Short’nin’ Bread

 

Three little babies lyin’ in bed,

Two were sick and other ‘most dead.

Sent for the doctor and the doctor said,

“Give those babies some short’nin’ bread.”

 

Chorus:    Mammy’s little baby loves short’nin,’ short’nin,’

                  Mammy’s little baby loves short’nin’ bread.

                  Mammy’s little baby loves short’nin,’ short’nin,’

                  Mammy’s little baby loves short’nin’ bread.

 

Put on the skillet, put on the lid,

Mammy’s goin’ to make a little short’nin’ bread,

That isn’t all she’s goin’ to do,

Mammy’s goin’ to make a little coffee, too.

 

Go in the kitchen, lift up the lid,

Fill my pockets with short’nin’ bread;

Stole the skillet, stole the lid,

Stole the gal makin’ short’nin’ bread.

 

Caught with the skillet, caught with the lid,

Caught with the gal makin’ short’nin’ bread.

Paid for the skillet, paid for the lid,

Spent time in jail eatin’ shortnin’ bread. 

 

Popular on southern plantations, “Shortnin’ Bread” was often sung to pantomime with improvised verses.