REQ: "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down"

[Peter Steiger]

I found a wonderful MIDI arrangement of this some time ago (you probably
know it better as the Looney Tunes theme), and the tune has been running
through my head all day. It occurred to me that if the song does have
lyrics, one of the folk mavens out here like Joe Bethancourt may be able
to set me straight ("Brother, can you spare a clue?")

Of course I checked out Digital Tradition, several self-proclaimed lyrics
archives, and did web searches via Infoseek and Webcrawler before coming
here.

Any takers?

pbs
bass, "Harmonically Challenged" barbershop quartet

[Nicole A. Nguyen]

Dear Peter,
The most wonderful lady in the world sent me the sheet music for
this song. (I've lost her e-mail address--Neat-o lady, if you read this,
will you write me again?) Here are the lyrics, with thanks to her.

-Nicole

THE MERRY-GO-ROUND BROKE DOWN
1937 - Words & Music by Cliff Friend & Dave Franklin

CHORUS;
Oh, the merry go-round broke down, as we went 'round and round
Each time 'twould miss, we'd steal a kiss
While the merry go round went um-pah-pah, um-pah-pah,
Um-pah, um-pah, um-pah-pah
The merry-go-round broke down, and made the darndest sound
The lights went low,
We both said "Oh"
And the merry-go-round went um-pah-pah, um-pah-pah
Um-pah, um-pah, um-pah-pah.
Oh! what fun, a wonderful time
Finding love for only a dime.
The merry go-round broke down, but you don't see me frown
Things turned out fine and now she's mine
"Cause the merry go-round went
Um-pah-pah, um-pah-pah, um-pah, um-pah, um-pah, pa
THE MERRY GO ROUND BROKE DOWN.

[hun...@gmail.com]

On Sunday, January 7, 1996 3:00:00 AM UTC-5, Peter Steiger wrote:
> I found a wonderful MIDI arrangement of this some time ago (you probably
> know it better as the Looney Tunes theme), and the tune has been running
> through my head all day. It occurred to me that if the song does have
> lyrics, one of the folk mavens out here like Joe Bethancourt may be able
> to set me straight ("Brother, can you spare a clue?")
>
> Of course I checked out Digital Tradition, several self-proclaimed lyrics
> archives, and did web searches via Infoseek and Webcrawler before coming
> here.
>
> Any takers?
>
> pbs
> bass, "Harmonically Challenged" barbershop quartet

where did you find this midi transcription? I've been looking for it forever

[Harold Groot]

You find things in the strangest places. Like, say, The Grateful
Dead.... From
http://www3.clearlight.com/~acsa/introjs.htm?/~acsa/songfile/MERRYGOR.HTM



The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down Tuning
Lyrics: Cliff Friend, Dave Franklin
Music: Cliff Friend, Dave Franklin

Played by the Grateful Dead as a 'tuning' jam between songs.

The original had lyrics:

Oh, the merry-go-round broke down
As we went 'round and 'round
Each time 'twould miss we'd steal a kiss
While the merry-go-round went

Um-pah-pah, um-pah-pah
Um-pah, um-pah, um-pah-pah

Oh, the merry-go-round broke down
It made the darndest sound
The lights went low, we both said "Oh"
And the merry-go-round went

Um-pah-pah, um-pah-pah
Um-pah, um-pah, um-pah-pah

Oh, what fun, a wonderful time

Finding love for only a dime

Oh, the merry-go-round broke down
But you don't see me frown
Ev'rything is fine and now she's mine
'Cause the merry-go-round went

Um-pah-pah, um-pah-pah
Um-pah, um-pah, um-pah-pah
Oh, the merry-go-round broke down