janolov - Posted - 04/07/2023:  06:30:57

 I have chosen Shortnin’ Bread for TOTW this week. It is an old  favorite of mine, and it was among the first tunes I learnt to play. When I started to write about Shortning’ Bread I soon found that it was not one tune, but it is several different tunes. From the beginning I planned to focus on one version (#2 below, which I call the fiddle tune version), but I soon found out that there where at least three different tunes, so I decided to put all three together, so the whole write-up below is rather long.

Shortening bread refers to a bread made of corn meal and/or flour and lard shortening. I put two recipes of Shortnin’ Bread below.

1. The original Shortnin’ Bread (plantation song)

"Shortnin' Bread" (also spelled "Shortenin' Bread", "Short'nin' Bread", or "Sho'tnin' Bread is an African-American folk song dating back at least to the 1890s. James Whitcomb Riley published it as a poem in 1900, building on older lyrics. A "collected" version of the song was published by E. C. Perrow in 1915.

It is a very easy and simple tune, and I learnt it very early in the late 1960’s. Even if it is an easy and uncomplicated tune, it has a lot of possibilities. By adding different “licks” and putting in different embellishments you can get a lot of music out of the tune.  It is also a good tune to try in different tunings and keys. It works well in G tuning, different C tunings (drop C, double C and open C), F tuning (fDGCD), open D tuning (f#DF#AD) and so on.

This version of Shortnin’ Bread has been recorded in a lot of several genres and styles. Here are a few examples:

Children songs:

• HawkboysFunfactory: youtu.be/4v5rsEa9vUI

• Sheet Music Singer: youtu.be/x4ljWa8mq8w

Blues:

• John Hurt: John Hurt: youtu.be/SNG1ScEAX7k

String Band:

• The 97th Regimental String Band: youtu.be/Thuk0IGZ3gY

Clawhammer Banjo (tutorial):

• Alex Miller: youtu.be/IKXo7KdRtbk

Rock’n’Roll:

• Etta James: youtu.be/5PxQ985Gfcg


• Collin Kids: youtu.be/cYPlj67Mtlo

Pop:

• Beach Boys: youtu.be/nxs2mnrRgsA

I have made a tab below, containing an easy basic version, and a little more advanced with alternate string pull-off and Galax licks.

2.  Shortnin Bread – the fiddle tune (and banjo tune)

In the Old-Time music world, there is a slightly different version that seems to dominate. It is probably based on the first version, but there are differences. The first recording of this version seems to be by Dykes Magic City Trio: youtu.be/N5R9JI57hh4 (Brunswick 125, 1927). This version seems to have adapted by a lot of later musicians. Here are some of versions that are worth listening to:

John Hermann on banjo and John Engle on fiddle (Clifftop 2012): youtu.be/f7l_2TMlTjA

Gid Tanner & the Skillet Lickers: youtu.be/f1OR1PnIPyI

Lewis "Big Sweet" Hairston: youtu.be/UohBmBHqSlg

Reaves White County Ramblers: youtu.be/wzbDqcNspg0

Carter Family: youtu.be/uNe2Epl__kg

Ola Belle Reed: slippery-hill.com/content/shortnin-bread-1

Clifton Hicks (cover versions of Lewis “Big Sweet” Hairston): youtu.be/9Zoy86oL-LE  and  youtu.be/duaitqwLjWE and youtu.be/CFxZdAEdogA

Bob Blanham: banjohangout.org/myhangout/med...archived= (tab in Miles Krassen’s book “Clawhammer Banjo”)

Jack Beuting: youtube.com/shorts/xzq5Bg2E2MA  (tab is available here: banjohangout.org/tab/browse.as...p;v=26065

