Origins: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum / Hi Ro Jerum

Subject: Lyr Add: ROY ROGER UM
From: Wolfgang
Date: 09 Jun 99 - 02:26 PM

see below my far from perfect transcription of this song from the South Roscommon singers circle CD. Please improcve my attempt.

Wolfgang

ROY ROGER UM

1. Now there was a rich man and his name it was Sabis-ee-um(?),
glory hallelujah, oh Roger um.
He wore a silk hat and his coat was very spruce(?)-ee-um,
glory hallelujah, oh Roger um.

Ch.: Oh, Roger um, oh, Roger um,
skillymalinkydoodelay, oh, Roger um.

2. Now this rich man who lived in Jerusal-ee-um
he (gave swelled in this to the ?) people of Jerusal-ee-um.

3. At the rich man's gate there lived a human wreck-ee-um
and to work he was not able-ee-um.

4. So he begged some crumbs from the rich man's table-ee-um,
but the rich man he did refuse-ee-um.

5. Now the poor man died and he went up to heaven-ee-um
and he boozed with the angels until half past eleven-ee-um.

6. And the rich man died but he didn't fare so well-ee-um,
for Old Nick cornered him and shooked him into Hell-ee-um.

7. Now the first thing he asked for was a little ale-ee-um,
but Old Nick told him it wasn't a hotel-ee-um.

8. And the next thing he asked for was a little chertruc-ee-um(?),
but Old Nick told him to ask it was no use-ee-um.

9. And the next thing he asked for was a whisky and a sod-ee-um,
but Old Nick told him to shovel on the coal-ee-um.

10. Now the moral of the story is, rich men go to Hell-ee-um,
but we won't go, for we'll all stony-brok-ee-um.

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um
From: Barbara
Date: 09 Jun 99 - 07:46 PM

I learned a version of this growing up, Wolfgang. And I don't remember the rich man's name. Zebedee maybe?
I do remember that the chorus went

Ho ry-chee rum, (2X)
Skittle-ma whack a doo jee ak,
Ho ry-chee rum.

And 'spruce' is right. It's a slang word for 'dapper', or 'natty'. People say 'he's all spruced up' when they mean dressed fancy. Sunday-go-to-meetin' dressed. Have I found one that works for you yet?

I didn't remember all the different drinks at the end in my Sunday School version, just that he shovelled coal-i-um. If it's a drink, it's chartreuse, if it's a cigar, it's a cheroot.

I'll bet somebody knows who the rich man was.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um
From: Martin _Ryan
Date: 09 Jun 99 - 08:27 PM

This song was collected from Irish travellers/tinkers. It's a version of "Dives and Lazarus". I'll have a listen to Pauline's version and try to make more sense of it - although, of course, the line-endings are not supposed to make sense, really!"

Regards

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 09 Jun 99 - 11:04 PM

The version I've known forever is in the DT. Look for The Rich Man and the Poor Man.

Sandy

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um
From: Wolfgang
Date: 10 Jun 99 - 03:04 AM

I had thought of Dive(r)s and Lazarus, for the story is quite similar, but I hadn't found Rich man and poor man before posting. Obviously the same song, basically, with lots of differences.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um
From: Martin _Ryan
Date: 20 Sep 99 - 03:46 PM

Verse 2.2 : He gave swell dinners to the ....

6.2. : .... chucked him inot Hell...."

Regards

Subject: Lyr Add: HEY ROGER RUM (from Oldham Tinkers)
From: Timbobbin
Date: 21 Sep 99 - 06:20 PM

There is a version of this song, I think recorded by the Oldham Tinkers.

As far as I remember it goes

HEY ROGER RUM (from Oldham Tinkers)

There were two Jews and they came from Jerusalem,
Glory Hallelujah hey roger rum
And one were rich and t'other were a pooriun
Glory Hallelujah hey roger rum,
Hey roger rum, hey roger rum,
Skin of a scaly onion,
Oh what a funny un,
Glory hallelujah hey roger rum

2. The poor Jew died and he went up to heavenium,
Had his supper with the saints at a quarter past elevenium

3. The rich Jew died and he didn't fare so wellium,
Took a little journey all the way down to hellium,

4. He asked owd Nick for a whisky and a sodium,
But owd Nick tow'd him to shovel on the coalium

5. To this story that's all the scriptures tellium,
So if you want any more you'll have to sing it for yoursellium.

I especially enjoy the line about whisky and sodium, what else would you expect to drink in hell?

