Lyr Req: Princess Poo-Poo-Ly Has Plenty Pa-Pa-Ya

Subject: The Princess Papooli's Papaya
From:
Date: 07 Dec 97 - 01:19 AM

Does anyone know this song? I probably have the Princesses name spelled incorrectly.

It starts out:

Oh the princess Papooli has a lot of Papaya// She likes to give it away.// The fellas all say// how they say// Oh me-a oh my-a you really oughta try a// Little piece of the Princess Papooli's papaya// Go down and get some today.

It was played on folk stations in the 60s and I think it was a contemporary group immitating an old time group; but it might have been an old group (or both). The music has a Hawiian lilt to it.

I am better at using the database than I was a few days ago, but I still couldn't find this one.

Murray

Subject: RE: The Princess Papooli's Papaya
From: Kliny Goompas
Date: 09 Dec 97 - 07:56 AM

Micheal Cooney sang a version of this in Tucson once as part of a food in song set

Subject: RE: The Princess Papooli's Papaya
From: Wolfgang Hell
Date: 12 Dec 97 - 10:44 AM

sorry, it's not much of a help, Murray, but a website had the title as "Princess Poo-poo-ly has plenty papaya" (sorry, no lyrics). It was on a sampler with only Hawaiian music, so your ear hasn't deceived you.
Wolfgang

Subject: RE: The Princess Papooli's Papaya
From:
Date: 12 Dec 97 - 08:39 PM

Thanks Wolfgang,

Having the correct spelling is always a help, because I can use more precise search phrases.

Murray

Subject: RE: The Princess Papooli's Papaya
From: GUEST,Gerald X. Diamond
Date: 01 Mar 06 - 09:42 PM

The Princess Papooli has plenty Papaya
And she loves to give it away!
Now all of the fellas they say,
Oh me-a oh my-a
You really should try-a
Little piece of the
Princess Papooli's papaya
She's just giving it away!


Behind the lyric, there was some fuss over this in Hawaii, so you may want to feel out first how politically damaging it might be to your career.

Gerald X. Diamond
[e-mail]

Subject: Lyr Add: PRINCESS POO-POO-LY HAS PLENTY PA-PA-YA
From: M.Ted
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 04:29 PM

PRINCESS POOPOOLY
words & music by Harry Owens, 1940

Princess Poopooly has plenty papayas
And she loves to give it away.
Now all of the neighbors they say:
“Oh, mea! Oh, mya!
You really should try a
Little piece of the Princess Poopooly's papaya.”

Princess Poopooly's not truly unruly
To pass out papayas each day,
For all of the neighbors they say:
“She may give the fruit
But she holds on to the root
And so she has the fruit
And the root to boot.”
Zaza zaza zaza zaa---

One bright Sunday afternoon
It was field day in her papaya groves,
But I reached the gate an hour too late.
The customers were lined up in droves.

So let this be a warning:
Go early in the morning
And it is true you'll never rue the day.
The Princess Poopooly has plenty papayas
And she love to give it away.
I mean papaya.
She loves to give them away.

Source: Our Hawaii by Bob Krauss - Written for Carmen Joyce, a Ziegfield Follies chorus girl who arrived in Hawaii 1924, at age 26, to dance in the chorus line of a show booked in the Princess Theater. The show ran 10 weeks, Carmen fell in love with Hawaii.

Subject: RE: The Princess Papooli's Papaya
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 01:06 AM

Fred Campeau, Jan Burda, Rich Markow and Paul Breidenbach (plus a tuba player) were a sort of jug namd in Chicago in the 70s and 80s. They did this song wonderfully well! I hava a great tape of them doing it on a cassette from my old live concert NPR radio show from the early 1980s---THE FLEA MARKET. We were live every week from the Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago. LARRY RAND and I alternated as hosts.

Good memories...

Art

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Princess Papooli's Papaya
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 19 Mar 06 - 09:38 PM

Here's the catalog data from Indiana University Sheet Music Collections:

Title: PRINCESS POO-POO-LY HAS PLENTY PA-PA-YA
Title: (AND SHE LOVES TO GIVE IT AWAY)
Composer: Owens, Harry
Lyricist: Owens, Harry
Publisher: Harry Owens
Place of publication: Los Angeles
Date of publication: 1940
Call Number: M1 .D48 Box: 137 Item: 047
Performance Medium: Piano, Voice and Chords
First Line: The Princess Poo-poo-ly has plenty pa-pa-ya
Artist: La Salle
Genre: Popular song
Subject term: Food

The title has been altered somewhat in various recordings:

PRINCESS POO-POO-LY HAS PLENTY PAPAYA recorded by
Alfred Apaka on "My Isle of Golden Dreams," 1963; "Best of Alfred Apaka," 1971; and "Best of Alfred Apaka, Vol. 2," 1987.
Harry Owens on "Aloha," 1998; and "Hawaiian Music," 2003.
Nellie Lutcher & Her Rhythm on "Nellie Lutcher and Her Rhythm," 1996; and "Hurry on Down," 2001.

PRINCESS PUPULE (POO-POO-LY), recorded by Joanna Young on the various-artists compilation "Hana Hou! Do It Again," 1994.

