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20 Aug 13 - 10:08 PM (#3551262) Subject: Lyr Add: ALEXANDER'S RAGTIME BAND (Irving Berlin) From: GUEST,MorwenEdhelwen1 This song has been mentioned in several threads but the lyrics haven't been added. So here they are. ALEXANDER'S RAGTIME BAND (Irving Berlin) 1. Oh ma honey, oh ma honey, Better hurry and let's meander, Ain't you goin', ain't you goin', To the leader man, ragged meter man? Oh ma honey, oh ma honey, Let me take you to Alexander's Grandstand, brass band, Ain't you comin' along? (CHORUS) Come on and hear, come on and hear, Alexander's ragtime band. Come on and hear, come on and hear, It's the best band in the land! They can play a bugle call like you never heard before, So natural that you want to go to war. That's just the bestest band what am, my honey lamb. Come on along, come on along, Let me take you by the hand, Up to the man, up to the man, Who's the leader of the band. And if you care to hear the 'Swanee River' Played in ragtime, Come on and hear, come on and hear, Alexander's ragtime band. 2. Oh ma honey, oh ma honey, There's a fiddle with notes that screeches, Like a chicken, like a chicken, And the clarinet, Is a colored pet, Come and listen, come and listen, To a classical band what's peaches, Come now, somehow, Better hurry along! (Chorus) Published by Ted Snyder & Co, 1911, New York City. Sheet music is at " the Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection. It can also be found at " Duke University's Historical American Sheet Music Digital Collection. |
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21 Aug 13 - 04:49 AM (#3551301) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alexander's Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin) From: Joe Offer This, of course, is the song that made people say that Irving Berlin had a "pickaninny in his closet" writing his songs. Seems to me, he must have had George M. Cohan in his closet to write this one. -Joe- |
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21 Aug 13 - 07:17 AM (#3551321) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alexander's Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin) From: GUEST,MorwenEdhelwen1 @Joe: George M. Cohan wrote "Give My Regards To Broadway", didn't he? Funny thing about GMRTB- I didn't know about the original verses until very recently. The version I learned from listening to the CD my brother had to listen to for our primary school choir (even though I wasn't in the choir) had the chorus and these two verses: Lift up the curtain, strike up the band, Turn on the spotlight, give us a hand. We're off for Broadway, we won't stop Until we reach the very top. I've waited too long -- not anymore, I'm walkin' in through the backstage door. Broadway is where I belong Singing a Broadway song. I have no idea who wrote those verses- probably not George M. Cohan! When I introduced "Alexander's Ragtime Band" to my friend Alex and asked him what he thought on Skype, he said he wasn't that into ragtime. So I had to tell him it wasn't really ragtime. I also told another friend that ARB wasn't ragtime. (AFAIK, it's not a rag but it does have a syncopated melody). |
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21 Aug 13 - 10:56 AM (#3551381) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alexander's Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin) From: GUEST,leeneia Hello, Morwen. Just a couple of days ago I was thinking that we hadn't had a post from you for a while. Thanks for posting the lyrics. Here's the URL for a page with a MIDI you can play (I had to use the second word 'Melody') or download if you have MIDI software. http://ingeb.org/songs/alexande.html It's a great tune. |
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21 Aug 13 - 01:35 PM (#3551459) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alexander's Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin) From: Q (Frank Staplin) "ragged meter man" I took that as a reference to ragtime meters. |
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21 Aug 13 - 09:26 PM (#3551595) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alexander's Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin) From: GUEST,MorwenEdhelwen1 @leeneia: I found that a ewhile ago, actually :) |
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21 Aug 13 - 10:25 PM (#3551605) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alexander's Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin) From: Crowhugger Another take on the classic Alexander's Ragtime Band. |
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22 Aug 13 - 10:33 AM (#3551747) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alexander's Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin) From: GUEST,leeneia Hi again, Morwen. When I said "you can play it," I actually meant that anybody reading this thread can play it. I assumed, since you are interested in the song, that you know its melody. Q: I agree. It should say 'ragged-meter' man. It's the meter that ragged, not the man. |
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22 Aug 13 - 10:37 AM (#3551749) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alexander's Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin) From: GUEST,leeneia Thanks for the link, Crowhugger. I admire their coordination. (If I were in there, I'd be the one going left when everybody else is going right.) |
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22 Aug 13 - 11:45 PM (#3551984) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alexander's Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin) From: GUEST,MorwenEdhelwen1 @leeneia: The lyrics were typed mostly from memory because I've sung this song so many times. |
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23 Aug 13 - 01:40 AM (#3551994) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alexander's Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin) From: GUEST,MorwenEdhelwen1 And an addition: Thanks for the explanation and sorry if that last post came off badly. |
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23 Aug 13 - 02:41 AM (#3552005) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alexander's Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin) From: GUEST,leeneia Oh sure. No problem. I'm always trying to get people to pick up an instrument or sing and make actual music. I'm strange that way. I found a wonderful version of AR'B on YouTube by a band called the Dixieland Crackerjacks. They turned out to be Dutch or Flemish. They're great. I think the drummer is an Asian female, but I can't be sure. There's a man in the back row playing the biggest saxophone I've ever seen. |
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23 Aug 13 - 08:05 PM (#3552223) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alexander's Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin) From: GUEST,MorwenEdhelwen1 @leeneia: I think that's what this forum is (partly) for. |
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24 Aug 13 - 08:48 PM (#3552516) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alexander's Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin) From: GUEST,MorwenEdhelwen1 There's some parodies/responses to "Alexander" which I might post the lyrics to when I find them. |
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25 Aug 13 - 01:55 AM (#3552555) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alexander's Band Is Back In Dixieland From: GUEST,MorwenEdhelwen1 Here are the lyrics to a song published in 1919 as a response to ARB. ALEXANDER'S BAND IS BACK IN DIXIELAND (Jack Yellen/Albert Gumble. Published by Jerome H. Remick & Co, Detroit, Michigan and New York, 1919) Sheet music from In Harmony: Sheet Music From Indiana> (Downloadable as a PDF). 1. Where's that music comin' from Listen to that rum-tum-tum That's what I call music sweet, Puts the tickle in your feet I know from the metre there's a certain leader Comin' down the street CHORUS Here comes Ragtime Alexander Dixie's famous band commander No more worry no more blues Ev'rybody run along and get your dancin' shoes When it comes to syncopation That's the best band in creation Oh boy what a time 'Cross the Mason-Dixon Line Alexander's band is back in Dixieland. PATTER CHORUS Hear the clarinetter Listen to the bugle Lordy can't he blow Yes bo! Listen to the fiddler I wish I was the fiddler and he was my bow Who is that a moanin' That's trombone Saxophone Some moan That's the boy that's gonna make me leave my home Oh boy what a time 'Cross the Mason-Dixon Line Alexander's band is back in Dixieland. 2. Now we'll have some harmonies Floatin' on the evenin' breeze When the steamboat loaders And the cotton toters Start their jubilees. I'll be down to ev'ry one Just as quick as I can run With my lovin' baby Let me tell you maybe I won't have some fun (CHORUS) |