If anyone has the chords for this song I would love to get them.

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um
From: Art Thieme
Date: 22 Sep 99 - 12:51 PM

Sam Hinton sang it "Hi-ro-jurum"...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hi Rosherum
From: Jacob B
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 03:58 PM

The way I learned it, the verse went:

The rich man died but he didn't fare so wellium
He couldn't go to heaven so he had to go to hydrogen
(spoken) There's a shortage of helium.
Glory hallelujah ...

Subject: Origins: Rich Man and the Poor Man / Hi Ho Jerum
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Oct 02 - 03:53 PM

It's an interesting song, and a lot of fun to sing. The version in the Digital Tradition is just about the same as what's in the Rise Up Singing Songbook and the People's Songbook, but both have second-last verses that are a bit different:

• People's Songbook and Folksinger's Wordbook and Silverman's Folk Song Encyclopedia:
  The Devil said, "this is no hotelium,"
  "It's just a very common, very ordinary Hellium."
  
• Rise Up Singing:
  He called for a whiskey and a soda to consolium
  But the Devil said, "Come and shovel on the coalium."

Here's the entry from the Traditional Ballad Index.
-Joe Offer-

---

Hi Ho Jerum

DESCRIPTION: "There was a rich man and he lived in Jerusalem, Glory hallelujah hi ro je-rum." The rich man rejects a request for help from a "human wreckium." The poor "wreckium" dies and goes to "Heavium"; the rich man ends up in "Hellium"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: Early 1950s (recording, Sam Hinton)
LONG DESCRIPTION: Macaronic song with pseudo-Latin phrases, e.g. "The rich man died, but he didn't fare so wellium/He couldn't get to Heaven, so he had to go to Hellium." In some versions, it's a retelling of the Dives and Lazarus tale: the poor man at the rich man's gate asks for bread; the rich man calls a "policium"; when they die, the poor man goes to Heaven, the rich man goes to Hell. Chorus inevitably includes the line, "Glory Hallelujah, Hi-Ho-Jerum" or similar.
KEYWORDS: poverty humorous warning hardheartedness death begging Hell
FOUND IN: US
REFERENCES (4 citations):
Pankake-PHCFSB, p. 184, "There Was a Rich Man Who Lived in Jerusalem" (1 text, tune referenced)
Silber-FSWB, p. 25, "The Rich Man and the Poor Man" (1 text)
DT, RICHPOOR*
ADDITIONAL: _Sing Out_ magazine, Volume 33, #1 (1987), pp, 28-29, "Hi-Ho-Jerum" (1 text, 1 tune, as sung by Sam Hinton and learned from Dr. Norris Rakestraw)
Roud #4571
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Lazarus and the Rich Man" (theme)
cf. "Dives and Lazarus" [Child 56] (theme)
ALTERNATE TITLES:
Hi Ro Jerum
NOTES [42 words]: This, obviously, is Jesus's parable of the rich man and Lazarus, with the names removed and a trace of feeble humor added. For background, see the other Lazarus songs. - RBW
This song has bawdy variants; I'm surprised they didn't turn up in Cray. - PJS
Last updated in version 2.4
File: FSWB025

---

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The Ballad Index Copyright 2018 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

---

Here's the version from the Digital Tradition:

THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN (DT Version)

There was a rich man and he lived in Jerusalem,
Glory, hallelujah hi-ro-je-rum
He wore a silk hat and his coat was very sprucium,
Glory hallelujah hi-ro-je-rum.

cho: Hi-ro-je-rum, hi-ro-je-rum,
Skinamalinkadoolium
Skinamalinkadoolium .
Glory hallelujah hi-ro-je-rum.

