Alexanders Ragtime Band was an actual song (not a specific group) that was performed by some of the great classic musicians, many run-of-the-mill community groups, and a smattering of everything else in between.
But few can match the classic rendition
that launched Benny Goodman and his clarinet
out of obscurity and onto the headlines
as the next "up and coming" jazz musician!
Listen below to Ray Charles' rendition of this old classic.
Didn't that take you back in time?
by Irving Berlin
Copyright 1911 by Ted Snyder Music, Inc.
VERSE 1:
Oh, ma hon-ey, oh, ma hon-ey, bet-ter hur-ry and let's me-an-der
Ain't you go-in'? Ain't you go-in'? To the lea-der-man, rag-ged me-ter man?
Oh, ma hon-ey, oh, ma hon-ey, Let me take you to Al-ex-an-der's
Grand stand brass band, ain't you com-in' a-long?
CHORUS:
Come on and hear! Come on and hear! Al-ex-an-der's rag-time band!
Come on and hear! Come on and hear! It's the best band in the land!
They can play a bu-gle call like you nev-er heard be-fore
So nat-u-ral that you want to go to war
That's just the best-est band what am, ma hon-ey lamb
Come on a-long, come on a-long, let me take you by the hand
Up to the man, up to the man, who's the lead-er of the band
And if you care to hear the Swa-nee Riv-er played in rag-time
Come on and hear, come on and hear,
Al-ex-an-der's Rag-Time Band.
VERSE 2:
Come and listen to the wonderful sound,
hear the music that is sweepin the town,
You'll soon be tappin' your feet to a new kind of beat
that keeps you happy all day long
I love to hear that banjo strummin eith to that bar,
ragtime music is the greatest by far,
so come and see, you'll soon agree they are best in the land.
Come on lets give em a hand!
CHORUS:
Come on and hear! Come on and hear! Al-ex-an-der's rag-time band!
Come on and hear! Come on and hear! It's the best band in the land!
They can play a bu-gle call like you nev-er heard be-fore
So nat-u-ral that you want to go to war
That's just the best-est band what am, oh, ma hon-ey lamb
Come on a-long, come on a-long, let me take you by the hand
Up to the man, up to the man, who's the lead-er of the band
And if you care to hear the Swa-nee Riv-er played in rag-time
Come on and hear, come on and hear,
Al-ex-an-der's Rag-Time Band!
The song has been recorded by numerous artist greats including:
The Andrews Sisters, Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, The Bee Gees, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, George Formby, Al Jolson, Liberace, Billy Murray, Liza Minnelli, Sid Phillips, Bessie Smith and
Julie Andrews (Wikipedia).
Go from Alexanders Ragtime Band to Oldies Music Lyrics Pt. I
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