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Jim Dixon Lyr Add: Songs recorded by Bert Williams (57* d) Lyr Add: THE LEE FAMILY (Rogers/Vodery) 07 Dec 15


I found a set of lyrics here, which were very helpful, but they are different from what Bert Williams actually "sang" (recited, actually), so I made a lot of corrections:


THE LEE FAMILY
Alex Rogers & Will H. Vodery, 1916.
As recorded by Bert Williams, 1916.

Jasper Lee's done sold his farm, and bought himself a house in town,
Since he's been left that money by his aunt Maria Brown.
Well, sir, you talk 'bout money changin' people—why, Jasper Lee's gone and changed his name,
And the names of his twelve children, and claims that it is his aim
That all of his folks shall have names just like them that he sees around
In the streetcars, and on the fences, and 'specially on them electric signs all 'round town.

So now 'Lijah—that's the tall boy—they call him Bull Durham Lee.
Susie, she's September Morn, and Tildy's Miss Tiffany Lee.
Celia now is Coca-Cola, and she just puts on airs for sho',
And they calls Dan Danderine, and Oscar now is Ostermoor.
Then there's S'polio and Herpicide, Gold Dust and White Rose Tea,
And Jasper, he calls hisself Anheuser-Busch Green River Wilson Lee.

Now the eldest gal, Sophrony, of course, she was kind o' keen,
So while they's round that after pickin' and choosin', they just called her Orangene Vaseline.
Yes, sir, and Mrs. Jasper was really so hard to suit, that they all decided that she
Should go right on ahead and just choose her own name, and she picked out Pianola Lee.
And they named the baby boy Hallud—that's the littlest one—that name of Bible fame.
You know where it says Hallud in scripture? Yeah! "Hallud be thy name."

Now Cephas—that's the oldest boy—they call him Cuticura Lee.
And Nancy she's Miss Uneeda, and Bill, he's B. C. D.(?)
Joshuay, now he's Jap-a-lac, yessir; Mandy is Maltine.
Rastus now they call White Rock Lee, and Phoebe is Miss Pearline.
And don't you know that Jasper's gone and changed his name again? He has that; calls himself Nero Lee.
That's another one o' them scripture names, where it says: "Nero my God to thee."

* * *
I looked up as many names as I could, mainly to verify spelling. Here's what I found:
1. Bull Durham
2. September Morn
3. Tiffany
4. Coca-Cola
5. Danderine
6. Ostermoor
7. Sapolio
8. Herpicide
9. Gold Dust
10. White Rose Tea
11. Anheuser-Busch
12. Green River
13. Pianola
14. Cuticura
15. Uneeda
16. Jap-a-lac
17. Maltine
18. White Rock
19. Pearline


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