Search

Song

Written by
Language
English
Comments
Song popular with Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War and likely evolved out of Confederate camp life. "Goobers" are peanuts, which came to the United States via the African slave trade. The peanut is actually native to South America, but was transported to both Europe and Africa by Spanish and Portuguese traders. Peanuts did not prove to be popular in Europe, but they were in Africa.

Peanuts found their way to the southern United States with Africans destined to be slaves. Peanuts were not popular with 19th century white southerners and were used to feed hogs and as sustenance for slaves. With food shortages brought on by the Civil War, both Confederate soldiers and civilians ate boiled peanuts to sustain themselves.

Depending on where one was in Africa, peanuts were called nguba (corrupted to goobers) or mpinda (corrupted to pindars - another name for peanut in the South during the Civil War era). The song "Goober Peas" was first published in 1866, although it predated its publication. The original publisher humorously credited the work to "A. Pindar" and "P. Nutt".
Licensing
Request a synchronization license

Meta

Added by tsk
Managed by Bastien

Originals