View source for Keep On Churnin' (Till the Butter Comes)

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{short description|1952 rhythm and blues song}}
{{Infobox song
| name          = Keep On Churnin' (Till the Butter Comes)
| cover         =
| type          = single
| artist        = [[Wynonie Harris]]
| album         =
| B-side        = Married Women Stay Married
| released      = 1952
| recorded      =
| studio        =
| genre         = [[Rhythm and blues]]
| length        =
| label         = [[King Records (United States)|King]]
| writer        = [[Henry Glover]], [[Jester Hairston]], [[Lois Mann]]
| producer      =
}}
"'''Keep On Churnin' (Till the Butter Comes)'''" is a [[rhythm and blues]] song written by [[Henry Glover]], [[Jester Hairston]], and [[Lois Mann]]. It was first recorded in 1952 by [[Wynonie Harris]], with backing from the [[Todd Rhodes|Todd Rhodes Orchestra]], and released by [[King Records (United States)|King Records]]. The song was also recorded by [[Hank Ballard]] and [[the Midnighters]]. It has been rated as one of the best [[double entendre]] songs of all time.
==Versions==
===Original===
[[File:Wynonie Harris publicity photo.jpg|thumb|right|140px|[[Wynonie Harris]]]]
The original version of the song was performed by [[Wynonie Harris]] with backing from the [[Todd Rhodes|Todd Rhodes Orchestra]]. It was released in 1952 on King Records as disc 4526.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Rhythm & Blues Record Releases|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=April 19, 1952|page=34|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gB4EAAAAMBAJ&q=keep+on+churnin+king+4526&pg=PA34}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Magazine: The Complete Archives|publisher=Aperiodical LLC|year=2015|editor=Glenn Fleishman|isbn=9780991439935|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EFlfCgAAQBAJ&dq=wynonie+harris+%22keep+on+churnin%27&pg=PT1350}}</ref> Upon its release, ''Billboard'' wrote: "Harris shouts out a slick double-entendre blues which should draw lots of coin from his fans."<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Selling Retail Rhythm & Blues Records|magazine=Billboard|date=April 26, 1952|page=36|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gx4EAAAAMBAJ&q=keep+on+churnin+king+4526&pg=PA36}}</ref>
The song has been re-issued on several compilations, including ''Risque Rhythm'' (Rhino, 1992),<ref>{{cite news|title='50s 'blue' tunes were risque on subtle side|newspaper=[[Grand Junction Daily Sentinel]]|author=Scott Bernarde|date=January 24, 1992|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/63366013/50s-blue-tunes-were-risque-on-subtle/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> ''Bloodshot Eyes: The Best of Wynonie Harris'' (Rhino, 1994),<ref name=BTMR>{{cite news|title=Back to music's roots|newspaper=The Town Talk|author=Wayne Bledsoe|date=September 2, 1994|page=C6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/63366101/back-to-musics-roots/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> and ''Risque Blues: Keep on Churnin''' (1996).<ref>{{cite web|title=Risque Blues: Keep on Churnin'|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|access-date=November 15, 2020|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/risque-blues-keep-on-churnin-mw0000613943}}</ref>
===Covers===
The song has been covered by various artists, including [[Hank Ballard]] and [[the Midnighters]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Nothing But Good (1952–1962)|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=November 15, 2020|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/nothing-but-good-1952-1962-mw0000809441}}</ref> [[the Ozark Mountain Daredevils]],<ref>{{cite web|title=The Car Over the Lake Album|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=November 15, 2020|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-car-over-the-lake-album-mw0000225321}}</ref> [[Duffy Bishop]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Ooh Wee!|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=November 15, 2020|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/ooh-wee%21-mw0000694178}}</ref> and The Senders featuring [[Big Jay McNeeley]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Jumpin' Uptown|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=November 15, 2020|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/jumpin-uptown-mw0000667264}}</ref>
==Lyrics and double entendre==
The song's lyrics are a [[double entendre]] which refer on their face to the process of [[Churning (butter)|churning]] cream to make butter. However, there is a risque, secondary interpretation that is implied by the lyrics. The following passage is illustrative: <blockquote>Keep on churnin' 'til the butter comes<br>Keep on pumpin' make the butter flow<br>Wipe off the paddle and churn some more<br>Little boy blue come blow your horn</blockquote>
Harris was known for his fondness for double entendre songs. On the release of a greatest hits collection in 1994, one music critic called it "a collection of political incorrectness and marvelously bawdy, double entendre-laden masterworks."<ref name=BTMR/> Other Harris songs in the [[dirty blues]] genre include "Lolly Pop Mama" (1948),<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HLKXCwAAQBAJ&q=%22Lolly+Pop+Mama%22.+%22Wynonie+Harris%22&pg=PA53|title=When Music Migrates: Crossing British and European Racial Faultlines, 1945–2010|author=Stratton, Jon|page=53|date=February 17, 2016|publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781134762880|access-date=May 7, 2016}}</ref> "I Like My Baby's Pudding" (1950),<ref name="censored">{{cite web|url=http://www.rebeatmag.com/10-often-censored-songs-from-the-early-50s|title=10 Often-Censored Songs from the Early '50s|publisher=Rebeatmag.com|date=September 4, 2014|access-date=May 7, 2016}}</ref> and "Sittin on It All the Time" (1950).<ref name="censored"/>
Although the song's lyrics are written in the form of an "extended sexual metaphor", they have been cited as part of a trend toward more "open sexuality" in rhythm and blues music of the early 1950s.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Parallels in the Social Reactions to Jazz and Rock|author=Jonathan Kamin|journal=The Black Perspective in Music |year=1975|volume=3|number=3|page=281|doi=10.2307/1214013 |jstor=1214013|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1214013|url-access=subscription}}</ref> In 2014, ''[[Salon (website)|Salon]]'' rated "Keep On Churnin'" as one of the 19 greatest double entendre songs of all time.<ref>{{cite web|title=The 19 greatest double entendre songs: From "It Ain't the Meat" to "Let Me Play with Your Poodle," the sneakiest sex songs in the history of music|work=Salon|author=Noah Berlatsky|date=June 28, 2014 |url=https://www.salon.com/2014/06/28/the_19_greatest_double_entendre_songs/}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:1951 songs]]
[[Category:Rhythm and blues songs]]
[[Category:Songs written by Henry Glover]]
[[Category:Songs written by Syd Nathan]]
[[Category:Songs written by Jester Hairston]]