Lyr Req/Add: I'm One of the Nuts of Barcelona

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: I'm One of the Nuts of Barcelona
From: GUEST,Ra Ne
Date: 14 Mar 21 - 01:58 PM

Thanks very much for your help, a fascinating site - as is this one! Another earworm traced. I think my grandfather sang this. The first part of the tune is similar to the main song this thread is about.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: I'm One of the Nuts of Barcelona
From: GUEST,#
Date: 11 Mar 21 - 03:40 PM

GUEST,Ra Ne,

https://monologues.co.uk/musichall/Songs-F/Funicular.htm

George Formby, Sr,

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: My father was a N from Barcelona
From: GUEST,Ra Ne
Date: 11 Mar 21 - 03:34 PM

My parents (born 1920s) used to sing a parody of Funiculi Funicular: "My father was a knut from Barcelona, and so was ma, so there you are." The chorus was "You hear me plink, you hear me plonk, you hear me plink, you hear me plonk, and you wish that I'd been strangled on the strings of my guitar."

Does anyone know this?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: I'm One of the Nuts of Barcelona
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 08 Jan 21 - 06:00 PM

Sheet music with the other set of lyrics that Jim Dixon refers to here.

LFF

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: I'm One of the Nuts of Barcelona
From: GUEST,Exiled Scouser
Date: 06 Jan 21 - 04:31 PM

Yes, my Dad used to sing it to me in the late 1930,s & ‘&0’s & 50’s

Subject: Lyr Add: BARCELONA (Gus Kahn, Tolchard Evans)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 May 20 - 06:34 PM

Here's a strange situation: Comparing these lyrics with the ones posted above by Kenny B on 28-Jan-2002, it looks like two lyricists wrote 2 different sets of lyrics for the same tune, and published them both in the same year. At least, the lyrics look like they would fit the same tune, and the same composer is credited in both cases.

Anyway, the following came from the sheet music which you can see in the collection of York University:

BARCELONA
Words by Gus Kahn, music by Tolchard Evans, ©1926.

1. 'Neath a balcony in the town of Barcelona,
In sunny old Spain, in funny old Spain,
Somewhat off the key, in a style that's all my own-a,
I sang to a maid a sweet serenade.
All her neighbors awoke. Though in Spanish they spoke,
By their voices I could tell that to leave was just as well,
But I'll go back, yes, I'll go back.

CHORUS 1: I'll marry the Belle of Barcelona,
In beautiful Spain—I think it's in Spain.
I like it so well in Barcelona,
That's where I'll remain; I guess I'll remain.
There ev'ry night I'll serenade her.
I've bought a second-hand guitar.
If to elope I can persuade her,
We'll take along her father's car.
I'll marry the Belle of Barcelona.
She loves me, I know, for I told her so.

2. Have you ever been in the town of Barcelona?
In sunny old Spain, in funny old Spain,
If you're ever in that old town of Barcelona,
You'll bump into me, for that's where I'll be
In a velvety suit I'll look terribly cute,
Spanish baby on my knee, maybe two or possibly
There will be more. Could there be more?

CHORUS 2: I'll marry the Belle of Barcelona,
In beautiful Spain—or maybe it's France.
I'm going to dwell in Barcelona.
Well, maybe I will, but maybe I won't.
I think her name was Senorita,
Though I forget her form and size—
But then I'll know her when I meet her.
She had that "yes, yes" in her eyes.
I'll marry the Belle of Barcelona
In beautiful Spain—or was it Brazil?

CHORUS 3: I'll marry the Belle of Barcelona,
We'll marry in spring, or maybe in fall.
I like it so well in Barcelona,
Forever I'll stay, or maybe I'll leave.
I think her name was Senorita.
Her eyes were black or maybe brown,
But then I'll know her when I meet her.
She had the one clean neck in town.
I'll marry the Belle of Barcelona.
I certainly will—well, maybe I won't.

