Lyrics - Joplins "Entertainer"
Mike Potts
I am after the Lyrics from Joplin's the entertainer - anyone help please?
Mike
Steven Stiller
were redone as songs. Joplin wrote the music for 6 other songs as well.
I'll check for the Entertainer, but it must be somewhat recent.
let me know if you want lyrics for any of the others.
Steve Stiller
Bill Edwards
Lyrics?.... Lyrics?... Huh?
Sorry, but I have looked through all of the enormous wealth of resources
I have, and I believe I can say with some authority that there were no
sanctioned lyrics written to this tune during Joplin's lifetime. In
fact, with some of his other pieces like the Maple Leaf and Pine Apple
in the forefront, The Entertainer was far from Joplin's best-seller
during the era. So after he died, a lot of his music went into dormancy
for at least three decades. Starting with Wally Rose (40's), continuing
through Ann Charters (60's), and culminating with Joshua Rifkin (70's),
it made a gradual comeback with its diginity intact.
It was through both the son and a nephew of director George Roy Hill,
the former who played Rifkin's record for him and the latter who
actually performed some of the pieces, that Hill decided to use Joplin's
music for his film The Sting. He hired Marvin H. to put it all together,
and the selections were mostly Hill's with Hamlisch's concurrence. An
arrangement of The Entertiner already existed in John Stark's Red Back
Book (Fifteen Standard High Class Rags) from around 1910, arranged by
D.S. De Lisle (who also arranged many of Tom Turpin's Rags0. It had been
recorded by Schuller in 1973, and Hamlisch used these arrangements in
part for his score. Still no lyrics.
If lyrics were added, it would have been post-1973. I can't find any
instance in over 70 music sources I have, including Lissauer's
Encyclopedia of Popular Music, where any lyrics exist.
But, you're in luck in some regard. I did compose a set of Italian
lyrics that I teach people during occasionaly sing-along portions of my
concerts. They go like this:
La la la la, la la, la la.
La la la la la la la, la la, la.
I couldn't resist.
I would be interested to see if ANYBODY here could scare up any lyrics
to this piece other than in a kid's piano primer. I like to learn new
things all the time. However, I hold out little hope for this one. Maybe
Ed Berlin knows something further on this topic that I have missed. He
has certainly done a great deal more research on Joplin than nearly
anybody here... or maybe anywhere!
As for the Ragtime Dance being "redone" as a song... it was originally
done as a stage ballet of sorts, or an organized dance number, with
lyrics in 1902. It was later redone as a rag.
Existing Joplin pieces with Lyrics:
Pieces from Treemonisha
I Am Thinking of my Pickanniny Days
Little Black Baby
Maple Leaf Rag Song
A Picture of Her Face (Lyrics by Joplin)
Pine Apple Rag Song
Please Say You Will (Lyrics by Joplin)
The Ragtime Dance (Lyrics and Directions by Joplin)
Sarah Dear
When Your Hair is Like The Snow
There are indications of a few more specific songs (along with rags),
but they have as yet been actually found in printed or piano-roll form.
I hope this answers your query (perhaps more completely than you had
hoped for). Sorry it couldn't be what was hoped for. However, you came
to the right source (this News Group) for the information.
RAGards, Bill E.
pfdocwilson
Max Morath did a version on REAL AMERICAN FOLK SONGS -- the lyrics are
Morath's. As the other posters have said, there were no sanctioned lyrics
during Joplin's lifetime; others, like Morath, have done them since.
Doc
Mark Lutton
1970's (after The Sting) in which a choral group (like the Swingle
Singers, but it probably wasn't them) sang (obviously newly-written)
words to The Entertainer.
The only bit I remember was the beginning of the second strain:
Back in the olden days
They call them golden days
(This was probably the best part.)
You can probably get better results by making up your own lyrics. Just
make sure you do the obvious thing at the very end:
THE EN - TER - TAI - - - NER!
Mark Lutton
P.S. Here are the lyrics to the Maple Leaf Rag:
Bomp Bomp The MAple Leafrag, The MAple LEAF RAG,
Bomp Bomp The MAple Leafrag, The MAple LEAF RAG,
This is the Maple Leaf -- Rag -- is the Maple Leaf -- Rag
mapleleafrag mapleleafrag mapleleafrag mapleleafrag
ConeyIslandTodd
on one of their albums. I don't know if the Entertainer was on the album as I
don't have it handy, but it seems like it would be a safe bet since almost
everyone had a crack at the tune during the 1970s. Magican Harry Anderson used
their arrangement of Solace to accompany his three shell game routine on a
special he did about a decade ago.
Todd Robbins
russtwarne
Mark Lutton <mlu...@ma.ultranet.com> wrote:
<snip snip snip>
> P.S. Here are the lyrics to the Maple Leaf Rag:
>
> Bomp Bomp The MAple Leafrag, The MAple LEAF RAG,
> Bomp Bomp The MAple Leafrag, The MAple LEAF RAG,
> This is the Maple Leaf -- Rag -- is the Maple Leaf -- Rag
> mapleleafrag mapleleafrag mapleleafrag mapleleafrag
<snip snip snip>
HEHEHEHE. Is it just me or do, for no apparent reason, certain strains
of ragtime just make words pop into your head that might not make sense?
For example, I don't know why, but there's a part of "Magnetic Rag" that
where impulsively I want to sing, "Don't stop cooking, 'cause it feels
all-right." WHAT DOES IT MEAN AND WHY DO I WANT TO DO IT???
By no means is, "Magnetic Rag" alone. I also do it with "Palm Leaf," and
"Gladiolus."
Anyway, I usually despise the ragtime lyrics (with the notable exception
of the 1902 Ragtime Dance) because they just don't seem to fit. Also,
there isn't an incredible lot of ragtime that lends itself to
vocalization. It's simply music to dance to, or to kick back and listen
to.
--
-Russell Warne
Check out my Scott Joplin page at
http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Bayou/9694
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
C.C.
> The Singing Swingles DID do a vocal version of the some rags and stride pieces
> on one of their albums. I don't know if the Entertainer was on the album as I
> don't have it handy, but it seems like it would be a safe bet since almost
> everyone had a crack at the tune during the 1970s.
If you mean the "Swingle Singers" and
if you mean their album "Rags and all that Jazz"
then no.. The Entertainer was not on that one.
I think that "Rags and all that Jazz" was the only album of the Swingle
Singers fully dedicated to Ragtime. The content of the album is:
Hotshot (Easy Winners) Scott Joplin
The Wanderer (Solace) Scott Joplin
Movie Star (Kansas City Stomps) Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton
In A Mist Leon Bismarck "Bix" Beiderbecke
Mr. Superman (Elite Syncopations) Scott Joplin
Alligator Crawl Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller
Heliotrope Bouquet Scott Joplin
Chicago Breakdown Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton
Grandpa's Spells Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton
Weeping Willow Scott Joplin
N.B.
Chicago Breakdown is also known as Stratford Hunch
Greetings,
C.C.
Replace 'kes' by 'kees' for E-mails
pfdocwilson
> I think that "Rags and all that Jazz" was the only album of the Swingle
> Singers fully dedicated to Ragtime. The content of the album is:
>
> The Wanderer (Solace) Scott Joplin
This one was done by Sue Keller on her RAG TIME SUE album. The lyrics are
credited to Tony Vincent Isaac and dated 1975.
Doc
ConeyIslandTodd
in storage due to some renovation.
Now that I think of it, there was a vocal version of the Entertainer done on
one of the variety shows from the 1970's. I think it was a production number
done on the Carol Burnett show, but this is only a guess. The 1970s are just a
vague memory for me (except for time that Eubie played a tune for me at a
concert).
Todd Robbins
Hal Vickery
<russt...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> In article <39BDA7D7...@ma.ultranet.com>,
> Mark Lutton <mlu...@ma.ultranet.com> wrote:
>
> <snip snip snip>
> > P.S. Here are the lyrics to the Maple Leaf Rag:
> >
> > Bomp Bomp The MAple Leafrag, The MAple LEAF RAG,
> > Bomp Bomp The MAple Leafrag, The MAple LEAF RAG,
> > This is the Maple Leaf -- Rag -- is the Maple Leaf -- Rag
> > mapleleafrag mapleleafrag mapleleafrag mapleleafrag
> <snip snip snip>
>
> HEHEHEHE. Is it just me or do, for no apparent reason, certain strains
> of ragtime just make words pop into your head that might not make sense?
> For example, I don't know why, but there's a part of "Magnetic Rag" that
> where impulsively I want to sing, "Don't stop cooking, 'cause it feels
> all-right." WHAT DOES IT MEAN AND WHY DO I WANT TO DO IT???
>
> By no means is, "Magnetic Rag" alone. I also do it with "Palm Leaf," and
> "Gladiolus."
>
> Anyway, I usually despise the ragtime lyrics (with the notable exception
> of the 1902 Ragtime Dance) because they just don't seem to fit. Also,
> there isn't an incredible lot of ragtime that lends itself to
> vocalization. It's simply music to dance to, or to kick back and listen
> to.
It's not just ragtime that inspires words to pop into one's head. Years
ago an acquaintance of mine and I came up with lyrics to the first movement
of Beethoven's Sonate "Pathetique," to wit:
Pleeeeeease...an Alka-Selllllltzer.
I neeeeeed...an Alka-Seltzer.
I NEEEEEED...an Alka Seltzer.
Alka-Seltzer...Alka-Seltzer...Alka-Seltzer
Alka-Seeeeeeeeeeeellllllllllltzer. (Lots of 32nd notes there.)
nsmf
I need an Alka-Seltzer
mr_j...@my-deja.com
coneyis...@aol.com (ConeyIslandTodd) wrote:
> Thanks for setting that straight. All of those ancient LP things of
mine are
> in storage due to some renovation.
