[Dixielandjazz] Ish Kabibble

[Dan Augustine]

DJML and others--
     Don Ingle's post on his 50th wedding-anniversary 
(congratulations, Don!) triggered a forgotten synapse in my noggin 
when he mentioned the name "Ish Kabibble", and this in turn got me 
trolling around on the web for info on him (Ish, not Don).
     See, the connection is that, back in about 1958, in Carson City, 
Nevada, my parents were interested in (and finally bought) a house on 
Elm Street.  I was 16 and knew nothing about entertainers from the 
1930's.  After we bought the house, my father said that one of the 
people looking at the house was--Ish Kabibble.  Since my father had 
had false teeth since he was 18 (got 'em all pulled one fine icy day 
in western Pennsylvania and then rode 50 miles home on his 
Pennsylvania State Highway Police motorcycle, grinning grimly), i 
attributed this pronouncement to a sudden slippage in his dentures, 
but later discovered my error.  (I was born and lived in Washington 
PA until 1952.)
     Anyhow, now i'm curious about Ish Kabibble, and i found out some 
interesting stuff about him, which of course i have to tell you folks 
or bust:
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"Everyone's heard the name, but from where? Ish (Merwyn Bogue) got it 
from his comedy version of an old Yiddish song, "Isch Ga Bibble" 
(loosely translated, it means "I should worry?"), which he performed 
after joining Kay in 1931. The public (and band) began calling HIM 
Ish and the name stuck. Raised in Erie, Penn., the fine cornetist 
developed the rural "Ish" character with pudding bowl hair, who 
constantly interrupted the show to recite nonsensical poems to a 
frustrated Kay, becoming his onstage comedy foil. But he was no dummy 
offstage- he handled the payroll! Ish stayed with the band 'til Kay's 
retirement. He then went on to a solo career, sold real estate, and 
played Vegas with his fine Dixieland outfit, The Shy Guys. LSU Press 
published his autobiography written w/ his sister in 1989. No book 
has been published on Kay himself. Ish died shortly after Ginny in 
1994." (http://www.kaykyser.net/band.html)
---------------------------
"In his autobiography, entitled "Ish Kabibble" (written with his 
sister Gladys Bogue Riley), published by Louisiana State University 
Press in 1989, he states the name derived from a song he performed 
with the band and had become identified with. The song was titled 
"Isch Gabibble (I Should Worry)," words by Sam M. Lewis, music by 
George W. Meyer, copyright 1913. Bogue says he changed the spelling 
to make it easier to say. A sample of the lyrics:

I never care or worry...Ish Kabibble...Ish Kabibble
I never tear or hurry...Ish Kabibble...Ish Kabibble

When a friend says he's feelin' blue
When a friend says his room rent's due
Just tell him in a friendly way
      Get used to it
      Get used to it

When I owe people money...Ish Kabibble...Ish Kabibble

If they befriend or lend me...that's their lookout
They shouldn't yell or shout
I should worry if they steal my wife
And let a pimple grow on my young life

Ish Kabibble...I should worry? No! Not me!

What, me worry? (to quote a modern variant)

Lawrence Rungren Bedford Fre Public Library, MA lrungren at mln.lib.ma.us"
(http://listserv.dom.edu/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A2=ind9403&L=stumpers-l&O=D&F=&S=&P=24969)
------------------------
     So there you go.  You now know some more useless information 
about someone you probably never heard of before, but on the other 
hand, maybe (like me) you'll get intrigued by him and his 
performances (he also appeared in eight films), and you'll get some 
pleasure out of knowing about him.  Would that someone in the future 
will do the same about us, eh?

      Dan
-- 
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**  Dan Augustine  --  Austin, Texas  --  ds.augustine at mail.utexas.edu
**    "I don't jog.  If I die I want to be sick."  --  Abe Lemons
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