Eddie Heywood
and “Doc” Basher, that fell into an early jazz/blues genre. It too  
played on the theme that
“you can’t make a monkey of me,” though in this case the protest was  
clearly against
female romantic control. The voice here is distinctively African  
American, since peanut
vendors in America were usually African American"

Searching the lyrics for Evolution Mama, one also finds the phrase,  
"like that store bought piece", rather than "like that store bought  
yeast". The former could relate to a "working girl".

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband


On Jan 8, 2011, at 3:00 PM, dixielandjazz-request at ml.islandnet.com  
wrote:

>  tubaman at tubatoast.com
>
>
> A quick Google on the line takes us back to 2003 when the same  
> question was asked and answered on DJML:
>>> "Knock your peanut whistle right off your stand" is a
>>> metaphor for emasculation. With no whistle, the peanut stand
>>> cannot attract attention.
>>>
>>> "Do you more good than that store-bought yeast" is a metaphor
>>> for sex. Yeast rises. Need I say more.
>>>
>>> Burt (Evolution rules!) Wilson
>>>
>
> don't know if that is 100% correct, but seems as plausible as any  
> other idea ;-)
>
> Dave Richoux
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Keith Garner" <ckg at talktalk.net>
>
>
> Hi All
>
> Driving home tonight from taking part in the annual Oxfam Stomp in
> Birmingham - UK not Alabama  :) - I decided to keep the mood going  
> and put
> Turk Murphy at Heidelburg Jazz Festival on the car stereo.  One of the
> numbers is Evolution Mama and it suddenly struck me that I haven't  
> got the
> faintest idea what the line
>
> "But some sweet day I'm going to take dead aim and knock that peanut  
> whistle
> right off your stand"
>
> means. I'm hoping that some of the US members of the list can  
> enlighten me.
>
> Regards
> Keith Garner
> www.jazzpzazz.co.uk