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Blarg
08-21-2005, 08:54 PM
Saw "Moon River" being sung, and there's that line that says, "My huckleberry friend."

What the heck does that mean?

Perhaps this matter may need BigSteve's clarification.

Sheepscot
08-21-2005, 09:13 PM
Not what you're looking for, but after reading the tombstone thread, this is all I could think of

"I'm your huckleberry" http://www.patriotresource.com/tombstone/graphics/cast/kilmer.jpg

wacki
08-21-2005, 09:48 PM
Huckleberry is slang for hucklebearer, which was a term in the
old south that meant pallbearer

RacersEdge
08-21-2005, 09:49 PM
Check this out. (http://www.johnnymercer.com/FAQ/Moon%20River.htm) About halfway down the page.

wacki
08-21-2005, 09:53 PM
Also, I don't know the song, but huckleberry is also a term from the middle ages where nights who won a joust (or aiding in defense) would recieve a huckleberry garland from a damsel to be place on his lance. In this sense it means "I am your champion".

Blarg
08-21-2005, 09:58 PM
It's a mushy love song from I guess the 50's. I saw Audrey Hepburn singing it.

Your second definition sounds more probably than the first. I'm not sure it fits quite right in the song, but I suppose that could be it.

RacersEdge
08-21-2005, 10:03 PM
I've heard this song somewhere - very sappy - the Huckleberry Finn tie-in makes the most sense.

Brain
08-21-2005, 10:10 PM
http://www.toonopedia.com/yogi.jpg
or
http://www.toonopedia.com/pixidixi.jpg

DukeSucks
08-21-2005, 10:15 PM
or the right man for a certain job

HERE (http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-huc1.htm)

tonypaladino
08-21-2005, 10:46 PM
http://d21c.com/walpurgis9/dogs/part7/0029.gif

Blarg
08-21-2005, 11:01 PM
[ QUOTE ]
or the right man for a certain job

HERE (http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-huc1.htm)

[/ QUOTE ]

Excellent link.

It would seem from this link to suggest something of modesty rather than championship. That fits in with the mood of the song, too.

The word's history as pertains to Huckleberry Finn is a nice illuminating tidbit. Thanks for that!

bwana devil
08-21-2005, 11:27 PM
i have no idea why since im not familiar w/ the song but i got interested in tracing back the orgin of "huckleberry" and finally stumbled upon johnny mercer's website. someone asked the same question on the bb and the moderator answered after many really bad answers. (at least no 2+2ers think mark twain wrote uncle tom's cabin)

so the answer is huckleberry is in reference to a friend he picked huckleberries w/ as a boy.

link (http://www.johnnymercer.com/FAQ/Moon%20River.htm)


answer: What is meant by "My Huckleberry Friend" in the song "Moon Ri...

From: webmaster@johnnymercer.com


Date: 1/17/99
Time: 12:39:27 PM
Remote Name: 24.2.83.46
Comments

Johnny Grew up in Savannah, Georgia. The information I am about to cite can be found in a handwritten note, from Walter Rivers, a friend of Johnny's to Bob Bach. Bob wrote him while doing research for the book OUR HUCKLEBERRY FRIEND,,

page 16.

The Book "Our Huckleberry Friend" ..the Life ,Times and Lyrics, of Johnny Mercer by Bob Bach and Ginger Mercer (John's Widow who passed away in 1994).

Johnny and his friends would enjoy spending time in the early summers picking wild huckleberries (Blueberries). They would place these in pails and bring them home to enjoy. They even turned up in ice-cream. This is where my huckleberry friend came from, just Johnny as a little boy, with his friends enjoying themselves in their private activities.

Even though this book was issued in 1982, it is still available through many bookstores (including online dealers-amazon etc., and though interlibrary loan).

regards,

Steve Taksler webmaster@johnnymercer.com

peachy
08-22-2005, 01:56 AM
[ QUOTE ]
Huckleberry is slang for hucklebearer, which was a term in the
old south that meant pallbearer

[/ QUOTE ]

yes but it was an anciet term used by knights and i think damsels in distress...but in the movie i think it was more meant as im your man

but who knows...it means a bunch of different things here in the south...not just pallbearer

these of course r for tombstone....

in the song it just means a good old friend like from the novels Huckleberry Finn...back then people used it to describe poeple and although sometimes thought a little word it was enduring...but thats in the south...dunno what it means elsewhere

Blarg
08-22-2005, 03:10 AM
Thanks Bwana!

Sarahanj
08-22-2005, 11:26 AM
I actually know the answer. He sings about the story tom sawyer and huckleburry finn. As simple as that

jakethebake
08-22-2005, 11:32 AM
[ QUOTE ]
Huckleberry is slang for hucklebearer, which was a term in the old south that meant pallbearer

[/ QUOTE ]

Very interesting. This is why I love 00T.

Ray Zee
08-22-2005, 05:02 PM
anyway, hucks are a purple blueberry found just in the mountains of the pacific northwest mostly nowadays. they have been wiped out in most other states that had them. although some states still do they arent prevelant. they are tart and the best of all the berries by my standards. they also sell for about 8 bucks a pound. this year the crop is sparse and i havent even thought of picking them in my woods.