Lyr Req: The Last Great Waltz (Mason Williams)

Subject: Help! Smothers Bros / Mason Williams
From: Lucius
Date: 09 Feb 00 - 08:47 PM

I hope it's kosher to start a new thread on the same song, with the old thread being up and all. Thanks to Jacob B, I have a proper name for this lyric request, and additional information.

So, anyone have words to The Last Great Waltz?

I knew it as a Smothers Brothers song, apparently Mason Williams penned it and recorded it as well. It was a great tune about how no one would waltz with this dancer, as he was too unbelievably good. Finally he met a woman with three legs that waltzed beautifully. The chorus end in 5/4 time, something like "I like the waltz, I have my faults; I have three legs (but I'm in good health) etc... etc...

Words would be great, if anyone has them. My third grade class is listening to Strauss Waltzes, and I'd love to shake up the tempo a bit.

much obliged,

Lucius

Subject: RE: Help! Smothers Bros / Mason Williams
From: Sorcha
Date: 09 Feb 00 - 09:14 PM

I have it, on Mason William's Ear Show. It will take a little while to transcribe them, I'll get them up tomorrow, if nobody beats me to it.

Subject: RE: Help! Smothers Bros / Mason Williams
From: Alice
Date: 09 Feb 00 - 09:23 PM

I have The Last Great Waltz on a Mason William's record, "The Mason William's Ear Show". I'm not sure if Max wants us to add copyrighted lyrics to the forum.

You can search for the album or see if it is re-released on tape or CD.

Here is what the album notes say about the song:

"The Last Great Waltz", also from the "Dada Trilogy" (part III), was written in December 1964, when Mason was living in a Japanese-Mexican section of Los Angeles. Tom Smothers and Janet Leigh did the honors on television. Here Mason is joined by Jennifer Warren, a delicious Pat Paulsen discovery. There are eight seconds of silence following the song - for your applause.

This is a fun album, with the other cuts being:
Road Song
Baroque-A-Nova
(Whistle) Hear
One Minute Commercial
$13 Stella
Love Are Wine
Cinderella-Rockefella
Generatah-Oscillatah
Saturday Night At the World

Alice Flynn

Subject: RE: Help! Smothers Bros / Mason Williams
From: Alice
Date: 09 Feb 00 - 09:24 PM

Sorcha, guess we were writing at the same time. -alice

Subject: RE: Help! Smothers Bros / Mason Williams
From: DonMeixner
Date: 09 Feb 00 - 10:26 PM

I am going to see the Brothers in concert this month. I believe that Mason William's tunes are still part of the rep.

Don

Subject: RE: Help! Smothers Bros / Mason Williams
From: Sorcha
Date: 09 Feb 00 - 11:35 PM

Alice--I'll wait til AM and see if Max says y/n.....otherwise one of us could send them in a personal message. I'll check tomorrowno sense both of us doing it.

Subject: RE: Help! Smothers Bros / Mason Williams
From: Sorcha
Date: 10 Feb 00 - 11:59 AM

Well, I found the album, whipped it out and played it, and it is SCRATCHED!! Lyrics are really hard to get from it, but I made a cassette, do you want me to send it to you with the liner notes? Also, appears the album is still available,here, and if you scroll down it will send you to Mason's Home Page. You can send snail mail addy by Personal Message if you want me to mail you the cassette. I will keep trying to decipher the lyrics on and off today. If I get them I will post. Sorcha

Link fixed - it's efn.org.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Help! Smothers Bros / Mason Williams
From: Sorcha
Date: 10 Feb 00 - 12:11 PM

And, Mason's home page is here, maybe or, www.masonwilliams-online.com

Subject: RE: Help! Smothers Bros / Mason Williams
From: Lucius
Date: 10 Feb 00 - 07:56 PM

Sorcha, you are too kind. Thanks for the offer of the casette, but I think that I will go with the Mason Williams page. Since I will be relying on the US Mail I may as well give him his due as well. I'm finishing my "Waltz" section with my students tomorrow, but I'll be ready next time. THanks to everyone that pointed me in the right direction.

Oh, and I imagine that Mason Williams has a pretty good album. I remember hearing the song on a Smothers Brothers album. Would anyone reccommend Mason Williams over Smothers Brothers and/or vice versa?

Lucius

Subject: Lyr Add: THE LAST GREAT WALTZ (Mason Williams)
From: GUEST,brownrecluse62
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 12:11 AM

Heh, I know that over six years have passed since the last post, but I'll post the lyrics anyway in case they could be of use to anyone.

Mason Williams's version (as heard on 'Ear Show') goes like this:

Jonathan W. Astor was a master dancing man.
He danced the day that he was born, his parents thought him grand.
The tango and the samba he did with great elan
But most he liked to dance the waltz until the break of dawn.

[Jonathan]
I like the waltz, it has its faults
For there are some dances more fancy.
I like the waltz simply becaultz
It makes me feel so dancy.

One day he got an invitation to a ballroom dance
And he decided to accept, for he might get a chance
To dance with lovely ladies with perfume in their hair
Or even fat and ugly ones, he really didn't care.

But at the ball the same old story made his evening grim:
He was a perfectionist and none would dance with him.
So he thought he'd just go home and write an anguished poem
But on his way out he saw a girl dancing all alone.*

[Girl]
I like the waltz, it has its faults
It's not much fun unless danced by two.
I wish I knew somebody who
Would waltz with me; I'm so blue Danube.

She was waltzing by herself there in a little nook.
He quietly walked to where she was to get a better look.
She was a little different from either you or me
For she did not have two good legs; she had one, two, three.

[Girl]
I like the waltz, I have my faults
I have three legs, but I'm in good health.
I like the waltz mostly becaultz
I have to dance all by myself.

First the right foot, then the middle foot**
Then the left foot, then I repeat.
I make no mistakes, I've got what it takes
One, two, three feet for waltzing is neat.

Jonathan W. Astor asked her, Would you like to dance?
To which she answered, Yes.
So they began to waltz in a most peculiar way.
She had three legs, he had two, and they were heard to say:

We like the waltz, we have our faults
But we are happy for the first time.
Though we are different, we took a chance
And found true love in an offbeat romance.

-
The version sung by the Smothers Brothers on the album 'Mom Always Liked You Best' makes the following changes:

*The last two lines of the verse are:
So he thought he'd just go home and turn his radio on
But in the hall he found a girl waltzing all alone.

**The line goes: 'First the right foot, then the right foot/ Then the left foot, and then...'

The last two verses in this version go like this:

'Jonathan W. Astor asked her if she'd like to dance.
And she answered, Yessir.
And they began to waltz in a most peculiar way.
She had three legs, he had two, and those who saw did say:

They like the waltz, they have their faults
But who's to blame, we can't decide.
Maybe it's him, maybe it's her
But it is them, that's for darn sure.'

After this they ended with a dialogue exchange:

Dick: Hey lady! Anybody tell you you dance like you have two left feet?
Tom: I have two right feet.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Last Great Waltz (Mason Williams)
From: GUEST,Nora
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 10:21 AM

Yes, a year has passed since the last response to this thread.

A big thank you, folks! I've been trying to identify that song literally for decades.

In 1969 I was working at a repetative job, listening to my FM music station with my trusty cassette tape recorder standing by in case something nice went by. The station NEVER announced titles or artists, but their choice of music was eclectic.

"The Waltz" went by a few times and I liked it so I hit the "REC" button on the next go-round. I have been trying to identify it since then. Now all I have to do is identify which recording of "The Last Great Waltz" I have on tape, and now CD.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Last Great Waltz (Mason Williams)
From: GUEST,kce1976
Date: 13 Jun 17 - 11:05 AM

How did Janet Leigh do the three legged dance???

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Last Great Waltz (Mason Williams)
From: GUEST,Ebor Fiddler
Date: 13 Jun 17 - 07:35 PM

Watched Jake The Peg (with the extra leg!) I should imagine ...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Last Great Waltz (Mason Williams)
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Mar 23 - 12:33 PM

The Last Great Waltz
by Mason Williams

common (4/4) time
Jonathan W. Aster was a master dancing man
He danced the day that he was born; his parents thought it grand
The Samba and the Tango he did with great elan
But most he loved to dance the waltz until the break of dawn

waltz (3/4) time
I like the waltz
It has its faults
Oh there are some dances more fancy
I like the waltz
Simply because
It makes me feel so dancy

4/4
One day he got an invitation to a ballroom dance
And he decided to accept for he might get the chance
To dance with lovely ladies with perfume in their hair
Or even fat and ugly ones, he really didn't care

But at the ball, the same old story made his evening grim
For he was a perfectionist and none would dance with him
And so he thought he's just go home and turn his radio on
But on his way he spied a girl, dancing all alone

3/4
I like the waltz
It has its faults
It's not much fun unless danced by two
I wish I knew
Somebody who
Would dance with me, I'm so Blue Danube

4/4
She was waltzing by herself there in a little nook
He quietly crept to where she was to get a better look
She was a little different than either you or me
For she did not have two good legs, she had one two three

3/4
I like the waltz
I have my faults
I have three legs, but I'm in good health!
I like the waltz, mostly because
I have to dance all by myself

First the left foot
Then the right foot
Then the right foot, then I repeat
I make no mistakes
I've got what it takes
One two three feet, for waltzing is neat

4/4
Jonathan W. Aster asked he if she'd llike to dance
And she answered, "Yes sir!"
So they began to waltz in a most peculiar way
For she had three legs, he had two, and those who saw did say:

5/4
We like the waltz
We have our faults
But we are happy for the first time
Though we are different
We took a chance
And found true love
In an old deep romance

(Somebody pull the plug)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Last Great Waltz (Mason Williams)
From: leeneia
Date: 13 Mar 23 - 12:16 AM

This song can now be heard on YouTube.