From the musical “Oliver”, 1959.
Words and music by Lionel Bart.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
Oom-pah-pah! Oom-pah-pah!
That’s how it goes
Oom-pah-pah! Oom-pah-pah!
Ev’ryone knows
They all suppose what they want to suppose
When they hear Oom-pah-pah!
Ladies and gentlemen, brethren and sinners all
I call upon our goddess of the virtues
To give us her well known rendition
Of the old School Song – Oom-pah-pah!
There’s a little ditty
They’re singing in the city
Espeshly when they’ve been
On the gin or the beer
If you’ve got the patience
Your own imaginations
Will tell you just exactly
What you want to hear
Oom-pah-pah! Oom-pah-pah!
That’s how it goes
Oom-pah-pah! Oom-pah-pah!
Ev’ryone knows
They all suppose what they want to suppose
When they hear Oom-pah-pah!
Mister Percy Snodgrass
Would often have the odd glass
But never when he thought anybody could see
Secretly he’d buy it
And drink it on the quiet
And dream he was an earl
With a girl on each knee
Oom-pah-pah! Oom-pah-pah!
That’s how it goes
Oom-pah-pah! Oom-pah-pah!
Ev’ryone knows
What is the cause of his red shiny nose?
Can it be Oom-pah-pah?
Pretty little Sally goes walking down the alley
Displays her pretty ankles to all of the men
They could see her garters
But not for free and gratis
An inch or two, and then
She knows when to say “when”
Oom-pah-pah! Oom-pah-pah!
That’s how it goes
Oom-pah-pah! Oom-pah-pah!
Ev’ryone knows
Whether it’s hidden, or whether it shows
It’s the same Oom-pah-pah!
She was from the country
But now she’s up a gum tree
She let a feller feed ‘er, then lead ‘er along
What’s the good o’ cryin’?
She’s made a bed to lie in
She’s glad to bring the coin in and join in this song
Oom-pah-pah! Oom-pah-pah!
That’s how it goes
Oom-pah-pah! Oom-pah-pah!
Ev’ryone knows
She is no longer the same blushing rose
Ever since Oom-pah-pah!
There’s a little ditty
They’re singing in the city
Espeshly when they’ve been
On the gin or the beer
If you’ve got the patience
Your own imaginations
Will tell you just exactly
What you want to hear
Oom-pah-pah! Oom-pah-pah!
That’s how it goes
Oom-pah-pah! Oom-pah-pah!
Ev’ryone knows
They all suppose what they want to suppose
When they hear Oom-pah-pah!
Sung here by:
Marian March – Nancy
Chorus – Vancha March, Mr. Bear, the eldest Ms. Bear, the middle Ms. Bear