Who is Parson Brown?

Comments

• justvisiting Posts: 61MI6 Agent

  November 2004

  Parson Brown was a pastor in Florida who developed the Parson Brown Orange (fruit, not color) around 1856, but I think the one in the song is simply a made up name.
• wormlover Formerly Derbyshire, UKPosts: 46MI6 Agent

  November 2004

  I think it's some sort of term, maybe old slang, there has to be a reason for it, like the name "John Doe" means someone with amnesia
• Lady Rose London,UKPosts: 2,667MI6 Agent

  November 2004 edited November 2004

  In the context of the song I would think its is just a made up name for a pastor...
  
  'In the meadow we can build a snowman
  Then pretend that he is Parson Brown
  He'll say: Are you married?
  we'll say: No man
  But you can do the job
  when you're in town'
• one night stand Posts: 127MI6 Agent

  November 2004

  http://www.antique-ceramics.com/parsonbrown.jpg
  
  Any help here. )
• CAGirl5586 Posts: 1MI6 Agent

  December 2004

  Well I was watching Frosty the Snowman when I was babysitting the other night. In the movie Parson Brown in the pastor who marries Frosty to Crystal the snow woman that the children made to keep frosty company. That is all I know, the lyrics still do not make complete sense but that is a start.
• Lilac SW Illinois, USAPosts: 9MI6 Agent

  December 2004 edited December 2004

  Forgive me if this sounds condescending, but I'm not sure from your posts. "Parson" is just another word for "minister". The song is not talking about a person named Parson, it's talking about the local church pastor.
• justvisiting Posts: 61MI6 Agent

  December 2004

  Hey Martini,
  
  I was listening to the Christmas songs on the radio too, and "Sleigh Ride" had a similar character:
  
  There's a birthday party
  At the home of Farmer Gray
  It'll be the perfect ending a perfect day
  
  I think as in the case of Farmer Grey, Parson Brown is just a generic name that provided a convenient rhyme for lyrics.
  
  Incidentally, do our British friends hear some of these Christmas songs on the radio? Most of them sound American.
• sippyjuice Posts: 1MI6 Agent

  December 2004

  Back in the old days small towns didn't have parsons (pastors). They used to travel around different towns to perform the wedding ceremonies. So, that part makes sense. But what about the alligators?? What a weird song! All these years, we sing along and don't even know even know what we are truly singing.
• one night stand Posts: 127MI6 Agent

  December 2004

  There is a chip in our head, we cant control it. Its a conspiracy, ahhh. The age of man is over, the alligators are in control. Run for your lives !!!!!!!!!!!
  
  I gotta stop with these outbursts. )
• leighferd Posts: 1MI6 Agent

  December 2004

  It's the the other kids will knock him down. not the A word.........
• helloworld Posts: 1MI6 Agent

  November 2006

  "Parson Brown" is the term used to talk about a typical angelican priest of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. "Parson Brown" is not an actual person (though he might have been at some time), but a figure of speech, like "John Doe" is an unidentified male and "Charley" is a watchman. "Parson" by itself means minister.
  
  As from: www.urbandictionary.com
• highhopes Posts: 1,358MI6 Agent

  November 2006

  He rhymes with "town." 'Nuff said.