Subject: Lyr Add: OIL ON THE BRAIN (Eastburn)
From:
Jim Dixon
Date: 08 Feb 04 - 12:09 PM
Would a different song about oil interest you?
Copied from The Library of Congress American Memory Collection:
OIL ON THE BRAIN
"As sung in New-York, Philadelphia, and all the principal cities of the Union, where the ile fever abounds."
The Yankees boast that they make clocks which "just beat all Creation."
They never made one could keep time with our Great Speculation.
Our stocks, like clocks, go with a spring: wind up, run down again;
But all our strikes are sure to cause oil on the brain.
CHORUS: Stocks par, stocks up, then on the wane--
Everybody's troubled with oil on the brain.
There's various kinds of oil afloat: cod-liver, castor, sweet--
Which tend to make a sick man well, and set him on his feet;
But ours a curious feat performs: We just a well obtain,
And set the people crazy with oil on the brain. CHORUS
There's neighbor Smith, a poor young man, who could not raise a dime,
Had clothes that boasted many rents, and took his "Nip" on time;
But now he's clad in dandy style, sports diamonds, kids, and cane.
And his success was owing to oil on the brain. CHORUS
Miss Simple drives her coach and four, and dresses in high style;
And Mr. Shoddy courts her strong, because her Dad's struck ile.
Her jewels, laces, velvets, silks, of which she is so vain,
Were bought by Dad the time he had oil on the brain. CHORUS
You meet a friend upon the street. He greets you with a smile,
And tells you, in a hummed way, he's "just gone into ile."
He button-holds you half an hour. Of course, you can't complain;
For, you can see the fellow has oil on the brain. CHORUS
The lawyers, doctors, hatters, clerks, industrious and lazy,
Have put their money all in stocks, in fact, have gone oil-crazy.
They'd better stick to briefs and pills, hot-irons, ink and pen,
Or they will "kick the bucket" from oil on the brain. CHORUS
Poor Mrs. Jones was taken ill. The doctors gave her up.
They lost the confidence they had in lancet, leech, and cup.
Afflictions sore long time she bore. Physicians were in vain;
And she, at last, expired of oil on the brain. CHORUS
There's Maple-Shade, Excelsior, Bull-Creek, Big-Tank, Dalzell,
And Key-Stone, Star, Venango, Briggs, Organic, Luna, Tarrell,
Petroleum, Saint-Nicholas, Conn. Planter, New-Creek Vein;
Sure 'tis no wonder many have oil on the brain. CHORUS
[No tune, date, or author is given on the original song sheet, but a later song was advertised thus: "THE TRIUMPH OF THE FLAG, OR, OUR FLAG O'ER RICHMOND WAVES AGAIN, by Eastburn, author of OIL ON THE BRAIN...."]
[There are several other songs about oil at The Library of Congress American Memory Collection (click for the search page) and at The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music, but I couldn't find the one you're looking for.]
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