"Mama Don't Allow"

Currently we have several versions of a song called "Mama Don't Allow" (aka "Mama Don't Allow It" among other things) as covers of the Cow Cow Davenport song "Mama Don't Allow No Easy Riders Here". Despite some lyrical similarities (and quite a few recordings of "Mama Don't Allow" credited to Davenport), I don't think we should consider them one and the same. For one, the melodies aren't even similar. On top of that, it appears that the "Mama Don't Allow" idea predates Davenport's song.

From the editor notes:

Although copyrighted by Davenport, this song incorporates aspects of several traditional and previously recorded commercial songs. In 1928, Riley Puckett recorded "Mama Won't Allow No Low Down Hanging Around," which has a similar melody and the "Mama Don't Allow" theme. However, there's no evidence that Davenport's song was directly influenced by Puckett.

Both songs are in the tradition of earlier vaudeville performances including "Mama Don't Allow No Easy Talking Here" performed by "The Two Sweets (Long Willie & Little Lula)" in 1912 and "Poper Don't Want No Easy Talking and Mama Won't Allow It Here" performed by Madge Clinton in 1914.

I suggest making a new work credited to [Traditional] and moving the various "Mama Don't Allow (It)" performances there instead.

Anyone have any opinions on this? If there are no objections I'll go ahead with the plans to move things to a new work

Quote from Oldiesmann

Anyone have any opinions on this? If there are no objections I'll go ahead with the plans to move things to a new work

Michael Oldiesmann , I don't know if you have started with this case,

But I also have said a few things here: Submission #136693

JoJo greets

This is really my first discussion, so pardon me if I'm out of place. I'm not sure what's more important for precedents - the lyric structure of "mama don't allow" or the musical and rhythmic aspects (which vary). I feel like some of this song actually goes all the way back to the "first blues song" Memphis Blues by W.C. Handy from 1909. Here's a 1914 recording. Go to about the 1:00 mark and it starts the section that I think relates to mama:

Also, in 1927 the Beale Street Sheiks (Frank Stokes and Dan Sane) recorded an adaptation in Mr. Crump Don't Like that may have been around for a while in Memphis.

Mr Crump don't like it, ain't gonna have it here (x3)

Mr Crump don't like it, ain't gonna have it here

Quote from shellac_sick

This is really my first discussion, so pardon me if I'm out of place. I'm not sure what's more important for precedents - the lyric structure of "mama don't allow" or the musical and rhythmic aspects (which vary).

I am particularly interested in the musical aspects of a song and its roots.

Yes, the Beale Street Sheiks "Mr Crump Don't Like It" is a version, almost identical to Papa Charlie Jackson's "Mama Don't Like It" from 2 years earlier on the same Paramount label.

The Memphis Blues similarity is maybe worth mentioning in a comment.

The Memphis Blues connection with Mr. Crump/ Mama Don't Allow It is discussed here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Memphis_Blues

JoJo greets

Thanks, JoJo! And there I thought I was having a revelation! I think you were right in Submission #136693 that the song(s) diverge into a couple of different chord structures/tunes, or they came from different sources. I think Papa Charlie Jackson's version of Mama uses a chord structure that is remarkably similar to his recording of All I Want Is a Spoonful, which was done just a month later (and would be picked up by Charley Patton later).

I think you're also right that the bluegrass/jazz/rag versions tend to use the Crawdad type tune and not the blues tunes. They're also usually done at a much fastest tempo, I think. Really interesting variations.