CHORUS 4: I fell for the Belle of Barcelona,
Or maybe I slipped; I might have been pushed.
The weather is swell in Barcelona.
The skies are so blue, except when it rains.
I think her name was Senorita,
Or was it Cohn or Rosenstein?
But that won't matter when I meet her,
Because she won't remember mine.
I'll marry the Belle of Barcelona,
And if she says "no," I'll ask her again.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: I'm One of the Nuts of Barcelona
From: Thompson
Date: 12 Apr 20 - 09:20 AM

A likely place to find it would be one of the stores of music on wax cylinders. Wiktionary has an entry for the antique slang word knuts by the way.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: I'm One of the Nuts of Barcelona
From: GUEST,Stuart
Date: 12 Apr 20 - 05:11 AM

My mum used to sing it too. It also used to be on a radio programme here called "Sing Something Simple", which broadcast on Sunday evenings. Some of the words she sang sounded nonsense, but that was perhaps because it should have been Spanish but she didn't know any Spanish! Maybe the BBC could help.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: I'm One of the Nuts of Barcelona
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Feb 19 - 11:03 PM

My mum sang this too and I’ve tried to find origins of it.

Subject: Lyr Add: A CASTER UP OF ALABASTER PLASTER (Warner)
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 18 Feb 13 - 04:33 PM

A CASTER UP OF ALABASTER PLASTER
by
Jack Warner

Now there's a plaster molders yard about a mile from here
Where my old Uncle Teddy has a job that may sound queer
It really is quite different to what other people do
But it really is a clever job, I'm not kidding you.

'Cos 'e's a caster up of alabaster plaster
He's an alabaster plaster caster, see
And 'e doesn't mix with water common powder into mortar
For an alabaster plasterer is 'e.

Now if 'e were merely mixing for cementing
'E would stir it in a mixer, as of old
But to prove he's caster master, casts 'is plaster alabaster
In an alabaster plaster caster's mold.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: I'm One of the Nuts of Barcelona
From: GUEST,Bob Imrie
Date: 18 Feb 13 - 03:33 PM

My 92 year old mum-in-law also interested in this, and I found http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzmp_Z1_oeM
which is Ben Selvin's Orchestra 1926.
Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: I'm One of the Nuts of Barcelona
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 05 Nov 12 - 08:20 AM

The post of Jan 02 which attributes the quotation, "Brazil, where the nuts come from" to The Importance Of Being Earnest {Oscar Wilde 1896} has remained uncorrected for far too long. It is, in fact, from Charley's Aunt {Brandon Thomas 1892}.

~M~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: I'm One of the Nuts of Barcelona
From: GUEST,GJ
Date: 05 Nov 12 - 08:12 AM

my parents have got this song. It's on an old 78 that I grew up with playing it on a wind up gframaphone so the quality is probably terrible now but when I next get back to the uk I will grab it and try and get it onto mp3.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: GUEST
Date: 28 May 11 - 05:03 PM

Be careful Guys. Sir Alex Ferguson has taken out a super-injunction against against anyone singing this song!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: GUEST
Date: 28 May 11 - 04:43 PM

my nana used to sing this, but i have never heard of it since I was a child in the early 60's. I can only remember that line in the song

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: Thompson
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 03:02 PM

Adding to this nine-year-old thread (is this a record?) my mother used to hum this, but said it was spelled 'knuts'.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: GUEST,charlie steel
Date: 12 Jan 11 - 02:12 PM

when I was a small boy in the 1950's my father used to sing-"I'm one of the nuts(or ? lads) from Barcelona,I grows a moustache -it saves me a wash" (phonetically-wach).It's been niggling me for years-and he's long since died;was it part of a musical?-I would dearly like some suggestions.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: Kenny B (inactive)
Date: 09 Feb 02 - 07:46 PM

Valancia was mentioned by Guest MCP the only tune I know mentioning Valencia and Barcelona together is :-

