A popular song from 1919
Words by Gill Wells
Music by Van and Schneck
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- You heard of Alexander’s band
From ‘way down South in Dixieland
I am very proud to say
That in a nearby cabaret
They have a band that plays
The meanest kind of blues
Makes you shiver from your head to shoes
“It is the grandest band you’ve heard”
You’re sure to say
And when they play
Chorus
The clarinet begins to cry
Hits one mean note away up high
And in a minor tone it plays the weary blues
So pretty
Cornet rolls, everyone steps back
Starts in doing the Ball and Jack
While they are a-playing, everybody’s swaying
Wearing out their dancing shoes
The slide trombone begins to moan
I’m Alabama bound, I’m Alabama bound
The piano player hollers loud and clear
Stop, look, hesitate
I stand right here to state
You cannot shake that “Shimmie” here
- The drummer does some funny tricks
When he juggles both his sticks
He sure can play the traps and drum
How that boy can make things hum
The banjo player picks a mean string, too
After you have heard him you will say
It’s true just how this band can play
I’ve tried in vain, hard to explain
Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: