Lyr Req: Ivan Skavinsky Skivar/Abdul Abulbul Amir

Subject: Lyr? Ivan Skavinsky Skivar/Abdul Abulbul Amir
From:
Date: 23 Jun 97 - 02:25 PM

Seeking lyric to these songs. Are they one or two songs?

Subject: RE: Lyr? Ivan Skavinsky Skivar/Abdul Abulbul Amir
From: Mountain Dog
Date: 23 Jun 97 - 03:39 PM

It's one song, telling the story of two rivals. There are two versions in the DT database, to wit:

1) ABDUL ABULBUL AMIR

2) ABDUL EL BULBUL, EMIR!

Subject: Lyr Add: ABDUL EL BUL-BUL AMEER (Boy Scout version
From: Sue Wichers
Date: 26 Jun 97 - 07:21 AM

There are two versions in DT (search under abdul) - here is a cleaner one.
From the Boy Scout Song Books:

The sons of the prophet were hardy and bold,
And quite unaccustomed to fear:
But the bravest of all was a man I am told,
Named Abdul El Bul-Bul Ameer.

If they wanted a man to encourage the van,
Or to harass the foe in the rear;
Or to storm a redoubt, they would set up a shout,
For Abdul El Bul-Bul Ameer.

There were heroes in plenty and men known to fame,
Who fought in the ranks of the Czar;
But none of more fame than a man by the name
Of Ivan Skizavitsky Skivar.

He could sing like Caruso, both tenor and bass,
He could play on the Spanish guitar;
In fact, quite the cream of the Muscovite team
Was Ivan Skizavitsky Skivar.

One day this bold Muscovite shouldered his gun
And walked down the street with a sneer;
He was looking for fun when he happened to run
Upon Abdul El Bul-Bul Ameer.

“Young man,” said Bul-Bul, “is existence too dull,
That you’re anxious to finish your career?
For, infidel, know you have trod on the toe
Of Abdul El Bul-Bul Ameer.

“So take your last look at the sunshine and brook,
And send your regrets to the Czar;
By which I imply that you are going to die,
Mister Ivan Skizavitsky Skivar.”

Then this bold Memeluke drew his trusty chibouque,
Crying: “Allah-il-Allah! Akbar!”
And with murderous intent he most suddenly went
For Ivan Skizavitsky Skivar.

On a stone by the banks where the Neva doth roll,
There is written in characters clear:
“Oh, stranger, remember to pray for the soul
Of Abdul El Bul-Bul Ameer.”

While a Muscovite maiden her vigil doth keep
By the light of the cold Northern star;
And the name that she constantly shouts in her sleep
Is Ivan Skizavitsky Skivar.

Subject: Abdul Abulbul Amir link?
From:
Date: 13 Feb 99 - 03:45 PM

On the database listing of the words for the song Abdul Abulbul Amir it says to "Also see Shay ,Pious Friends and Drunken Companions".

Can anyone tell me what that reference is to? I tried sd up in transmission.

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Subject: RE: Abdul Abulbul Amir link?
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Feb 99 - 04:36 PM

I tried just "shay", and didn't get anything in the DT, but when I tried just "pious friends", three songs came up with reference at the bottom to "Pious Friends, Shay".

I wonder if that is a book of songs by Shay?

Our family has this on an old 78, now I am curious as to if it lists the real author or not.

katlaughing

Subject: RE: Abdul Abulbul Amir link?
From:
Date: 13 Feb 99 - 04:40 PM

I have a copy of Abdul Abulbul Amir by Arthur Godfrey that lists the composer as Percy French (Mountaiins of Morn, et al).

Subject: RE: Abdul Abulbul Amir link?
From: John Moulden
Date: 13 Feb 99 - 07:34 PM

Percy French was the composer - see James S Fuld: |The book of world-famous music - fourth ed (Dover Publications Inc, New York, 1995)

The reference to Shay is to Frank Shay: My Pious Friends and Drunken Companions and More Pious Friends and Drunken Companions (Dover Publications, Inc, New York, 1961 - originally published separately by the MacAuley Company in 1927 and 1928 respectively)

Since Dover books generally remain in print this ought to be obtainable.

John Moulden

Subject: RE: Abdul Abulbul Amir link?
From: Frank Maher
Date: 13 Feb 99 - 09:01 PM

I have an Old 78 of the Song sung by Frank Crumit 1927 Also the Return of Abdul Abulbul Amir which He Wrote in 1930...

Subject: Lyr Add: ABDULLA BULBUL AMEER
From: Tiger
Date: 14 Feb 99 - 08:45 AM

For you historians, the following is an excerpt from a note to me last fall regarding this song, and I credit Andrew Coyston as the source. We had both been researching the song, and he found the following info, including, supposedly, the original words. There are, of course, many variations.

......Tiger

excerpt follows......

