[Dixielandjazz] Plagerism

[David M Richoux]

I like the way Tin Pan Alley folks would pile on to a hit (the same  
thing happens even today... but not as "classy!")

Lately I've been off my nut
I keep hearing nothing but
"Yes, We Have No Bananas".
I would like to find the guy
  Who composed that lullaby
"Yes, We Have No Bananas".
I wish that I could go
To a cabaret or show
Where someone wouldn't come along
And sing that doggone song!
  I've got the
Yes We Have No Bananas Blues
I've got the blues
And when I hear it
Oh, how I fear it!
It's just like hearing bad news.
It hasn't got a bit of sense
And I go wild when they commence
"Bananas! Bananas!"
I wish I could break up a million pianas!
Day by day and week by week
  It's "Yes, We Have No Bananas"
Every time that Greek meets Greek
It's "Yes, We Have No Bananas"
B! A! N! A! N! A!
Yes! No! Take 'em away!
I've got the "Yes, We Have No Banana" Blues today.

Apricots and apples are good to eat,
Potatoes and tomatoes can't be beat,
Onions, cabashes, peaches and plums,
I could stand for any kind of fruit that comes.
Yesterday somebody kept on asking me,
"Say, what's a wegistable what begins with "P"?
  I gave it up and I asked him to tell--
  When he said, "Pananas!" I just had to yell!
P! A! N! A! N! A!
Yes! No, no! Take 'um away!
I've got the "Yes, We Have No Bananas" Blues today.

Eddie Cantor sang it, and several others.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtftl0KJnwE   this version by the The  
Jazz-O-Harmonists.

Dave Richoux

On Feb 24, 2010, at 11:01 AM, Steve Heist wrote:

> Hi Bob and all...
> The one I always heard was the pop song "Yes, We Have No  
> Bananas" (~1922 or so) was sued for the first 4 notes/chords by...
> Handel's decendents!
> The tune?
> The Hallelujah Chorus!  and I heard they won...  anyway, that's the  
> way the story goes...
> ALL the Best,
> Steve
>