#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE--------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the#
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research.#
#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------#

Date: Mon, 04 May 1998 03:09:50 -0700
From: John Blair 
Subject: m/marx_groucho/lydia_the_tattooed_lady.crd

Lydia The Tattooed Lady
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg

As sung by J. Cheever Loophole (Groucho Marx) in "At the Circus"

Note: MP2 and WAV versions of this song can be found at:
http://mems.ee.cornell.edu/~mbw/lydia.html

Transcription and any errors by jwblair@ix.netcom.com

(Intro dialog)
Chico: Folks, I wanna you should meet my pal,
       my *best* friend. (What's your name again?)

Groucho: Loophole.

Chico: Glad to know ya.

Groucho: It's your pleasure.

Ah this meeting brings back memories--
childhood days! lemonade!! romance!

My life was wrapped around the circus--
her name was Lydia. I met her at the World's
Fair in 1900, marked down from 1940. Ah Lydia.


(ad lib sung/spoken)
She was the most glorious creature under the sun.
Weiss(?)!, DuBarry(?)! Garbo! Rolled into one.

Ahhhhh...


CLydia, (x32010@1)oh Lydia, say, have you met Lydia?
                   GLydia (320003@1)the tattooed lady
F (133211@1)     C (x32010@1)       F (133211@1)     CShe (x32010@1)has eyes that folks adore so
F (133211@1)   Dm (xx0231@1)  F (133211@1)  DmAnd (xx0231@1)a torso even more so
CLydia, (x32010@1)oh Lydia, that encyclo-pidia
                          FOh (133211@1)Lydia, the queen of tattoo
       DmOn (xx0231@1)her back is the Battle of Waterloo
FBeside (133211@1)it the Wreck of the Hesperus, too
    C (x32010@1)                     FAnd (133211@1)proudly above waves the red, white and blue
        C (x32010@1)     G (320003@1)      CYou (x32010@1)can learn a lot from Lydia

C(la (x32010@1)la la, la la la)
C(la (x32010@1)la la, la la la)

EbWhen (x43121@3)her robe is unfurled, she will show you the world
                   BbIf (x1333x@1)you step up and tell her where

For a dime you can see Kankakee or Paree
                           EbOr (x43121@3)Washington crossing the Delaware

Eb(la (x43121@3)la la, la la la)
C(la (x32010@1)la la, la la la)

CAh (x32010@1)Lydia, oh Lydia, say, have you met Lydia?
                      GOh (320003@1)Lydia the tattooed lady
F (133211@1)      C (x32010@1)     F (133211@1)   CWhen (x32010@1)her muscles start relaxin'
F (133211@1)    Dm (xx0231@1)       F (133211@1)    DmUp (xx0231@1)the hill comes Andrew Jackson
CLydia, (x32010@1)oh Lydia, that encyclo-pidia
                            FOh (133211@1)Lydia, the queen of them all
    DmFor (xx0231@1)two bits she will do a mazurka in jazz
       FWith (133211@1)a view of Niagara that nobody has
    C (x32010@1)                     FAnd (133211@1)on a clear day, you can see Alcatraz
        C (x32010@1)     G (320003@1)      CYou (x32010@1)can learn a lot from Lydia

C(la (x32010@1)la la, la la la)
Eb(la (x43121@3)la la, la la la)

EbCome (x43121@3)along and see Buffalo Bill with his lasso
                                  BbJust (x1333x@1)a little classic by Mendel Picasso

Here is Captain Spaulding exploring the Amazon
                           EbHere's (x43121@3)Godiva but with her pajamas on

Eb(la (x43121@3)la la, la la la)
Eb(la (x43121@3)la la, la la la)

EbHere (x43121@3)is Grover Whelan unveilin' the Tri-lon
                                        BbOver (x1333x@1)on the west coast we have Treasure Isle-on

Here's Nijinski a-doin' the rumba
                           EbHere's (x43121@3)her social security numbah

Eb(Whistling (x43121@3)instead of singing la la la...)
C(Whistling (x32010@1)instead of singing la la la...)

CAh (x32010@1)Lydia, oh Lydia, that encyclo-pidia
                            FOh (133211@1)Lydia, the champ of them all
    DmShe (xx0231@1)once swept an admiral clear off his feet
    FThe (133211@1)ships on her hips made his heart skip a beat
    C (x32010@1)                      FAnd (133211@1)now the old boy's in command of the fleet
       C (x32010@1)      G (320003@1)     CFor (x32010@1)he went and married Lydia

CI (x32010@1)said Lydia
He said Lydia
They said Lydia
We said Lydia
La-la!