JOHNNY SCHMOKER
(Pennsylvania Dutch traditional)

Johnny Schmoker, Johnny Schmoker,
Can you sing, can you play?
I can play upon my (clarinet)
Doodle doodle-det, so sings my clarinet

2. piccolo – Tweedle tweedle-o, so sings my piccolo.
3. violin – Fiddle diddle-din, so sings my violin.
4. timpani - Boom-a booma-dee, so sings my timpani.


German:
Johann Schmoker, Johann Schmoker
Kannst du singen? Kannst du spielen?

1. Ich kann spielen auf meine Klarinette – Doodle doodle-det, das ist meine Klarinette.
2. Ich kann spielen auf meine kleine Flöte – Tweedle tweedle-o, das ist meine kleine Flöte.
3. Ich kann spielen auf meine Violine. Fiddle diddle-din, das ist meine Violine.
4. Ich kann spielen auf meine Pauken. Boom-a booma-dee, das ist meine Pauken.

On the first stanza go directly to the second ending. On the second and following stanzas sing the section between the repeat signs of all previous stanzas (the sound of each instrument) in reverse order before going to the second ending. Make up sounds for additional instruments, and pretend to play the instruments as their sounds are imitated. This anonymous cumulative folk song was brought to this country by German immigrants. It was first published in 1863 under the title Jemmy Boker.
(Source: Heritage Songster, Leon & Lynn Dallin, 1966)
^^

Diane, I e-mailed the tune to Mudcat MIDIs, and Alan should have a link to the tune posted here soon. If you want to hear it right away, click on my name below to e-mail me a request, and I'll e-mail it right back to you.
-Joe Offer-