ADD: Elizabeth (Robert Katscher, 1930)

Subject: Elizabeth by Robert Katscher c. 1930
From: GUEST,Tony Cocks
Date: 07 Mar 02 - 04:53 PM

I wonder if anyone remembers this song and might even be able to give me a copy of the words and music. It may come from a show called Wonder Bar. A relative remembers a song about Elizabeth being sung in a Japanese prisoner of war camp in World War 2. It could be this one.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Elizabeth by Robert Katscher c. 1930
From: Sorcha
Date: 07 Mar 02 - 07:19 PM

I found out lots of stuff about Robert, but no definitive song list nor lyrics. Sorry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Elizabeth by Robert Katscher c. 1930
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 07 Mar 02 - 08:47 PM

The song was probably Elizabeth by Katscher & Caesar from the original German Wenn Die Elizabeth. (The stage show c1930 was based on a translation of a German original and was something of a flop).

The 1934 film version of Wonder Bar had songs by Al Dubin and Harry Warren and did not include Elizabeth (or possibly any of the songs from the original - though I haven't verified that), though it did have a blackface Jolson singing Going To Heaven On A Mule to 200 children done up as black angels the one blemish on an otherwise immaculate career (says my film musical book).

I haven't located any text for it but I haven't checked all my sources yet. If I have time tomorrow I'll try and look a bit more.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Elizabeth by Robert Katscher c. 1930
From: GUEST,Tony
Date: 10 Mar 02 - 03:19 PM

Thanks for your comments.

I should perhaps have said my relative remembers a song about "My friend Elizabeth". Does that perhaps ring any bells?

Subject: Lyr Add: ELIZABETH (from Debroy Somers & His Band)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Dec 11 - 12:41 PM

Several libraries have the sheet music described thus:

ELIZABETH (MY QUEEN)
English words by Irving Caesar**; music by Robert Katscher.
New York: Harms Inc., ©1931.

From revue: Wonder bar (adapted from the Austrian original).

[First line?*] She's the kind that boys romance with
[First line of chorus?*] My Queen Elizabeth has the neighbors out of breath

* or vice versa
** I suspect other English versions exist besides Caesar's.

---
Allmusic.com, on the classical genre, lists the following song:

WENN DIE ELISABETH NICHT SO SCHÖNE BEINE HÄTT', song (a.k.a. "MY FRIEND ELIZABETH") by Robert Katsher
Which appears on 2 albums:

Arranged for brass quintet on "Karneval der Tiere und anderes" by Quintonic Brass (2003)

"The Golden Age of Light Music: The 1950s, Vol. 5 - Sunny Side Up" (recorded 1957; album released 2008)

---
ELIZABETH
As performed by Debroy Somers* and His Band, on "My Friend Elizabeth" (2011)

My friend Elizabeth's
Out of temper, out of breath
Ever since she's found
Skirts must trail upon the ground.

She had a better set
Of legs than even Mistinguett.
Now she's got to hide
What was once her joy and pride.

This fad of over-dressing's
Depressing, distressing,
And catching men grows harder;
Their ardor's not so strong.

My friend Elizabeth's
Tired of life and prays for death.
How can she go wrong
Now that skirts are long?


* Debroy Somers was the band leader; I don't know whether he was also the vocalist. (In those days band leaders got top billing over vocalists.)

---
I have also found references to the following recordings of ELIZABETH:
Bob Pearson and Alf Pearson, on "My Brother and I"
Fred Waring & His Pennsylvanians, 1931, on "Memory Lane"
Debroy Somers & His Band, on "Night Time Brings Sweet Dreams of You"
Humphrey Lyttelton, on "Just About as Good as It Gets!"
Emil Coleman and His Orchestra, 1931

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Elizabeth (Robert Katscher, 1930)
From: GUEST,MarkB
Date: 01 Nov 12 - 12:33 PM

She had a better set of legs than even Mistinguett.

(who apparently insured her rather glamorous stems for half-a-million Francs)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Elizabeth (Robert Katscher, 1930)
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Oct 15 - 11:59 AM

My mother used to sing this and when I played it by Humphrey Lyttleton to her in about 1958, she said that she frequently played it on the piano at parties.

I have it on a CD. LAKE LACD72 LC5383 Delving Back with Humph
Humphrey Lyttelton 1948-1949, The delving back series VOL.2
Track number 11. Humph on cornet/trumpet, Keith Christie trombone
Wally Fawkes clarinet George Webb piano Nevil Skrimshire guitar Les Rawlings bass Dave Carey drums.

I had it on Imperial no. 2411 78 RPM by Jay Wilbur and his Orchestra,
written by Katscher and from the show Wonder Bar. The old wax record is no more because it was badly cracked and playing it would have severely damaged my stylus. Clive P. Willoughby, Aldwick, West Sussex.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Elizabeth (Robert Katscher, 1930)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 16 Oct 15 - 12:14 PM

http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/e/elizabeth.shtml

There may be a lyric repeat there.

Subject: Lyr Add: ELIZABETH (from Waring's Pennsylvanians)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 Oct 15 - 06:20 PM

ELIZABETH
As recorded by Waring's Pennsylvanians, 1931.

[Male chorus:] We like our fun in private,
But we don't know where to go.
[Male solo:] I believe I can contrive it,
And not a soul will know.

Are you doing Paris solo?
[Male chorus:] Yes! But we need some company.
[Male solo:] All you need is a bankroll-o.
Just leave the rest to me
.
[Male chorus:] When we do, what will we do?
[Female chorus:] We'll tell you what to do.
[Male chorus:] What?

[Female chorus:] Clap for Elizabeth,
Only for Elizabeth.
No sweet ...(?)
In her silken stocking feet.

She knows her way about.
If you want to play about,
You will cover ground
With Elizabeth around.

She only loves the nighttime.
She calls that the right time,
And if you want a high time,
There's nothing she won't do.

She knows her ABC's—
ABC's and do-re-mi's.
So when you are blue,
Take Elizabeth with you.
Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la, fa-la-la!

[Male chorus:] We want Lizzie! Show us Lizzie!
We want Lizzie, if she's nice!

We want Lizzie! Show us Lizzie!
We want Lizzie, if she's nice!

[some patter omitted*]

We want Lizzie! Show us Lizzie!
We want Lizzie! She's the nuts!


* During the patter, an address is mentioned: 32 Rue Blondel, the location of Aux Belles Poules, a famous brothel that was closed in 1946.

The tune is the same as that used by Debroy Somers.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Elizabeth (Robert Katscher, 1930)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 06 Apr 21 - 06:30 PM

Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians - Elizabeth (Katscher), 1931

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niXvLc38new