I Used to Work in Chicago
DESCRIPTION: The singer works in a succession of stores, asking female customers their desires, mistakenly fulfilling them and getting fired.AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1946 (recording, Three Bits of Rhythm)
KEYWORDS: bawdy humorous
FOUND IN: Australia Britain(England) US(Ro,SW)
REFERENCES (4 citations):
Cray-EroticMuse, pp. 245-251, "I Used to Work in Chicago" (3 texts, 1 tune)
Averill-CampSongsFolkSongs, p. 277, "In Chicago"/"Department Store" (notes only)
LibraryThingCampSongsThread, post 123, "I Used to Work in Chicago" (1 mention, from user nohrt4me2, posted September 28, 2021)
DT, CHCAGO*
Roud #4837
RECORDINGS:
Pearl Trio [Larry Vincent], "I Used to Work in Chicago" (Pearl 53-A, 1947)
Three Bits of Rhythm, "I Used to Work in Chicago" (Modern Music MM118, 1946)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Haben Aboo an a Banner"
cf. "The Jolly Tradesmen"
cf. "My Husband's a Mason" (theme)
NOTES [76 words]: Oscar Brand has claimed a copyright of some of the verses of this song current in oral tradition. - EC
Larry Vincent claimed to have written the basic song, and it certainly has his, er, style. But the Three Bits of Rhythm record predates his, and they claim authorship credit themselves. Who knows? -PJS
Averill-CampSongsFolkSongs, p. 277, says that this "occasionally is banned, because its verses can be risqué." "Can be"? Are there any that aren't? - RBW
Last updated in version 6.3
File: EM245
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I USED TO WORK IN CHICAGO (Digital Tradition lyrics)
I used to work in Chicago, in a department store,
I used to work in Chicago. I did, but I don't anymore.
A lady came in, and asked for some cake
I asked her what kind she'd adore--
"Layer," she said, so layer I did
I don't work there anymore.
I used to work in Chicago, in a department store,
I used to work in Chicago. I did, but I don't anymore.
A lady came in, and asked for a fowl
I asked her what kind she'd adore--
"A goose," she said, so I gave her a goose
I don't work there anymore.
(similarly)
A lady came into the hat shop,
I asked, "What kind would you like?"
"Felt" she said, felt I did
A lady came in for a sleeper
I asked, "which berth would you like?"
"Upper" she said; Up 'er I did
A lady came in for a waterbottle
I said, "what kind would you like?"
"Rubber " she said; rub 'er I did
A lady came in for a sweater
I asked, "what kind would you like?"
"Jumper, she said"; jump 'er I did
A lady came in for a ticket
I asked, "Where would you like to go?"
"Bangor," she said; bang 'er I did
Also:
Hardware...nails....nail her I did
Hardware...screw....screw her I did
Fruit......plums....plumb her I did
Cinnamon...sticks...stick her I did
Peas.......split....split her I did
Milk.......cream....cream her I did
Covers.....spread...spread her I did
Rope.......jump.....jump her I did
Booze......liquor...lick 'er I did
note: First two verses from the streets of Brooklyn, ca 1938.
Additional verses from More Rugby Songs, via AJS.
And from The Erotic Muse, Cray. RG
@work @kids @bawdy
filename[ CHCAGO
TUNE FILE: CHCAGO
CLICK TO PLAY
RG, AJS, EC
