MMD > Archives > November 1999 > 1999.11.13 > 05Prev  Next


"Roll 'Em Girls" & Girls Bloomers At College
By Joyce Brite

Robbie Rhodes wrote the chorus lyric in 99112 MMD:

 > Roll 'em girls, roll 'em girls, go a-head and roll 'em.
 > Roll 'em down and show your pret-ty knees,
 > Roll 'em girls, roll 'em, ev-'ry bod-y roll 'em
 > Roll 'em high or low just as you please
 >
 > Don't let peo-ple tell you that it's shock-ing,
 > Paint your own Sweet-ie's pic-ture on your stock-ing
 > Laff at Ma, laff at Pa, give them all the Ha-Ha,
 > Roll 'em girl-ies, roll 'em,  roll your own.

I got a chuckle out of this little tune.  During the 1920's, it was
scandalous in some parts of the country for a woman to roll down her
stockings and expose her bare knees.  At a midwestern college, which
shall remain nameless, the following occurred:

  "A 1927 incident of campus regulation which received ridiculously
  widespread publicity (including a report in the Chicago Herald) was
  that known as the 'bloomer' or 'bare knees' issue.  When the Dean of
  Women found that coeds were removing their bloomers while dancing,
  she issued a stern warning that they should wear bloomers and that no
  part of the bare knee should show.  Rolled stockings which displayed
  part of the leg below the bloomer were also ruled out by the dean,
  who considered such exposure disgraceful.  [Humorist] Will Rogers,
  visiting the campus in April of that year, commented, 'I agree with
  her.  I think she should.' "

Note the double meaning in Rogers' comments.  (The source of the
quotation above is available on request.)

The copyright date of the song is 1925, which means it predates the
college "bloomer" incident.  Too bad, because it seems as if the song
was specially written in response to the incident.

Joyce Brite
Player Piano and Mechanical Music Exchange
http://mmd.foxtail.com/Exchange/

 [ Not too many years later comedian Jimmy Durante sang about
 [ "Skirts" and how he appreciates them!  -- Robbie



(Message sent Sat, 13 Nov 1999 21:03:36 -0600 , from time zone -0600.)

Key Words in Subject:  Bloomers, College, Em, Girls, Roll

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