And at his gate there sat a human wreckium
He wore a bowler hat and the rim was round his neckium,

That poor man asked for a piece of bread and cheesium,
The rich man answered, "I'll call for a policeium"

The poor man died and his soul went to heavium,
And he danced with the saints 'til quarter past ellevium,

And there he dwelt in Abraham's bosium,
Fraternizing there with scores of other Jewseum.

The rich man died but he didn't fare so wellium
He couldn't go to heaven so he had to go to hellium,

The rich man asked for to have a consolium,
The devil only answered, "Come shovel on the coalium. "

The moral of this story is that riches are no jokium,
We will all go to heaven because we are stony brokium.

@camp @poverty
filename[ RICHPOOR
TUNE FILE: RICHPOOR
CLICK TO PLAY
RG

Subject: Origins: Rich Man and the Poor Man / Hi Ro Jerum
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Oct 02 - 04:26 PM

The Edith Fowke and Joe Glazer book, Songs of Work and Protest leaves out altogether the verse with the devil's statement. The notes in the book are interesting:

The Biblical parable of Dives and Lazarus has always been a favorite among working people. Dives, the rich man, had all he wanted on earth, while Lazarus, the poor man, begged for crumbs at his door. But when they died Lazarus "was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom," while the rich man, in Hell, begged for a drop of water to quench his burning thirst (Luke 16:19).
Many centuries ago the English peasants turned this story into a carol, and it has been handed down to our time. In 1557, Master John Wallye and Mistress Toye paid a license fee to the Company of Stationers for printing a "Ballad of the Ryche man and poor Lazarus," and one of Fletcher's plays printed in 1639 refers to the "merry ballad of Diverus and Lazarus." It appears in the great ballad collection of Francis James Child as Number 56.
The original carol followed the Bible story closely and was sung very seriously. Later the Negroes told the story in a spiritual:

Rich man Dives he lived so well,
When he died he found a home in hell;
Poor man Lazarus, poor as I,
When he died he had a home on high.

In more recent times the tale was re-told in a light-hearted vein and became popular among college students and community song groups. This modern parody of the ancient English carol was included in a songbook published by the Brookwood Labor College, one of the earliest American schools for workers, which was established in 1921 in Katonah, New York.

---

Oh, and here's an extra verse that shouldn't be missed:

Thread #36264   Message #500076
Posted By: Jacob B
06-Jul-01 - 03:58 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Hi Rosherum
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hi Rosherum


The way I learned it, the verse went:

The rich man died but he didn't fare so wellium
He couldn't go to heaven so he had to go to hydrogen
(spoken) There's a shortage of helium.
Glory hallelujah ...

Subject: RE: Variants of Dives and Lazarus
From: Bernard
Date: 14 Jan 07 - 07:36 AM

Going slightly 'off thread', there is a song based on the story of Dives and Lazarus which has a few variants. The one I use is this, which is a combination of two versions I know.

There were two Jews who lived up in Jerusalem
Glory Hallelujah, hora-jarum.
One was rich and t'other was a poor-ium
Glory Hallelujah, hora-jarum.

Chorus:
Hora-jarum, hora-jarum,
Skin 'im a Spanish onion
Oooh! What a funny 'un!
Glory Hallelujah, hora-jarum.

The poor Jew died, and he went up into heav'nium
Had his supper with the saints at a quarter to elev'nium

The rich Jew died, but he didn't fare so well-ium
He took a little journey all the way down to hell-ium

He asked Old Nick for a whisky and a sodium
The devil just said "Keep shovellin' on the coal-ium!"

The moral of this story is quite easy for to see-ium
If you want any more you can sing it for yoursel-ium


If anyone wants an abc or midi of the tune, just PM with your email.

There's a variant in the DT called 'The Rich Man and the Poor Man'. The tune isn't unlike the one I know, but is less 'jaunty'.

Subject: RE: Variants of Dives and Lazarus
From: The Vulgar Boatman
Date: 14 Jan 07 - 01:28 PM

Or a last verse:
The moral of the story is that riches are no jokium
Glory.....
And we'll all go to heaven 'cos we're all stony brokium
Glory...

