The War In Sniders Grocery Store - Billy Murray (1914)
THIS SHOULD BE MORE FAMOUS: this performace is as good as anything recorded by Billy Murray. Sure, some other Murray recordings are EQUALLY strong, but nothing surpasses this.
"The War In Snider's Grocery Store"
Billy Murray
Victor 17809
1914
Song by Hank Hancock, Ballard MacDonald, and Harry Carroll. There three America composers wrote a comic song that captures some flavor of what World War I was to bring to newspaper headlines.
Hans Gustav Snider, a local provider of groceries,
canned goods, and such, had read of the war till himself
and the store were both what is known as “In Dutch.”
His brains he’d been feeding on so much war
reading, he woke up one night in a fright.
He rushed down the stairs, then fell over two chairs,
and turned up the grocery store light.
There were egg shells bursting near and far above the Russian caviar.
A Bismark herring by itself was pushing all the French peas off a shelf.
An Irish potato started to cry when a Spanish onion hit its eye.
Frankfurters fighting all over the floor,
howling and growling, “We’re the dogs of war!”
There was Sunny Jim upon a horse, swooping down with all his force.
The paprika, growing weaker, shouted out, “Won’t you open that door?”
And a couple of tough Vienna rolls shot a poor Swiss cheese
all full of holes in the terrible war in Snider’s grocery store.
Dutch pumpernickel had joined a dill pickle
attacking the fresh navy beans.
A limburger cheese greatly strengthened the breeze,
and anchovies, prunes, and sardines were
fighting an army of dago salami.
And that’s only half what he saw. He jumped into bed, put
some ice on his head, and went on the wagon once more.
_____________________
"Dogs of war" is from Macbeth
To be "in Dutch" means to be in trouble
Sunny Jim was a cartoon character--someone from comic strips but now forgotten. The word "force" here refers to Force, the breakfast cereal being promoted in advertising.
Ther term "dago salami" means Italian salami (in the old days "dago" was used as a put-down for Italians).
"The War In Snider's Grocery Store"
Billy Murray
Victor 17809
1914
Song by Hank Hancock, Ballard MacDonald, and Harry Carroll. There three America composers wrote a comic song that captures some flavor of what World War I was to bring to newspaper headlines.
Hans Gustav Snider, a local provider of groceries,
canned goods, and such, had read of the war till himself
and the store were both what is known as “In Dutch.”
His brains he’d been feeding on so much war
reading, he woke up one night in a fright.
He rushed down the stairs, then fell over two chairs,
and turned up the grocery store light.
There were egg shells bursting near and far above the Russian caviar.
A Bismark herring by itself was pushing all the French peas off a shelf.
An Irish potato started to cry when a Spanish onion hit its eye.
Frankfurters fighting all over the floor,
howling and growling, “We’re the dogs of war!”
There was Sunny Jim upon a horse, swooping down with all his force.
The paprika, growing weaker, shouted out, “Won’t you open that door?”
And a couple of tough Vienna rolls shot a poor Swiss cheese
all full of holes in the terrible war in Snider’s grocery store.
Dutch pumpernickel had joined a dill pickle
attacking the fresh navy beans.
A limburger cheese greatly strengthened the breeze,
and anchovies, prunes, and sardines were
fighting an army of dago salami.
And that’s only half what he saw. He jumped into bed, put
some ice on his head, and went on the wagon once more.
_____________________
"Dogs of war" is from Macbeth
To be "in Dutch" means to be in trouble
Sunny Jim was a cartoon character--someone from comic strips but now forgotten. The word "force" here refers to Force, the breakfast cereal being promoted in advertising.
Ther term "dago salami" means Italian salami (in the old days "dago" was used as a put-down for Italians).