Earl Scruggs: youtu.be/ZQJUuxExhbg

Earl Scruggs and Bill Monroe: youtu.be/zdePFp0VPhc

Josh Turknett: youtu.be/wV3v-l2x770

Jim Pankey: youtu.be/DVlZI9wXjYs                        

Noah Cline: youtu.be/p5ZTQiLBNh8

Tim Rowell: youtu.be/xn7mZGwDZYU

Chad Ritchie: youtu.be/1dzZA1TeqnM

Nora Brown: youtu.be/gK9SQ08APVU

Pat Conte: youtu.be/fBm1cI8UZ7E

Curt Bouterse: youtu.be/gXJKekQKUnM and youtu.be/b9C_pjIdKeM and youtu.be/npEVdPOLuVo

Freight Hoppers: youtube.com/watch?v=gfb_LddQ738

Tommy Jarrell: slippery-hill.com/content/shortnin-bread (Tommy’s version seems to differ some from the other versions).

An interesting observation is that there are version in A, G D, and C so it is a good tune to test in different tunings.

I have tabbed out a rather basic version based on the Dykes Magic City Trio version from 1927: banjohangout.org/tab/browse.as...p;v=26137

.

3. My Baby Loves Shortenin’ Bread – Doc Roberts

The third version, or third family of versions, is Doc Roberts “My Baby Loves Shortenin’ Bread” from 1926. It is often called just “Shortnin’ Bread”. It is closely related to the tune "The Irish Cobbler", and have no resemblance at all to the other "Shortnin’ Bread" version mentioned above.  The tune seems to be called “My Baby Loves Shortenin’ Bread” in Kentucky and made known by Doc Roberts, and is called “The Irish Cobbler” in Missouri, and made known by Charlie Walden. The Doc Roberts version seems to contain more melodic embellishments while the Irish Cobbler is more heads-on and more banjo-friendly.

Here are some good versions:

• Doc Roberts (“My Baby Loves Shortenin' Bread”): youtu.be/2M5baFgDjyA and youtu.be/YcocUpC0szU


• Clare Milliner and Walt Koken (“My Baby Loves Shortnin' Bread”): youtu.be/52KlQJFKReM


• Charlie Walden (“The Irish Cobbler”): youtu.be/4x3Wama-WQc


• Tater Patch (“Doc Roberts' Shortenin' Bread”): youtu.be/LxpABBsGAnU


• John Hartford and Bob Carlin (“Shortenin' Bread”): youtu.be/Vb7Nm48STy8

Hilarie Burhans has a clawhammer version here: youtu.be/F7MMHXduABo  and tutorial: youtu.be/fztpLKN8eg4 . She calls the tune Doc Roberts Shortnin Bread but it is more the Irish Cobbler she is playing.

More written information, music notation and tabs:

1. Shortnin’ Bread (plantation song)

Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortnin%27_Bread

Notation and lyrics: michaelkravchuk.com/wp-content...Bread.pdf

Notation and abc notation: abcnotation.com/tunePage?a=tri...ad_C/0000

2F tab (works with CH too) by Chip Arnold: tishandchip.tripod.com/sitebui...0h783.jpg

2. Shortnin’ Bread (fiddle tune)

Traditional Tune Archive: tunearch.org/wiki/Shortnin%27_Bread_(1) and tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:S...27_Bread_(1)

Tabs:

• Miles Krassen, Clawhammer Banjo: amazon.com/Clawhammer-Banjo-Mi...825601517


• Ken Torke: taterjoes.com/Warehouse/Banjo/...Bread.pdf


• Jack Beuting: banjohangout.org/tab/browse.as...p;v=26065


• Earl Scruggs:  See Banjo Newletter April 2017 (banjonews.com/banjotab.html ), s3.amazonaws.com/tabs.banjonew...Apr17.jpg . There are also a three-finger tab in Guitar-Pro in the tab archive banjohangout.org/tab/browse.as...p;v=13935


• Tommy Jarrell’s version is tabbed in Brad Leftwich’s book “Round Peak Clawhammer Banjo”: amazon.com/Round-Style-Clawham...786629029


• Jan-Olov: banjohangout.org/tab/browse.as...p;v=26137

3. Doc Roberts Shortenin’ Bread and The Irish Cobbler

Traditional Tune Archive (Doc Roberts’ Shortnin’ Bread): tunearch.org/wiki/Shortnin%27_Bread_(2) and tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:S...27_Bread_(2)

Traditional Tune Archive (The Irish Cobbler): tunearch.org/wiki/Irish_Cobbler_(The) and tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:I..._Cobbler_(The)

And finally, two recipes on Shortnin’ bread:

Version 1:

INGREDIENTS

UNITS: US

•    1⁄2cup butter, very very soft

•    1⁄4cup brown sugar

•    1cup flour

DIRECTIONS

1.   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.   Cream the butter with the brown sugar. Add the flour a bit at a time until mixed well.

