Lyr Req: Broadway Is a Tame Street (Will Holt)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broadway Is a Tame Street (Will Holt)
From: GUEST,Marguerite Frost
Date: 20 Jun 17 - 11:25 PM

We sang this when I was in college in the 40's. One line was different: "Down by Jergen's Drugstore and the Second Presbyterian Church."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broadway Is a Tame Street (Will Holt)
From: GUEST,pixel annie
Date: 09 Apr 12 - 06:24 PM

Re the word drummer, I believe is correct. Drummer in this context refers to traveling salesmen, who are also the Jack Horners on the corners.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broadway Is a Tame Street (Will Holt)
From: GUEST,BonnieAlice
Date: 13 Mar 12 - 11:23 AM

The word "drummer" in these lyrics should be "drama"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broadway Is a Tame Street (Will Holt)
From: GUEST,Reliza
Date: 02 Nov 10 - 07:58 AM

I have acquired a replacement album of "The Exciting Artistry of Will Holt," the albums on which "Broadway is a Tame Street" is recorded, and will post all the lyrics in the next few weeks.

Regards to all,
r

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broadway Is a Tame Street (Will Holt)
From: Reliza
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 08:11 PM

See latest posting of mine on this thread. I'll post all lyrics in a few days.

r

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broadway Is a Tame Street (Will Holt)
From: Reliza
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 08:09 PM

Dear Mudcatters,

I have recently found a tape of a mix of Will Holt, Bobby Short, and Helen Merrill. Happily, the mix includes "Broadway is a Tame Street" and I'll be posting the lyrics shortly.

I'm also looking for any albums, tapes, or CDs for the purpose of creating a sort of "Will Holt Canon" collection. I've tried to contact Rhino Records:
http://www.rhino.com/

Character referenced: www.datastep.com and follow the links to Resumés. I'm Robin. Or, contact an old friend, Paul Woodford, former F-15 fighter pilot at [e-mail].

They have a contact us button on their site, and I encourage all Will Holt fans to contact them about making a multi-CD Will Holt Collection themselves. If no response, piracy here we come.

Yes, I guess I've found a new mission in life.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Robin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broadway Is a Tame Street (Will Holt)
From: Reliza
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 07:59 PM

I'm in the process of trying to put together a Will Holt collection, either with Rhino Records or without them. I've just sent them a second query. We'll see what they say. I want to make sure Mr. Holt gets his fair royalties.

If you know Mr. Holt, I'd be very interested in borrowing any copies that your or he might have and in setting up some arrangement for putting together a multi-CD "Will Holt Canon" collection. All media exchanges to be charged to my FedEx number and well insured.

As it happens, I recently found a tape version of a mix my late ex-husband made me, including "Broadway is a Tame Street," and will be happy to transcribe the lyrics for posting at Mudcat. All contributors will be credited in the liner notes. I have the "Pills to Purge Melancholy" album and these several excerpts from the "Exciting Artistry" album.

For character references, please see www.datastep.com and follow the links to Resumes. I'm Robin. You can also contact a friend of mine, Paul Woodford, former F-15 fighter pilot at: Paul Woodford ;

I look forward to hearing from you.

r

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broadway Is a Tame Street (Will Holt)
From: Chris in Portland
Date: 08 Oct 10 - 08:26 AM

Growing up in Chicago in the '50's, I fell into folk music. An early discovery, of course, was the Midnight Special, which played a lot of the Will Holt lp. By the time I got a driver's license, my favorite became Bob Gibson, and the "new" Gate of Horn had an underage section that somehow legally separated the under's from the over's. In any event, ever since, I have talked about the distinction then in Chicago between the cabaret and old timey styles of folk music, both of which bloomed in Chicago at that time. The top of the line of old timey was the fantastic performers that Mike Seeger and others brought to the University of Chicago Folk Festival. I think the cabaret style morphed into the singer-songwriter school, but I also think the cabaret style, even with Lemon Tree, is a true part of the folk music tradition, which is carried on still in Chicago by folks such as Michael Smith and Jamie O'Reily.
Chris in Portland

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broadway Is a Tame Street (Will Holt)
From: GUEST,Will Holt album: on cassette
Date: 07 Oct 10 - 09:00 PM

Just as I was giving up on ever finding "The Exciting Artistry of Will Holt," when I finally came across a tape my ex-husband made for me that contained a mix of Will Holt and some Bobby Short (RIP). It looks like most of the songs from the "Artistry…" album. So, does anyone know Will Holt so we can work out some arrangement for creating CDs for a small price to cover reproduction, distribution, and royalties. Is anyone here a contract lawyer?

