[Dixielandjazz] Entertainer discussion...

[Bill Gunter]

Hello DJML'ers

Regarding lyrics to "The Entertainer" - Years and years ago on an early TV 
variety show (I don't recall which one) I watched and listened to Comedian 
Milton Berle do the song. He introduced it by saying "Most people don't know 
that 'The Entertainer' has lyrics, but it does and here's how it goes . . ." 
He then sang some fairly maudlin and boiler plate sort of lyrics to the 
tune.  I don't recall them other than I thought they were pretty corny.  I 
also recall feeling at the time that Joplin did not write lyrics to this to 
(or perhaps not to any of his ragtime tunes) although he must have written 
lyrics from time to time - after all, he wrote an opera - "Treemonisha."

Also, I don't recall if Berle sang lyrics to all four strains but I doubt 
very much that he did . . . probably just the first and second strains.

My best guess then was that either Berle or his writers must have written 
the lyrics for Uncle Miltie to sing and connect with what had rapidly become 
a very popular musical piece thanks to Marvin Hamlish.

I tried Googling the lyrics (naturally) but was unable to unearth anything. 
If anyone finds anything definitive regarding lyrics to any of Joplin's 
tunes I be interested in knowing it.

Cheers,

Bill Gunter
jazzboard at hotmail.com