3.   Roll out to 1/2-thickness and cut into "ladyfinger"-like slices. Place on a greased pan and bake for 20 minutes or until just beginning to brown. Cool completely.

Version 2:

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

•    2 cups all-purpose flour

•    ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

•    ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

•    1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

•    ½ cup butter milk

•    ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons butter or margarine

•    1 cup molasses

•    1 egg, slightly beaten

Directions

•    Step 1: Combine flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Mix well, and set aside. Dissolve soda in butter milk; stir well, and set aside.

•    Step 2: Combine butter and molasses in a heavy saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add to flour mixture. Stir in buttermilk mixture and egg.

•    Step 3: Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in skillet 10 minutes; invert cake onto plate.

Edited by - janolov on 04/10/2023 12:14:24

2. Shortnin' Bread (fiddle tune)

1. Shortnin' Bread original version (plantation song)

mandobanjolibrarian - Posted - 04/07/2023:  07:44:14

Holy heck -- drop the mic!  Epic TOTW, Jan, with -- not just one, but two -- recipes.  I'm gonna need the whole week to absorb this delicious edition to the TOTW catalog.  You've set the bar high, my friend.

Edited by - mandobanjolibrarian on 04/07/2023 07:49:54

Noah Cline - Posted - 04/07/2023:  08:36:57

Wow, I never knew that the Beach Boys recorded an iteration of this song/tune, and I've listened to quite a bit of them as my mom's a fan ;)

My rendition of it that Jan included is based on the playing of Brad Leftwich, from the "Banjo Gathering" cd. There's four individual parts to his playing, with the third and fourth, to me, sounding like repeats of the first and second, respectively, going down an octave. 

Here's another take I did some years ago, also on a bottle gourd build: 

VIDEO: Shortenin' Bread ~ Bottle Gourd Banjo #33
(click to view)

 

Jack Baker - Posted - 04/07/2023:  11:36:56

Hi Jan,

Another great tune to fool with. Happy Easter to you and my relatives in Sweden...Quite a thorough posting Jan...Jack    p.s. Noah, you always sound unbelievable...Smiles....Jack

---

Originally posted by janolov

Edited by - Jack Baker on 04/07/2023 11:38:24

Andyrhydycreuau - Posted - 04/08/2023:  13:07:03

Wow, what a post! I have a version here youtube.com/shorts/3dRF8Wafyak...ure=share
When I did it, I checked the history a little too, and found a link claimed between this and (this is for serious students of folk music only) ..........





The theme song for the "Banana Splits".
Nananaaa, nanananaaa, nananaanananananaaa.....

But it's more of a "familial" similarity rather than a direct and clear connection......

Don Borchelt - Posted - 04/10/2023:  17:04:16

quote:

---

Originally posted by janolov

 I have chosen Shortnin’ Bread for TOTW this week. It is an old  favorite of mine, and it was among the first tunes I learnt to play. When I started to write about Shortning’ Bread I soon found that it was not one tune, but it is several different tunes. From the beginning I planned to focus on one version (#2 below, which I call the fiddle tune version), but I soon found out that there where at least three different tunes, so I decided to put all three together, so the whole write-up below is rather long...

---

That was an truly informative and impressive TOTW, Jan.  I have been faking along on this tune for decades, but never got around to working up a serious arrangement, though I had at least a dozen false starts.  One thing that confused me was the subtle variation in fiddle melodies that I found when I went searching.  Your post nicely walks through it and explains it all very well.  I really like the version that my friend Tim Rowell plays on the banjo in clawhammer style, so when I get a chance, I'm going to try and match it with one of the fiddle versions on your list, to understand it better.  Then I'll tackle it again.  



