Lyr Req: Josephine (Kahn, King, Bivens)

Subject: Lyr Req: A song about Josephine
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 23 Feb 05 - 08:52 PM

Maybe you can help me locate a song my wife heard as a young girl in the 30s or 40s. She think the mane is Josephine.
One of my customers sent me this. I can't help. Can anyone?


The following are some of the lyrics.

There was a girl I could love like I love my Josephine.

She a scamp, she a vamp. She's the scampiest-vamp you're ever seen.

It seems to me she's always flirting-with the fellows passing by.

But when I say she winks, she tells me she thinks she has a little cinder in her eye?

I hope you can help me.

                                              Thank you,

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A song about Josephine
From: Peace
Date: 23 Feb 05 - 10:53 PM

I think this is it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A song about Josephine
From: GUEST,Tony
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 09:54 PM

My father has a record of Frank Crummit songs which includes this.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A song about Josephine
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 10:21 PM

There was a song called "Josephine" that my father used to play on the piano, probably from the 30's or 40's, although I heard him do it decades later. I'd know it if I heard it, but don't know any lyrics. My guess is a big band song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A song about Josephine
From: Sorcha
Date: 25 Feb 05 - 12:33 AM

I think brucie nailed it in one.

Subject: Lyr Add: JOSEPHINE (Kahn, King, Bivens)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Feb 05 - 08:17 PM

JOSEPHINE
Words by Gus Kahn, Music by Wayne King and Burke Bivens - 1936

VERSE: Oh, the love bug bit and bit me good.
I'm doing things I never should
Since I met my Josephine,
Cutest gal I've ever seen.
She can be so bad or be so nice,
Can be so warm or cold as ice,
But my life won't be serene
Till I get my Josephine.

CHORUS: There never was a gal I could love like I love my Josephine.
She's a flirt. She's a scamp. She's the vampiest vamp I've ever seen.
It seems to me she's always flirting with the fellows passing by,
But when I say she winks, then she tells me she thinks there's a cinder in her eye.
I believe it would be better if I'd leave her and forget.
Ev'rybody says it would be wise;
But each time that I go out to dance with somebody else,
I find myself dancing with tears in my eyes;
For there's nobody quite so nice who can be quite so mean
As my gal. What a gal, Josephine.

[Recorded by Mose Allison, Chet Atkins, The Bill Black Combo, Ray Charles, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Wayne King, Les Paul & Mary Ford, Lawrence Welk, and several others.

[You can hear a recording of this song performed by The Adrian Rollini Quintette, made in 1936, at The Red Hot Jazz Archive. Only the chorus is sung, not the verse.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A song about Josephine
From: Tcrier
Date: 27 Feb 05 - 09:29 PM

Here is a song about Josephine
It was an old music/burlesque hall song that I remember from the
late thirty's early forty's

Ralph

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A song about Josephine
From: Tcrier
Date: 27 Feb 05 - 09:32 PM

(I think I managed to get this time)
Come Josephine in my flying machine
Going up we go
Up we go
Balance yourself like a bird on a shelf
In the air we go
There we go
Oh my a little bit higher
Oh my the moon is on fire
So come Josaphine in my flying machine
Going up and on, Goodbye

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A song about Josephine
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 27 Feb 05 - 10:14 PM

Albert's dance folio No. 13 [music]         
Publication:        Sydney : J. Albert & Son, 1938         
Description:        1 score (27 p.) ; 31 cm.         
Subject(s):        Piano music
Dance music         
Other Title(s):        
Penny serenade
Oh! ma-ma!
Josephine
ti-pi-tin
Cinderella stay in my arms
Ive got a pocketful of dreams
When mother nature sings her lullaby
I'm gonna lock my heart
I cried for you
Merrily we roll along
The palais glide
A-tisket A-tasket         
Record no:        411684         
Location        Request at Qld Conservatorium Library, or phone [phone]         
Call Number:        MUSIC 01206

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A song about Josephine
From: ossonflags
Date: 28 Feb 05 - 09:18 AM

Raggytash sings a good song about Sister Josephine

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A song about Josephine
From: Snuffy
Date: 28 Feb 05 - 09:43 AM

Is that the one Jake Thackray wrote?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A song about Josephine
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 01 Mar 05 - 04:46 AM

The Gus Kahn one is what first came to mind for me. It was a very popular instrumental in the early 50s, but seldom sung. We got frequent requests for it at "old folks dances" in the 1955-57 era. If needed, I have a really old Combo-Orks fake book that has sheet music (but no lyrics). This is one I happen to have both "C" and "Eb" books for. The citations there are:

Josephine
Gus Kahn, Wayne King, Burke Bivens
© 1936-1937 Leo Feist Inc
© 1952 Leo Feist Inc

"Come Josephine in my Flying Machine" is in several more recent fake books. It's pretty well known, but I don't recall it being on the "Pop charts."

Some of the same fake books that have "Come Josephine ... " have another called "Josephine Please No Lean on the Bell," but it doesn't ring any bells with me. I haven't looked but my index shows lyrics, although lots of the fake books only have a minimal verse.

Additional: "La Peppinetta" or "Little Josephine" is in my index, but I don't have an inklin what it sounds like.

John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A song about Josephine
From: GUEST,bunanscoot
Date: 13 Mar 05 - 10:00 PM

I've begun playing piano/synthesizer for assisted living folks. "Josephine" is one of the songs they request that I play for them, but I haven't heard of it (until I read the previous threads). Hope I can find the sheet music, but I doubt it. I play by ear, also, but from the recording listed previously, only the chorus is sung, and the melody has a lot of "variety" in it, so I don't think I can learn it by ear for a while. This is such a neat place to look for these songs. Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A song about Josephine
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 14 Mar 05 - 08:17 AM

GUEST, I can certainly get the piano score for you at my Conservatorium Library. I'll need a few days before I can get back there and can then scan the pages for you. If you sign up at Mudcat as a mamber - it's free and painless - you can let me know your email address.

BTW I'm talking about the Gus Kahn version.

Regards, John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A song about Josephine
From: Little Robyn
Date: 14 Mar 05 - 02:25 PM

Hey brucie, what a great site!

" I think this is it. "

I've been singing along to all the old favourites (and now I'm late for work!)
Robyn

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Josephine (Kahn, King, Bivens)
From: GUEST,laurine in MI
Date: 22 Mar 05 - 04:29 PM

John in Brisbane--does your sheet music for "Josephine" show the verse as well as the chorus?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Josephine (Kahn, King, Bivens)
From: Gracie03
Date: 23 Mar 05 - 10:22 PM

Hello John in Brisbane. I was formerly "GUEST bu..." who sent a question about sheet music for Josephine (by Kahn, Bevins, etc.) on March 13, 2005. You responded on March 14th, for which I thank you. If it is still possible to get the sheet music, would you please respond again. I'd really appreciate it. Thank you so much.

Gracie03.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Josephine (Kahn, King, Bivens)
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Sep 09 - 10:26 PM

there never was a gal that i could love like i love my josiphine
shes a vamp shes a scamp shes the vampanestnscamp i ever seen.
seems to me shes all ways flirting with the boys thats passing by
nut when i say she winks and she tekks me she blinks theres acender
her eyes. so perhaps it would be better if id leave her and for get her other people thinks it would be wise but whrn i go to dance with
somebody else i find my self danncing with tears in my syes
OH THAT GAL WHAT A GAL JOSIPHINE.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Josephine (Kahn, King, Bivens)
From: GUEST, MIMI
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 10:11 PM

Hi I would like the words to the song Josephine, Please don't lean on the bell Anybody ? MIMI