The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #6971   Message #3289684
Posted By: GUEST
12-Jan-12 - 09:15 PM
Thread Name: Origins: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Once in China there lived a great man...
So cool to find this! My grandmother used to sing it to me and we actually recorded her before she died. Here is her version:

Oh, I knew a man from old Japan
His name was chickely chickely chan
His feet were long and his nose was short
And this is the way the poor chinaman talked

Oh, chickely cha lie cha lo,
chickly romano ana bananago
alago alago chanakee
ana banana co ouchio!

Oh, this chinaman he had some wealth
He lived in a mansion all by himself
The people next door they bought him a boat
And set the poor chinaman afloat!

(repeat chorus)

Oh, the chinaman he up and died
And in his coffin he did lie
They shipped him off to old Japan
And this is the way his funeral march ran

(repeat chorus)

Adam S. age 43