Origins: I'm Gonna Dance wit' de Guy wot Brung Me

Subject: Origins: I took my girl to the Palais de Danse
From: Uke
Date: 29 Jan 08 - 03:51 PM

Came across the following lyrics on an old song sheet (c.1955) from Victoria University, New Zealand. Seems American though. Wondered if anybody knew the tune, more lyrics or anything much about it... Thanks.


O I took my girl to the Palais de Danse,
To trip the light fantastic,
Then I spied a girl, standing alone
Chewing on a hunk of elastic.
O she seemed to look alright,
So I thought I'd be polite,
O I said "My dear would you like to dance"
She threw a glance that stung me,
She snapped her gum and then replied
"I'm goin to dance with the guy what brung me".

Subject: RE: Origins: I took my girl to the Palais de Danse
From: Peace
Date: 29 Jan 08 - 04:06 PM

"The knock-about novelty duet with Jack Kaufman I'm Gonna Dance Wit' De Guy Wot Brung Me (also known as The Gum Chewers Song) was originally written by Walter O' Keefe with music (for ukulele) by Harry Archer. This wonderful comedy song is made all the more humorous by Vaughn's attempt to sound like someone from the Bronx but actually sounds like Dick Van Dyke's attempt at a London cockney in the film Mary Poppins. The song had already been recorded in June of the same year by Aileen Stanley and Billy Murray with Nat Shilkret and his Orchestra. Like Lily Strickland, Aileen Stanley was another of Vaughn's contemporaries from whom interesting parallels can be drawn having made blues records as Mamie Jones for the exclusively black run label Black Swan, known mainly for its recordings by black artists.
The song had also been recorded three weeks prior to Vaughn's recording by the black male blues singer Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon."

from

http://www.document-records.com/show_news.asp?articleID=305

Subject: RE: Origins: I took my girl to the Palais de Danse
From: Uke
Date: 29 Jan 08 - 07:35 PM

Thanks Peace - that was quick!

This excellent site gives a short rundown on Jaxon and has a Real-Audio version of the song, while here's the cover of the sheet music.

Subject: Lyr Add: I'M GONNA DANCE WIT DE GUY WOT BRUNG ME
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 Nov 09 - 11:52 AM

Transcribed from the recording at YouTube:

I'M GONNA DANCE WIT DE GUY WOT BRUNG ME (THE GUM CHEWER'S SONG)
Words, Walter O'Keefe; music, Harry Archer, 1927.
As performed by Aileen Stanley & Billy Murray.
[Female voice in italics.]

[Semi-sung, recited to music:]
Well, here I am at the Palais de Danse [pronounced "palace de dance"]
To trip the light fantastic.
Mmm! A swell Jane, all alone too,
Chewin' a hunk o' pallastic(?).
She looks like de class all right,
So I'll have to be polite.
Hello dere, babe! Would you give us a dance?
Ooh! You work so fast you stung me.
I'll pop me gum and then, old kid,
I'm gonna dance with the guy what brung me.
Hey! You got a noive to speak to me.
You don't look like no sheik to me.
I'd like to know who sent for you,
And what's more, you're no gentleman.
I'm very strict with etiquette. [pronounced "etty-kwett"]
Some things I don't allow boys.
I know all me P's and Q's.
Oh, I bet you're just a drugstore cowboy.
Not me. I ain't no false alarm.
Lay off the gab and grab me arm.
Oh, go take the air. Say, can't you see,
I'm gonna dance with the guy what brung me.

[Music stops. Sound of chewing.]
You're certainly hittin' on all four with that gum o' yours. You ain't missed a snap.
No? Well you know, they calls me Toitle. [Turtle]
Huh! I'll say you're snappy.
Is my face red as the things what you said?
Some lingo you threw at me!
Yeah?
I ain't a bad guy. By the looks of your eye,
You're tryin' to high-hat me.
You think so?
Why should you get sore?
I could be polite some more.
Ah, say, old gal, let's do our stuff.
I'll forget the words what stung me.
...(?) me no more. Me mind's made up.
I'm gonna dance with the guy what brung me.
You think you're quite a lady's man,
Like Don Ju-ann or Dapper Dan.
But say, that face of yours is an awful tan,
And I still say you're no gentleman.
Is that so?
Yes, if you'll just look across the hall,
There's one girl over there who's the berries.
Where?
The one who's got that orange hat with all them purple cherries.
Yeah?
You see?
No me. It can't be done.
That dame will dance with anyone.
Ha-ha-ha! Well, I came with Jim and I'm gonna be with him.
I'm gonna dance with the guy what brung me.

[Music begins again.]
Ah, clam yourself and change your mind.
Take back the looks you flung me.
Don't bother me. Say where's me gum?
Gonna dance with the guy what brung me.
We ain't been introduced at all
And they got a rule here in this here hall
To save us girls a nasty fall.
And say, I'd still say you're no gentleman.
Come on now, kid. Let's have a dance.
Now why can't you be pleasin'?
All right I'll weaken. I'll give in,
But remember, easy on the squeezin'.
Let's keep on dancin' down the aisle.
We can dodge me boyfriend for a while.
Get off me foot. Gee, what a klutz!
Go on and dance with the guy what brung you!

[Music stops.]
I knowed he was no gentleman!

Subject: RE: Origins: I'm Gonna Dance wit' de Guy wot Brung Me
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Sep 21 - 11:43 AM