Lyr Req: Tale of the Ticker (Frank Crumit)

Subject: Puckett - Tale of the Ticker
From: flattop
Date: 11 Oct 00 - 11:51 PM

Jim L., a banjo picker and banjo maker in the Orillia Song Circle is looking for lyrics to a song that he heard as a child. It's by Riley Puckett with Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers. The song is called Tale of the Ticker or maybe Tale of a Ticker. It has lines about bulls and bears in it. Pucket has at least three CDs listed on the internet but the songs on the CDs are not listed. Jim would buy a CD if he knew that this song was on it. If you can help with the lyric or information about these CDs, we would appreciate it.

thanks, david

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Puckett - Tale of the Ticker
From: Sorcha
Date: 12 Oct 00 - 12:10 AM

Check out this site here and scroll down to tape number 7. Note it says MAY be available.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Puckett - Tale of the Ticker
From: Frank Maher
Date: 12 Oct 00 - 11:35 AM

Hello Flattop, I have the Song by Frank Crumit (1929) I will send It to You by e-mail if You are Interested

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Puckett - Tale of the Ticker
From: flattop
Date: 12 Oct 00 - 04:44 PM

Thank you Sorcha. Thank you Frank.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Puckett - Tale of the Ticker
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Aug 02 - 01:00 AM

"A Tale of the Ticker" was written by Frank Crumit and Frank O'Brien and was recorded by Frank Crumit in 1929. It is included on the Frank Crumit album, "Gay Caballero," Naxos CD 8120502, 2000; and on "Dr. Demento's Basement Tapes #7," CD, 1999.

A sound file is available at CDNOW. From this I was able to transcribe this much:

"We'll have to have more margin, now. There isn't any doubt.
So you'd better dash with a load of cash or we'll have to sell you out.

The stock exchange is a funny place. It's the strangest place in town.
The seats cost half a million cash but the brokers won't sit down.
There's the broker, the bull, and the bear. It's queer but..."

Subject: Lyr Add: A TALE OF THE TICKER (from Frank Crumit)
From: GUEST,Norval
Date: 07 Sep 02 - 02:11 AM


A TALE OF THE TICKER
(Frank Crumit/Frank O'Brien)

(4-bar instrumental introduction)

This little pig went to market, where they buy and sell the stocks.
This little pig came home again, with his system full of shocks.
I don't understand their language, don't know what its all about,
For a bull buys up and the bear sells down, and a broker sells you out.

And here is the song
They sing the whole day long.

CHORUS: Oh the market's not so good today; your stocks look kind of sick.
In fact they all drop down a point, each time the tickers tick.
We'll have to have more margin now, there isn't any doubt.
So you better dash with a load of cash, or we'll have to sell you out.

(4 bar instrumental break)

The stock exchange is a funny place; it's the strangest place in town.
The seats cost half a million cash, but the brokers won't sit down.
There's the broker, the bull, and the bear; it's queer but its not a joke,
For you get the bull 'til your bankroll's bare, and the broker says you're broke.

And here is the song
I hear the whole day long.

CHORUS

(4 bar instrumental break)

The market simply goes to prove that we still have loco weeds.
For the bull buys what he doesn't want, and the bear sells what he needs.
I bought an elevator stock, and thought that I'd done well.
Then the little bears all ran downstairs, and rang the basement bell.

And here is the song
I heard the whole day long.

CHORUS

(16 beat instrumental ending)


NOTE: This was recorded by Frank Crumit, September 30, 1929, a scant month before the big market crash of that year. The timing was coincidental. The lyrics were somewhat prophetic and may still be relevant today.


NTS