Short’nin’ Bread
Nelson Eddy, 1939 — and why we can’t resist a good function parody.
Short’nin’ Bread (~1939) — Background
A popular song attributed to James Whitcomb Riley around 1900, performed here by Nelson Eddy, an American singer and movie star. In his heyday, this famous baritone was one of the highest-paid singers in the world.
Why is it here?
Besides giving our novices a cultural experience, we can’t resist writing and
performing song parodies if they advance the cause of math and computer science education.
For some reason, this little ditty was easy to spoof — and you can see it put in
code format as
Mama’s Little Function.
We’re willing to risk all sorts of embarrassment if it means our beloved novices remember something important — like how important functions are!
Some novices have never heard the real song, so we put it here. Enjoy!
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