I'm reading a book called On the Real Side - A History of African American Comedy and in it the author describes at some length the development of comic routines such as 'Open the Door Richard' and 'Here Come de Judge'. The latter is a routine associated with the comedian Pigmeat Markham and begins:
'Here ye, here ye the Court of Swing
Is now about ready to do its thing.
Don't want no tears, don't want no jive,
Above all things, don't want no lies.
Our judge is hip, his boots are tall
He'll judge you Jack, big or small.
So fall in line, his stuff is sweet,
Peace brothers, here's Judge Pigmeat.'
Now my question is does anyone know of a direct line of descent (maybe via an RnB song) from the Judge routine, elaborated by a number of different Black comedians in the States, to the punitive Judge Dread of Prince Buster and Honeyboy Martin. The similarities are strong - the American judge is so tough that he greets the defence lawyer thus: 'Why man, I got all these years in my book and somebody's gotta do 'em. Ain't gonna be me! Where's your first client...he's guilty.' Surely this is the same man who cooled off Rudies in JA.