Lyr Req: Slide, Kelly, Slide

Subject: Slide, Kelly, Slide
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Nov 01 - 10:28 AM

Does anyone have or know where I can get the lyrics for Slide, Kelly, Slide--written in the late 1800's. DocWood

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slide, Kelly, Slide
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Nov 01 - 10:32 AM

Found a gazillion references to it, but no actual lyrics. Maybe Rick Fielding knows it......

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slide, Kelly, Slide
From: masato sakurai
Date: 06 Nov 01 - 11:11 AM

This is in the Levy Collection, but the page images are blanks:

Title: Slide Kely [sic] Slide.
Composer, Lyricist, Arranger: Written and Composed by J.W. Kelly.
Publication: New York: Frank Harding, 1889.
Form of Composition: strophic with chorus
Instrumentation: piano and voice
First Line: I play'd a game of baseball, I belong to Casey's Nine!
First Line of Chorus: Slide, Kelly, slide! Your runnings a disgrace!
Performer: Sung by Maggie Cline.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slide, Kelly, Slide
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Nov 01 - 11:20 AM

I e-mailed Levy to see if they can help.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slide, Kelly, Slide
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Nov 01 - 11:33 AM

MGM had a silent movie called Slide Kelly Slide. Kelly is listed in the National Baseball Hall of Fame:

King Kelly
Michael Joseph Kelly

Born: December 31, 1857, Troy, New York
Died: November 8, 1894, Boston, Massachusetts
Bats: right
Throws: right
Elected to Hall of Fame by Committee on Baseball Veterans: 1945
Not only was Mike "King" Kelly one of the premier players of his day, he was also one of the most flamboyant. His daring baserunning prompted fans to coin the battle cry, "Slide, Kelly, Slide," and the catcher-outfielder sparked the Chicago Nationals to five pennants. Manager Cap Anson credited Kelly with originating the hit-and-run play. After capturing the batting crown in 1886, the colorful Kelly was sold to the Boston Beaneaters for a then-record $10,000.

---

Here's a quote from the World Wide Church of Baseball:

Michael Joseph "King" Kelly
10/11/00 by Alex Klenman

Simply put, Mike "King" Kelly was a star. On the field, he was the most exciting player of his time. He hit for average, and he stole bases. He had a hit song recorded about him, "Slide Kelly Slide" by Maggie Cline, and fans would often break into a chorus whenever he reached base. He was a charismatic individual both on and off the diamond. He was well known for his drinking and other "social exploits" as much as his considerable baseball skill.

Starring for the champion Chicago White Stockings for many years, Cap Anson would later sell Kelly for the then-record sum of $ 10,000 to Boston of the National League. His career had peaked by then, but not before he left his mark.

Kelly was baseball's first superstar, a magnificent player who's style and charisma helped put baseball in the headlines during the late 19th century.

Subject: Lyr Add: SLIDE, KELLY, SLIDE
From: masato sakurai
Date: 06 Nov 01 - 12:18 PM

From this site:

SLIDE, KELLY, SLIDE

"I played a game of baseball,
I belonged to the Casey nine.
The grandstand it was crowded
And the weather it was fine.

Such a noble lot of players
Never before was found
As landed from the omnibus
That day upon the ground.

The game it was started
And I went to the bat.
I made two strikes when Casey yelled,
"What are you striking at?"
I missed the third, the catcher muffed
And to the ground it fell.

I ran like blazes down to first
And the crowd began to yell:
"Slide, Kelly, slide!
Your running's a disgrace.
Slide, Kelly, Slide!
Stay there, hold your base.

For if someone doesn't steal you
Or your batting doesn't fail you,
They'll take you to Australia,
Slide, Kelly, Slide!"

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slide, Kelly, Slide
From: masato sakurai
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 10:08 PM

Sheet music for Slide Kely [sic] Slide (1889) has come up.

Subject: Lyr Add: SLIDE, KELLY, SLIDE!
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 02 Jan 05 - 06:58 PM

From The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music:

SLIDE, KELLY, SLIDE!
"Written & Composed by J. W. Kelly for Miss Maggie Cline." 1889.

1. I play'd a game of baseball. I belong to the Casey Nine.
The crowd was feeling jolly and the weather it was fine.
A nobler lot of players I think were never found,
When the omnibuses landed that day upon the ground.
The game was quickly started. They sent me to the bat.
I made two strikes. Says Casey, "What are you striking at?"
I made the third, the catcher muff'd, and to the ground it fell.
Then I run like a divil to first base when the gang began to yell:

CHORUS: Slide, Kelly, slide!
Your running's a disgrace!
Slide, Kelly, slide!
Stay there! Hold your base!
If someone doesn't steal you,
And your batting doesn't fail you,
They'll take you to Australia!
Slide, Kelly, slide!

