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Thread: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

  1. #1
    Charlie Carr
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    Default "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    This phrase pops up from time to time on the Cafe website and I'm wondering about the exact attribution. As I recall, it was Bill Monroe's assessement of some act which he didn't consider to be "Bluegrass". Is that correct? Who was it? (Something tells me it was his rejection of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's invitation to take part in "Will the Circle Be Unbroken".

    Please help me out here!!

    Regards,

    Charlie Carr
    New Orleans, LA

  2. #2

    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    I don't know, but the question reminds me of Mark Twain's admonishment that we should never let the truth interfere with a good story.

  3. #3
    Mark Evans mandozilla's Avatar
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    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    I believe Bill made that statement when asked what he thought about using dobro's in bluegrass music.

    Bill replied something to the effect of: "A dobro? Why, that ain't no part of nothin'."


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    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    Well,you can't argue with that !,
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    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    It was part of Mr. Monroe's everyday language. He probably said it thousands of times about thousands of things. Peter Rowan even memorialized it in one of his songs about Bill.
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    A.K.A. Scott Rule Daijoki's Avatar
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    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    Between this quote and the infamous butchered headstock, one must ask... Who had "a case of the Mondays?"

  8. #7
    Registered User Jim MacDaniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    I can't speak to the phrase's history, but if you get rid of the triple-negative, it is still seems consistent with his original intent -- but it lacks the gruff charm of the original: "That is no part of anything".
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    Registered User Greg H.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    I believe Mike is correct, in that it was a common phrase from Bill. That said, the first time I heard of it was in reading about Bill's response to Newgrass, and specifically the Newgrass Revival.
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  10. #9
    wood butcher Spruce's Avatar
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    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton View Post
    It was part of Mr. Monroe's everyday language. He probably said it thousands of times about thousands of things.
    Maybe true...
    But I listened to 40-50 interviews with Mr. Bill trying to find him saying it, and never heard him utter the phrase even once....

    If anyone has it on tape anywhere, I'd love to hear it...

  11. #10

    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    As far as most of us know, the only witness to that statement was Sam Bush. More and more, I find that the statement applies to more and more things in modern life

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  13. #11
    Registered User big smiley guy's Avatar
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    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    I've heard it attributed to his thoughts on the Newgrass movement.

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    Registered User Earl Gamage's Avatar
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    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    I have heard it was about dobro and I have heard it was about Elvis doing Blue Moon of Kentucky. Who knows

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    Registered User Gary Hedrick's Avatar
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    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    The statement comes from the book " Can't You Hear Me Callin'" by Richard Smith.

    As for having a recording of I don't have one but I do recall him speaking in those terms about new grass.....

  17. #14
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    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    The way I've heard it told ... Mr. Bill asked Sam Bush, "What do you call that music you play?" Bush, "Newgrass?" Mr. Bill, "Yeah, I hate that!" or "That ain't no part of nuthin." I forget, but he apparently used it as a figure of speech frequently.

  18. #15

    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    He said it to me when I showed him the space where the cuckoo I hadn't made to fit into a cuckoo clock that I didn't have was.

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  20. #16

    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    Monroe's standard response to playing he thought in bad taste, according to Kenny Baker.

  21. #17
    Work in Progress Ed Goist's Avatar
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    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    In a wonderful example of irony, I believe Monroe used this phrase to refer to the phrase itself, and it's association with the English language.

  22. #18
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    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    He once said' "If you can't play twin fiddle you ain't no part of nuthin," discussing fiddlers with Eddie Ducomun.

  23. #19
    Registered User Rex Hart's Avatar
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    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    Wonder if any one makes a tee shirt with that phrase on it?
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  24. #20

    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    When referring to New Grass revival, Mr. Bill said at least once, "They're really wonderful", and "they can really sing and play"

  25. #21

    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    Quote Originally Posted by Rex Hart View Post
    Wonder if any one makes a tee shirt with that phrase on it?
    Yes, and he's a member of the 'cafe. Jim?

  26. #22
    Registered User Gary Hedrick's Avatar
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    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    I got taken to the "woodshed" a few times by Mr. Monroe as a young teenager. He woudl show you how he wanted it and expected you to do it. ....period......he could get frustrated with you very quickly. But I was so awed that he took the time to work with my brother and me that I can't complain......it just caused my knees to knock together.....

    But he would express his displeasure in terse terms....."That ain't it" etc so using the double negatives and being terse fits right in with the man of few words.

  27. #23
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    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    it was about Elvis doing Blue Moon of Kentucky.
    Them was some powerful checks...

  28. #24
    Wood and Wire Perry Babasin's Avatar
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    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    I have a documentary DVD about Bill, and on the topic of Elvis doing "Blue Moon of Kentucky" he says that "If it helped him get his start, it was fine by him"... Perhaps the residual checks that rolled in as writer of the afore mentioned tune tempered his opinion a bit... Great documentary BTW, I highly recommend it... Bill Monroe - Father of Bluegrass Music, not one cranky comment and a bunch of cool people reminiscing, including interviews with Bill by John Hartford and others...
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  29. #25
    Registered User Jethrob's Avatar
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    Default Re: "That ain't no part of nothin' "

    Good thing Big Mon' never heard the Kentucky Headhunters version of "Walk Softly".

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