The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #31691   Message #2014470
Posted By: Jim Dixon
02-Apr-07 - 12:51 PM
Thread Name: ADD: Keep It Clean (Charley Jordan)
Subject: Lyr Add: KEEP IT CLEAN (Charley Jordan)
I found these lyrics at Michael Taft's Pre-War Blues Lyrics Concordance--a wonderful source, despite the unusual formatting and organization.

(The web site is organized in such a way that if you find the lyrics with Google, it's difficult to work backwards and find the identifying information. If you're looking for a specific song, with a known title and artist, it's best to start with the page I have linked to, and follow the links to the lyrics.)

(I have no idea why the web site runs the verses together and omits the chorus.)

Charley Jordan recorded 2 versions of KEEP IT CLEAN.

KEEP IT CLEAN
Recorded by Charley Jordan, Chicago, c. mid-June 1930, Vocalion-1511.
Reissued on Yazoo L-1030 "St. Louis Blues: 1929-1935"

I went to the river : couldn't get across
I jumped on your papa : because I thought he was a horse
Up she jumped : down she fell
Her mouth flew open : like a mussel shell
You sister was a teddy : your daddy was a bear
Put the muzzle on your mama : because she had bad hair
If you want to hear : that elephant laugh
Take him down to the river : and wash his yas yas yas
If you want to go to heaven : when you D I E
You got to put on your collar : and your T I E
If you want to get the rabbits : out the L O G
You got to put on the stump : like a D O G
Run here doctor : run here fast
See what's the matter : with his yas yas yas

KEEP IT CLEAN # 2
Recorded by Charley Jordan, Chicago, 17 March 1931, Vocalion-1611.
Reissued on Yazoo L-1003 "St. Louis Town: 1929-1933"

I runned to the river : runned so fast
And you couldn't see nothing : but that yas yas yas
If you want to hear : that elephant grunt
You take him down to the river : and then wash his trunk
Up he jumped : down he fell
His trap flew open : like a mussel shell
If you keep it dirty : and I keep it clean
You don't know : what keeping it dirty means
I will tell you one thing : and I mean it
It sure will take soap and water : for to keep it clean
The terriblest sight : that I ever seen
Was a cook cooking victuals : and his hands wasn't clean
You got a head like a mouse : mouth like a goat
Every time you see me : you looking for some soap