Valencia,
Put you're head between your knees
And whistle up your Barcelona

Short but sweet depending on your position.
Is there any more to this short outburst or is it just a comedian's interjection?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 05:54 AM

On the subject of which, I am reminded that at school we sang with schoolboy inventiveness:

    Lady of Spain I adore you
    Pull down your knicks I'll explore you
  

whereupon, with equal schoolboy inventiveness, we ran out of words, tune and inspiration.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 05:27 AM

The composer Tolchard Evans obviously had a thing about Spain. He was responsible for "Valencia", "Barcelona" (different one I think - words by Gus Kahn) and most famously for "Lady Of Spain".

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: GUEST,Susan (the original question asker!!)
Date: 28 Jan 02 - 11:03 PM

Hats off indeed to Kenny. And thanks so much to everyone for all their help. My Mum is thrilled and is no longer driving me "nuts"!!!!! What a great forum!!!! Best regards Susan (in south oz)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: lamarca
Date: 28 Jan 02 - 03:29 PM

Here in the DC area we have a local business that sells packaged nuts to grocery stores and convenience stores called the "Barcelona Nut Company" - now I know where they got their name!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: Kenny B (inactive)
Date: 28 Jan 02 - 02:45 PM

Thanks Jim D, Sorcha & Okthen
Source is the Mitchell Library in Glasgow. They have sheet music of most published music up to about 1960. They very rarely let me down on recognisable titles but it's via card index. Unfortunately couldn't find Alabaster Plaster Caster but i'll keep trying. Sorry for the thread creep :>}

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: okthen
Date: 28 Jan 02 - 01:08 PM

Hats off to kennyB

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 Jan 02 - 12:52 PM

Kenny B: Please tell us where you got those lyrics.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: Sorcha
Date: 28 Jan 02 - 11:25 AM

Let's hear it for Kenny B!! Hoooray! Good job, Kenny.

Subject: Lyr Add: BARCELONA (R. Wallace, Tolchard Evans)
From: Kenny B (inactive)
Date: 28 Jan 02 - 11:23 AM

Barcelona a 'Nutty' Onestep in 6/8 time

BARCELONA
Words, Raymond Wallace. Music, Tolchard Evans. ©1926

Tender memories take me back to old Barcelona
And old sunny Spain, and old sunny Spain,
When my Italy call me back from Barcelona,
It make-a de pain, It make-a de pain,
Then I make a mistook, pop off, sling-a de hook
But I make-a de money, and I'm back again at last,
Hoke-a de poke, sorry I spoke.

CHORUS: I'm one of the nuts from Barcelona,
I plink-a de plonk, I casa-bionk,
I dance-a de dance with fine Polona,
She shake-a de hip, I get-a de pip,
Round at the bar I order wine,
Half-a de mo I'm feeling fine,
Light-a de fag, the old Woodbine,
Order a cab for half past nine.
I'm one of the nuts from Barcelona,
Where skies are blue as indigo,
Indigo—YES—indigo.

When the castanets start to play the old fandango,
I'm up in the, I'm up in the air,
When the orange trees in the grove
All get the pippo, I tear-a de hair, I tear-a de hair,
My stiletto I flash, one more lemonade and dash,
Oh I make de money fly, what you call tiddley-i
What you call twiddley bits, double or quits ... CHORUS

EXTRA CHORUSES
1. I'm one of the nuts from Barcelona,
I grow a moustache, it save me wash,
I stop at the best of swell hotels-o
I make-a de bet, I play-a roulette,
Make-a de fortune, in a tick-o
Shake-a de mitt with Duke de Bonce,
With-a the nibs, ice cream I lick-o
Honi-de soit, qui mal y pense,
I'm, one of the nuts from Barcelona,
Where skies are blue as indigo,
Indigo—YES—indigo

