I would really love to know the origin of this song too. Again, to me it was a silly weird song my mother used to sing back in the 60's and 70's when my sister and I were very young. Our version very similar.

In China once there lived a man,
His name was Chik-a-lee Chik-a-lee Chan
His feet were long and his toes were short,
And this is the way the Chinaman talked...

Ohhhhhh....
Chik - a - lee lee Chi Lie Chi Low,
Chik - a - la Romeo ena banana,
Koa - la, Koa - la Ka Chant A Geese
Enabanana go ouch e-owww.

The Chinaman, he had plenty of wealth,
He lived in a mansion all by himself,
His neighbors next door, they bought him a boat,
And sent the poor Chinaman afloat.

Ohhhhhh....
Chik - a - lee lee Chi Lie Chi Low,
Chik - a - la Romeo ena banana,
Koa - la, Koa - la Ka Chant A Geese
Enabanana go ouch e-owww.

The Chinaman, oh he did die,
And in his coffin he did lie,
They sent his body to Japan,
And that was the end of the Chinaman!

Ohhhhhh....
Chik - a - lee lee Chi Lie Chi Low,
Chik - a - la Romeo ena banana,
Koa - la, Koa - la Ka Chant A Geese
Enabanana go ouch e-owww.