Origins: Don't Go in them Lion's Cage Tonight

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: iancarterb
Date: 24 Sep 09 - 07:50 PM

Joe- Thanks. I'm working on it in available minutes. Probably will take another day.   Carter

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: Artful Codger
Date: 22 Feb 10 - 06:44 AM

Harold Haugh, who taught at the U of Michigan, had a specialization in vaudeville songs. (The faculty also included Joan Morris, William Bolcom, and William Albright--American songs of that period were well covered.) So I'd be inclined to believe the tune he used in this clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sthugcGG9X8) is as close to definitive as we're likely to encounter, short of finding the score itself. Members of the Comic Opera Guild in Ann Arbor may be able to locate a score and scan it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: Charley Noble
Date: 22 Feb 10 - 08:54 AM

Artful Codger-

I do like Harold Haugh's presentation and the tune, but I'm puzzled that he didn't include the third verse where the mother was heroically rescued.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: GUEST,Uncle_DaveO
Date: 22 Feb 10 - 10:25 AM

I love Haugh's introduction, that "This is a song about occupational hazards"!

It's not surprising, I suppose, that I prefer Morey Amsterdam's tune, which I learned back in the Pleistocene age, to Haugh's.

Thinking back to Morey Amsterdam's treatment, I remember that he made an audience-participation piece out of this song, with the audience urged to join in the chorus.

And he made the word "lions" into four syllables: "lee-eye-oh-nuhs".

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: Artful Codger
Date: 22 Feb 10 - 03:01 PM

To Charlie: Er, my guess is, the third verse was a later add-on. It isn't included in most versions I've heard. Similar to "The Preacher and the Bear", perhaps, where Randy Sparks added the ending and punchline that seemed so logically indicated. I've been racking my brains to come up with an alternative version that similarly fleshes out and completes the latter song without trespassing on anyone's copyright.

Subject: Lyr Add: DON'T GO IN THE LION'S CAGE TONIGHT
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 10:04 PM

You can see the sheet music for this song at the website of Baylor University.

DON'T GO IN THE LION'S CAGE TONIGHT: mock ballad from "The Blue Moon"
Words by John Gilroy; music by E. Ray Goetz
New York: Vogel Music Co., ©1906.

As sung by Julie Andrews (backed up by about 3 male singers):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYianGwqOnE

1. A mother once she had a lovely daughter.
The mother was a [sic] actress on the stage.
She traveled with a troop of well-trained lions,
And each night she went in the lions' cage.
One day the daughter had a premonition
That ev'rything that night would not go right. (Would not go right)
That day she told her mother in the kitchen: (Please!)
"Don't go in the lions' cage tonight. (No, not tonight!)

CHORUS: "Don't go in the cage tonight, mother darling,
For the lions look ferocious and they bite;
And when they get their angry fits,
They may tear you all to bits, (Bits! Bits! Bits!)*
So don't go in the lions' cage tonight." (No, not tonight!)*

2. The mother heeded not the daughter's warning.
But to her turned and softly said. "Pooh-pooh!"
I think I ought to know what I am doing.
When I'm around the lions all feel blue." (They all feel blue.)
That night while she was dancing in the lions' cage,
The lions thought that they would like to eat; (Would like to eat.)
And as they bit her darling mother's head off,
These words came back to her so pure and sweet: (So pure and sweet.)

CHORUS

[* Words in parentheses are sung only on the 2nd chorus.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: Charley Noble
Date: 24 Mar 10 - 09:42 AM

I definitely have an itch to record what I think is the "right" version of this old song. I do enjoy the "extra" last verse.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: GUEST,Richard E in Ohio
Date: 26 May 10 - 10:17 AM

I've lipped synced "Lions' Cage" sincec oollege in 1947.

Thus, without my trying, the lyrics ar etced in my memory.

I've highlighted certain words tha are as she sang on her 78rpm record and vary from other versions in this thread


A lady once she had a lovely daughter
The mother was a actress on the stage,
She traveled with a troop of well-trainer lions
And each night she went in the lions' cage.

A lady once she had a lovely daughter
The mother was a actress on the stage,
She traveled with a troop of well-trainer lions
And each night she went in the lions' cage.

One day the daughter had a premonition
that everything that night would not go right
And so she told her mother in the kitchen,
"Please don't go in the lions' caget tonight."

"Please don't go in the xcagge, Mama darling
For the lions look ferocious and may bite
"And when they get theior angry fits
They may tear you all to bits,
So please, don't go in the lions cage tonight."

The mother heeded not the daughter's warning,
But to her turned and softly said "Go Homne"
"I think I ought to knows what I am doing
:"When I'm around the lions all feel blue."

That night while she was dancing in the lions cage
The lions thought that they would like to eat
And as they bit the mother's head off,
these words came bck to her so soft and sweet:

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: Charley Noble
Date: 26 May 10 - 02:46 PM

One of the things I ran across in the loft of my mother's old studio was a set of studies for a proposed mural for the U. S. Social Services Administration back in the early 1940's. The theme of the mural was supposed to be "American Songs" and one of the illustrations that mother submitted was a sketch of "Don't Go in the Lion's Cage." She didn't win that mural competition; she did, however, win several others. I'll post our version of the lyrics this weekend on my website along with the graphic.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: GUEST,Megan Thomas
Date: 16 Jun 11 - 08:50 PM

I know this song very well. It was used in the Off Broadway Show THE DRUNKARD at the 13th St Theatre back in the 1960's. (My father was in that show. Barry "Mann" Manelo was the music director.) I would LOVE to get sheet music for it. Does anyone know where I could find that? Would love your help.
Thanks,
    Megan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Jun 11 - 01:30 PM

WorldCat.org tells me that copies of the sheet music of DON'T GO IN THE LION'S CAGE TONIGHT are held by the following libraries:

University of Colorado at Boulder
San Francisco Public Library
The British Library

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: GUEST,Bill Burkett
Date: 28 Jul 11 - 07:37 PM

A mother once she had a lovely daughter. the mother was a actress on the stage.
She traveled with a troupe of well trained lions, and each night she went in the lions cage.
One day the daughter had a premonition, that everything that night would not go right.
And so she told her mother in the kitchen "Oh please! Don't go in the lions cage tonight, no, not tonight.

