Short'nin' Bread | Lyrics and Piano & Guitar Sheet Music

from the MMF Songbook


History for 'Short'nin' Bread'

Shortnin' Bread is a traditional American plantation song by James Whitcomb Riley. Shortening bread is a fried batter bread made of corn meal, flour, eggs, baking powder, water, milk and shortening.


Lyrics for 'Short'nin' Bread'

Put on the skillet,
Slip on the lid,
Mama's gonna make
A little short'nin' bread.
That ain't all
She's gonna do,
Mama's gonna make
A little coffee, too.

Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin', short'nin',
Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin' bread,
Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin', short'nin',
Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin' bread.

Three little children,
Lyin' in bed
Two were sick
And the other 'most dead
Sent for the doctor
And the doctor said,
"Give those children some
Short'nin' bread."

Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin', short'nin',
Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin' bread,
Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin', short'nin',
Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin' bread.

Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin', short'nin',
Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin' bread,
Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin', short'nin',
Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin' bread.

When those children,
Sick in bed,
Heard that talk
About short'nin' bread,
Popped up well
To dance and sing,
Skipped around and cut
The pigeon wing.

Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin', short'nin',
Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin' bread,
Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin', short'nin',
Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin' bread.

Slip to the kitchen,
Slip up the led,
Filled my pockets full of
Short'nin' bread;
Stole the skillet,
Stole the led,
Stole the gal makin'
Short'nin' bread.

Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin', short'nin',
Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin' bread,
Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin', short'nin',
Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin' bread.

Caught me with the skillet,
Caught me with the led,
Caught me with the gal makin'
Short'nin' bread;
Paid six dollars for the skillet,
Six dollars for the led,
Spent six months in jail eatin'
Short'nin' bread.

Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin', short'nin',
Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin' bread,
Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin', short'nin',
Mama's little baby loves
Short'nin' bread.


Browse Related Resources for 'Short'nin' Bread'

Piano Sheet Music

Short'nin' Bread for Easy/Level 2 Piano Solo

Guitar Sheet Music

Short'nin' Bread for Beginner/Level 1 Guitar Solo (Tab)



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