2. 'Twas in the second inning they call'd me in, I think,
To take the catcher's place while he went to get a drink;
But something was the matter. Sure I couldn't see the ball;
And the second one that came in broke my muzzle, nose and all.
The crowd up in the grandstand, they yelled with all their might.
I ran towards the clubhouse. I thought there was a fight.
'Twas the most unpleasant feeling I ever felt before.
I knew they had me rattled when the gang began to roar: CHORUS

3. They sent me out to center field. I didn't want to go.
The way my nose was swelling up, I must have been a show.
They said on me depended vict'ry or defeat.
If a blind man was to look at us, he'd know that we were beat.
"Sixty-four to nothing" was the score when we got done,
And ev'rybody there but me said they had lots of fun.
The news got home ahead of me. They heard I was knock'd out.
The neighbors carried me in the house and then began to shout: CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slide, Kelly, Slide
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 08:23 AM

SLIDE KELLY SLIDE is performed by D'Anna Fortunato on a collection of baseball songs called "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," Sony Classical CD #63127, 1997. I listened to a sound sample. Unfortunately, her style of singing is way too "operatic" for my taste – about as far from folk music as I can imagine. I can't believe people like this stuff!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slide, Kelly, Slide
From: PoppaGator
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 09:56 PM

I'm surprised at finally reading these lyrics, after years of knowing that the song (and of course King Kelly) existed.

The character in the song is a bumbler, not as superstar at all. The King must have had a sense of humor ~ sure hope he did,anyway.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slide, Kelly, Slide
From: Peace
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 10:06 PM

That is one neat song title.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slide, Kelly, Slide
From: fat B****rd
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 01:02 PM

Wasn't it a hit for Wilson Pickett ?

I'll get me anorak

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slide, Kelly, Slide
From: PoppaGator
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 03:08 PM

fB -- you must be thinking of "Ride Sally Ride" (NOT "Royd Sally Royd," thank you very much, as per The Commitments).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slide, Kelly, Slide
From: fat B****rd
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 03:34 PM

You perceptive ole' Big Easy person you. How are you Mr. Poppa ??

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slide, Kelly, Slide
From: GUEST,John in Brisbane
Date: 17 Jan 05 - 04:40 AM

Also here:

Title:        Collin's novelty fox-trot and blues song folio [music] : complete 'blues' songs with words & music         
Publication:        Melbourne : Collin's, c1923         
Description:        1 vocal score (33 p.) ; 31 cm.         
Other Title(s):        Louisville blues
Weepin'
Mean daddy blues
All by my lonesome blues
I'm a heart-broken mama
Carolina blues
Growin' old blues
Lovesick blues
Slide kelly slide
Spread yo' stuff

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slide, Kelly, Slide
From: PoppaGator
Date: 17 Jan 05 - 02:34 PM

Hello back atcha, fB -- Sorry, I haven't checked into this tread for a week and a half. "Sloyd Kelly Sloyd" in Dublinese, right?

You don't know anything about *baseball* over there across the pond, do you? Still, I'd think that even a baseball-illiterate furriner would recognize that the lyrics of this song portray a *lousy* ballplayer, not the matinee-idol/superstar thta King Kelly was back in his heyday.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slide, Kelly, Slide
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 19 Jan 05 - 09:08 PM

Well I have the score for a song of the same name, but it's either a parody or a completely different song which exhorts a trombonist to play like 'Mr Jazz'. I need to do some work on the dots before I can comment further.

Regards, John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slide, Kelly, Slide
From: GUEST,Chris Simmons
Date: 26 Jan 19 - 09:02 PM

The author and composer of SLIDE KELLY SLIDE was a very popular Irish-American Vaudeville performer by the name of J. W. Kelly (real name John Walter Shields). Kelly was born in Philadelphia in 1857. Initially he trained as a telegraphist but later went to work in the steel mills of Pa and Ill. He made good capitol of these experiences in his songs like MOLONEY THE ROLLING MILL MAN. He was highly regarded for his extempore monologues as well as his songs. Kelly was also a friend of baseballer Michael "King" Kelly and the song which bore his name (but was not about him) was inspired by a chant taken up by "King" Kelly fans during his tenure with the Boston Nationals in 1887.The song is often confused with another song with the same title - which is actually a Minstrel song