Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag

Subject: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: GUEST,Twinn fiddler's mom
Date: 19 Jan 06 - 11:08 PM

Any lyrics to this?? Or is it just music?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 19 Jan 06 - 11:13 PM

Just a tune, it's a great tune, you should hear Dave Swarbrick play it on mandolin.

eric

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: GUEST,mom
Date: 19 Jan 06 - 11:32 PM

Thanks for info.
My kids have started playing it and I love the sound. Kids wanted lyrics to sing at jamboree tomorrow night.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: Inukshuk
Date: 20 Jan 06 - 03:38 PM

Great opportunity for you to become a lyricist.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Jan 06 - 05:33 PM

An old timer. Composed 1907 by African-American Charles L. Johnson. Mistakenly called 'traditional' by Randolph.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: Inukshuk
Date: 20 Jan 06 - 08:51 PM

Great item of interest Q, thanks. Now I will play the tune with even more "relish".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: GUEST,Penny Black - away from Cookie Jar :0)
Date: 20 Jan 06 - 09:39 PM

We recorded a "variation" - "Dill Picker's Rag" which you can find Here if you want to hear it.

PB

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Jan 06 - 10:53 PM

Is this one that goes, I don't want a nickle, I don't want a pickle, all I want is to ride my motorcycle?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Jan 06 - 05:37 PM

The Library of Congress American Memory Collection has the sheet music, called A NEW RAG, DILL PICKLES by Chas. L. Johnson, (Charles Leslie Johnson, 1876-1950). That sheet music has no lyrics.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: akenaton
Date: 22 Jan 06 - 06:11 PM

Great version of this on "Rags, reels and airs" .....Dave Swarbrick, Martin Carthy and Diz Disley....Polydor   236 514.
Sleeve notes...Trad arr Swarbrick,Carthy ,Disley.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: s&r
Date: 23 Jan 06 - 05:42 PM

Arlo Guthrie wrote the motorsickle song which is totally different but good fun

Stu

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: s&r
Date: 23 Jan 06 - 05:48 PM

Bit more here

Stu

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: Kaleea
Date: 24 Jan 06 - 12:46 PM

Used to play in a band with a banjo player who did a great rendition of Dill Pickles Rag. Love that RagTime!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jan 06 - 01:57 PM

Doc Watson does the definitive flatpick guitar version.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: GEST
Date: 24 Jan 06 - 02:19 PM

I found more MIDI files of the Dill Pickle Rag using the search feature at Van Basco's than I ever imagined existed. Lots of selections. :-)

Subject: Lyr Add: DILL PICKLES (A Bryan, C E Johnson)
From: GUEST,Norval
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 06:24 PM

Dill Pickles (a rag)
Music (1906) by: Charles E. Johnson
Lyrics (1910) by: Alfred Bryan

Verse 1:
Listen Maxie, to that lazy rag! It's a daisy, ain't it,
That dill pickle, lovin' tickle, Just sets them crazy, don't it?
It just keeps you prancing around and around,
Honest, I can't keep my feet off the ground.
Come on Kiddo, don't refuse me, Say don't you love me, baby?
If I get too looney, spooney, You must excuse me, baby.
Dance me, prance me around, around and around,
Around and around and around.

Refrain:
Listen to that tune, O you angel face!
Slide me glide me now, O you baby doll!
Be my lovin' coon, Show me, show me how.
That dream motion, ain't it devine?
Make those loving eyes, keep on swaying, kid,
keep on swaying, kid, I just love it, kid!
Make those tempting eyes, Keep on playing, kid,
That dill pickle rag.

Verse 2:
If your Tillie's getting chilly, say don't act silly, Willie,
If she's fickle, play that tickle, I'll bet a nickle, Willie,
She'll just start a-rolling her eyes to the skies,
Do the Salomy in front of my eyes.
She'll get rowdy like a dowdy, chuck full of champagne brimming,
You just feel that you are swimming With twenty pretty women,
Prancing, dancing around, around and around,
Around and around and around.


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An Internet prowl has uncovered the lyrics to this 100 year old favorite at this site: http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/cgi-bin/sheetmusic.pl?RagDill&Rag&main

It appears the music was self-published in 1906 by composer Charles E. Johnson, then published again in 1907 by Jerome H. Remick, then a third time by Remick in 1910 with lyrics added.

The lyricist, Alfred Bryan (1871-1958), was a Canadian from Brantford, Ontario, who later moved to the United States to pursue his musical interests. He is said to have written over 400 lyrics, most of which have drifted into obscurity except for a couple, 'Peg O' My Heart' and 'Come, Josephine, In My Flying Machine' which are still on the play list of seniors entertainers. A WWI lyric of his 'I Didn't Raise My Boy to be a Soldier' was controversial for being contrary to patriotic thinking at that time.

The music composer is listed as Chas. E. Johnson on the sheet music cover but as Charles Leslie Johnson (1876-1950) at ragtime history site. Johnson was attracted to the piano at an early age and took formal study in classical music until his teens, when popular music pulled him away. He spent his entire life in Kansas City which was the center of a great deal of ragtime activity. Many of Johnson's later rags utilized the secondary rag, or three over four pattern he had first used in Dill Pickles, but since they were generally easy to play and memorize, his products sold briskly. He was just as adept at turning out a ballad or intermezzo as a popular rag.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: Les B
Date: 04 Feb 06 - 01:54 AM

For some reason I can't seem to make the words supplied above fit the tune that I know - three parts - first two in G - third part in C - none of them fit the word pattern ??!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: GUEST,Norval
Date: 04 Feb 06 - 02:59 PM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Feb 06 - 03:02 PM

As a Public Service, I would like to inform you that there are thirty-one, count 'em, thirty-one songs in the Digital Tradition that mention pickles in the singular, the plural, or as a verb. To my mind, the most notable are Arlo Guthrie's Motorcycle Song (I don't want a pickle), and Lani Hermann's renowned Pickle Carol.

-Joe Offer-

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This page (click) has two MIDI transcriptions of the 1906 Charles L. Johnson rag, "Dill Pickles."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: GUEST,Norval
Date: 04 Feb 06 - 03:17 PM

Thick fingers on the keyboard, above blank posting!!

Les: Go to the web site given with the lyrics above. There the music and lyrics are aligned which should help make this tricky melody singable.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dill Pickle Rag
From: Les B
Date: 04 Feb 06 - 03:39 PM

Thanks Norval - I've printed it off - Now I just have to get my piano playing friend to read the music and see if it's the same tune.