A popular song from “Sinbad”, 1893
words and music by Harry F. Carson
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by Fred Feild:
Lyrics
- Some very queer things I now will reveal
Of sights that I saw from the big Ferris Wheel
If you don’t believe the things that I cite
You can see for yourself from the wheel any night
I saw maidens fair, eating sausage and krout
But at home o’er the same dish they’d loudly shout
I saw two swell ladies promende in plain sight
With two young Egyptians as black as the night
I saw a big man in a red, fancy vest
And you could not tell whether he went east or west
Now Buffalo Bill created much talk
By winning the first prize in Dahomey’s cake walk
Chorus
When I went up in the wheel I could see
Esther and Ruth sitting on Grover’s knee
And many more doings that were just as real
Were sights that I saw from the big Ferris wheel
- I saw Bill McKinley most sweetly smile
And levy a tax on the girls from the Nile
In the Javanese village I saw a great race
And George Francis Train was setting the pace
I saw my sweetheart in the moon take a fall
While dancing to the tune of “After the Ball”
I saw General Davis there one night very late
Was mashing the girls from the free Congo state
In Laplanders’ village way down by the gate
I saw some Chinese on a heathenish skate
In the Turkish theatre I saw a show
With all the old bald heads down in the front row
Chorus
When I went up in the wheel I could see
This country ruled by the heathen Chinee
And many more doings that were just as real
Were sights that I saw from the big Ferris wheel
- Of Blarney stone kissers I saw a full score
They were mostly old maids and all wanted more
Chicago’s Post Office was there in plain sight
With Frank Lawler pulling with all his might
Grover Cleveland o’er-flowing with joy
But saying to himself, “Why wasn’t it a boy?”
I saw a young Dudelet eating hot, hot, hot, hot
Made out of cur dogs, and no one knows just what
And in the Moorish palace my gaze was then met
By college students hazing Marie Antoinette
In the Persian dance hall I had a good view
Of pretty girls dancing, for Chauncy Depew
Chorus
When I went up in the wheel I could see
The next President would be Baby McKee
And many more doings that were just as real
Were sights that I saw from the big Ferris wheel
Sung here by Vancha March: