Lyr Req: Sing Song Girl

Subject: Lyr Req: Sing Song Girl
From: GUEST,TonyK
Date: 22 Nov 05 - 05:49 PM

I recently heard R. Crumb and the Cheap Suit Serenaders' version of this and I'm looking for the lyrics. Couldn't find them in the digitrad, the forum or on google. At first listen I was not sure the words were PC but the melody was really catchy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sing Song Girl
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Nov 05 - 08:17 PM

"Sing-Song Girl" (Little Yellow Cinderella) was a hit for Ben Pollack and his Orchestra in 1931.
May not be related to the Crumb release. The song may date from 1921, Jerome Kern, or a 1919 song, "My Simg-song Girl by Burnside and Hubbell.
Can't find lyrics.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sing Song Girl
From: Peace
Date: 22 Nov 05 - 08:27 PM

Sound clip here.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sing Song Girl
From: TonyK
Date: 23 Nov 05 - 09:13 PM

ThanQ both.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sing Song Girl
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Nov 05 - 10:15 PM

Indiana University Sheet Music Collections lists two songs with very similar titles. I can't tell which of these is the one R. Crumb performed, but they have online images of the sheet music for #2, so you might be able to figure it out.

1. Title: SING SONG GIRL
Title: LITTLE YELLA CINDERELLA
Composer: Hanley, James F. (James Frederick), 1892-1942
Lyricist: McCarthy, Joseph, 1885-1943
Publisher: Red Star Music Co. Inc.
Place of publication: New York
Date of publication: 1930
Call Number: M1 .D48 Box: 104 Item: 022
Performance Medium: Piano and Voice (with lyrics)
First Line: In a little Chinee josshouse way downtown, where pigtails
Chorus First Line: My sing song girl, my little yella Cinderella
Artist: Van Doorn Morgan
Subject term: Popular song
Subject term: Chinese/Japanese/Hong Kong

2. Title: MY SING SONG GIRL
Composer: Hubbell, Raymond
Lyricist: Burnside, R. H., 1870-1952
Publisher: R.H. Burnside and Raymond Hubbell
Place of publication: New York
Date of publication: 1919
Call Number: M1 .D48 Box: 103 Item: 065
Performance Medium: Piano and Voice (with lyrics)
Larger Work: Happy days
First Line: Sing Song Lee was a cute chinee, and she worked
Chorus First Line: My sing song girl (pletty sing pletty song likkee Sing Song)
Subject term: Popular song
Subject term: Chinese/Japanese/Hong Kong

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sing Song Girl
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Nov 05 - 10:19 PM

allmusic lists "Hanley, McCarthy" as songwriters for the song recorded by Robert Crumb and by Ben Pollack.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sing Song Girl
From: GUEST,ClazVox
Date: 20 Aug 08 - 02:35 AM

My mother used to sing this song to me when I was a child in the '50's -- it's totally politically incorrect nowadays, but I still remember it fondly:

My Sing Song Girl,
my little yella Cinderella,
Could there ever be a
Chinaman's chance for me?

My Sing Song Girl,
although I know you'd fool the fellas,
could you do a thing like that
to young Sam Lee?

Some day, Sing Song Lady
take a little puff and sleep,
I'll come creepin' up, maybe,
to my shop we'll creep.

And you'll be mine,
I'll bet you all the tea in China,
sing a little love song,
Sing Song Girl for me.

Subject: Lyr Add: SING SONG GIRL (Hanley, McCarthy, 1930)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Aug 08 - 03:21 AM

Pretty good memory, ClazVox. What yu remember is very close to what I was able to transcribe from a YouTube recording of the song here (click) - a 1930 recording by LeRoy Shield's Orchestra. There's another one here by the Colonial Club Orchestra (Bob Haring), also from 1930.

Putting the two together, here's what I hear:

Sing Song Girl
(Hanley, McCarthy, 1930)

My Sing Song Girl,
My little yella Cinderella,
Tell me could there be a
Chinaman's chance for me?

Oh, Sing Song Girl,
Although I know you'd fool a fella,
Could you do a thing like that
To young Sam Lee?

Some night, Sing Song Lady
Puff a little smoke and sleep,
I come catch 'em up, maybe,
To my shop we'll creep.

Where you'll be mine,
I'll bet you all the tea in China,
Sing a little love song,
Sing Song Girl for me.

---

The R. Crumb recording is on YouTube here (click).

Subject: Lyr Add: MY SING SONG GIRL (Burnside, Hubbell)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Aug 08 - 03:53 AM

Sheet music for the 1919 song is available at the link Jim Dixon provided at Indiana University:


My Sing Song Girl
(words by R.H. Burnside, music by Raymond Hubbell, 1919)

Sing Song Lee was a cute chinee,
And she worked in her father's shop.
She sang all day in her Chinese way,
'Till a Mandarin chanced to stop
At the window where he began to stare,
Then went in to buy some tea;
But he lost his head and his heart instead,
The moment he met Sing Song Lee.

REFRAIN:
My Sing Song Girl
(Pletty sing, Pletty sing song lik-ee Sing Song)
My Hong Kong pearl
(Pletty girl, Pletty pearl lik-ee Hong Kong)
You know how much I admire you.
I'll show you how much I desire you.
Won't you belong to me?
(Pletty name, pletty game, lik-ee Ping Pong)
My brain's a whirl
(All-ee same, much-ee glame lik-ee Hop-sticks)
My heart I hurl
(Pletty soon honeymoon lik-ee Chopstick)
I want my arms around you,
I'm glad so glad I found you
My pearl of the Orient, My Sing Song Girl.


Now this Mandarin, who had vowed to win
This cute little Chinese maid,
Told her Chinese pa and her Chinese Ma,
And much gold for her he paid.
Soon without a doubt, Chinese bells rang out,
And the people sang with glee
In their Chinese way, on the wedding day
Of the Mandarin and Sing Song Lee.
REFRAIN:


Source: Indiana University Sheet Music Collection

---

I can't imagine anybody writing a song like this nowadays. Gee, maybe society has made some progress....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sing Song Girl
From: GUEST,bob
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 04:04 PM

Eflat                                              A                                                    D7
In a little chinese jass house way down town , where pigtails reached the ground lived a little
G-               F-    Eflat-          D7          Efalt                           A7                                           D7
sing song gal, everybody's pal. On tip toe every Sunday afternoon, she'd croon for honey
                                    G
moon. Sang lee felt down.
         C-                                                             Bflat                         C-                  
Well he'd bring nuts and rice and ol' chowmain for 5 or 10. Hang the price he'd through his
          F
doe away. Thats how it begins.
E flat                                           A                                             D7                                        G         
In a little chinese jass house on his knees, she sings in high chinese, her song of love.
       G                              A   
My sing song girl, my little yellow.......etc..

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sing Song Girl
From: GUEST,bob
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 04:07 PM

The Hot House Hefftones do a rare version of this song with the above opening chorus. It took me awhile to figure out the chords they play.   Enjoy!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sing Song Girl
From: GUEST,ol dan tucker
Date: 16 Jan 13 - 09:39 PM

can anyone help me with chords to the chorus