I have since found a book about French, author of Abdul Abulbul Amir. It is "The Songs of Percy French" by James N Healy, published by The Mercier Press, Dublin, in 1983, reprinted 1985, '88, '90. The author was connected with French's family and gives a brief history. William Percy French was born in Ireland on 1 May 1854, spent the first half of his life in Ireland, then moved to England and died in Lancashire, England in 1920. He was trained as an engineer and originally worked as an "Inspector of Drains". In his spare time he was an artist, songwriter and writer and later worked full-time in those roles and also as an entertainer on the stage.

Abdulla Bulbul Ameer is his earliest known work, written and composed by him for a smoking concert while he was a student at Trinity College, Dublin in 1877. He sold it to an unscrupulous publisher for five pounds and it later became very popular, with other names often appearing as author; French never received any royalties.

He was a prolific songwriter, responsible for many well known Irish songs, and this book gives the words and music of 44 of the better known ones. According to the author the following are the original words of Abdul...

ABDULLA BULBUL AMEER

Oh the sons of the Prophet are brave men and bold
And quite unaccustom'd to fear
But none were so reckless of life or of limb,
As Abdulla Bulbul Ameer.
When they wanted a man to encourage the van
Or to harrass the foe in the rear
Or to take a redoubt they would always send out
For Abdulla Bulbul Ameer.

There are heroes in plenty, and well known to fame
In the ranks that were lead by the Czar,
But the bravest of all was a man by the name
Of Ivan Potschjinksi Skidar.
He could imitate Toole, play Euchre and Pool
And perform on the Spanish guitar.
In fact quite the cream of the Muscovite team
Was Ivan Potschjinski Skidar.

One morning the Russian had shouldered his gun
And assumed his most truculent sneer
And was walking down town when he happened to run
Into Abdulla Bulbul Ameer.
"Young man," says Bulbul, "can your life be so dull
That you're anxious to end your career? -
For, infidel, know - you have trod on the toe
Of Abdulla Bulbul Ameer.

Take your ultimate look at sunshine and brook,
Make your latest remarks on the war;
Which I mean to imply you're going to die,
Mr Count Cask-o-whisky Cigar."
Said the Russian, "My friend, my remarks in the end
Would avail you but little, I fear,
For you'll never survive to repeat them alive,
Mr Abdulla Bulbul Ameer."

Then the bold Mameluke drew his trusty chiboque
And shouted "Il Allah Akbar."
And being intent upon slaughter, he went
For Ivan Potschjinski Skidar.
But just as his knife had abstracted his life
(In fact he was shouting "Huzza!")
He felt himself struck by that wily Calmuck,
Count Ivan Potschjinski Skidar.

The Consul drove up in his red-crested fly
To give the survivor a cheer,
He arrived just in time to exchange a goodbye
With Abdulla Bulbul Ameer.
And Skobeleff, Gourko and Gorsechekoff too
Drove up on the Emperor's car.
But all they could do was cry "Och-whilliloo!"
With Ivan Potschjinski Skidar.

There's a grave where the waves of the Blue Danube roll
And on it in characters clear
Is: "Stranger, remember to pray for the soul
Of Abdulla Bulbul Ameer."
A Muscovite maiden her vigil doth keep
By the light of the true lover's star
And the name that she murmurs so sadly in sleep
Is Ivan Potschjinski Skidar.

(Notes: 1. A footnote to the words says that "Potschjinski" is pronounced "like a sneeze".
2. According to the Oxford English Dictionary a "chiboque" (which has various spellings) is a long Turkish smoking pipe! I suspect that this is one of French's little jokes.)

.....end of excerpt

Subject: Sheet music to Abdul Abulbul Amir?
From:
Date: 14 Feb 99 - 10:19 PM

My 83 year old grandmother wants to buy the sheet music for Abdul Abulbul Amir song where can we buy it? We live in the San Francisco CA Bay Area. If you can help i would appriciate [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Sheet music to Abdul Abulbul Amir?
From: Lesley N.
Date: 14 Feb 99 - 11:48 PM

One source is the Book of Navy Songs published by the Trident society ($19.95 from Amazon.com).

Subject: RE: Sheet music to Abdul Abulbul Amir?
From: dulcimer
Date: 15 Feb 99 - 05:28 AM

I think a copy is found in C. Sandburg's book of American Songs. Check a public library.

Subject: RE: Sheet music to Abdul Abulbul Amir?
From: Frank Maher
Date: 15 Feb 99 - 08:02 PM

Why does She want the Sheet Music??? Is It just for the Tune?? If so,I can send the Song to her....... Frank

Subject: RE: Sheet music to Abdul Abulbul Amir?
From: Bruce Olson
Date: 15 Feb 99 - 11:09 PM

And here's the tune and 1st verse. It's a .GIF that you can print from your browser. Click

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ivan Skavinsky Skivar/Abdul Abulbul Amir
From: GUEST,Denis Twomey
Date: 28 Feb 11 - 07:11 PM

I also urgently need a copy of the piano accompaniment to this
song. I don't need the lyrics.

