Songs about Napoleon

Subject: Lyr Add: WHO ATE NAPOLEONS WITH JOSEPHINE?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Jun 24 - 04:32 PM

From the sheet music at Baylor University:


WHO ATE NAPOLEONS WITH JOSEPHINE
(WHEN BONAPARTE WAS AWAY)?
Words by Alfred Bryan, music by E. Ray Goetz, 1920.
From the Revue “As You Were,” adapted from Rip’s “Plus Ça Change.”

1. The love affairs of famous men have led me to believe
That ev’ry woman beautiful was born just to deceive.
The female of the specie [sic] is more deadly to the male,
Who thinks he is the only one—and thereby hangs a tale.
I know about the love affairs of men of history,
But there is just one mystery that always puzzles me:

CHORUS 1: Who ate Napoleons with Josephine when Bonaparte was away?
Who said “Do zis for me
And I’ll do zat for you,”
While “Nap” was fighting Prussians,
Austrians, and Russians?
I told you once when Rip Van Winkle to the mountains went.
His missus ate her grapefruit with someone who paid the rent;
But who ate Napoleons with Josephine when Bonaparte was away?

2. There are a lot of foolish men who never realize
Their little wives are fooling them and right before their eyes.
Queen Catherine of Russia had some brains within her head.
She always found a burglar hiding underneath the bed.
If they’ll double-cross such famous men like bold Mark Antony,
Image how they’ll hand it to a chap who looks like me!

CHORUS 2: Who ate Napoleons with Josephine when Bonaparte was away?
Who leaned back in the throne,
As if it was his own,
While Nap played Philopena
Out in St. Helena?
When Walter Raleigh left Queen Lizzie like a gallant kid,
Did she walk on someone else’s coat? You bet your life she did!
But who ate Napoleons with Josephine when Bonaparte was away?

CHORUS 3: Who ate Napoleons with Josephine when Bonaparte was away?
When he took Austerlitz,
Who took her to the Ritz,
While he sat in the trenches
Eating goulash off the benches?
King Solly had a thousand wives to dinner in his den,
But each one brought a cousin home for breakfast now and then;
But who ate Napoleons with Josephine when Bonaparte was away?

CHORUS 4: Who ate Napoleons with Josephine when Bonaparte was away?
Who told her maid to go
Each night to see a show
While Nap was fighting Prussians
Austrians and Russians?
When Romeo left Juliet back in the ages dim,
She had another leading man who understudied him;
But who ate Napoleons with Josephine when Bonaparte was away?

Subject: RE: Songs about Napoleon
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 23 Jun 24 - 07:17 PM

The late Pete Wood wrote a very good book on Napoleon Songs called 'The Green Linnet' and here are some reviews :    https://www.livingtradition.co.uk/webrevs/9780957618756.htm
https://www.mustrad.org.uk/reviews/g_linnet.htm

Subject: RE: Songs about Napoleon
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Jun 24 - 07:58 PM

The Bonny Light Horseman

Oh, Napoleon Bonaparte, you're the cause of my woe
Since my bonny light horseman in the war he did go
Broken hearted I'll wander, broken hearted I'll remain
Since my bonny light horseman, in the war he was slain

And if I was some small bird and if I had wings to fly
I would fly over the ocean where my own true love does lie
I would fly over the ocean, and I'd lie upon the plain
Where my bonny light horseman, in the war he was slain

Oh, Napoleon Bonaparte, you're the cause of my woe
Since my bonny light horseman in the war he did go
Broken hearted I'll wander, broken hearted I'll remain
Since my bonny light horseman, in the war he was slain

And the white dove laments for her mate as she flies
"Tell me, where in this wide world, is my own true love," she cries
"And where in this wide world is there one who can compare
With my bonny light horseman, who was slain in the war?"

Oh, Napoleon Bonaparte, you're the cause of my woe
Since my bonny light horseman in the war he did go
Broken hearted I'll wander, broken hearted I'll remain
Since my bonny light horseman, in the war he was slain

Oh, Napoleon Bonaparte, you're the cause of my woe
Since my bonny light horseman in the war he did go
Broken hearted I'll wander, broken hearted I'll remain
Since my bonny light horseman, in the war he was slain

Subject: RE: Songs about Napoleon
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 27 Jun 24 - 01:32 PM

I am sure Iain Ingram composed a Napoleon song, I just need time to trawl through his fairly large songbook,,,,!!

Subject: RE: Songs about Napoleon
From: Thompson
Date: 28 Jun 24 - 05:07 AM

I think that most of the pro-Napoleon songs are from Irish sources rather than British. I don't offhand recall any English ones, downtrodden masses or not. Aggro was directed against our own tyrants..."we have bigger Boney's of our own" springs to mind. Unfortunately the title of this song doesn't - one of the Strawhead pieces (Perhaps from The Old Lamb and Flag? I think I can hear Pat Ryan's voice....). "Little Bantam Emperor" is rather more of the English attitude.

On a similar line, why did Santiana (Santa Anna) of Alamo fame become such a popular star of sea shanties? Were the Americans that unpopular then?

For obvious reasons, the Irish are always up for the underdog.

Subject: RE: Songs about Napoleon
From: GUEST,Greum
Date: 28 Jun 24 - 09:28 AM

> For obvious reasons, the Irish are always up for the underdog.

Ireland and Napoleon also had a common enemy in England.

Subject: RE: Songs about Napoleon
From: GUEST,Greum
Date: 28 Jun 24 - 09:50 AM

The Handloom Weaver's Lament (Ye Tyrants of England) contains the verse:

You say that Bonaparte has been the spoil of us all
And that we have good reason for to pray for his downfall
Now Bonaparte is dead and gone and it is plainly shown
That we have bigger tyrants and Boneys of our own.

Subject: Lyr Add: NAPOLEON (from Lena Horne)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Jun 24 - 10:44 AM

NAPOLEON
Words by E. Y. Harburg, music by Harold Arlen, ©1957.
As recorded by Lena Horne on “Jamaica - An Original Cast Recording,” 1957. [YouTube, Spotify]

Napoleon's a pastry.
Bismarck is a herring.
Alexander's a crème de cacao mixed with rum,
And Herbie Hoover is a vacuüm.

Columbus is a circle and a day off.
Pershing is a square; what a pay-off!
Julius Caesar is just a salad on a shelf,
So, little brother, get wise to yourself.

Life's a bowl and it's
Full of cherry pits.
Play it big and it throws you for a loop.
That's the way with fate:
Comes today, we're great;
Comes tomorrow, we're tomato soup.

Napoleon's a pastry.
Get this under your brow:
What once useta
Be a roosta'
Is just a dusta' now.

Napoleon's a pastry.
DuBarry is a lipstick.
Pompadour's a hairdo.
Good Queen Mary just floats along from pier to pier.
Venus De Milo is a pink brassiere.

Sir Gladstone is a bag; ain't it shocking?
And the mighty Kaiser, just a stocking.
The Czar of Russia is now a jar of caviar,
And Cleopatra is a black cigar.

Yes, my honey lamb, Swift is just a ham.
Lincoln's a tunnel; Coolidge is a dam.
Yes, my noble lads, comes today, we're fads;
Comes tomorrow, we are subway ads.

Homer is just a swat.
Get this under your brow:
All these bigwig controversials
Are just commercials now.
Better get your jug of wine
And loaf of love
Before that final vow.

Napoleon's a pastry.
Caesar is a salad.
Get it while you're able.