Don't go in the cage tonight, mother darling, for the lions are ferocious and may bite.
And when they get their angry fits, they may tear you all to bits, so, don't go in the lions cage tonight."

The mother heeded not the daughter's warning, but to her turned and softly said: "GO TO!
I think I ought to know what I am doing. When I'm around the lions all feel blue."
That night as she was dancing in the lions cage, the lions thought that they would like to eat.
And as they bit the darling mother's head off, these words came back to her, so pure and sweet:

Don't go in the cage tonight, mother darling....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 29 Jul 11 - 04:34 PM

A great song, good fun to sing. Ido remember it as 'Daddy darling' rather than mother, but I bow to the majority here. I'm definitely going to start singing it again. Does anyone out there remember 'Hang on the bell, Nellie'. Another great fun song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 29 Jul 11 - 04:38 PM

An afterthought; I seem to remember the first line of the chorus as being 'Don't go DOWN the lion's cage tonight, Daddy darling'.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Feb 12 - 12:33 AM

For what it's worth I remember my mother singing this to me when I was 6 or so [about 1945]. As I recall - a 6 year old's recollection here - it came from a song she told me was "Mother was a lion tamer".

My parents liked musical type plays and had a number of the 78 rpm "Albums" which usually would have 3 to 5 records in a sort of hard covered colorfully printed exterior art. This type of presentation evolved into tje "LP" type of jacket in the vinyl era.

I swear mom would plaay the record and sing along with it but then that was 67 years ago and the ol' mental database is a bit overloaded.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Don't Go In them Lion's Cage Tonight
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Jun 18 - 08:58 PM

I know it from Max Morath's album "Turn of the Century." It's a great arrangement and performance!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Jun 18 - 10:53 PM

This Adventurers Club performance is inspiring:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY1zY7FQgIE

And here's the Julie Andrews performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNEPGsif-GU

Oh, and here's Martin Carthy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfDPrwSz2xo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: Charley Noble
Date: 21 Jun 18 - 09:16 PM

Just a note to attach to this discussion. My mother claims she knows the correct tune as she learned it from our old family friend Dennis Puleston but, alas, I can only supply the chords. Her wording is similar to the DT; at least it's in the same dysfunctional family.

The version I learned had a happier ending for the mother and daughter than one of the ones up above (which has a happy ending for the lion):

Words by John Gilroy; music by E. Ray Goetz – New York: Vogel Music Co., © 1906
Mock ballad from The Blue Moon
From singing of Dennis Puleston, Long Island, NY
Don't Go in the Lions' Cage

Dm
A lady once she had a lovely daughter,
-----Am---------------------------Dm
That lady was an actress on the stage

She'd walk into a cage of angry lions
------Am---------------------------Dm
Them lions they was always in a rage.

One day her daughter had a premonition
----Am--------------------------------------Dm
That everything that night would not go right

And so she told her mother in the kitchen,
Am-------------------------------Dm
“Don't go in that lions' cage to-night!”


Chorus:

C-----F
“Oh, don't go in that lions' cage, dear mother, dear, tonight;
-------C--------------------------------F
Them lions is ferocious and might bite!
--------------Bb----------------------------F
When they get them angry fits, they'll tear you into little bits,
---C------------------C7--------------F
So don't go in that lions' cage to-night.”

The lady laughed “Ha, ha!” She did not heed the warning
That unto her the daughter she did give;
“Oh, no!” she cried, “I do not fear them lions;
Not one of them could make me cease to live!”
She went into that cage of angry lions,
Them lions was ferocious as could be;
“Alas!” she cried as one strode up and bit her,
“I now recall what daughter said to me!” (CHO)

“Oh, who will save my mother?” cried the daughter;
“By lions she is being bit and et!”
“I will!” replied a young man in the gallery;
“I'll save your mother, you can bet!”
He strode into that cage of angry lions;
He quelled them and the mother res-cu-ed;
“Here's your ma,” he said, as he kissed the daughter;
“For I have loved you ever since you said:” (CHO)

Cheerily,
Charlie Ipcar

Subject: RE: Origins: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: Charley Noble
Date: 23 Nov 25 - 09:09 PM

Here's a link to the lyrics as my mother used to sing them and her illustration (click on the MP3 button to hear it): https://www.charlieipcar.com/lyrics/dont_go_lions_cage.htm

Cheerily,
Charlie Ipcar

Subject: RE: Origins: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: Lighter
Date: 24 Nov 25 - 12:24 PM

For the tune, skip ahead to 1:00:


https://youtu.be/-LlA5No_BhY?list=OLAK5uy_mq2Cz0hPKFeofUxMaCDGP04dCR1R1vFGE&t=61

Subject: RE: Origins: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 Nov 25 - 10:52 AM

Nice to hear another rendition but it is decidedly a more gruesome one.

Cheerily,
Charlie Ipcar