KYBTTS

Subject: Lyr Add: RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN/DIVES & LAZARUS
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Sep 09 - 10:15 AM

this is from the singing of Sean Cannon as heard at the Chester Folk Festival in 1986


The Rich Man and the Poor Man, Dives & Lazarus.

Now there was a rich man and he lived in Jerusalem
Glory, Hallelujah, hi-ro-je-rum
And he lived all alone in a house big and spruce-ium
Glory, Hallelujah, hi-ro-je-rum

Hi-ro-je-rum, hi-ro-je-rum
Skinny-malinky-doorium
Skinny-maliny-doorium
Glory, Hallelujah, hi-ro-je-rum

At the end of his gate sat a human skinny-rickium
Glory, Hallelujah, hi-ro-je-rum
And her wore an old hat with the brim around his neck-ium
Glory, Hallelujah, hi-ro-je-rum

Chorus

Well the poor man asked for a bit of bread and cheese-ium
Glory, Hallelujah, hi-ro-je-rum
Said the rich man "scram, before I call the police-ium"
Glory, Hallelujah, hi-ro-je-rum

Chorus

Now the poor man died and went straight up to heaven-ium
Glory, Hallelujah, hi-ro-je-rum
And he sat up with the angels til half-past eleven-ium
Glory, Hallelujah, hi-ro-je-rum

Chorus

When the rich man died, he didn't fare so well-ium
Glory, Hallelujah, hi-ro-je-rum
When the rich man died he went straight down to hell-ium
Glory, Hallelujah, hi-ro-je-rum

Chorus

The rich man asked for a glass of Pepsi-Col-ium
Glory, Hallelujah, hi-ro-je-rum
And the devil said "get busy and shovel on the coal-ium"
Glory, Hallelujah, hi-ro-je-rum

Chorus

Now the moral of this story is that riches are no joke-ium
Glory, Hallelujah, hi-ro-je-rum
And we're all going to heaven cause we're all stoney-broke-ium
Glory, Hallelujah, hi-ro-je-rum

Chorus

Chorus.

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um
From: GUEST,Marina Bokelman
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 05:53 PM

Dear Art Thiemme
Your mention of Sam Hinton's chorus makes me wonder if you have all the verses to his version. I've remembered most of them but have dropped a few.   My version has the last verse

Now all unbelievers will go down beneatheum
Where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teetheium

I keep thinking there is a penultimate verse. Do you happen to know the whole Sam Hinton Version? I would love to have it.

Also, in another thread you mention DK Wilgus, my old professor at UCLA. I wonder if we've ever chopped in the same cotton. You knew him?
Thanks to you and anyone who might the Sam Hinton version.

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 06:16 PM

Hi, Marina -
This Sam Hinton Discography says Sam Hinton recorded "Hi Ro Jerum" in 1956 on a Decca album titled Family Tree of Folk Songs.
Sam's Folkways recordings are available on CD, and Bear Family Records has a wonderful CD of his 1947 Library of Congress Recordings; and there's a terrific Sam Hinton CD called Master of the Solo Diatonic Harmonica. Unfortunately, none of the Decca recordings have been reissued.
I suspect that Adam Miller may sing Sam Hinton's version. Click here to find a full recording by Adam. Maybe Adam will drop by and post Sam's version. I'll contact him.


-Joe-

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um
From: Songbob
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 06:24 PM

I recall the last two lines as:

The moral of the story is that riches are no jokium;
We'll all go to Heaven, 'cause we are stony-brokium.

Bob

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um
From: MartinRyan
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 06:28 PM

Click here and check out Track 14 to hear the version that
Wolfgang transcribed all those years ago!

Regards

Subject: Lyr Add: HI HO JERUM (Sam Hinton Version)
From: autoharper
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 06:37 PM

I recorded this song on my "Along Came a Giant" CD. I learned the song from Sam Hinton (1917-2009).

