Kum-A-Kye
"Kum-A-Kye" or "The Kum A Kye Song" is a Rhodesian song and military march, written in 1939 by Sergeant Max Sparks,[1] that was adopted as the regimental march of the Rhodesian British South Africa Police (BSAP) between 1947 and 1980.[2]
History[edit]
The chorus of "Kum-A-Kye" is based upon the 19th-century American campfire song " The Old Chisholm Trail", which was brought to Southern Rhodesia by two cowboys familiar with the Texan Chisholm Trail, who had joined the British South Africa Police.[3] In 1939, the BSAP asked Sergeant Sparks to create a military band for them. Sparks did so by bringing together a number of policemen as musicians and wrote the music to "Kum-A-Kye" for the police band to play as a march.[1]
In preparation for King George VI's royal tour of Southern Africa in 1947, "Kum-A-Kye" was formally adopted as the regimental march of the BSAP.[2] It was predominantly played as a marching tune only, with the lyrics often not being known by the policemen in the force.[4] In 1955 during Southern Rhodesia's time as part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, the BSAP released an LP album of regimental music entitled Kum-A-Kye after their regimental march.[5] In 1980, the BSAP was disbanded and replaced by the Zimbabwe Republic Police following Rhodesia's reconstitution as Zimbabwe.
In 2011, Northern Rhodesian-born John Edmond released "Kum-A-Kye" as part of his All Time Rhodesian Evergreens album.[6] The lyrics that he set to the tune are based upon the "Polly Wolly Doodle" American folk song.[7][8]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Tanser, G.H. (1967). Rhodesian Panorama. Steytler. p. 111. OCLC 2005335.
- ^ a b Gibbs, Peter (2000). The history of the British South Africa Police, 1889–1980 (2 ed.). Something of Value. p. 244. ISBN 064640119X.
- ^ "Stand-To Rhodesia". Rhodesia.me.uk. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
- ^ Lemon, David M.H. (2006). Never quite a soldier: A Rhodesian Policeman's War, 1971–1982 (2 ed.). Galago Books. p. 27. ISBN 1919854215.
- ^ Band of the British South Africa Police (1955). Kum-A-Kye (LP). Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland: Brigadiers Publishing.
The Regimental March of the B.S.A. Police
- ^ "John Edmond – All Time Rhodesian Evergreens Album". Songlyrics.com. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
- ^ "I went down south". Hymnary.org. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
- ^ "All Time Rhodesian Evergreens by John Edmond". Itunes. January 2011. Retrieved 2017-06-06.