lyr/chords: You Went the Wrong Way, Old King Louie

Subject: Chord Req: 'You Went the Wrong Way, Old King Louie'
From: SharonA
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 11:27 AM

Does anybody out there know where I can find the chords (perhaps even the tablature) for the old Allan Sherman perody, "You Went the Wrong Way, Old King Louie"? Having the tune (particularly the intro) would be helpful too. If possible, I want to perform the song on July 9th for my local folk club's monthly meeting, which will include a song circle with the theme of "Bastille Day."

Thanks for any help you can give!
Sharon

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'You Went the Wrong Way, Old King Louie
From: beardedbruce
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 11:31 AM

http://launch.yahoo.com/track/805170

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'You Went the Wrong Way, Old King Louie
From: beardedbruce
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 11:36 AM

tune from "You Came A Long Way From St. Louis" by Ray McKinley & His Orchestra

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'You Went the Wrong Way, Old King Louie
From: SharonA
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 11:44 AM

Thank you, Bruce. I can't figure out how to get your link to play the song, though. What's the trick?

You're correct about the tune, but Sherman's song also has an intro that starts with a snippet from La Marseillaise (midi of the original) and ends with something that Sherman either wrote himself or borrowed from a source I don't recognize.

Subject: Lyr Add: YOU WENT THE WRONG WAY, OLD KING LOUIE
From: beardedbruce
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 12:59 PM

http://www.mp3.com/tracks/5357180/dl_streams.html

Try this one...

-----------------------------------------------------
YOU WENT THE WRONG WAY, OLD KING LOUIE
(Allan Sherman)

Louis the Sixteenth was the King of France in 1789.
He was worse than Louis the Fifteenth.
He was worse than Louis the Fourteenth.
He was worse than Louis the Thirteenth.
He was the worst since Louis the First.
King Louis was living like a king, but the people were living rotten.
So the people, they started an uprising which they called the
French Revolution, and of course you remember their battle cry,
which will never be forgotten:

You went the wrong way, Old King Louie.
You made the population cry.
'Cause all you did was sit and pet
With Marie Antoinette
In your place at Versailles.

And now the country's gone kablooie.
So we are giving you the air.
That oughta teach you not to
Spend all your time fooling 'round
At the Folies Bergere.

If you had been a nicer king,
We wouldn't do a thing,
But you were bad, you must admit.
We're gonna take you and the Queen
Down to the guillotine,
And shorten you a little bit.

You came the wrong way, Old King Louie.
And now you ain't got far to go.
Too bad you won't be here to see
That great big Eiffel Tower,
Or Brigitte Bardot.

To you King Louie we say fooey.
You disappointed all of France.
But then what else could we expect
From a king in silk stockings
And pink satin pants.

You filled your stomach with chop suey.
And also crepe suzettes and steak.
And when they told your wife Marie
That nobody had bread, she said
"Let 'em eat cake."

We're gonna take you and the Queen
Down to the guillotine,
It's somewhere in the heart of town.
And when that fella's through
With what he's gonna do,
You'll have no place to hang your crown.

You came the wrong way, Old King Louie.
Now we must put you on the shelf.
That's why the people are revolting, 'cause Louie,
You're pretty revolting yourself!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdSzgJiR4_I

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'You Went the Wrong Way, Old King Louie
From: SharonA
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 03:27 PM

Thanks again, Bruce. I had better luck accessing your mp3.com link, but I still couldn't find a sound file that I wouldn't have had to pay for. I figure that if I'm going to pay for the song, I might as well buy a CD. I'm a Sherman fan anyway so I ordered the new 6-disc compilation "My Son, The Box" from one of the bookstore chains; they tell me I should have it in about a week.

But that still leaves me in need of the answer to my original question: is there a site out there that has guitar chords for the song? If not, I'll do my best to figure them out from listening to the piano accompaniment on the CD when it arrives, and I'll have to invent my own guitar version. But if someone else has already done the work, please let me know!

Sharon

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'You Went the Wrong Way, Old King Louie
From: SharonA
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 03:57 PM

Heh.... Even if someone finds the chords, I'll be hard pressed to play a suitable imitation of the Peter Gunn theme that follows the introduction! *grin*

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'You Went the Wrong Way, Old King Louie
From: beardedbruce
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 05:03 PM

I don't see one, offhand. I have all the records, so if you are near DC...

Might even have a spare.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'You Went the Wrong Way, Old King Louie
From: SharonA
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 05:17 PM

No, I'm near Philadelphia PA. Thanks for the offer, though. Hmmm, since you have the recording, how are you at figuring out the chords from listening to it?

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'You Went the Wrong Way, Old King Louie
From: beardedbruce
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 05:23 PM

Lousy.

Sorry.


But see if Rita can help- Or BillD. Both nearby.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'You Went the Wrong Way, Old King Louie
From: SharonA
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 05:43 PM

That's okay, no apology necessary. But I'm a bit confused -- do you mean that you will see, or that I should see, if Rita or BillD can help? Are they near me or you?

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'You Went the Wrong Way, Old King Louie
From: beardedbruce
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 09:40 AM

Near me- I will try to ask if either can help with, or suggest someone to help with the cords.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'You Went the Wrong Way, Old King Louie
From: SharonA
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 01:07 AM

Thanks, Bruce! Keep me posted.

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: YOU CAME A LONG WAY FROM ST. LOUIS
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 06:24 PM

Here are the words to the original song, with chords, copied from The Guitar Guy:

YOU CAME A LONG WAY FROM ST. LOUIS
Words & Music by John Benson Brooks & Bob Russell, 1948
Recorded by Peggy Lee, 1959

  
  D           A       Gdim      D     G - Gdim   D
  You came a long way from St. Louis,
  
                   A    Gdim    D    G - Gdim   D
  You climbed the ladder of success;
  
         A               Gdim     D
  I've seen the town and country cars
  
            Bm             G            Em7   A7     D  Fdim A7
  That were parked out in front of your fancy ad - dress.
  
  
                      Gdim      D     G - Gdim   D
  You came a long way from St. Louis;
    
               A      Gdim      D    G - Gdim   D
  You broke a lot of hearts between.
  
        A             Gdim     D
  I've seen a gang of gloomy gals
  
            Bm         G           Em7     A7     D   Gdim  D
  Who were doin' all right til you came on the scene.
  
  
  
  Bridge:
  
                D7               G
  You came here from the middle West
  
                   Gm7             C7          D
  And certainly impressed the population hereabouts;
  
              D7              G
  Well, baby, I got news for you,
  
                     Gm7     Em7-5     A7sus4      A7   Em7 - G/B  A7
  I'm from Missouri, too, so natcherly, I got my doubts.
  
  
  (N.C.)        A     Gdim    D       G - Gdim   D
  You got 'em droppin by the wayside,
  
            A      Gdim       D    G - Gdim   D
  A feelin' I ain't gon - na know;
  
               A      Gdim       D        
  You came a long way from St. Louis,
  
        Bm         G         Em7      A7  D   G - Gdim   D
  But, Baby, you still got a long way to go.