2. I'm, one of the nuts from Barcelona,
I change-a ma name in sunny old Spain,
I'm Mullagatawny,-Chatsby-Donah
I'm naturalised, I get a surprise
Go to a house, and the say excuse-a,
I want a nice big room for two,—
Somebody say, you back a loser,
Pardonnez-moi, you want-a de zoo
I'm, one of the nuts from Barcelona,
Where skies are blue as indigo,
Indigo—YES—indigo

3. I'm, one of the nuts from Barcelona,
I Toreador, in front and before,
I chase-a de bull around the arena,
I tackle his nibs, I tickle his ribs,
Wag-a de flag, he gets the wind up,
What you may call, climbs up the pole-
Jolly good jobs, my pants were pinned up
Knock-a me thro', my camisole,
I'm, one of the nuts from Barcelona,
Where skies are blue as indigo,
Indigo—YES—indigo

;>}

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: okthen
Date: 27 Jan 02 - 05:19 AM

Al Bowlly and Ray Noble did a song called "I'm one of the lads from Valencia", you can find a sound clip at CDNOW.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: GUEST,Susan
Date: 27 Jan 02 - 02:44 AM

Yes - I also found that reference so I do know it's a "real" song. Even if anybody out there knows who sang it would be helpful!! I think it was around about the same time as another song called "Valencia" if that helps trigger anyones memory!! Thanks, Susan p.s. - my mum is driving me "nuts" about this

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Jan 02 - 11:07 PM

I found a reference to the song "I'm One of the Nuts from Barcelona" in the archives of the Cambridge [UK] News.

At least now we know it's a real song!

Subject: RE: Help: Please help!!!!!!
From: Ebbie
Date: 26 Jan 02 - 10:08 PM

Guest/ Grothlavere, as a point of interest, (at least it interests me!) Ted Daffan, the man who wrote 'No Letter Today', also wrote 'Born to Lose'.

Daffan died in '96, I believe.

Ebbie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: folkmonster
Date: 26 Jan 02 - 09:09 PM

'nuts' was also 20's/30's slang for 'a swell' 'a dandy' and so on in the sense of being well dressed ...

It sounds like a music hall/variety song to me.

FM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: okthen
Date: 26 Jan 02 - 07:32 PM

This sounds like something to do with "I'm from brazil, where the nuts come from" which is from "the importance of being Ernest" which had no songs in it. Maybe something to do with Noel Coward. All of which is not much use, it's late and past my bedtime, I'll get my hottie........

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: GUEST,Susan
Date: 26 Jan 02 - 07:23 PM

Come on guys - surely someone out there must know something, anything at all about this song - - please, please, please - even is someone knows who sang it it would be really helpful. Regards, Susan

Subject: I'm one of the nuts of barcelona
From: GUEST,Susan
Date: 26 Jan 02 - 06:19 AM

Sorry if this has been posted twice. my Mum is driving me nuts trying to find the words to this popular tune from the 1930's/40's. The lyrics include the words "I'm one of the nuts of Barcelona, from sunny old Spain" If anyone could help me with this it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Regards, from Susan email: [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Help: Please help!!!!!!
From: Mr Red
Date: 26 Jan 02 - 05:59 AM

Nuts from Barcelona, is this going to be a tough one to crack?

Subject: RE: Help: Please help!!!!!!
From: Hillheader
Date: 26 Jan 02 - 05:37 AM

Sorry Susan

I tried to search Google and got nothing. No joy either with Copernicus which uses about 10 search engines.

Sorry

Davebhoy

Subject: Please help!!!!!!
From: GUEST,Susan
Date: 26 Jan 02 - 05:09 AM

Hello I am hoping someone on this forum can help me. My Mum has a "bee in her bonnet" about getting the lyrics to an old song (probably 1930's/40's) which had the words in it as follows:- "I'm one of the nuts of barcelona, from sunny old Spain". Even if I knew who sang it I'm sure it would make it easier to find the lyrics. Hoping someone can help Thanks Susan email: [e-mail]