Thanks again for your great TOTW contribution.

Edited by - Don Borchelt on 04/10/2023 17:05:16

janolov - Posted - 04/10/2023:  23:39:37

quote:

---

Originally posted by Don Borchelt

 

That was an truly informative and impressive TOTW, Jan.  I have been faking along on this tune for decades, but never got around to working up a serious arrangement, though I had at least a dozen false starts.  One thing that confused me was the subtle variation in fiddle melodies that I found when I went searching.  Your post nicely walks through it and explains it all very well.  I really like the version that my friend Tim Rowell plays on the banjo in clawhammer style, so when I get a chance, I'm going to try and match it with one of the fiddle versions on your list, to understand it better.  Then I'll tackle it again.  



Thanks again for your great TOTW contribution.

---

Don, I am sure there a several people that look forward to here your version!

JanetB - Posted - 04/12/2023:  13:08:49

Goodness, Jan!  You've come up with a winner, both to study and to play and sing.  And it's ALWAYS a pleasure to hear Noah and Hilarie.  With so much variety of a tune, you have to conclude it must be very old, as it really is.

I also turned to a source Stephen Wade has covered in his book The Beautiful Music Around Us, Field Recordings and the American Experience (a highly recommended read).  He describes in Chapter 3 the interesting and detailed history enveloping John Lomax's recording of a school-age girl named Ora Dell Graham singing Shortenin' Bread and another song, and also included them on a CD called "A Treasure of Library of Congress Field Recordings."  Shortenin' Bread, as sung by Ora Dell and her friends has been uploaded onto YouTube.  I find it a charming expression of spontaneous childlike fun, combined with talent revealed in a lively performance.  

What I've recorded combines many sources of having heard this song for ages, including a bit of Ora Dell's influence.

Shortnin' Bread (TOTW)

Shortnin' Bread (CH) tab

Jack Baker - Posted - 04/12/2023:  16:26:18

Hi Janet,

Your recording and tab look great. I can't make out the same melody or lyrics from Ora Del though. I know that songs do take their own journey but that sometimes loses me. Could just be a typo with regards to the title of the song...Jack

Edited by - Jack Baker on 04/12/2023 16:28:35

JanetB - Posted - 04/12/2023:  18:13:42

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jack Baker. 

 I can't make out the same melody or lyrics from Ora Del though. 

---

All of these versions can get confusing. There's Ole Belle Reed and Ora Dell Graham -- two people and two different versions. Did you catch that?  My take blends several versions I've heard, with only artistic license to back me up!  Thanks for the kind words. 

Jack Baker - Posted - 04/13/2023:  18:03:21

Hi Janet,

Yes, I certainly can certainly hear the two version but that is what is confusing to me with Old Time Archival music. Who sang what melody when with regards to so much Old Time Music? Your tab captures the Melody I remember.  I've heard Shortening Bread since I was a child and it had a melody. Jingle Bells has a melody etc. My students get confused all the time trying to figure out what is going on with this ancient archived approach to melodies. They ask why is it ok to call any song by several players by its original name and then play an entirely different melody...HA but thanks Janet....Jack   p.s. I've been around long enough to know that it will never change....smiles

Edited by - Jack Baker on 04/13/2023 18:09:07

JanetB - Posted - 04/14/2023:  09:22:48

Well, Jack, I think that I'll have to make do the best I can to just enjoy the music in all its variety. My head swims when it gets complex and too analytical! :)  I remember doing a TOTW early on for Liza Jane and was shocked to find nine distinct versions.  Three more were revealed as the discussion thread evolved that week.

Take a listen to Stephen Wade's delightful attempt in setting Ora Dell Graham's version to the banjo. I had forgotten it's on his CD called  "Across the Amerikee:" Stephen’s Shortnin’ Bread.