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Lyr Req: Go Wash an Elephant (Baby Gramps)

10 Sep 01 - 03:58 PM (#546517)
Subject: Go Wash An Elephant (Baby Gramps)
From: GUEST,Argenine

Seeking this marvelous Baby Gramps song, which I heard on KBOO in Portland, OR. (My initial thread got taken over by the hippopotami.)

Arge


10 Sep 01 - 10:22 PM (#546739)
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Go Wash An Elephant (Baby Gra
From: GUEST,KT

Sounds interesting. sorry I can't help, but you've got me curious.


10 Sep 01 - 10:46 PM (#546746)
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Go Wash An Elephant (Baby Gra
From: Sorcha

Found lots of stuff about Baby Gramps, and a sound file (RA) of the tune, but no lyrics. No lyrics on the RA file, either. Sorry


10 Sep 01 - 10:46 PM (#546747)
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Go Wash An Elephant (Baby Gra
From: richardw

It is on his CD. I'm heading out of townfor 3 weeks or I would copy it out for you. Try someone like Dusty Strings or Victory Music is Seattle for the CD. Maybe a net search? It's a great album by a genius.

Richard Wright


26 Sep 01 - 04:43 AM (#559048)
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Go Wash An Elephant (Baby Gra
From: GUEST,Argenine

Thanks for the lead, Richard. I'll look for the CD.
If you can post it when you get back, that'll be great!
Arge


28 Sep 01 - 07:28 PM (#561069)
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Go Wash An Elephant (Baby Gra
From: GUEST,Argenine

Refresh


02 Nov 09 - 01:00 PM (#2758031)
Subject: Lyr Add: GO WASH AN ELEPHANT (Baby Gramps)
From: Jim Dixon

GO WASH AN ELEPHANT (IF YOU WANNA DO SOMETHING BIG) was written by J Russel Robinson and Arthur Terker in 1927. It was recorded by—
The Caroliners, 1927
Joe Candullo Everglades Orchestra, 1927.
Bob Haring and His Orchestra, 1927.
The Jazz Pilots (Harry Reser's Orchestra), 1927.
Bill Williams & His Gang, 1927

Baby Gramps recorded it on his album "Same Ol' Timeously: Vocalisthenics & Stunt Guitar" 2002. You can hear this recording as part of an archived radio program from WFMU. See the playlist here. The song begins at 1:01:55.

I transcribed this:

Now go wash an elephant if you want to do something big.
Scrub him and rub him till he squeals like a pig.
Get that brush down in that pail. Make that water fly.
Wash him in September. By April he might be dry.
Go wash an elephant if you want to do something big.
But beware! you can drown in an elephant's dimples.
They're much deeper than Shirley Temple's.
Go wash an elephant if you want to do something big.

Go out and find an elephant, white, gray or pink,
Then wash him all over till he's nice and wrinkly.
Go wash an elephant if you want to do something big.

There's one nose longer than Durante's proboscis.
It's a shower hose between ivory faucets
Go wash an elephant if you want to do something big.

But beware! you can drown in an elephant's dimples.
They're much deeper than Shirley Temple's.
Go wash an elephant if you want to do something big.

[A catalog entry at WorldCat.com indicates that there might be a verse beginning '"Papa, papa, papa," said little Willie McGurk.']