HI HO JERUM

Well, long long ago in the days of Kafusalem
Glory hallelujah, with a hi-hi-jerum
There was a rich man lived in the town of Jerusalem
Glory hallelujah, with a hi-hi-jerum

Hi-ho-jerum, hi-hi-jerum
Dinky, dinky didlium, dinky, dinky didlium,
Glory hallelujah, with a hi-hi-jerum
There also was a man so sick and disable-ium
Glory hallelujah, with a hi-hi-jerum
And he picked up the crumbs at the rich man's table-ium
Glory hallelujah, with a hi-hi-jerum

But the rich man, he didn't fare so well-ium
Glory hallelujah, with a hi-hi-jerum
For the Devil came along and he took him down to helium
Glory hallelujah, with a hi-hi-jerum

The rich man asked for a whiskey and a sodium
Glory hallelujah, with a hi-hi-jerum
But the Devil said, "No, just shovel on more coal-ium
Glory hallelujah, with a hi-hi-jerum

He asked for a whiskey and a soda to consol-ium
Glory hallelujah, with a hi-hi-jerum
But the Devil said, "No, just shovel on the coal-ium!"
Glory hallelujah, with a hi-hi-jerum

So if you go to church and you put in your penny-um
Glory hallelujah, with a hi-hi-jerum
You'll go up and play the clarinet along with Father Abr-ium
Glory hallelujah, with a hi-hi-jerum

But all non-believers will go down beneath-ium
Glory hallelujah, with a hi-hi-jerum
And there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth-ium
Glory hallelujah, with a hi-hi-jerum

Sam explained:

I learned "Hi Ho Jerome" from the late Prof. Norris W. Rakestraw, an oceanographic chemist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Norris had learned it as an undergraduate at Stanford many, many years ago; I have no idea about where it came from or how old it is: all I know is that its macaronic nonsense syllables imitate the Latin that all college science students had to take up to the advent of World War II.

-Adam Miller

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum
From: GUEST,Marina Bokelman
Date: 16 Dec 09 - 12:14 PM

yes! thank you. The Adam Miller/Hinton version had the verse I was looking for. many thanks
maruna

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 16 Dec 09 - 04:01 PM

I seem to recall seeing this song in "Song Fest," a late 1950's paperback full of college drinking songs, folk music, etc. One of my old coffee house friends performed it frequently in our local coffee house, circa 1959-60.

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum
From: The Vulgar Boatman
Date: 16 Dec 09 - 05:56 PM

and another one...

There was an old man and he lived in Jerusalem,
Glory hallelujah, hiro jerum,
He wore a top hat and he looked very sprucelum,
Glory hallelujah, hiro jerum.

Hiro jerum, Oh, hiro jerum,
Skillimarinkidoorium, skillimarinkidoorium,
Glory hallelujah, hiro jerum.

Now outside his gate there lived a human wreckelum,
Glory hallelujah, hiro jerum,
He wore an old hat with the brim around his neckelum,
Glory hallelujah, hiro jerum,

The poor man asked for a piece of bread and cheeselum,
The rich man answered, "I'm going to call the policelum"

The poor man died and his soul went to heavelum,
And he danced with the saints 'til quarter past elevelum,

And there he dwelt in Abraham's booselum,
Fraternising there with scores of other Jewselum,

The rich man died but he didn't do so wellelum,
He couldn't go to heaven so he had to go to hellelum,

The rich man asked for to have a consolelum,
But the devil just answered, "Shovel on the coalelum"

The moral of the story is that riches are no jokelum,
And we'll all go to heaven 'cause we're all stony brokelum…


KYBTTS

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum
From: Joe_F
Date: 16 Dec 09 - 06:09 PM

I can't find this in _The New Song Fest_ under any of the likely titles or first lines, but it may well be there.

In the version I remember, the rich man asks for "a whiskey and a sodium" (a hellish drink indeed!), and

    The devil said, "This is no hotellium,
    Nothing but a common old ordinary hellium."

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum
From: Mr Happy
Date: 17 Dec 09 - 09:35 AM

In the version I do, the rich man asks for "a bottle o' coca colium"

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum
From: Mr Happy
Date: 17 Dec 09 - 10:48 AM

Above, someone posted this 1st line:

'Well, long long ago in the days of Kafusalem'


Anyone a clue who/what 'Kafusalem' means?

