The American Rag Time 1908

by James Pitt-Payne, London UK - 9 November 2010
2010

I never fell for William Tell,
I never liked that complicated music;
No, not for mine,
No, not for mine!
Grand Opera stuff is all a bluff,
Give me that good old syncopated music,
I think it's fine superfine!
What's that tune the band is playing,
Now honey, now honey
Listen to the people keeping time,
What's that tune the band is playing,
Now honey, now honey,
Music with a reason and a rhyme,
E for soffadil, E for soffadil, Oh!

It's The American Rag Time,
with a raggy, raggy ring,
It's the American Rag Time,
with a patriotic swing;
I've heard the Merry Widow
and the Candy Kiddo
But give me the Zam, Zam Zam!
That pleases Uncle Sam,
I'm crazy, yes I am,
for American Rag Time,
is the only tune will do;
The American Rag Time,
Well, it thrills you thro' and thro'
so, take all your great Grand Opera scores,
and back to the tall with them, all for yours,
I want The American Rag Time.

It's The American Rag Time,
with a raggy, raggy ring,
It's the American Rag Time,
with a patriotic swing;
I've heard the Merry Widow
and the Candy Kiddo
But give me the Zam, Zam Zam!
That pleases Uncle Sam,
I'm crazy, yes I am,
for American Rag Time,
is the only tune will do;
The American Rag Time,
Well, it thrills you thro' and thro'
so, take all your great Grand Opera scores,
and back to the tall with them, all for yours,
I want The American Rag Time.

I've got it in for Lohengrin,
The rag time music's livelier and looser;
It's full of fire,
It's full of fire.
The waltz from Faust I always roast,
Give me a Yankee march by Mister Sousa,
or Arthur Pryor, or Arthur Pryor;
What's that tune the band is playing,
now honey, now honey,
Listen baby ain't it simply grand?
What's that tune the band is playing,
Now honey, now honey,
Ev'rybody's singing with the band.
E for soffadil, E for soffadil, Oh!

It's The American Rag Time,
with a raggy, raggy ring,
It's the American Rag Time,
with a patriotic swing;
I've heard the Merry Widow
and the Candy Kiddo
But give me the Zam, Zam Zam!
That pleases Uncle Sam,
I'm crazy, yes I am,
for American Rag Time,
is the only tune will do;
The American Rag Time,
Well, it thrills you thro' and thro'
so, take all your great Grand Opera scores,
and back to the tall with them, all for yours,
I want The American Rag Time.

It's The American Rag Time,
with a raggy, raggy ring,
It's the American Rag Time,
with a patriotic swing;
I've heard the Merry Widow
and the Candy Kiddo
But give me the Zam, Zam Zam!
That pleases Uncle Sam,
I'm crazy, yes I am,
for American Rag Time,
is the only tune will do;
The American Rag Time,
Well, it thrills you thro' and thro'
so, take all your great Grand Opera scores,
and back to the tall with them, all for yours,
I want The American Rag Time.

Soft karaoke
Words
piano 1
piano 2
piano 3
piano 4
lyric
pizz str bass
*
The American Rag Time 1908
by Geo.M.Cohan
© MCMVIII by The Cohan & Harris Publishing Co. New York
*
sequence & karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Tuesday 9 November 2010 at 20.50
in association with Veda Meyer-Castens
*