Four Eleven Forty Four
Encyclopedia
Four Eleven Forty Four or 4-11-44 is a phrase that has appeared repeatedly in popular music
and other popular culture, either as a reference to numbers allegedly chosen commonly by poor African American
s while gambling, or to the combination of width and length of a penis, through multiplication of those two numbers, representing a type of handgun.
The roots of the phrase can be traced to the illegal lottery
known as "policy" in late 19th-century America. Numbers were drawn on a wheel of fortune, ranging from 1 to 78. A three-number entry was known as a "gig" and the ever-popular 4, 11, 44 bet became known as the "washerwoman's gig" after it featured on the cover of Aunt Sally's Policy Players' Dream Book, published by H.J. Wehman of New York sometime in the 1880s. The stereotypical
player of the washerwoman's gig was a poor black male.
In the 1890 How the Other Half Lives
: Studies Among the Tenements of New York, Jacob A. Riis wrote:
Probably the earliest written reference to 4-11-44 is in The Secrets of the Great City by Edward Winslow Martin. The book is about the New York slums and it was published in 1869. Martin attributes the section on policy to "the New York correspondent of a provincial journal", but does not name the writer. Nor does he date the article, except to say it was published "recently".
A song titled "4-11-44" appeared in The Major, a musical theater piece by Edward Harrigan and David Braham. In 1889, H.J. Wehman listed "Four 'eleven forty-four" in their extensive song book. The published song was possibly as performed in an unsuccessful musical show
"4-11-44" by Bert Williams
and George Walker
, but few details have survived and this has not been verified. Certainly, Bob Cole
published a song entitled "4-11-44: A Coon Ditty" in 1897 and he performed this with the Black Patti Troubadour Company
in the musical skit "At Jolly Cooney Island" around the same time.
The phrase "four eleven forty-four" appeared in the racist coon song
, "Every Race Has a Flag but the Coon
" by Will A. Heelan
& J. Fred Helf
, in 1900. In an ironic twist, many believe the song went on to inspire the creation of the Pan-African flag
in 1920. Meanwhile, the phrase appeared in a 1909 episode of the newspaper comic Little Nemo in Slumberland by Winsor McCay
: the numbers 4, 11 and 44 can be seen on a sign, hanging from the tail end of an imaginary creature.
Many uses of the term "4-11-44" occurred in later blues and jazz recordings; practically without exception the phrase had nothing whatsoever to do with gambling, but rather with sex. In 1925 the phrase "four eleven forty-four" featured in "The Penitentiary Bound Blues" by Rosa Henderson
and the Choo Choo Jazzers. Papa Charlie Jackson
recorded a blues
number with the title "4-11-44" in 1926. Pinetop & Lindberg released a different song called "4-11-44" in the 1930s. A jazz
piece of the same name was composed and recorded in 1963 by New Orleans saxophone player Pony Poindexter
on his album Gumbo for Prestige Records, featuring Booker Ervin
and Al Grey
. Liverpudlian
Pete Wylie
released his original song "FourElevenFortyFour" on his 1987 album Sinful. California band The Blasters
made their "4-11-44" the name of both their 2004 album, and its title track. Jawbone
(AKA Bob Zabor) released yet another track called "4-11-44" in 2005.\\
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
and other popular culture, either as a reference to numbers allegedly chosen commonly by poor African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s while gambling, or to the combination of width and length of a penis, through multiplication of those two numbers, representing a type of handgun.
The roots of the phrase can be traced to the illegal lottery
Lottery
A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
known as "policy" in late 19th-century America. Numbers were drawn on a wheel of fortune, ranging from 1 to 78. A three-number entry was known as a "gig" and the ever-popular 4, 11, 44 bet became known as the "washerwoman's gig" after it featured on the cover of Aunt Sally's Policy Players' Dream Book, published by H.J. Wehman of New York sometime in the 1880s. The stereotypical
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
player of the washerwoman's gig was a poor black male.
In the 1890 How the Other Half Lives
How the Other Half Lives
How the Other Half Lives: Studies Among the Tenements of New York was an early publication of photojournalism by Jacob Riis, documenting squalid living conditions in New York City slums in the 1880s...
: Studies Among the Tenements of New York, Jacob A. Riis wrote:
Of all the temptations that beset him, the one that troubles him and the police most is his passion for gambling. The game of policy is a kind of unlawful penny lottery specially adapted to his means, but patronized extensively by poor white players as well. It is the meanest of swindles, but reaps for its backers rich fortunes wherever colored people congregate. Between the fortune-teller and the policy shop, closely allied frauds always, the wages of many a hard day's work are wasted by the negro; but the loss causes him few regrets. Penniless, but with undaunted faith in his ultimate "luck," he looks forward to the time when he shall once more be able to take a hand at "beating policy." When periodically the negro's lucky numbers, 4-11-44, come out on the slips of the alleged daily drawings, that are supposed to be held in some far-off Western town, intense excitement reigns in Thompson Street and along the Avenue, where someone is always the winner. An immense impetus is given then to the bogus business that has no existence outside of the cigar stores and candy shops where it hides from the law, save in some cunning Bowery "broker's" back office, where the slips are printed and the "winnings" apportioned daily with due regard to the backer's interests.
Probably the earliest written reference to 4-11-44 is in The Secrets of the Great City by Edward Winslow Martin. The book is about the New York slums and it was published in 1869. Martin attributes the section on policy to "the New York correspondent of a provincial journal", but does not name the writer. Nor does he date the article, except to say it was published "recently".
A song titled "4-11-44" appeared in The Major, a musical theater piece by Edward Harrigan and David Braham. In 1889, H.J. Wehman listed "Four 'eleven forty-four" in their extensive song book. The published song was possibly as performed in an unsuccessful musical show
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
"4-11-44" by Bert Williams
Bert Williams
Egbert Austin "Bert" Williams was one of the preeminent entertainers of the Vaudeville era and one of the most popular comedians for all audiences of his time. He was by far the best-selling black recording artist before 1920...
and George Walker
George Walker (vaudeville)
George Walker was an African American vaudevillian. In 1893, in San Francisco, Walker met Bert Williams, who became his performing partner. Walker and Williams appeared in The Gold Bug , Clorindy , The Policy Player , Sons of Ham , In Dahomey , Abyssinia , and Bandanna Land...
, but few details have survived and this has not been verified. Certainly, Bob Cole
Bob Cole (composer)
Robert Allen "Bob" Cole was an American composer, actor, playwright, and stage producer and director.In collaboration with Billy Johnson, he wrote and produced A Trip to Coontown , the first musical entirely created and owned by black showmen. The popular song La Hoola Boola was also a result of...
published a song entitled "4-11-44: A Coon Ditty" in 1897 and he performed this with the Black Patti Troubadour Company
Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones
Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones, known as Sissieretta Jones, was an African-American soprano. She sometimes was called "The Black Patti" in reference to Italian opera singer Adelina Patti...
in the musical skit "At Jolly Cooney Island" around the same time.
The phrase "four eleven forty-four" appeared in the racist coon song
Coon song
Coon songs were a genre of music popular in the United States and around the English-speaking world from 1880 to 1920, that presented a racist and stereotyped image of blacks.-Rise and fall from popularity:...
, "Every Race Has a Flag but the Coon
Every Race Has a Flag but the Coon
"Every Race Has a Flag but the Coon" was a 1900 coon song written by Will A. Heelan and J. Fred Helf that was popular in the U.S. and Britain. The song followed the previous success of "All Coons Look Alike to Me", written in 1896 by Ernest Hogan. H.L. Mencken cites it as being one of the three...
" by Will A. Heelan
Will A. Heelan
Will A. Heelan was an American lyricist during the early 20th century. He collaborated with a number of composers and lyricists including E. P. Moran, Seymour Furth, J...
& J. Fred Helf
J. Fred Helf
J. Fred Helf was an American composer and sheet music publisher during the early 20th century.Helf was born in Maysville, Kentucky. He went to seek his fortune in New York City at the age of 31. There he composed over 100 songs, some in collaboration with Will A. Heelan.In October 1910 his music...
, in 1900. In an ironic twist, many believe the song went on to inspire the creation of the Pan-African flag
Pan-African flag
The Pan-African flag, also referred to as the UNIA flag, Afro-American flag or Black Liberation Flag, is a tri-color flag consisting of three equal horizontal bands colored red, black and green. It was originally created as an official banner to represent an international community for all African...
in 1920. Meanwhile, the phrase appeared in a 1909 episode of the newspaper comic Little Nemo in Slumberland by Winsor McCay
Winsor McCay
Winsor McCay was an American cartoonist and animator.A prolific artist, McCay's pioneering early animated films far outshone the work of his contemporaries, and set a standard followed by Walt Disney and others in later decades...
: the numbers 4, 11 and 44 can be seen on a sign, hanging from the tail end of an imaginary creature.
Many uses of the term "4-11-44" occurred in later blues and jazz recordings; practically without exception the phrase had nothing whatsoever to do with gambling, but rather with sex. In 1925 the phrase "four eleven forty-four" featured in "The Penitentiary Bound Blues" by Rosa Henderson
Rosa Henderson
Rosa Henderson was an American jazz and classic female blues singer, and vaudeville entertainer.-Career:...
and the Choo Choo Jazzers. Papa Charlie Jackson
Papa Charlie Jackson
Papa Charlie Jackson was an early American bluesman and songster. He played a hybrid banjo guitar and ukulele, his recording career beginning in 1924...
recorded a blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
number with the title "4-11-44" in 1926. Pinetop & Lindberg released a different song called "4-11-44" in the 1930s. A jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
piece of the same name was composed and recorded in 1963 by New Orleans saxophone player Pony Poindexter
Pony Poindexter
Norwood "Pony" Poindexter was an American jazz saxophonist.Poindexter began on clarinet and switched to playing alto and tenor sax growing up. In 1940 he studied under Sidney Desvigne, and following this attended Candell Conservatory in Oakland, where he based himself...
on his album Gumbo for Prestige Records, featuring Booker Ervin
Booker Ervin
Booker Telleferro Ervin II was an American tenor saxophone player. He was perhaps best known for his association with bassist Charles Mingus....
and Al Grey
Al Grey
Al Grey was a jazz trombonist who is most remembered for his association with the Count Basie orchestra....
. Liverpudlian
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
Pete Wylie
Pete Wylie
-Studio albums:- Extended Plays :-Singles:-External links:***...
released his original song "FourElevenFortyFour" on his 1987 album Sinful. California band The Blasters
The Blasters
The Blasters are a rock and roll music group formed in 1979 in Downey, California, by brothers Phil Alvin and Dave Alvin , with bass guitarist John Bazz and drummer Bill Bateman. Phil Alvin explained the origin of the band's name: "I thought Joe Turner’s backup band on Atlantic records – I had...
made their "4-11-44" the name of both their 2004 album, and its title track. Jawbone
Jawbone (musician)
Jawbone is the pseudonym of Bob Zabor, an American blues musician from Detroit. He is particularly unusual in that he is a one-man band. The instruments he plays include the harmonica, the guitar and the tambourine...
(AKA Bob Zabor) released yet another track called "4-11-44" in 2005.\\