Can anyone help?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ivan Skavinsky Skivar/Abdul Abulbul Amir
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 28 Feb 11 - 07:23 PM

Search on google for "ABDULLA BULBUL AMEER and sheet music" found this site

text is from the Digital Tradition & it's 'Traditional Music of unknown author'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ivan Skavinsky Skivar/Abdul Abulbul Amir
From: kendall
Date: 28 Feb 11 - 07:24 PM

A splash in the Black sea one dark moonless night
Caused ripples to spread wide and far
They were made b6y a sack fitted close to the back
Of Ivan Skavinsky Skivar.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ivan Skavinsky Skivar/Abdul Abulbul Amir
From: GUEST,B. Gray
Date: 26 Jun 18 - 10:24 AM

First line of the song was. List to me as I tell you of the Spaniard that blighted my life.

My uncle used to sing it when I was a little girl in the 30's the end of the ditty went

Oh I'll raise a bunion on his Spanish onion when I catch him bending tonight.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ivan Skavinsky Skivar/Abdul Abulbul Amir
From: Kenny B (inactive)
Date: 26 Jun 18 - 10:32 AM

The SPANIARD WHO BLIGHTED MY LIFE
As Sung Byb Roy Hudd

(G) List (G7) to (C) me while I (G) tell you
of the Spaniard who blighted my (C) life
(G) List (G7) to (C) me while I (G) tell you
of the man who pinched my future (C) wife,
(Am)'Twas at the bullfight where we (Em) met him,
We'd been (Am) watching his daring dis (E) play,
And (D7) while I nipped out
for some (G) nuts and a programme,
The (D7) dirty dog stole her a- (G) -way,
Oh Yes, Oh Yes, (G)
But I've (D7) sworn that I'll have my re (G)venge,

Chorus
(G7) If (When) (C) I catch Alphonso Po- (G) -loni
the torea- (C) -dor,
With one mighty swipe
I'll (G) dislocate his bally (C) jaw,
I'll (Am) nab this bullfighter,
the (Em)blighter I will,
When (Am) I catch the bounder,
the (E) blighter I'll kill,
He shall (C) die, he shall (G) die,
He shall die diddly dei-do, (C) Die, di di (F) di (C) di,
He shall die, he shall die,
And (G) I'll raise a bunion
on his Spanish onion,
If I catch him bending to (C)night,
(G) O -(C) -l?!


Yes, when I catch Pagoni,
He will wish that he'd never been born,
And for this very reason,
my stiletto I've fetched out the pawn,
It cost me 5 shillings to get it,
This expense it has caused me much pain,
But the pawnbroker's promised
when I kill Spigoni,
He'll take it in pawn once again,
Oh Yes, Oh Yes,
so tonight there will be dirty work, ?. Chorus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ivan Skavinsky Skivar/Abdul Abulbul Amir
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 26 Jun 18 - 10:32 AM

Different song.
The Spaniard Who Blighted My Life

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ivan Skavinsky Skivar/Abdul Abulbul Amir
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 26 Jun 18 - 10:41 AM

Just beat me to it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ivan Skavinsky Skivar/Abdul Abulbul Amir
From: GUEST,Kenny B Sans Kuki
Date: 26 Jun 18 - 10:41 AM

From the thread Nigel posted

From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Apr 08 - 10:42 PM

From the sheet music images at The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music:

THE SPANIARD THAT BLIGHTED MY LIFE
Written and composed by Billy Merson.
New York: T.B. Harms, 1911.
'Introduced [by Al Jolson] in the Great Winter Garden Production "The Honeymoon Express." '

1. List to me while I tell you of the Spaniard that blighted my life.
List to me while I tell you of the man who pinched my future wife.
'Twas at the bull fight where we met him. We'd been watching his darling display,
And while I'd gone out for some nuts and a programme, the dirty dog stole her away.
Oh, yes! oh, yes! But I've sworn that I'll have my revenge!

CHORUS: If I catch Aphonso Spagoni, the Toreador,
With a mighty swipe I will dislocate his bally jaw!
I'll find this bullfighter, I will,
And when I catch the bounder, the blighter I'll kill.
He shall die! he shall die!
He shall die tiddly-i-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti!
He shall die! he shall die!
For I'll raise a bunion on his Spanish onion
If I catch him bending tonight!

2. Yes, when I catch Spagoni, he will wish that he'd never been born.
And for this special reason, my stiletto I've fetched out of pawn.
It cost me five shillings to fetch it. This expense it has caused me much pain,
But the pawnbroker's promised, when I've killed Spagoni, he'll take it in pawn once again.
Oh, yes! oh, yes! So tonight, there will be dirty work.

3. I tracked him to London, and he gave me the slip once again,
And they told me this morning that he'd doubled and gone back to Spain.
But whatever it costs me, I'll catch him. Then no more he will give me the slip.
With my last one-and-nine-pence, on Sunday I'm going to Spain by the Sunday League Trip.
Oh, yes! oh, yes! And then the dark deed will be done.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ivan Skavinsky Skivar/Abdul Abulbul Amir
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 26 Jun 18 - 10:51 AM

For some reason (probably something local) in the chorus 'mighty swipe' gets the Spooner treatment as 'swighty mipe'.