The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #171646   Message #4154495
Posted By: Monologue John
09-Oct-22 - 02:52 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: Songs and Recitations of Weston & Lee
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs and Recitations of Weston & Lee
I’ve got rings on my fingers or The Irish Nabob
Written by RP Weston and FJ Barnes Music by Maurice Scott

Music Hall Performers
Ellaline Terriss
Now Jim O'Shea was cast away
Upon an Indian Isle.
The natives there they liked his hair,
They liked his Irish smile,
So made him chief Panjandrum,
The Nabob of them all.
They called him Jij-ji-boo Jhai,
And rigged him out so gay,
So he wrote to Dublin Bay,
To his sweetheart, just to say:

Sure, I've got rings on my fingers, bells on my toes,
Elephants to ride upon, my little Irish Rose;
So come to your Nabob, and next Patrick's Day,
Be Mistress Mumbo Jumbo Jij-ji-boo J. O'Shea.

Across the sea went Rose Magee
To see her Nabob grand.
He sat within his palanquin,
And when she kissed his hand,
He led her to his harem,
Where he had wives galore.
She started shedding a tear;
Said he, "Now have no fear,
I'm keeping these wives here
Just for ornament, my dear."

In emerald green he robed his queen,
To share with him his throne.
'Mid eastern charms and waving palms
They'd shamrocks, Irish grown,
Sent all the way from Dublin
To Nabob J. O'Shea
But in his palace so fine
Should Rose for Ireland pine,
With smiles her face will shine
When he murmurs, "Sweetheart mine"
A song that was written in Britain, by the prolific Bob Weston, this time with help from Barnes and Scott. It was a huge hit in America, appearing in several Broadway shows, including Captain Kidd, The Midnight Sons and The Yankee Girl.