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Wake Snakes/Snake Baked a Hoecake
Old-Time song; Minstrel era
ARTIST: Ethel Park Richardson
CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes
EARLIEST DATE: 1800s
RECORDING INFO: Snake Baked a Hoecake [Sh 238]
Rt - Hodi Cake
Richardson, Ethel Park / American Mountain Songs, Greenberg, Bk (1927/1955), p104 (Wake Snakes)
Nelson, Mag. Solomon, Jack & Olivia (eds.) / Sweet Bunch of Daisies, Colonial Press, Bk (1991), p216 [1938ca]
Raven, Nancy. Lullabies and Other Children's Songs, Pacific Cascade LPL 7007, LP (1969), trk# B.04
Richards, Ebe (Mr.). Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p346/# 238 [1918/08/18]
Stecher, Jody. Snake Baked A Hoecake: Jody Stecher and Friends, Bay 203, LP (1974), trk# 6
SOURCES: Folk Index; Kuntz
NOTES: Wake Snakes is listed as a fiddle tune in Kuntz and the title appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954.
The term "to wake snakes" in 1848: verb, pkr. (American) 1. To rouse oneself, to be up and doing; and (2) to get into trouble.
Wake Snakes - To raise a ruckus. [bluster, clamor, clamour, make a noise, make noise, to be obstreperous, to din, to jangle, to make noise, to wake snakes]
The tune and lyrics are related to Snake Baked a Hoecake. The words "wake snakes" appears in the 1829 song Jump Jim Crow:
Dere's possum up a gum stump,
Coonie in de hollow,
Wake snakes for June bugs,
Stole my half a dollar!
Another folk saying, "Wake snakes and come to Taw," was a ditty found in the mountains:
Wake snakes and come to Taw
Such a dish I never saw
The line seems to have been pretty well known in Kentucky in the late 19th Century. I found the following reference in Irvin S Cobb's "Exit Laughing". The book speaks of a country lawyer whose shingle reads,
"WAKE SNAKES AND COME TO TAW
B.L.D. GUFFEY WILL PRACTICE LAW"
The river Taw is in Devon (South West England). The Tau cross, with intertwined snakes, was used as a symbol for medicine.
"Wake Snakes, the day's a- breaking," was found as early as 1855. A similar expression "Come, Wake Snakes, and push off with the captain, and get the fish on board" was found in 1863.
"0! wake snakes, and walk your chalks!" was found in Col. Crockett's exploits and adventures in Texas, written by himself, David Crockett- 1837- 80 pages.
WAKE SNAKES- Ethel Park Richardson
Wake Snakes AMERICAN MOUNTAIN SONGS, compiled by Ethel Park Richardson, edited and and arranged by Sigmund Spaeth, published by Greenberg. The last song, on page 104, is "Wake, Snakes!"
Wake, snakes! Day's a breakin',
Peas in the pot an' the hot cakes a bakin'
Snake baked a hoe cake 'an set the frog to mind it
Frog fell a-noddin' an' the lizzard come 'an stole it!
Fetch back my hot cake, you long tail'd nanny!
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