PRINCESS POO POO LY, recorded by Big Kahuna & the Copa Cat Pack on "Shake Those Hula Hips," 2001. (I don't know whether this version has words.)

PRINCESS POO-POO-LY, recorded by 'Ale'A on "Origins/Kinohi," 2002. (They sing "Princess Poo-poo-ly's not truly a loony...")

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Princess Papooli's Papaya
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 19 Mar 06 - 10:26 PM

In 1948, George Ching, a Honolulu record store owner, founded 49th State Records. He produced a large number of recordings, many by non-union "amateur" performers. Ching released several classic comic hula records, including "Princess Poo-Poo-Ly Has Plenty Papaya" by Naughty Abbie (49th State 168), and "Pidgin English Hula" by Clara (Hilo Hattie) Inter. After Ching closed the business, in 1958 Waikiki Records essentially took its place, founded by Tommy Kerns and Young O. Kang. This company also re-packaged many of the early 78s and 45s.
George S. Kanahele, 1979, "Hawaiian Music and Musicians," The University Press of Hawai'i, p. 161 (Owens), 281, 329 (49th State Records); 452-453 (49th State 45rpm discography).

Subject: RE: The Princess Papooli's Papaya
From: GUEST,B
Date: 23 Jan 10 - 04:25 PM

So after reading your responses to eachother...It's Princess Pupule Has Plenty Papaya. The last time I saw the lyrics was in the early to mid 90's. It has hanging on the wall at a local deli called Harry's Deli

Subject: RE: The Princess Papooli's Papaya
From: Surreysinger
Date: 23 Jan 10 - 07:50 PM

Try this video of Jody Kruskal singing it at a session in Frittenden, Kent, UK    Jody singing Princess Papouli

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Princess Poo-Poo-Ly Has Plenty Pa-Pa-Ya
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Oct 11 - 10:58 AM

I recorded 'Princess Pupule' on my jazz album in 2011...for another rendition see youtube: Dana Land 'Princess Pupule Has Plenty Papaya'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Princess Poo-Poo-Ly Has Plenty Pa-Pa-Ya
From: GUEST,Decibelle
Date: 02 Aug 15 - 09:57 PM

I am looking for sheet music for this song, arranged in 3 or 4 part harmony.
thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Princess Poo-Poo-Ly Has Plenty Pa-Pa-Ya
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Aug 15 - 10:37 PM

"I am looking for sheet music for this song, arranged in 3 or 4 part harmony.
thanks!"

Good luck.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Princess Poo-Poo-Ly Has Plenty Pa-Pa-Ya
From: GUEST,Savanna
Date: 15 Jul 21 - 07:42 AM

My family has been singing this song for decades. I’m looking for the chords so I can play it on a ukulele.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Princess Poo-Poo-Ly Has Plenty Pa-Pa-Ya
From: GUEST,#
Date: 15 Jul 21 - 08:22 AM

The following link has the uke chords.

https://www.gochords.com/s/fBSmkYMsu

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Princess Poo-Poo-Ly Has Plenty Pa-Pa-Ya
From: GUEST,#
Date: 15 Jul 21 - 09:48 AM

PS The chords were easy to locate with a Google of

Princess Poo-Poo-Ly Has Plenty Pa-Pa-Ya, chords

I'm putting this here because it might be of help to people down the road. It's not rocket science, but if you don't know how then it can be quite difficult. Please note that many sites come up with chords and no doubt some will be better than others. C'est la vie :-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Princess Poo-Poo-Ly Has Plenty Pa-Pa-Ya
From: meself
Date: 15 Jul 21 - 12:02 PM

Hmm - I made a post that seems to have disappeared. It was expressing misgivings about the lyrics .....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Princess Poo-Poo-Ly Has Plenty Pa-Pa-Ya
From: GUEST,#
Date: 15 Jul 21 - 12:49 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCb42xDVEhM

The lyrics posted by M Ted match those on the YT recording, but I don't doubt there are other lyrics changed or added over the years.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Princess Poo-Poo-Ly Has Plenty Pa-Pa-Ya
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jul 21 - 12:54 PM

meself, your post didn't go through. Keep a copy so you can paste in again if that happens. I've noticed it happening more lately (it used to be a regular problem, and we've grown accustomed to it being fixed.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Princess Poo-Poo-Ly Has Plenty Pa-Pa-Ya
From: meself
Date: 15 Jul 21 - 03:22 PM

Thanks, SRS.

#: My misgivings weren't with the accuracy of the lyrics; rather, their gist; i.e., the cartoonish reduction of someone else's already-reduced culture. I'm what they call a snowflake.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Princess Poo-Poo-Ly Has Plenty Pa-Pa-Ya
From: GUEST,#
Date: 15 Jul 21 - 03:42 PM

Been called a snowflake a few times myself, meself. Thanks for the clarity.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Princess Poo-Poo-Ly Has Plenty Pa-Pa-Ya
From: meself
Date: 15 Jul 21 - 03:46 PM

Well, if we can can get a few more snowflakes, we might be a couple of snowballs - who knows, we could eventually be a full snowman ... !