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jan 10 - 06:05 PM

I once heard Sean Cannon of The Dubliners sing this live, back in the early 80's snd I've been searching for the words ever since,now I finally found them here, many thank
DEsi C

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum
From: The Vulgar Boatman
Date: 25 Jan 10 - 09:26 AM

At the risk of lowering the tone even further, the only Kafusalem I've encountered (in song, at least) appears in "The Harlot of Jerusalem".
KYBTTS

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum
From: Young Buchan
Date: 25 Jan 10 - 09:37 AM

There used to be a much more political version which went:

There was a rich man and he lived in Detroitium
Glory hallelujah Hi ro jerum
All of his workers he did exploitium
Glory hallelujah Hi ro jerum
Hi ro jerum Hi ro jerum
Skinnermerinker doodle um Skinnermerinker doodle um
Glory hallelujah Hi ro jerum

The poor man asked for more but the boss he only saidium
'Get out of here you nasty little redium.'

The poor man very swiftly came to this conclusium
That if he wanted more he'd better join the Unium.

The moral of the story it isn't hard to tellium;
Let's all get together and kick the boss to Hellium.

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 25 Jan 10 - 10:01 AM

"The moral of this story is,
Riches are no jokium
We'll all go to Heaven
'Cause we're all stoney-brokium!
Hi-ro jerum! Hey, Hi-ro Jerum!
Skinnamalinky doodly-um
Skiinnamalinky goodly-up
Glory hallelujah, Hi-ro jerum!"

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: ADD: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum
From: GUEST,tuvya
Date: 26 Aug 18 - 10:27 PM

Could the nonsense sounding words be "high road you're on?"

Subject: ADD Version: Hi Ho Jerum
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Aug 18 - 01:51 AM

Hi, Tuvya. I think they're just nonsense words that are supposed to sound like Latin. Here's another version:

HI-HO-JERUM

In times long past, in the days of Methusal-e-um,
Glory hallelujah, and hi ho jerum!
A rich man lived in the town of Jerusal-e-um.
Glory hallelujah, and hi ho jerum!

CHORUS:
Hi ho jerum, hi ho jerum.
Dinky dinky diddle-e-um, dinky dinky diddle-c-um,
Dinky dinky diddle-e-um, hi ho jerum.

There also lived a poor man, sick and disable-e-um.
Glory hallelujah, and hi ho jerum!
He licked up the crumbs from the rich man’s table-e-um,
Glory hallelujah, and hi ho jerum! CHORUS

The poor man died and ascended up to Heaven-e-um
Glory hallelujah, and hi ho jerum!
And he dined with the angels ‘til half-past eleven-e-um.
Glory hallelujah, and hi ho jerum! CHORUS

The rich man, he didn’t fare so well-e-um.
Glory hallelujah, and hi ho jerum!
The devil came along and took him down to HMP-e-um.
Glory hallelujah, and hi ho jerum! CHORUS

The fires they roared and the furnaces glowed-e-um.
Glory hallelujah, and hi ho jerum!
The rich man called for whiskey and sodium.
Glory hallelujah, and hi ho jerum! CHORUS

He called for whiskey and a soda to console-e-um.
Glory hallelujah, and hi ho jerum!
But the Devil said to him ‘Come! Shovel on the coal-e-um!
Glory hallelujah, and hi ho jerum! CHORUS

So, if you go to church and put in your penny-um,
Glory hallelujah, and hi ho jerum!
You’ll go up and play the clarinet along with Father Abra-he-um.
Glory hallelujah, and hi ho jerum! CHORUS

But all unbelievers will go down beneath-e-um.
Glory hallelujah, and hi ho jerum!
And there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth-e-um.
Glory hallelujah, and hi ho jerum! CHORUS


Hi-Ho-Jerum
A parody on a whole class of songs rather that a specific song, “Hi Ho Jerum” makes use of “macronics” - - nonsense words made to sound a little like Latin. The song was popular on American college campuses in the ‘20s. Sam Hinton learned this version from the late Dr. Norris Rakestraw, who was a professor of marine chemistry at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla. California.

Source: Sing Out! Magazine, Vol. 33, No. 1 (Fall 1987), Pages 28 & 29

Subject: Lyr Add: O ROGERUM
From: Ged Fox
Date: 27 Aug 18 - 06:39 AM

A version with hints of Scottish, from the British Students' Song Book (revised) (companion to the Scottish Students' Song Book.) Undated, but the original was published in 1912, and A. G. Abbie was still Chief Editor of the Scottish Students' Song Book Committee at the time of the revision.


O Rogerum!

There was a rich man, and he lived in Jerusalem;
Glory, Hallelujah! O, Rogerum!
He wore a tall hat – you never saw so spruce a lum,
Glory, Hallelujah! O, Rogerum!

O, Rogerum! O, Rogerum!
Glory, Hallelujah! O, Rogerum!

At his garden gate there sat a human wreck-ium,
In a hooker-doon, with a cravat round his neck-ium,

The poor man died; and he went up to heaven-um,
And supped with the saints at a quarter past eleven-um,

The rich man died; but he didn’t do so well-ium;
He fell in with the chemist investigating Helium.

The rich man cried for a Brandy and Sodi-um;
For he felt the heat begin to discommodie ‘um,

He cried again for a whisky to consolie-‘um,
But the Devil only answered: “Shovel on the coalium.”

Ah! wealth, dear friends, doth ever end in smoke-ium;
We may thank our stars that we are stoney broke-ium.


"never saw so spruce a lum" lum = chimney, in this case a stove-pipe hat.

"hooker-doon" - a broad flat cap with the crown hooked down to the peak.

Subject: RE: Origins: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum / Hi Ro Jerum
From: GUEST,As sung by my dearly departed Grandfather
Date: 09 Mar 20 - 04:11 PM

There was a rich man and he lived in Jeruslium
Glory Hallaballulium Old Roger rum
and he fed upon the fat of the landium
Glory Hallaballulium Old Roger rum

Chorus
Old Roger rum Old Roger rum
Skinamalinkadoodlum Old Roger rum

Now there was a poor man and he lived by the gatium
Glory Hallaballulium Old Roger rum
and he fed uponthe crumbs from the rich mans tablium
Glory Hallaballulium Old Roger rum

Chorus
Old Roger rum Old Roger rum
Skinamalinkadoodlum Old Roger rum

Wel the poor man died and up he went to Heavenium
Glory Hallaballulium Old Roger rum
and he sat upon the staborad side of Abraham
Glory Hallaballulium Old Roger rum

Chorus
Old Roger rum Old Roger rum
Skinamalinkadoodlum Old Roger rum

Now the rich man died but didn't fair so wellium
Glory Hallaballulium Old Roger rum
The devil cam and took him straight to hellium
Glory Hallaballulium Old Roger rum

Chorus
Old Roger rum Old Roger rum
Skinamalinkadoodlum Old Roger rum

Now the rich man cried for water from the wellium
Glory Hallaballulium Old Roger rum
But the deveil replied this ain't no posh hotelium
Shove along the coalium Old Roger rum


Chorus
Old Roger rum Old Roger rum
Skinamalinkadoodlum Old Roger rum

Now the moral of the story is that riches end in smokium
Glory Hallaballulium Old Roger rum
So thank the lord that we're all stoney brokium
Glory Hallaballulium Old Roger rum

Chorus
Old Roger rum Old Roger rum
Slingamalingamiorium Old Roger Rum

Subject: RE: Origins: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum / Hi Ro Jerum
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 09 Mar 20 - 04:50 PM

A recording from 1937:

https://lomaxky.omeka.net/items/show/489

Seems he was setting the microphone, so there's noise. It starts a 'good' take at 40 seconds.

Subject: RE: Origins: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum / Hi Ro Jerum
From: Lighter
Date: 09 May 20 - 03:46 PM

As heard in the British Army, 1915. From "A Martial Medley," edited by Eric Partridge (1931):

Now there was a rich man and he lived in Jerusal-e-um,
   Glory alley belurium,
   O Rogerum.
And he used to live on the fat of the land-e-um.
   Gory alley belurium,
   O Rogerum.

Chorus:

O Rogerum, O Rogerum, O-o-o,
   Sling-ammy, ling-ammy, o-erum,
O Rogerum.

