Hoot Your Belly and Give Your Backbone Ease

March 18, 2007 6:18 PM

What does "hoot your belly" mean?

"Hoot Your Belly" is the title track on Georgia bluesman/farmer Jimmy Lee Williams' 1977-1982 album, recorded by George Mitchell at Williams' home of Porlan, Georgia. On some compilations it's called "Hoot Your Belly and Give Your Backbone Ease." Is this a common idiom? What does it mean?

posted by breezeway to writing & language (4 comments total)

Probably "hold." Hold, hod, hud, hood, hoot, etc.
posted by fire&wings at 6:35 PM on March 18, 2007

I think it means something like "liquor up" or warm up your belly, most likely with moonshine or cheap whiskey. Short for hootch. Some people like a little hoot in their hootch.
posted by iconomy at 6:48 PM on March 18, 2007

"Belly up to the bar" means you're standing at or, more likely, leaning on the bar, which would put you at ease. Possibly the same?
posted by SPrintF at 7:31 PM on March 18, 2007

There's a style of old blues singing called hooting. Look for recordings of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee to hear it.

Of course, "hoot your belly and give your backbone ease" could just as easily be a metaphor for sex.
posted by bink at 9:17 PM on March 18, 2007