Reliza

Subject: Lyr Add: BROADWAY
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 06:54 PM

Here's another version, from yet another amateurishly-published songbook called "A Collection of Sea Songs and Ditties from the Stores of Dave E. Jones." The web site gives a date of 1928, but gives no indication of how they came up with that date, nor any other information about its provenance. In my opinion, the typeface of the title page looks too new for 1928, though I can't identify it.


SONG NO. 11
BROADWAY
(Tune—SAILING OVER THE BOUNDING MAIN)

Broadway's a tame street
Compared to our Main Street,
All lit up on Saturday night.
Right from Perkin's Corners
To the Second Presbyterian Church,
You can see the Johnny Horners
Standing on the corners
Looking them over,
The girls from the clover,
Corn-fed and galloping up and down.
Tho' their skirts are made of gingham,
It's the saucy way they swing 'em,
Brings the drama to our home town.

Subject: Lyr Add: BROADWAY'S A TAME STREET (1945)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 06:19 PM

Here's another version, from a songbook called "Aloha Jigpoha" allegedly published in Honolulu in February 1945. It appears to be assembled from mimeographed sheets. The introduction at the web site says:

Jigpoha is an intentional corruption of JICPOA (Joint Intelligence Center Pacific Operation Area). It was a translation, interpretation, intelligence office within Nimitz's Commander In Chief Pacific (CINCPAC). Between 1942 and 1945, the Navy and Marine Japanese Language Officers in JICPOA (trained in Navy Japanese Language Schools located in Tokyo [1910-1940], Berkeley and Harvard [1941-42], Boulder [1942-1945] and Stillwater [1945-46]) translated and interpreted captured enemy documents and intercepted radio traffic, interrogated Japanese POWs, and frequently were sent out with the fleets as part of invasion forces and to translate aboard carriers and flagships.

The preface to the songbook itself says:

ALOHA JIGPOHA

The following anthology is the result of one night's alcoholically - inspired conception in the bar at the St. Francis, Erdman Annex. The work acquired considerable bulk and possibly even some quality during the ensuing weeks of incubation under the supervision of the Editorial Board – though its birth here seems hardly credible. In any case, we present the offspring for your own drinking and singing pleasure.

I. BOULDER - JIGPOHA JIDAI
II. WAR IN THE POA
III. POLITICAL POTPOURRI
IV. DRINKING DITTIES AND COLLEGE CLASSICS
V. BAWDY BALLADS

To all collaborators, contributors, and sundry mid-wives, a hearty "DŌMO ARIGATŌ GOZAIMAS."

Honolulu, T. H.
February 1945

A "raw OCR" rendering of the songbook is here; a facsimile PDF is here.


BROADWAY'S A TAME STREET

Broadway's a tame street
Compared to our Main Street,
All dressed up on Saturday night.
Right from Perkins' Corner
To the Second Presbyterian Church,
You can see those little Jackie Horners
All dressed up and standing on the corners,
Looking them over, the girls from the clover.
Corn-fed and struttin' up and do-o-own.
Though their skirts may be of gingham.
It's the saucy way they swing 'em,
Brings the drummers to our home town.

Though their skirts may be of flannel,
It's the zipper in the panel,
Brings the drummers to our home town.

Though their skirts may be of taffeta,
It's their bodies that they're after,
Brings the drummers to our home town.

Though their skirts may be of linen,
It's the joy that lies within 'em,
Brings the drummers to our home town.

Though their skirts may be of serge,
It's the biological urge,
Brings the drummers to our home town.

Though their skirts may be of cotton,
It's the joys that can be gotten,
Brings the drummers to our home town.

Though their skirts may be of nylon,
It's the way the boys all pile on,
Brings the drummers to our home town.

Subject: Lyr Add: BROADWAY IS A TAME STREET (Will Holt)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 05:13 PM

I found a generous (about 2-minute) sample of BROADWAY IS A TAME STREET sung by Chad Mitchell at CDBaby. It might be nearly the complete song. Here's my transcription:


BROADWAY IS A TAME STREET

Now, Broadway is a tame street
Compared to our Main Street
All dressed up on Saturday night.
Straight from Perkins Corner
To the Pres-bye-terian church,
You can see them little Jane Horners
All dressed up and sittin' in the corner.

Lookin' them over, boys, from the clover,
You can see 'em runnin' up and down.
Oh, it's not the skirts of gingham,
It's that saucy way they swing 'em,
Brings the drummer to my home town.

Now Hawkins' Falls is very tiny.
Early are the hours they do keep.
Saturday night the streets are crowded.
Twelve o'clock, ev'ryone's asleep.
Last summer home on my vacation,
Decided to live it Broadway style;
Took Irene out dine-and-dancing.
We really lifted up awhile.
Just at midnight, Irene pleaded:
"Mother said don't stay out late,"
So I took her to her doorstep
And kissed goodnight at the garden gate.
Irene hastened up that pathway,
Popped inside the big front door.
There lay Pete on the old veranda
Where ... to meander,
Then rushed off to Hawkins Creek,
There to meet and speak with Zeke.
At three, her busy schedule read:
"An hour's chat with Uncle Ned."
Just at four, the good girl fled
Home to mother and home to bed.
There she found herself alone.
Mother had not yet come home.
At five, she clapped her hands with glee.
She saw her mother and me
Wand'rin' down that shady road,
Harmonizing "Liebestod."

Now, Broadway is a tame street
Compared to our Main Street,
All dressed up on Saturday night.
Straight from Perkins Corner
To the Pres-bye-terian church,
You can see them little Jane Horners
All dressed up and a-sitting in the corner.

Lookin' them over, boys, from the clover,
You can see 'em runnin' up and down.
It's not the skirts of gingham,
It's that saucy way they swing 'em.
No, it's not the skirts of serge,
It's that biological urge.
No, it's not their skirts of rayon,
It's that new-mown hay they—
Brings the drummer, the farmer, doctor, lawyer, Indian, clerk,
Chief, bank teller, soda-jerk,
Their head, embedded, and ofttimes wedded
In my home town.


That song appeared originally on an LP, "Chad Mitchell, Himself" (Warner Bros., 1966). That album was later combined with another one, "A Feeling of Love" (Warner Bros., 1967), and reissued as one CD called (according to the album cover) "Chad Mitchell / Himself and Love, a Feeling of" (Folk Era Records, 2004). Then someone, apparently misled by the punctuation, indexed the title as "A Feeling of Himself/Love" and the Allmusic.com reviewer misunderstood that as meaning that the original albums were "A Feeling of Himself" and "Love"!

CDBaby more believably lists the same double album as "Himself/love, A Feeling Of."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broadway Is a Tame Street (Will Holt)
From: GUEST,Reliza
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 02:37 AM

If anyone here actually knows Will Holt, could you please convey my deepest thanks for that album? It has been a joy to me since I was thirteen. (Yes, I know I'm aging myself, but what the hell? To late to anything about it now.)

Any chance Elektra would release the album as an MP3 file or even a CD. That album should be a classic and maintained forever, every few years being updated to a new format, as required. Sort of like Mozart's 40th symphony. Or "Chicago."

Thanks very much. And yes, I'm still working on the "Uncle Ned" line.

r

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broadway Is a Tame Street (Will Holt)
From: GUEST,Broadway is a Tame Street
Date: 26 Jul 10 - 06:12 AM

Sorry, the transcription above is incomplete. The song has at least three verses, with our hero outdoing his date by finally strolling home even later with his date's mother "harmonizing libestrum."

You're right, it is a wonderful song and an even more wonderful album. I think I have recently located an MP3 download of the album, which would finally drive me to buy an MP3 player.

Will send report from the bush. It's out there somewhere. Something so wonderful cannot just disappear forever.

Reliza

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Will Holt's 'Broadway is a Tame Street'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Apr 10 - 11:29 PM

Hi, Deborah-
Looks like you're right. The Harry Fox Agency lists the song as "Broadway Is a Tame Street," written by Will Holt and also recorded by Chad Mitchell. Judging from the graphics, I'd say the "Three Hats" songbook I quoted from was from the 1970s or later, and the Chad Mitchell album was 1969. I found a source that said that The Exciting Artistry Of Will Holt came out in 1959.

