A popular song from 1911
Words and music by Willie Weston and Dave Clark
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- Folks take care, folks beware
A brand new germ is in the air
It don’t bring chills that’s cured with pills
But it surely is some “bear”
First it seems to grip you right around the heart
Something like an awful hug
We haven’t had a germ like this
The doctors say
Since we had the kissing bug
Chorus
It’s called the ragtime germ
It’s called the ragtime worm
It surely does affect you so much like the heat
You don’t know if your standin’
On your head or feet
Oh, that ragtime germ
Oh, that ragtime worm
I’ve heard it said it goes to your head
You don’t know what you’re missing
Makes you feel like kissing
That ever-lovin’ ragtime germ
- Doctors term this here germ
A raggy ragtimitis worm
They’re always ’round where music’s found
And they’re bound to make you squirm
When you hear a buzzin’ like a bumble bee
In a syncopated strain
Why, that’s the surest symtom
In the world my friend
You’ve got ragtime on the brain
Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: