Lyr Req: Johnny Schmoker

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johnny Schmoker
From: masato sakurai
Date: 22 Mar 04 - 10:21 AM

Sheet music is also at Historic American Sheet Music:

Johnny Schmoker, harmonised & arranged by B.F. Rix (Chicago, Illinois: Root & Cady, 1863)
First line: Johnny Schmoker, Johnny Schmoker, Ich kann spielen.

Subject: Lyr Add: JOHNNY SCHMOKER
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Mar 04 - 08:09 AM

From a song sheet (broadside) at The Library of Congress American Memory Collection

JOHNNY SCHMOKER.

In this song, an old German musician tells his friend, Johnny Schmoker, about the instruments upon which he can play, and describes them by motions while he sings. When performed by a chorus, especially of men, the movements being in exact time, and all together, an effect is produced which has not been equalled by anything of the kind ever produced in this country. Observe: that the motions are made only when the words describing the instruments, are sung, as for example, at: "Rub a dub a dub," the roll of the drum is imitated, beginning (as in the case of all the instruments) with the first, and ending exactly with the last word; at: "Pilly willy wink," the hands are placed as if playing the Fife, and the fingers only move; at: "Tic knock knock," the right hand strikes three times under the left, as if playing the Triangle; at: "Bom bom bom," the hand is moved forward and back, as if playing the Trombone; and so on the last, which is imitated by crooking both arms and striking with them against the sides, as if playing the Bag-pipe. Observe that the singing at some of the instruments is loud, and at others soft; also, that the phrase where each instrument is first mentioned, is repeated, and that the first movement, which is sung when each instrument is introduced, is to save room, printed but once.

Johnny Schmoker, Johnny Schmoker,
Ich kann spielen,
Ich kann spielen, Ich kann spielen,
Ich kann spiel mein kline Drummel,
Rub a dub a dub, dis ist mein Drummel.

Fifie, Pilly willy wink, das ist mein Fifie;
Rub a dub a dub, das ist mein Drummel:
Mein Rub a dub a dub,
Mein Pilly willy wink, das ist mein Fifie.

Triangle, Tick knock knock, das ist Triangle
Pilly willy wink, das ist mein Fifie,
Rub a dub a dub, das ist mein Drummel,
Mein Rub a dub a dub,
Mein Pilly willy wink,
Mein Tick knock knock, das ist Triangle.

Trombone: Bom, bom bom, das ist mein Trombone.
Tic knock knock, das ist Triangle,
Pilly willy wink, das ist mein Fifie,
Rub a dub a dub, das ist mein Drummel;
Mein Rub a dub a dub.
Mein Pilly willy wink,
Mein Tic knock knock,
Mein Bom bom bom, das its mein Trombone.

Cymbal, Zoom zoom zoom, das ist mein Cymbal,
Bom bom bom, das ist deim Trombone,
Tic knock knock, das ist Triangle.
Pilly willy wink, das ist mein Fifie,
Rub a dub a dub, das ist mein Drummel.

Mein Rub a dub a dub,
Mein Pilly willy wink,
Mein Tick knock knock,
Mein Bom bom bom,
Mein Zoom zoom zoom, das ist mein Cymbal

Viol, Fal lal lal, das ist mein Viol,
Zoom zoom zoom, das ist mein Cymbal,
Bom bom bom, das ist mein Trombone,
Tic knock knock, das ist Triangle,
Pilly willy wink, das ist mein Fifie,
Rub a dub a dub, das ist mein Drummel.
Mein Rub a dub a dub,
Mein Pilly willy wink,
Mein Tic knock knock,
Mein Bom bom bom,
Mein Zoom zoom zoom,
Mein Fal lal lal, das ist mein Viol.

Toodle-Sach, Whack whack whack, das ist mein Toodle-Sach.
Fal lal lal, das ist mein Viol,
Zoom zoom zoom, das ist mein Cymbal,
Bom bom bom, das ist mein Trombone,
Tic knock knock, das ist Triangle,
Pilly willy wink, das ist mein Fifie,
Rub a dub a dub, das ist mein Drummel.
Mein Rub a dub a dub,
Mein Pilly willy wink,
Mein Tic knock knock,
Mein Bom bom bom,
Mein Zoom zoom zoom,
Mein Fal lal lal,
Mein Whack whack wheck, das ist mein Toodle-Sach.

H. DE MARSAN, Publisher.
54 Chatham Street, New York.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jonny Schmoker
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 12 Feb 00 - 09:48 PM

G'day,
Thanks to Joe the tune is available here at The Mudcat MIDI site.

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jonny Schmoker
From: GUEST,Diane
Date: 12 Feb 00 - 04:24 PM

Thank you Joe for all your help :) I am very grateful

Subject: ADD: Johnny Schmoker ^^
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Feb 00 - 04:41 AM

JOHNNY SCHMOKER
(Pennsylvania Dutch traditional)

Johnny Schmoker, Johnny Schmoker,
Can you sing, can you play?
I can play upon my (clarinet)
Doodle doodle-det, so sings my clarinet

2. piccolo – Tweedle tweedle-o, so sings my piccolo.
3. violin – Fiddle diddle-din, so sings my violin.
4. timpani - Boom-a booma-dee, so sings my timpani.


German:
Johann Schmoker, Johann Schmoker
Kannst du singen? Kannst du spielen?

1. Ich kann spielen auf meine Klarinette – Doodle doodle-det, das ist meine Klarinette.
2. Ich kann spielen auf meine kleine Flöte – Tweedle tweedle-o, das ist meine kleine Flöte.
3. Ich kann spielen auf meine Violine. Fiddle diddle-din, das ist meine Violine.
4. Ich kann spielen auf meine Pauken. Boom-a booma-dee, das ist meine Pauken.

On the first stanza go directly to the second ending. On the second and following stanzas sing the section between the repeat signs of all previous stanzas (the sound of each instrument) in reverse order before going to the second ending. Make up sounds for additional instruments, and pretend to play the instruments as their sounds are imitated. This anonymous cumulative folk song was brought to this country by German immigrants. It was first published in 1863 under the title Jemmy Boker.
(Source: Heritage Songster, Leon & Lynn Dallin, 1966)
^^

Diane, I e-mailed the tune to Mudcat MIDIs, and Alan should have a link to the tune posted here soon. If you want to hear it right away, click on my name below to e-mail me a request, and I'll e-mail it right back to you.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jonny Schmoker
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Feb 00 - 04:11 AM

Hi, Diane - I found it at The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music: JOHNNY SCHMOKER (click). I found another source that said it was published in 1863. It's one of those songs I've known about all my life, but not a song I've actually known. It's related to I Am A Fine Musician which I learned as a kid in Wisconsin and recently learned is a German song called "Ich Bin Ein Musikante."
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Jonny Schmoker
From: GUEST,Diane
Date: 11 Feb 00 - 11:28 PM

I have been looking all over the net for the words to this song. I know it is a song, because I heard it the other day. Not composer was listed, just that it was a Pennsylvania Dutch Folksong. Any help would be appreciated.

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See also: I Am a Fine Musician