[Similarly:]

Now there was a poor man and he lived in Jerusal-e-um....
And he used to live on crumbs from the rich man's table-e-um....

Now the poor man he died and he went up to heaven-e-um....
And he sat down on the starboard side of Abraham....

Now the rich man, he died; but he didn't fare so well-e-um....
For the devil he came and popped him down to hell-e-um....

And the rich man, he cried, "Oh! send me down some water-e-um."...
But the devil, he said, "This ain't no Ritz Hotel-e-um.
Shovel on some coal-e-um, O Rogerum."

The moral of this tale is that riches end in smoke-e-um,...
So glory, glory be that we are stoney-broke-e-um.


(The fifth stanza has an extra line.)

Subject: RE: Origins: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum / Hi Ro Jerum
From: Lighter
Date: 09 May 20 - 07:34 PM

"Gory" should of course be "Glory."

The text is much like that sung by "Guest's" grandfather, above.

Subject: RE: Origins: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum / Hi Ro Jerum
From: Lighter
Date: 11 Aug 21 - 02:37 PM

Sung for Arthur Kyle Davis, Jr., by Lambert Davis of Lynchburg, Va., some time in the 1930s.

The line in brackets is mainly guesswork. It's nearly inaudible.


O, there was a rich man in the days of Methusalem
Glory alla malorium,
O Rogerum.
He gave swell parties to the nobs of Jerusalem
Glory alla malorium,
O Rogerum.

O Rogerum
O Rogerum
O sling a maling amalorium
O Rogerum.

[Similarly:]

[Poor lived a man who was worked just like a patrium]....
He lived on the crumbs that fell off the rich man’s tablium.....

The poor man died and he went up to heav’nium....
They set him down by the starboard side of Abrium.....

The rich man died and he didn’t fare so wellium....
The devil came along and fetched him off to hellium....

He asked Old Nick won’t you fetch a drink of wat’rium?...
The devil he replied, O this ain’t no swell hotelium.....

So my friends, well, if you are dry or sobrium...,
You may thank your lucky stars that you are stony brokium.

Subject: RE: Origins: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum / Hi Ro Jerum
From: Lighter
Date: 19 Jan 23 - 03:04 PM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Origins: Roy Roger Um / Hi Ho Jerum / Hi Ro Jerum
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 19 Jan 23 - 09:56 PM

Similar to a couple of the above:

“RICH MAN—POOR MAN
(Revised)
There was a rich man who lived in Detroit-i-um
Glory hallelujah, hi-ro-jerum
And all his workers he did exploit-i-um
Glory hallelujah, hi-ro-jerum

Hi-ro-jerum
Hi-ro-jerum
Skin-a-ma-link-a-dood-li-um
Skin-a-ma-link-a-dood-li-um
Glory Hallelujah, hi-ro-jerum

The poor man worked till he was nearly dead-i-um
Glory, etc.
When he got home he fell right into bed-i-um
Glory, etc.

Chorus

He asked for a raise, but the boss only said-i-um
Glory, etc.
Get out of here, you lousy little Red-i-um
Glory, etc. (chorus)

The poor man finally came to the conclu-si-um
Glory, etc.
To get more pay he'd have to join the un-i-um
Glory, etc. (chorus)

He talked to the boss again, but not alone-i-um
Glory, etc.
They said, “Don’t forget what the union did to Sloan-i-um”
Glory, etc. (chorus)

The boss wouldn’t talk, so they all sat in the plant-i-um
Glory, etc.
And all the boss could do was rave and rant-i-um
Glory, etc. (chorus)

The moral of this story is that unions are no joke-i-um
Glory, etc.
A boss who gets smart with the union mav go broke-i-um
Glory, etc. (chorus)”
[United Automobile Worker, 26 June 1937, p.5]

Fwiw: No Lazarus &c. but, the "hallelujah Jerum" chorus reminds me more than a little of mid-19th century Wagnerian 'yo-ho-ho' gibberish. The schusterlied (aka: Sachs' aria; the cobbler's song &c) in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg goes –– Jerum! Jerum! Hallahallohe! O ho! Tralalei! Tralalei! O he!