>
> Now that I think of it, there was a vocal version of the Entertainer
Guys,
If you check out Ed's book, you'll find a few ragtime era versions of
'Entertainer lyrics'. I don't have the book around, but the two versions
went something like this:
1: It was a New Orleans street cry, to sell watermelons. Something like
"Watermelons, they're fresh, they're cold!" Interesting, as I think it
shows how a strong Jop melody became like a piece of folk music (the
first and second themes were also used in a folk recording I have from
the late twenties under the title "Easy Winner"...shows that the
"Entertainer" isn't just the seventies phenomenon we sometimes think it
is).
2: I believe John Stark wrote a set of lyrics to it after Joplin's
death. I think they involved Thomas More, bizarrely!
Hope these (probably badly remembered) facts help,
Ollie.
Hamish Davidson
Now the curtain is going up,
The Entertainer is taking a bow;
Does his dance step and sings his song,
Even gets all the audience to sing along.
Yes, he knows just what he must do,
Knows how to bring down the house
When he's through:
Snappy patter and jokes,
He knows what pleases the folks,
The Entertainer, the star of the show.
It was in vaudeville and he was on the bill
With all the singers, dancers,
acrobats and clowns.
There was a dancing bear,
Even a dog act there
And a comedian who never let 'em down.
But when he came on
To do his fav'rite song
He really wowed 'em
In the cities and the towns.
They came from near and far
To see the vaudeville star, The Entertainer.
Now the curtain is going up,
The Entertainer is taking a bow;
Does his dance step and sings his song,
Even gets all the audience to sing along.
Yes, he knows just what he must do,
Knows how to bring down the house
When he's through:
Snappy patter and jokes,
He knows what pleases the folks,
The Entertainer, the star of the show.
Musically...
Hamish Davidson
blue...@net-tech.com.au
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------
"BLUEGRASS & RAGTIME" by Hamish Davidson:
http://members.net-tech.com.au/bluegrass/
Bill Edwards
Hamish Davidson wrote:
>
> I FOUND THE WORDS:
>
Source? Lyricist? Copyright Year? I'd like to know for my archives.
Thanks. Bill E.
Mike Potts
Mike
"Hamish Davidson" <blue...@net-tech.com.au> wrote in message
news:39c0...@nap-ns1.netconnect.net.au...
Angela Dougherty
different version (probably written for high school choirs). Since she
graduated in 1976, it was most certainly written because of the popularity
of "The Sting". I remember the opening went something like this (you'll
have to imagine the choreography ;)):
Howdy ladies and gentlemen,
We wish a very nice evening to you.
Now we're here just to entertain,
'Cause we haven't another thing to do
(and so on)
ALD
In article <39c0...@nap-ns1.netconnect.net.au>, "Hamish Davidson"
Mark Lutton
of text and music since Handel's "All We Like Sheep" in Messiah.
Howdy la-DEEZ n GENT l MENNNNNN
Hamish Davidson
Terribly I'm sorry... The words were taken from a score which I obtained
from my piano teacher when I started.
The piece:
THE ENTERTAINER
(A Rag Time Two-Step)
Music by SCOTT JOPLIN
Words by JOHN BRIMHALL
The book:
Source:
"SCOTT JOPLIN; Arranged for Easy Piano by JOHN BRIMHALL"
Publisher:
Charles Hansen Music & Books, Inc.
1860 Broadway / New York, N.Y. 10023
Copyright:
Copyright (C)1974 by California Music Press, Inc., New York, N.Y.
International Copyright Secured - Made in U.S.A. - All rights reserved
To...@earthstockpdx.com
Yes he knows just what he must do
Knows how to bring down the house when he's through
Snappy patter and jokes
It was in Vaudeville
And he was on the bill
Even a dancing bear
And a comedian who never lets you down
He really wowed them in the cities and the towns
The entertainer.
Now the curtain in going down
On the entrtainer, the artist the pro
He was put on this earth
To bring us laughter and mirth
The entertainer the star of the show
merryi...@gmail.com
dc....@gmail.com
> My sister was in the choir when she was in high school and they sang a
> different version (probably written for high school choirs). Since she
> graduated in 1976, it was most certainly written because of the popularity
> of "The Sting". I remember the opening went something like this (you'll
> have to imagine the choreography ;)):
>
> Howdy ladies and gentlemen,
> We wish a very nice evening to you.
> Now we're here just to entertain,
> 'Cause we haven't another thing to do
> (and so on)
Much of the tune was split, with the boys singing one line and the girls singing the next... I cannot recall all of it, but the parts that were conjured up:
"First we men, he men, begin,
And then we ladies will warble for you"
"We admit that we like your style,
We do our darnedest to charm and beguile"
"When we all to - gether sing up a hullabaloo"
"Hear that piano play,
Going its own way,
What is there to say?
Nothing but Hooray!"
And so on, and so on.
Mel Jenkins
> “Wa Ter Me Lons They’re Cold They’re Sweeet”. Was what was told to me. A street vendor’s cry that Scott Joplin heard that inspired the tune. I wish I could recall the pianist/historian from Michigan that told the story. Small venue performance. He was very good. The Smithsonian then interviewed him because he had such an encyclopedic knowledge.