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DOJ Audit: One Meatball | 7 comments (7 topical)

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My Father Sang it as "One Fishball" (none / 0) (#2)
by Paul J on Sun Sep 16, 2007 at 12:35:20 AM EST
I gather there was a Josh White folk hit with "One Meatball," but I was serenaded as a child with a fishy version.  Ironically, the song came to mind tonight for the first time in years and I commented on it to companions in the aftermath of a spaghetti dinner.  A little on-line research hints that the fish version may have preceded the meat, possibly originating in New England, where fishballs were probably comfort food at one time.

I have only been able to retrieve a few bits so far.  As I recall, it was lyrically pretty plain, with most if not all verses consisting of two lines repeated, starting with:

There was a man who came around
To see what there was to be found (2x)

He came upon a stylish place
And entered in with modest grace (2x)

He looked the menu through and through
To see what fifteen cents would do (2x)

The only thing 'twould do at all
Was only one, just one, fishball (2x)

Middle section bears considerable resemblance to yours, with waiter bellowing down the hall, repeatedly shaming the man.  Fishball has a grimmer ending than yours, however:

The poor old man he went outside
And shot himself and slowly died (2x)

You are correct (none / 0) (#3)
by Jeralyn on Sun Sep 16, 2007 at 01:02:03 AM EST
I did the same research earlier and found the "one fishball" song connection. The fishball song originated in the late 1800's. Some tie it to the aftermath of the civil war, and it was showcased in a play in 1895 or thereabouts.  The words are strikingly similar, although not quite the same.

I first learned about "one meatball" about ten years ago during a criminal defense lawyers' dinner when one of the New York lawyers went on and on about it, including the lengths he went to to track down Baby Jane Dexter because he was so blown away by her version. He even sang the song. This lawyer is a great story teller and he packed so much emotion into his story and singing, I felt like I was watching a movie from the depression. I never forgot it. About a month ago, something reminded me of it and I started searching for a version to download to my iPod. Ann Rabson's was the only one available, but I learned a lot from Google about the song and Baby Jane Dexter.

Re: story telling. This lawyer really has the gift. At another meeting, in Lake Tahoe years earlier, he told me a story about Ethel Rosenberg (of Ethel and Julius) walking her child in a baby carriage. She was a very uncomfortable new mother.  It was so vivid, it was like I was there and I never can hear her name now without thinking of her pushing the baby carriage as he described.  I asked him how he knew all these minute details, and he said he read them in a book. I wish I had those story-telling skills.

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DOJ Audit: One Meatball | 7 comments (7 topical)

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