From “Garden of the Moon”, 1938
Words by Al Dubin and Johnny Mercer
Music by Harry Warren
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
One fine day I chanced to stray
On a little side street in old Bombay
And met a sentimental oriental
She saw me and I saw she
Had a manner too bold and much too free
Her eyes were positively detrimental
When I asked about this gay coquette
I discovered much to my regret
Refrain:
She’s the girl friend of the whirling dervish
She’s the sweetest one he’s found
But every night in the mellow moonlight
When he’s out dervishing with all his might
She gives him the run around
All the boy friends of the whirling dervish
Are his best friends to his face
But there’s no doubt, when he isn’t about
They all com hurrying to take her out
She leads him a dizzy pace
He dreams of a Hindu honeymoon
He doesn’t dream that every night
When he goes out to make an honest rupee
She steps out to make a lotta whoopee
Oh! the love song of the whirling dervish
Has a sweet and tender sound
But will he burn if he ever should learn
That while he’s doing her a real good turn
She gives him the run-around
She’s got a nerves, throwin’ him a curvish
Which of course, he doesn’t deservish
Poor old whirling dervish