A novelty Fox-Trot song, 1930.
From the film “King of Jazz”.
Words by Harry De Costa.
Music by Mabel Wayne.
Sheet music provided by Nicholas Leunissen:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
A little tale I’ll tell to you
About the love of someone who
They called a Ragamuffin Romeo
He’d sigh and wail as lovers do
When thinkin’ of his sweetie too
Poor little Ragamuffin Romeo
In dreams only they had ever met
And at dawn he’d awake
Oh, so lonely for his “Juliet”
And then he would take
His little sack and “hit the road”
A-pickin’ rags at each abode
Poor little Ragamuffin’ Romeo
Interlude
Happiness he found assortin’ patches
Listen now for this is where the catch is
His lady love he’d start makin’ of rags
Then he never used to be dejected
Doin’ what the fairy books directed
On a wall he’d tack ’em all
And for a while he’d smile the blues away
All unhappy hours were forgotten
Matchin’ faded silk and lace and cotton
For when he was thru he’d see his doll o’ dreams
Who always seemed to say
“There’ll come a day, I really feel
We’re gonna love in manner real
My little Ragamuffin Romeo
I’m always gay and never blue
I know that love will lead me to
My little Ragamuffin Romeo
Until then so happy we can be
And complainin’ ain’t right
Until then I promise faithfully
To see you each night
And just as true as stars above
If I should live, I’ll live to love
My little Ragamuffin Romeo”
Sung here by Fred Feild: