Who’ll Take Care Of The Harem

(When the Sultan goes to war)
A popular song from 1915
Words by Jimmie Kaufmann and Archie Mayer
Music by Wm J. Lewis


The sheet music:


Accompaniment by Denese Coulbeck:


Lyrics

  1. I can’t sleep a wink at night
    I’m worried all the day
    To find out a certain thing
    I’ve tried in every way
    I have even gone so far
    To cable ‘cross the sea,
    Just to see if there’s a way
    To solve this mystery

Chorus:
Who’ll take care of the Harem
When the Sultan goes to war
He’s gone out in a world of harm
Leaving behind a poultry farm
He would die for Turkey
But he loves his chicken more
That’s the job I’d like to get
I wish it were for keeps
And I would do more in one day
Than Paul did in three weeks,
If he’d let me mind his Harem
When the Sultan goes to war

  1. I know why dear Turkey
    Was the last to go to war
    If the Sultan had no harem
    He’d been there before
    He tried hard to get a man
    To take care of his wives
    Over here they look for jobs
    Like that all thru their lives

Chorus:
Who’ll take care of the Harem
When the Sultan goes to war,
He’s gone out in a world of harm
Leaving behind a poultry farm
He would die for Turkey
But he loves his chicken more
If I were his majesty
In leaves I’d dress them all
And then I’d close the windows
When the leaves began to fall
If he’d let me mind his Harem
When the Sultan goes to war


Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: