In 1736, American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin published The Drinker’s Dictionary and referenced the term, writing, “He’s kiss’d black Betty.” Other older references include the U.S. That euphemism was later adopted in the country regions of the eastern United States. In Northern England and southern Scotland, wrote David Hackett Fischer, the term “Black Betty” was offered used for a bottle of whiskey. While some may think “Black Betty” refers to a woman, others claim it’s a nickname for any number of objects, including a bottle of whiskey, a whip, or even a penitentiary transfer wagon. But the most famous in modern day is Ram Jam’s rock version, which is sung with slightly modified lyrics. Because of its populist origins, the song has many recordings-more recently, Tom Jones took a stab at it.

Some sources claim that “Black Betty” was written by Lead Belly, though others claim that he adapted it from even earlier versions. (Another famous tune attributed to him is “In the Pines,” made especially famous by Nirvana in the band’s MTV Unplugged performance, then called “My Girl.”) The song, like many early blues songs, has ties to the great songwriter and performer Lead Belly.

While it may seem obvious the song is about a woman named “Betty,” that meaning is likely not accurate-at least, not entirely. Though its roots may even extend beyond that into the 19th. The original song, “Black Betty,” started as a work song, sung predominately by Black people in the early 20th century.

Black betty boop figurine