Lyr Add: What You Goin' Do When de Rent Come Roun

Subject: Lyr Add: What You Goin' Do When de Rent Come Roun
From: Charley Noble
Date: 23 May 03 - 01:01 PM

What You Goin' Do When the Rent Comes 'Round?

This rent lament is a classic from the late 19th century minstrel song school, and is also known by the compound name of its protagonist, Rufus Rastus Johnson Brown. Music historian Sigmund Spaeth in his entertaining and instructive songbook READ 'EM & WEEP, p. 231, describes how the author became inspired to write this song:

Harry Von Tilzer was standing on the platform of the railway station at Miami listening to the conversation of two negroes. The woman was berating the man, and after using every possible adjective to describe his low-down shiftlessness, she worked up to a climax with the question, "What you goin' to do when de rent comes 'round?" The rest was easy.

WHAT YOU GOIN' DO WHEN THE RENT COMES 'ROUND?

(Words by Harry Von Tilzer; music by Andrew Sterling, circa 1900)

Who dat a knockin' at the door below,
Who dat a shiv'rin' in the hail and snow,
I can hear you grumblin' Mister Rufus Brown,
Just keep on a-knockin', Babe, I won't come down;
I wants to tell you that you can't get in,
Have you been a-gamblin', Honey, did you win?
What's that you tell me, Man, you lost your breath?
I hopes you freezes to death!

Chorus:

Rufus Rastus Johnson Brown,
What you goin' do when the rent comes 'round?
What you goin' say?
How you goin' pay?
You'll never have a bit of sense till Judgment Day;
You know, I know, rent means dough,
Landlord's goin' put us out in the snow,
Rufus Rastus Johnson Brown,
What you goin' do when the rent comes 'round?

Keep on a-bangin' on the old front door,
In just a minute, Babe, you'll hear me snore;
If I goes to bed you'll be out of luck,
Find yourself an icicle when I wake up;
Where's all the money that you said you'd bring?
Melted all away just like the snow last Spring;
Rufus, I loves you but this serves you right,
Guess that's sufficient, "Good night!"

I would appreciate any comments to this entry in the Draft Housing Songbook.

Cordially,
Landlady's Daughter, not to be confused with Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: What You Goin' Do When de Rent Come Roun
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 23 May 03 - 01:54 PM

Sheet Music in Levy site, dated 1905. Previously posted with details by Jim Dixon, thread 10198, 09 Nov 02.
Also posted earlier by a Charley Noble, 01 Sept 01, thread 37834. Also see notes thread 10198.

A great song! I remember a gramophone recording that we had, 1930s, don't remember the singer. He(?) was backed by a small orchestra.

Sigmund Spaeth probably made up the story, but no need to mention that possibility. He had people who provided stories to him for his broadcasts and books.

10198: Rufus
37834: Rastus

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: What You Goin' Do When de Rent Come Roun
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 23 May 03 - 02:01 PM

Now where did the "Chicken" add-on come from? See Sorcha post in 37834, link above.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: What You Goin' Do When de Rent Come Roun
From: Cool Beans
Date: 23 May 03 - 03:36 PM

Harry von Tilzer (1872-1946) also wrote "I Want a Girl Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad'' and "Only A Bird in a Gilded Cage.'' His little brother Albert von Tilzer (1878-1956)wrote "Take Me Out to the Ball Game.'' And here's something to chew on: Their real last name was Gumm.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: What You Goin' Do When de Rent Come Roun
From: PoppaGator
Date: 23 May 03 - 05:00 PM

Wasn't Judy Garland's real last name also Gumm? Could they be related? (Chew on that!)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: What You Goin' Do When de Rent Come Roun
From: Charley Noble
Date: 23 May 03 - 05:20 PM

Sigh! I'm beginning to lose it. I can't even find my own posts on Mudcat anymore.

Damn if I know where the CHICKEN came from, but I'm not going to stew anymore about it. I'm already in a fowl mood.

Warm regards,
Landlady's Daughter

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: What You Goin' Do When de Rent Come Roun
From: Stewie
Date: 24 May 03 - 12:50 AM

According to Meade et alia 'Country Music Sources' 'Dat's the way to spell chicken' came from Sidney Perrin/Bob Slater 1902. Under the title 'C-H-I-C-K-E-N that's the way to spell chicken', there were recordings by Arthur Collins (1902) and Len Spencer (1903). The first old-timey recording was by Sam and Kirk McGee in 1927.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: What You Goin' Do When de Rent Come Roun
From: Charley Noble
Date: 24 May 03 - 09:38 AM

Looks like you nailed it, Stewie. Then it was probably added to Rufus et al at a later date.

LD

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: What You Goin' Do When de Rent Come Roun
From: GUEST,Gern
Date: 24 May 03 - 10:19 AM

I'd sure like to hear this tune, which my Grandmother used to sing. Are there any MIDIs available

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: What You Goin' Do When de Rent Come Roun
From: Charley Noble
Date: 24 May 03 - 10:49 AM

There was a link to a MIDI in one of the previous threads that Guest Q identified.

LD