Old Family Toothbrush, The

DESCRIPTION: "[How dear to my heart was] The old family toothbrush (x2/x3), That hung by the sink. First it was father's, Then it was mother's, Now it is sister's, And soon 'twill be mine. Father misused it, Mother abused it, Sister refused it, And now it is mine."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1927 (Harbin-Parodology)
KEYWORDS: humorous derivative mother father sister nonballad | toothbrush
FOUND IN: US
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Harbin-Parodology, #2, p. 9, "The Old Family Toothbrush" (1 text)
Pankake/Pankake-PrairieHomeCompanionFolkSongBook, p. 160, "The Old Family Toothbrush" (1 text, tune referenced)
Averill-CampSongsFolkSongs, p. 250, "The Old Family Toothbrush" (notes only)
RECORDINGS:
Judy Cook, "The Old Family Toothbrush" (Piotr-Archive #329, recorded 11/02/2022)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Old Oaken Bucket" (tune) and references there
NOTES [36 words]: Judy Cook's version shows tremendous folk processing from both the Harbin and Pankake texts, including a new half-verse. Clearly has passed through oral tradition, even if it doesn't show up in many collections. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.7
File: PHC160A

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