Chord Req: Christopher Columbus - Fats Waller

Subject: Chord Req: Christopher Columbus - Fats Waller
From: PHJim
Date: 12 Aug 21 - 12:12 AM

I'd like the chords for the song "Christopher Columbus" by Chu Berry & Andy Razaf in 1936. I first heard it by Fats Waller.
I'd sure appreciate any help you could give me. Google wasn't too helpful.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Christopher Columbus - Fats Waller
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Aug 21 - 03:24 AM

Here's the Chu Berry version of the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3wu8HDeOmg

Here'd the Fats Waller version, which has vocals (not that I can hear them well enough to transcribe them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXnmWSwOnm0

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Christopher Columbus - Fats Waller
From: GUEST,#
Date: 12 Aug 21 - 07:25 AM

No guarantee. See if these work for you.

https://www.jazzpilgrims.co.uk/PDF%20C%20SINGLE%20CHORDS/CHRISTOPHER%20COLUMBUS.pdf

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Christopher Columbus - Fats Waller
From: PHJim
Date: 13 Aug 21 - 03:11 PM

Thanks a lot Guest,#. I can make something workable out of those for sure.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Christopher Columbus - Fats Waller
From: GUEST,#
Date: 13 Aug 21 - 04:23 PM

You're welcome, PHJim, and I'm glad it will work for you. I say that with a sense of relief because I couldn't find any others ;-)

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Christopher Columbus - Fats Waller
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Aug 21 - 10:53 PM

Can anybody transcribe the lyrics?

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Christopher Columbus - Fats Waller
From: GUEST,#
Date: 14 Aug 21 - 07:35 AM

http://www.perfessorbill.com/lyrics/lycolumbus.htm

I haven't checked them against the recording. I'll try to do so a bit later, unless someone gets to it sooner.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Christopher Columbus - Fats Waller
From: GUEST,#
Date: 14 Aug 21 - 08:58 AM

Christopher Columbus

Words by Andy Razaf and Music by Leon "Chu" Berry

Copyright ©1936 Joe Davis Music, Inc. and renewed ©1964 by Warner Music

Mr. Christopher Columbus
Sailed the sea without a compass.
When his men began a rumpus
Up spoke Christopher Columbus.

He said, "There is land somewhere, So until we get there,
We will not go wrong, If we sing a swing song
Since the world is round we'll be safe and sound,
Till our goal is found we'll just keep the rhythm bound."

Soon the crew was makin' merry,
Then came a yell, let's drink to Isabelle,
Bring on the rum.
Music ended all the rumpus,
Wise old Christopher Columbus.

***************************************

Pls note that the lyrics as written in this post do not track with Fats Waller's presentation of the song. However, it's a place to start. And when I can get my rear in gear I will give it a try. But don't hold yer breath. It could be a day or two.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Christopher Columbus - Fats Waller
From: GUEST,#
Date: 14 Aug 21 - 09:11 AM

HOWEVER: For those interested, starting at the bottom of either p.92 or p.93 (and going for a few pages), there are some arguments about aspects of the song as to authorship, rights, etc. I'm not a jazz fan, so I likely won't spend time on it. Perhaps someone who is a jazz fan will.

https://books.google.ca/books?id=t26fDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA95&lpg=PA95&dq=christopher+columbus,+lyrics,+1936&source=bl&ots=pL8BNWeVQT&si

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Christopher Columbus - Fats Waller
From: PHJim
Date: 14 Aug 21 - 10:13 AM

Here's what I've arrived at transposing Guest#'s first suggestion to C from Bb and making a few changes to suit the version I've heard.

Christopher Columbus - Chu Berry & Andy Razaf 1936

Intro |C / C7 / |F / Cdim / |C / Am7 / |Dm G7 C / |

[C]Mis[C7]ter [F]Christo[Cdim]pher Co[C]lumbus [Am] Dm] [G7]
[C]Sailed [C7]the [F]seas with[Fm]out a [C]compass [Am] [Dm] [G7]
[C]When [C7]his [F]men be[Cdim]gan a [C]rumpus,[Am] [Dm] [G7]
[C]Up [C7]spoke [F]Christo[Fm]pher Co[C]lumbus [Am] [Dm][G7]

[C]There's a land [F]some[G7]where
[C]Until we [Cdim]get [G7]there
[C]We will not [F]go [Cdim]wrong
[C]If we [A]sing, [G7]swing a [C]song
[C]Since the world [F] is [G7] round
[C]We'll be safe [Cdim]and [G7]sound
[C]Till our goal [F]is [Cdim]found
[C]We'll just [A] keep [G7] rhythm [C] bound

[E7]Soon his crew was makin' [A7]merry [D7]
Then came a yell, "Hey let's [G7]drink a toast to Isabelle
[C]This [C7]soon [F]ended [Cdim]all the [C]rumpus [Am] [Dm] [G7]
[C]Wise [C7]old [F]Christo[Fm]pher Co[C]lumbus [Am] [Dm][G7] [C]

[C]No [C7]more mu[F]ti[Cdim]ny.
[C]What a time [Am] [Dm]at [G7]sea.
[C]With [C7]di[F]ploma[Cdim]cy.
[C] Christo [Am]made [G7]histo[C]ry

[E7]Soon his crew was makin' [A7]merry [D7]
Then came a yell, "Hey let's [G7]drink a toast to Isabelle
[C]This [C7]soon [F]ended [Cdim]all the [C]rumpus [Am] [Dm] [G7]
[C]Wise [C7]old [F]Christo[Fm]pher Co[C]lumbus [F][G7] [C]

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Christopher Columbus - Fats Waller
From: PHJim
Date: 14 Aug 21 - 10:22 AM

I heard the tune from my friend Chris, whom I've never met in person, since we live on opposite sides of the world, but we have met on Zoom. Here is his version:

Chris Fonda's version of "Christopher Columbus".

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Christopher Columbus - Fats Waller
From: GUEST,#
Date: 14 Aug 21 - 12:28 PM

Nice work, PHJim. Also, your buddy rocks that song. :-)