A 1911 popular song.
Words and Music by Irving Berlin.
Cover art by E.H. Pfeiffer.
Copyright ©6 Oct 1911.
Also used in “ALEXANDER’S RAGTIME BAND,” 1938 film.
Also used in “EASTER PARADE,”1948 film.
Sheet Music from the collection of Michael Deatz.
The sheet music (E.H. Pfeiffer cover art):
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
1. Mister Brown, Mister Brown had a violin
Went around, all around with his violin
Lawdy, how he play’d it, sway’d it
Made it moan so beautiful
Anna Lize, Anna Lize heard his violin
Roll’d her eyes, roll’d her eyes at his violin
Lawdy, how he lov’d ‘er, turtled doved ‘er
When Anna would cry
Chorus
Fiddle up, fiddle up on your violin
Lay right on it, rest your chin upon it
Doggone you better begin
And play an overture upon your violin
Hurry up, hurry up with your violin
Make it sooner, don’t you stop to tune ‘er
Fid, fid, fid, fiddle the middle
Of your ragtime violin
2. Mister Brown, Mister Brown at a fancy ball
Sat around, sat around, sat around the hall
Wouldn’t take a chance to dance
Because the band was terrible
Anna Lize, Anna Lize hit upon a plan
Roll’d her eyes, roll’d her eyes at the leader man
Took his fiddle down to Mister Brown
To just kiss him and cry
Sung here by Fred Feild: