How Do You Do?

DESCRIPTION: "How do you do, ev'rybody? How do you do? How do you do, ev'rybody? How are you? When the skies are kinda grey And you're feeling just that way, Ain't it great to hear folks say, 'How do you do?'" Various people or groups may be greeted
AUTHOR: credited to Phil Fleming, Charlie Harrison, Cal DeVoll on 1924 sheet music (source: Jim Dixon in mudcat.org thread "Lyr Req: How Do You Do (Carter Family)"
EARLIEST DATE: 1924 (sheet music)
KEYWORDS: nonballad campsong
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (5 citations):
Averill-CampSongsFolkSongs, p. 301, "How Do You Do?" (notes only)
Harbon-Parodology, #153, p. 45, "Howdy Do, Everybody" (1 text, 1 tune)
Rodeheaver-SociabilitySongs, p. 113, "Howdy Do" (1 text, 1 tune)
BoyScoutSongbook1997, p. 5, "How Do You Do?" (1 text, 1 tune)
National-4HClubSongBook, p. 44, "Howdy Do" (1 text, 1 tune)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago (Bragging Song)" (tune, according to Averill)
NOTES [212 words]: There are versions of a Billy Barlow song with a similar opening. I do not know if they are related. - RBW
A curiosity of this is the existence of multiple versions. Rodeheaver-SociabilitySongs and National-4HClubSongBook give texts along these lines:
Howdy do, (Mister Speaker), Howdy do? Howdy do?
Is there anything that we can do for you, do for you?
We'll do everything we can,
We are with you to a man,
Howdy do, Mister Speaker, Howdy do!"
(BoyScoutSongbook1997, lets you substitute any name for "Mister Speaker" and doesn't have so many repeated lyrics).
The similarity to the chorus the Harrigan and Braham song "Old Boss Barry" is noteworthy:
Then it's Old Boss Barry, how d'ye do?
Is there anything that we can do for you?
Come tell us of your plan,
We're with you to a man,
For Old Boss Barry, Hip Haroo!
The tunes are not the same. Still, it is easy to suspect a connection. However, the Harbon-Parodology text, to the tune of "I Gave Her Kisses One," is clearly related to the Rodeheaver song but not to "Old Boss Barry":
How do you do, everybody, how do you do?
Is there anything that we can do for you?
We're mighty glad you came;
We hope you feel the same;
How do you do, everybody, how do you do.
Is there some sort of mixture going on? I don't know. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.3
File: ACSF301H

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