| One of the most beloved songs that features tattooing is from the 1939 Marx Brothers movie AT THE CIRCUS. In this adventure, the brothers are trying to retrieve stolen money and save a circus. There a several musical numbers in the film, but the one that has become unforgettable is "Lydia the Tattooed Lady,'' as performed by Groucho Marx. The music was written by Harold Arlen with lyrics by E.Y. Harburg. | |
My life was wrapped around the circus. Her name was Lydia. I met her at the world's fair in 1900, marked down from 1940. Ah, Lydia, She was the most glorious creature Under the su-un. Guiess. DuBarry. Garbo. Rolled into one. Ooooh Lydia oh Lydia, say have you met Lydia, Lydia, the Tatooed Lady. She has eyes that folks adore so, And a torso even more so. Lydia oh Lydia, that encyclo-pidia, Oh Lydia the Queen of Tatoo. On her back is the Battle of Waterloo, Beside it the wreck of the Hesperus, too. And proudly above waves the Red, White, and Blue. You can learn a lot from Lydia. La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la When her robe is unfurled, she will show you the world, If you step up and tell her where. For a dime you can see Kankakee or Paris, Or Washington crossing the Delaware. La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la Oh Lydia oh Lydia, say have you met Lydia, Oh Lydia the Tatooed Lady When her muscles start relaxin', Up the hill comes Andrew Jackson Lydia oh Lydia, that encyclo-pidia, Oh Lydia the queen of them all! For two bits she will do a mazurka in jazz, With a view of Niagara that nobody has. And on a clear day you can see Alcatraz, You can learn a lot from Lydia. La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la Come along and see Buff'lo Bill with his lasso. Just a little classic by Mendel Picasso. Here is Captain Spaulding exploring the Amazon. Here's Godiva but with her pajamas on. La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la Here is Grover Whalen unveilin' the Trilon. Over on the West Coast we have Treaure Island. Here's Najinsky a-doin' the rhumba. Here's her social security numba. {whistles}La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la Oh Lydia, oh Lydia that encyclo-pidia, Oh Lydia the champ of them all. She once swept an Admiral clear off his feet. The ships on her hips made his heart skip a beat. And now the old boy's in command of the fleet, For he went and married Lydia. I said Lydia {He said Lydia} They said said Lydia {We said Lydia} La La! |  |
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Groucho sang an alternate version instead of the verse about Treasure Island and social security numbers starting in the 1940s. This one included a jab at Adolph Hitler. When she stands the world grows littler. When she sits, she sits on Hitler. The line about "Captain Spaulding exploring the Amazon" is a reference to the character that Groucho Marx played in the movie ANIMAL CRACKERS. In the Rob Zombie movies HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES and THE DEVIL�S REJECTS, the Firefly family and Sid Haig's character Captain Spaulding are all named in homage to the Marx brothers. This song also made a brief appearance in the 1991 Terry Gilliam film THE FISHER KING. Robin Williams sings it to actress Amanda Plummer, whose character is named Lydia. The line about Andrew Jackson is improvised, updating to become "up the hill comes Michael Jackson..." | |
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