Difference between revisions of "First of May"

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(Changed availability language to reflect discussion on When You Go, did Bry's bidding in Trivia section, added refs to other 1st of May songs)
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== Trivia ==
 
== Trivia ==
* The chorus is a variation on an old folk/schoolyard rhyme, "Hooray, Hooray, the first of May! Outdoor fucking starts today!", which in turn derives from ancient Pagan customs celebrating fertility on the eve of Beltane, the Celtic name for the month of May.
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* The chorus is a variation on an old folk/schoolyard rhyme, "Hooray, Hooray, the first of May! Outdoor fucking starts today!" In an [http://www.jonathancoulton.com/2007/04/10/first-of-may-bench/ April 10, 2007 blog post], JoCo credited [[John Hodgman]] with the idea for the song, and mentions that the modern dirty rhyme derives from an older, traditional dirty rhyme. Commenters Mike and [[User:Bry|Bry]] tracked the reference down to a poem in ''Another Almanac of Words at Play'' by Willard R. Espy: [[:Image:Espy - First of May.jpg]]
* In an [http://www.jonathancoulton.com/2007/04/10/first-of-may-bench/ April 10, 2007 blog post], JoCo credited [[John Hodgman]] with the idea for the song, and mentions that the modern dirty rhyme derives from an older, traditional dirty rhyme. Commenters Mike and [[User:Bry|Bry]] tracked the reference down to a poem in ''Another Almanac of Words at Play'' by Willard R. Espy: [[:Image:Espy - First of May.jpg]]
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*The poem which Espy cites, in turn, derives from ancient Pagan customs celebrating fertility on the eve of Beltane, the Celtic name for the month of May.
 
* [[Wikipedia:James Taylor|James Taylor]] and [[Wikipedia:Bee Gees|the Bee Gees]] have also recorded songs by the same title. [http://lyricwiki.org/James_Taylor:First_Of_May Taylor's song] explores some similar themes with less explicit language, while [http://lyricwiki.org/James_Taylor:First_Of_May the Bee Gees' song] is a love song lamenting the passage of time.
 
* [[Wikipedia:James Taylor|James Taylor]] and [[Wikipedia:Bee Gees|the Bee Gees]] have also recorded songs by the same title. [http://lyricwiki.org/James_Taylor:First_Of_May Taylor's song] explores some similar themes with less explicit language, while [http://lyricwiki.org/James_Taylor:First_Of_May the Bee Gees' song] is a love song lamenting the passage of time.
  

Revision as of 11:32, 1 May 2008




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First of May
ReleaseSmoking Monkey
Length4:10
Release date11-05-2003
Related Pages

Lyrics
Tabs
Videos
Concerts

Other media
{{#song:First%20of%20May }}


Trivia

  • The chorus is a variation on an old folk/schoolyard rhyme, "Hooray, Hooray, the first of May! Outdoor fucking starts today!" In an April 10, 2007 blog post, JoCo credited John Hodgman with the idea for the song, and mentions that the modern dirty rhyme derives from an older, traditional dirty rhyme. Commenters Mike and Bry tracked the reference down to a poem in Another Almanac of Words at Play by Willard R. Espy: Image:Espy - First of May.jpg
  • The poem which Espy cites, in turn, derives from ancient Pagan customs celebrating fertility on the eve of Beltane, the Celtic name for the month of May.
  • James Taylor and the Bee Gees have also recorded songs by the same title. Taylor's song explores some similar themes with less explicit language, while the Bee Gees' song is a love song lamenting the passage of time.

Availability

Available from jonathancoulton.com as a free MP3 download or for purchase in MP3 or FLAC formats, as well as on the Smoking Monkey CD.


Themes

Sex
Spring
Sing A Longs

Smoking Monkey
1. I'm Having a Party · 2. Bozo's Lament · 3. Kenesaw Mountain Landis · 4. Ikea · 5. I Hate California · 6. Christmas Is Interesting · 7. Over There · 8. Millionaire Girlfriend · 9. First of May · 10. De-Evolving · 11. I'm a Mason Now · 12. Overhead

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