A popular song from 1917.
Words and Music by Irving Berlin.
Cover Art by Albert W. Barbelle.
Copyright ©23 Jan 1917.
Sheet Music from the collection of Michael Deatz.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- I’ve often wandered down
To dreamy Chinatown
The home of Ching-a-ling
It’s fine! I must declare
But now I’m going where
I can see the real, real thing
Chorus:
I’ll soon be there
In a bamboo chair
For I’ve got my fare
From here to Shanghai
Just picture me
Sipping Oo-long tea
Served by a Chinaman
Who speaks a-way up high
(“Hock-a-my, Hock-a-my”)
I’ll eat the way they do
With a pair of wooden sticks
And I’ll have Ching Ling Foo
Doing all his magic tricks
I’ll get my mail
From a pale pig-tail
For I mean to sail
From here to Shanghai
- I’ll have them teaching me
To speak their language, gee!
When I can talk Chinese
I’ll come home on the run
Then have a barr’ll of fun
Calling people what I please
Sung by Laurence Rubenstein: