Lydia the Tatooed Lady
by Groucho Marx"Lydia" was written by Harold Arlen (Stormy Weather, Blues in the Night) and Yip Harburg (together, Only a Paper Moon, Somewhere Over the Rainbow). (Thanks Con Chapman!)
__________________________
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.
She was the most glorious creature
Under the su-un.
Guiess. DuBarry. Garbo.
Rolled into one.
Oooooooh
Lydia oh Lydia, say have you met Lydia,
Lydia, the Tattooed Lady.
She has eyes that folks adore so,
And a torso even more so.
Lydia oh Lydia, that encyclopidia,
Oh Lydia the Queen of Tattoo.
On her back is the Battle of Waterloo.
Beside it the wreck of the Hesperus, too.
And proudly above waves the Red, White, and Blue,
You can learn a lot from Lydia.
La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la
When her robe is unfurled, she will show you the world,
If you step up and tell her where.
For a dime you can see Kankakee or Paris,
Or Washington crossing the Delaware.
La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la
Oh Lydia oh Lydia, say have you met Lydia,
Oh Lydia the Tattooed Lady
When her muscles start relaxin',
Up the hill comes Andrew Jackson
Lydia oh Lydia, that encyclopidia,
oh Lydia the queen of them all!
For two bits she will do a mazurka in jazz,
With a view of Niagara that nobody has.
And on a clear day you can see Alcatraz.
You can learn a lot from Lydia.
La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la
Come along and see Buff'lo Bill with his lasso.
Just a little classic by Mendel Picasso.
Here is Captain Spaulding exploring the Amazon.
Here's Godiva but with her pajamas on.
La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la
Here is Grover Whalen unveilin' the Trilon.
Over on the West Coast we have Treaure Island.
Here's Najinsky a-doin' the rhumba.
Here's her social security numba.
{whistles}La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la
Oh Lydia, oh Lydia that encyclopidia,
Oh Lydia the champ of them all.
She once swept an Admiral clear off his feet.
The ships on her hips made his heart skip a beat.
And now the old boy's in command of the fleet,
For he went and married Lydia.
I said Lydia
{He said Lydia}
They said Lydia
{We said Lydia}
La La!
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Seer
daisyjane
The Good Daughter
Chicken Mãâàn
the traveler
Ashley F. Miller
Salon.com
Comments
We just watched a comedy special on PBS. They did a segment on Groucho Marx. Fascinating man with a fascinating life. Thanks Greg.
I remember him doing this on the old Tonight Show.
I best go to bed. I thing of "Lydia" at the school!
At the prom Lydia made me so happy! O power!
Lydian discovered the power of the bare bosom!
A prom dress Lydian was wearing was awesome!
After the prom was a Grand Opening? O Braless!
La La! la la Lu Lu La La la la La La la la O Buxom!
Lydia grew up. Lydia is so friendly. O a novelist!
There is no end to the Marx Brother’s madness!!
(Although I have the version of Kermit singing this in my head now.)