So, can anybody come up with a transcription of the Will Holt recording?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Will Holt's 'Broadway is a Tame Street'
From: babypix
Date: 27 Apr 10 - 11:03 PM

Thanks Joe-- good reminders for all of us, when it comes to "folk music". In this case, however, Holt himself told me that he wrote "Broadway is a Tame Street", so lyrics being "earlier" than the Holt recording, seem doubtful, but, hey-- as we all know, the "folk process" takes lots of artistic (and other sorts of!) license into account as well--I could be wrong-- There are several albums recorded by Holt-- the Elektra album cited above, and several others, including more "cabaret" and musical theater-type work that he was responsible for, including the musical, "The Me Nobody Knows". Kindest regards,
Deborah

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Will Holt's 'Broadway is a Tame Street'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Apr 10 - 08:44 PM

Hi, Deborah-
Remember that this is a folk music site, so it's not that the lyrics I posted are "not quite right" - they're just different from the particular recording you're seeking. Here at Mudcat, we tend to explore all aspects (and all versions) of a song. I'm guessing the lyrics I posted are earlier than the Will Holt recording, and that both Will Hold and Chad Mitchell expanded on the original song.
That being said, I hope you find your Will Holt version, and that somebody posts it here so all of us can see.
By the way, Will Holt is known for writing "Lemon Tree" (recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary and infamously by Trini Lopez), and "Raspberries, Strawberries (Kingston Trio). I've found only one cut recorded by Will Holt: "Three Jovial Huntsmen."

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Will Holt's 'Broadway is a Tame Street'
From: babypix
Date: 27 Apr 10 - 08:29 PM

Thanks, Joe-- but those lyrics are not quite right, I'm sure. But even more curious than that-- what on earth is the Immortalia Website? I clicked on it, and found a strange collection of seemingly unrelated songs with certain bizarre images!

I guess, I'll reiterate-- if anyone can come up with the full lead sheet and especially the chords to this song--- there's a few of us out here crazy enough to want to perform it! Thanks, all!

Deborah

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Will Holt's 'Broadway is a Tame Street'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Apr 10 - 07:07 PM

Chad Mitchell also recorded this song, on the CD called Himself and Love, a Feeling of (I gather that's a two-album reissue, and that the original recording was on the 1969 album Himself). The Chad Mitchell recording of Himself is on Spotify, and it's a delightful album. I don't know if I'll get the gumption to transcribe the whole thing. It's looooooong...

I found the lyrics at the archive of the Immortalia Website.

It's from a songbook called The Three Hats, Vol. 1 (page 111) [privately printed and distributed - no publication date]

BROADWAY'S A TAME STREET

Oh Broadway's a tame street
Compared to our Main Street,
All togged out on Saturday night,
Right from Perkins Corners to the First Presbyterian Church,
You can hear these Little Jack Horners,
All dressed up and standing on the corners,
Loo-----ooking them over girls from the clover,
All dressed up and strutting up and down.
For though their skirts are made of gingham,
It's the saucy way they swing 'em,
Brings the drummers to my home town.
Though their skirts are made of cotton,
It's their nicely rounded bottoms &......
Though their skirts are made of linen,
It's the way they twitch what's in 'em &......
AD INFINITUM.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Will Holt's 'Broadway is a Tame Street'
From: Art Thieme
Date: 27 Apr 10 - 07:00 PM

I've had this since the 1950s. This is the best LP Mr. Holt ever did. I think it was 1959 when I heard him do an evening at Chicago's Gate Of Horn.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Will Holt's 'Broadway is a Tame Street'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Apr 10 - 06:48 PM

Sounds like a wonderful recording. This Elektra Discography has the track listing:

The Exciting Artistry Of Will Holt: Will Holt

Elektra EKL 181 (Mono) EKS 7181 (Stereo)

The Exciting Artistry Of Will Holt Bilbao Song Mack The Knife Alabama Song Kanonen Song Sailor's Tango Nobody Knows You Eagle And Me When The World Was Young I Love Paris Broadway Is A Tame Street Blues In The Night

Subject: Lyr Req: Will Holt's 'Broadway is a Tame Street'
From: babypix
Date: 27 Apr 10 - 01:45 AM

Gentle Colleagues:

Anyone have the entire lyrics/chords for this song included on the Elektra EKL 181 (Mono) EKS 7181 (Stereo)album: The Exciting Artistry of Will Holt? It's a fun and clever song. I asked Will about a lead sheet for this about 5 years ago, and he said it had never been published, so I wonder if anyone's ever gone to the trouble of transcribing it...Thanks!