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This thread is intended to serve as a forum for corrections and annotations for the Digital Tradition song named in the title of this thread.

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I think it's time for us to do a study of the songs about burlesque and striptease.

In Jon Boden's "A Folk Song a Day" project, the song for February 8 is something he calls "Queenie,". He describes "Queenie" as "A peculiar music-hall number only sung at FSCs as far as I know." (what are FSCs??)

Well, the lyrics are a bit different, but it sure sounds to me like "Strip Polka," written by Johnny Mercer in 1942 and popularized by the Andrews Sisters. Here are the lyrics from the Digital Tradition, which I think need a little correction:

STRIP POLKA (DT Version)
(Johnny Mercer)

There's a burlesque theater where the boys like to go
To see Queenie, the cutie of the burlesque show
And the thrill of the evening is when out Queenie trips
And the band plays the polka while she strips.

cho 1: "Take it off! Take it off!"
All the customers shout,
"Down in front! Down in front!"
While the band beats it out;
But she's always a lady, even in pantomime
And she stops...and always just in time.

She's as fresh and as wholesome as the flowers of May
And she hopes to retire to a farm some day,
But you can't buy a farm unless you're up in the chips
So the band plays the polka while she strips.

Queenie, some day you'll fall.
Some day, wedding bells will chime
In strip polka time.

Well, she hates corny waltzes and she hates the gavotte
But the greatest advantage when the music's hot:
There's a fast-moving exit in case something r-r-rips
So the band plays the polka while she strips.

cho 2: "Take it off! Take it off!"
Cries a voice from the rear,
"Take it off! Take it off!"
Soon that's all you can hear;
But she's always a lady, even in pantomime
And she stops...and always just in time.

Note: popular circa 1940-41. Andrews Sisters, I think. RG
@dance
filename[ STRPOLKA
TUNE FILE: STRPOLKA
CLICK TO PLAY
RG