Minnie the Moocher

(The ho de ho song)
Featured in the film “When You’re In Love”, 1931
Words by Cab Calloway, Irving Mills and Clarence Gaskill

The sheet music:

Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:

Lyrics

Folks, here’s a story ’bout Minnie the Moocher
She was a low down hoochie-coocher
She was the roughest, toughest frail
But Minnie had a heart as big as a whale

Chorus
Ho de ho de ho (Ho de ho de ho)
Rah de dah de dah (Rah de dah de dah)
Teedle dee de dee (Teedle dee de dee)
Ho de ho de ho (Ho de ho de ho)

She messed around wid a bloke named Smokey
She loved him though he was a “cokey”
He took her down to Chinatown
And he showed her how to kick the gong around

Chorus
Hi de hi de hi (Hi de hi de hi)
Ree de dah de doo (Ree de dah de doo)
Bo-de dah do dah (Bo-de dah do dah)
Ho de ho de ho (Ho de ho de ho)

She had a dream ’bout the King of Sweden
He gave her things that she was needin’
Gave her a home built of gold and steel
A platinum car with diamond-studded wheels

Chorus
Wah de woo de way, Oh Baby
Doh de dee de doh, Ho de ho de ho

He gave her his townhouse and racing horses
Each meal she ate was a dozen courses
She had a million dollars worth of nickels and dimes
And every day she counted ’em a million times

Chorus
Bee de doo de dow, Oh Minnie
Wa de wa de doo, Ho de ho de ho

Now Min’ and Smokey they started jaggin’
They got a free ride in a wagon
She gave him the money to pay her bail
But he left her flat in the County Jail

Chorus
Skee do doo de doo, Skah de dah da dah
Skow de dow de dow, Ho de ho de ho

Poor Minnie met Old Deacon Low-down
He preached to her she ought to slow down
But Minnie wiggled her jelly roll
Deacon Low-down hollered, “Oh save my soul”

Chorus
Yip i yip i ay, Ump i dump i dah
Yah de dah de do, Ho de ho de ho

They took her where they put the crazies
Now poor old Min’ is kickin’ up daisies
You’ve heard my story, this ends the song
She was just a good gal but they done her wrong