[WARNING: This song contains antiquated racial language. It is presented here for historical and educational purposes only.]
From the film “Sailor Beware”, 1951.
Words by Mack David.
Music by Jerry Livingston.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
My grandpa was a minstrel man
A minstrel man was he
And, to tell the truth
I guess I’ve got some minstrel blood in me
You can have all the harps in heaven
Blow all the horns here on the ground
But I find I still get my greatest thrill
Ev’ry time I hear this sound
Refrain
I love to hear an old calliope
I love the melody of an old calliope
And when you hear that thrillig hamony
Gather roun’, the minstrel show’s in town
It sounds so grand, that old calliope
What is more heavenly than an old calliope?
Here comes the band, oh what a sight to see
Gather roun’, the minstrel show’s in town
Banjo’s strummin’, za zoo za zoo za zoo zaz
Folks are hummin’, za zoo za zoo za zoo zaz
Minstrels comin’, za zoo za zoo za zoo zaz
What a show, what a show
It’s the finest show I know
It’s comin’ near that old calliope
Oh, what a melody on that old calliope
So loud and clear, that thrilling harmony
Gather roun’, the minstrel show’s in town
Interlude
There’s the Interlocutor
And Mister Bones so full of life
“Who was that lady you were with last night?”
“That was no lady that was my wife”
Ha, ha, ho, ho
What a show, what a show, what a show
Says the Interlocutor
To Mister Bones so full of pride
“Why does the chicken cross the road?”
“To get on the other side”
I love to hear an old calliope
I love the melody of an old calliope
And when you hear that thrilling harmony
Gather roun’, the minstrel show’s in town