Song of the Week: Yes Indeedy

When Yellow Submarine was the Song of the Week, the Goddess of Clarity wrote in that the song was one that a nun taught her to play on the guitar. She added, "Another favorite was 'Yes Indeedy Pumpkin Seedy,' which I sadly can't find a reference to online."

Six weeks later, a commenter named Ldyvic posted that Joe Wise sings a children's song called "Yes Indeedy," and pointed me to iTunes. (I found it on Amazon, too, as a MP3 file.) Giamusic distributes Joe Wise's music, and you can find this song and others on The Best of Joe Wise Music for Kids Vol. II. I wrote to Joe Wise to ask him if he was the author of the song (since he covered other people's songs on his albums), and he replied, "Yes indeedy, pumpkin seedy Yes I am the author, though if any kid sings it all across the country in the car on the family vacation I'll deny authorship in any court."

Here are the lyrics to the song as I've transcribed them:

Yes Indeedy
By Joe Wise

Yes indeedy, pumpkin seedy
No siree bob, hey diddle corn cob
Yeah but no but wait a minute, could be so
Maybe baby, chicken and gravy
Don’t be silly saspirilly
Hardly yardly, bailing up barley, pick a little, I don’t know!

My Uncle Fred had a problem in his head
So I hear tell from my old Auntie Kay
He could make up his bed but not up his mind
In answer to most any question, this is what he said:

Chorus

My Uncle Zeke had some funny thinking streaks
He would sit for days just wandering in his head
After weeks of sitting a’whittling and a’spitting
You asked him if he wanted supper, this is what he said:

Chorus

Uncle Fred and Zeke were driving on a peak
When the car went to the edge, Zeke yelled out, “Brakes!
Should we put them on, old Fred?” was the last thing that they said
And you could hear them singing standing at the Pearly Gates:

Chorus