ADD: Birmingham Town (from Darby & Tarlton)

Subject: Lyr Req: Darby & Tarlton - Birmingham Town
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Dec 13 - 12:38 PM

I was wondering if anybody could fill in the lyrics on Darby and Tarlton's Birmingham Town. I transcribed what I hear with question marks beside words I'm unsure about. I'm mainly curious about the line "San Francisco was a loller." Does it mean SF is lazy?


I've traveled East and West
New York? I stopped to rest
But I never seen a town like Birmingham

CHORUS:
Oh my, she is certainly worth a prize
Sweetest/Swiftest? little town in Alabam
San Francisco was a loller?
She lost her bottom dollar
And she'll never be that (sometimes "a") town of Birmingham

I've traveled through Albania, Egypt and Australia
I went to see the vicotta? of Japan
And the king and queen of Spain
Invite me to call again
Cause I like to hear that news? From Birmingham

I've traveled all around, New York and Alabam
????????????? ("That is the jewel of the South" is what I hear but I could be imagining that)
These words he had to say
Don't you give this life away
Says the next Fall we'll be with Birmingham

Don't believe what I say is true, I'll tell you what you do
I'll send you to a friend that's always right
He will tell you in a minute
San Francisco, she ain't in it
But ol' Birmingham is certainly out of sight

I've traveled East and West
???? I stopped to rest
But I never seen a town like Birmingham

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Darby & Tarlton - Birmingham Town
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Dec 13 - 10:23 PM

I put it on youtube for reference:

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

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Darby & Tarlton - Birmingham Town
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Dec 13 - 08:52 PM

Before this drifts off the page, the song is 'Birmingham Town' and it was done back in the late 1920s by Darby and Tarlton. I mention that because they did a few other songs with the name Birmingham in the titles.

I will try to get some lyrics from the Youtube link in a day or so, but good lord those boys have to be from near Philly with that Boimingten stuff.

PS I am a different Guest from the original two.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Darby & Tarlton - Birmingham Town
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 24 Dec 13 - 11:12 PM

"I went to see the Mikado of Japan"

(I will listen again tomorrow and see if I can get more.)

Subject: ADD: Birmingham Town (from Darby & Tarlton)
From: Stewie
Date: 25 Dec 13 - 09:54 PM

Here is the transcription by Phil Wells in the booklet accompanying the Bear Family box set of the complete recordings of Darby and Tarlton [Edited by Ed Kahn]. Wells has 'beat' a town like Birmingham, but I reckon it sounds more like 'be'. Kahn notes that they probably learnt it from an earlier recording by George Reneau under the title 'Birmingham'.

BIRMINGHAM TOWN

I've travelled east and west
I often stopped to rest
But I've never seen a town like Birmingham
Oh my, she has certainly won the prize
Prettiest little town in Alabam
San Francisco was a lalla
And she lost her bottom dollar
And she'll never beat a town like Birmingham
Oh my, she has certainly won the prize
Swiftest little town in Alabam
San Francisco was a lalla
And she lost her bottom dollar
And she'll never beat a town like Birmingham

I've travelled through Albania
Egypt and Australia
I went to see The Mikado in Japan
And the King and Queen of Spain
Invited me to come again
'Cause I like the air I get from Birmingham
Oh my, she has certainly won the prize
Sweetest little town in Alabam
San Francisco was a lalla
And she lost her bottom dollar
And she'll never beat a town like Birmingham
Oh my, she has certainly won the prize
Perfect little town in Alabam
San Francisco was a lalla
And she lost her bottom dollar
And she'll never beat a town like Birmingham

I have travelled all around New York and Alabam
That is the jewel of Uncle Sam
These words he had to say
'Don't you give this town away!'
Said, 'What makes four winds beat is Birmingham'
Oh my, she has certainly won the prize
Perfect little town in Alabam
San Francisco was a lalla
And she lost her bottom dollar
And she'll never beat a town like Birmingham

Don't believe what I say is true
I'll tell you what you do
I'll send you to a friend that's always right
He will tell you in a minute
San Francisco she ain't in it
But old Birmingham is certainly out of sight
Oh my, she has certainly won the prize
Greatest little town in Alabam
San Francisco was a lalla
And she lost her bottom dollar
And she'll never beat a town like Birmingham

I have travelled east and west
I once stopped to rest
But I've never seen a town like Birmingham

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Darby & Tarlton - Birmingham Town
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Dec 13 - 11:37 PM

Thanks Stewie, most of that I can more or less reconcile as what they're saying except

'Don't you give this town away!'
Said, 'What makes four winds beat is Birmingham'


And also I'm not hearing all the different words in "_____ little town in Alabam"


Does anybody know what "lalla" means?

Thanks,
Original poster

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Darby & Tarlton - Birmingham Town
From: Stewie
Date: 26 Dec 13 - 10:17 AM

I think the meaning of 'lalla' in this context is meretricious - vulgar and flashy. Put Lalla + meretrious in Google and you will come up with several references, particularly to verses by Thomas Moore. The 'four winds beat' is possibly a reference to the four winds in the Old Testament.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Darby & Tarlton - Birmingham Town
From: Stewie
Date: 26 Dec 13 - 10:21 AM

My previous post should have read 'Lalla + meretricious'.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Darby & Tarlton - Birmingham Town
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Dec 13 - 01:07 PM

I wonder if "lolla" (however you spell it) is related to "lollapalooza"?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Darby & Tarlton - Birmingham Town
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Jul 24 - 09:16 PM

lolla.....loller...


My guess is that is a way of saying it keeps you in a "lull"

In other words, it is a lull-er?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Darby & Tarlton - Birmingham Town
From: cnd
Date: 14 Jul 24 - 09:54 AM

It definitely sounds like lola or loller, and I could buy the explanation about lull. Truthfully I think Darby and Tarleton only heard the song second- or third-hand and were just mumbling along.

In my opinion, it always helps to go to the source, so here's my transcription of George Reneau's Birmingham (listen)

BIRMINGHAM
(as recorded by George Reneau)

I have traveled east and west
Stopped at Washington for reset
I had an interview with Uncle Sam
And he said to me that day
"Do not throw your pep away
For the next World Fair will be in Birmingham"

CHORUS
Oh, Birmingham, you're sure to win the prize
The swiftest little town in Alabam'
San Francisco was a lala* til she lost her bottom dollar
She'll never make a town like Birmingham

I have traveled over Asia
New York and Australia
I went to see a corner of Japan
And the King of Queen of Spain
Invited me again
Just to hear some more about old Birmingham

CHORUS

If you don't believe it's true
I'll just tell you what to do
Just ask the man you know who's always right
He will tell you in a minute
San Francisco isn't in it
But old Birmingham is simply out of sight

CHORUS

* lala - late 19th/early 20th century slang for "a swell," which was a word of multiple definitions at the time, but primarily, either a gentleman, a specimen of exceptional renown, or something that was first-rate (A dictionary of slang and colloquial English, Farmer and Henely, pp. 259, 459). It's my belief the singer slurred this word a bit to rhyme internally with dollar.

Subject: ADD: Birmingham Town (from Darby & Tarlton)
From: cnd
Date: 14 Jul 24 - 10:02 AM

With that in mind, here's my transcription of Darby and Tarleton's version (listen). "Air that news" could easily be "hear that news," but it wouldn't make sense for Spaniards to have the news on the city. I also went back and forth on the third line of the chorus; it could have been "San Francisco oughta lie low," but I don't love the "low" part of it. Also a bit unclear on what Uncle Sam says, but I think this is closer than "what makes four winds beat."

BIRMINGHAM
(as recorded by Darby & Tarleton)

I have traveled east and west
Been helped to stop to rest
But I've never seen a town like Birmingham

CHORUS (x2)
Oh, my, she has certainly won the prize
The swiftest little town in Alabam'
San Francisco, what a lala, she lost her bottom dollar
And she'll never beat a town like Birmingham

I have traveled through Albania
Egypt and Australia
I went to see the Mikado of Japan
And the King and Queen of Spain
Invited me to call again
Cause I like to air that news from Birmingham

CHORUS (x2)

I have traveled all around
New York and Alabam'
That is the jewel of Uncle Sam
These words he had to say
"Don't you give this town away"
Said, "What makes for all I feel is Birmingham"

CHORUS

Don't believe what I say is true
I'll tell you what you do
I'll send it to a friend that's always right
He would tell you in a minute
San Francisco, she ain't in it
But old Birmingham is certainly out of sight

CHORUS

I've traveled east and west
Watched the sun to rest
But I've never seen a town like Birmingham

Subject: RE: ADD: Birmingham Town (from Darby & Tarlton)
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Aug 24 - 01:19 AM

cnd, Thanks for the Reneau version, the slang definition, and transcriptions. I was the original poster in 2013 and when listening to this song tonight I thought to look up this thread again. I was glad to see it had been revived only a month ago.


With regards to your transcription, I am hearing the opening to say:
I have traveled east and west
New York, stopped to rest

and the closing to say:
I have traveled east and west
In Washington stopped to rest

And then slowing down Uncle Sam's line, I still hear my original transcription:
These words he had to say
"Don't you give this life away"
Says, "next Fall we’ll be with Birmingham"

Subject: RE: ADD: Birmingham Town (from Darby & Tarlton)
From: cnd
Date: 17 Aug 24 - 06:45 AM

Always glad to help, especially when the original poster is still around!

Sorry for the delay in getting back -- just coming back from vacation. I largely agree with the first correction: it definitely is New York, but I think it's "New York, I stopped to rest." And similarly for what Uncle Sam says, I agree with the latter half of your transcription but still think I hear "town" rather than "life," though it is admittedly pretty garbled.

I'm not totally convinced about Washington at the end -- it seems like it's missing the middle syllable to me, but it would jive better with the rest of the song.