Lydia O'Lydia (The Tatooed Lady)

[Ted Eschliman]

Seriously, the Groucho Marx Movie "Animal Crackers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4zRe_wvJw8)" was the inspiration of the title of this tune. For those that aren't familiar with this project, I've enlisted the services of some high class professionals to record some of the five concept tunes from the "Getting Into Jazz Mandolin" book. It's been a personal joy to hear the results so far (more to come!), and I'm sure you'll be as creatively inspired as me, picking the brains of some of these great musicians.

I've collected 4 of the 5 versions of Lydia and put them on the JazzMando Strings MySapce page. (I haven't figured out how to extract the audio from Ken Olmstead's You Tube version (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SieAo9TNl-Q), but that adds a visual learning dimension as well.

Go to the MySpace page and compare all four versions (http://www.myspace.com/jazzmandostrings).

If you dont have GiJM (yet...) and want the PDF file of the song here is a direct (authorized) copy from the book:

[Patrick Sylvest]

The Men's choir at Nicholls State University performed this tune on Thursday night. It's a good'un!

[Ken Olmstead]

:)) Its funny, while I was learning this tune, I caught an episode of MASH where Klinger sings a line of that song. I made the connection myself and got a little chuckle but I find it hilarious that it was your inspiration now! :))

[MandoSquirrel]

2 great tunes in one thread!
(Marx Bros. fan; Animal Crackers got me hooked)

[Chad Thorne]

Back in 1987, while awaiting the birth of my daughter, I suggested the name "Lydia" for her. Her mother said, "Lydia! Tha's pretty, I really like it." Then I made the mistake of breaking out in singing this song. That put the kibosh on that! asnd my daughter is named Emma...

P.S. I can't get the .pdf to open...

[Bret Roberts]

I can't get the .pdf to open

I had the same problem, try this, right click on it and then click open in new window.

Hope that works, it did for me.

[Ted Eschliman]

Here's another link to spare the mouse gymnatics:
Lydia O'Lydia PDF (http://jazzmando.com/print/GJM_Lydia%20O'Lydia.pdf)

[ApK]

Here's just the audio from the Youtube video Ted mentioned, extracted as an MP3 and trimmed in case you want it. Feel free to kill this msg otherwise.

[engr-tech]

I know this is not necessarily related to the OP, but ApK, how did you download that video from youtube and convert it to mp3?

Btw, that tune sounds pretty good. I have always heard of Lydia the Tatooed Lady, but never actually heard the song.

[JimRichter]

Is this the same Tattooed Lady that the Kingston Trio sang? That's the one dad taught me as a wee lad. It's on the String Along album.

We came to town to see
that old tattooed lady
she was a sight to see
tattooed from head to knee
my uncle ned was there
he came to gape and stare
I never he declared
seen such a freak so fair

and on her jaw was the queen's own royal core
and on her back was a union jack
now could you ask for more
all up and down her spine
were the queen's own guards in line
and all around her hips
were a fleet of battle ships

and over her left kidney
was a bird's eye view of sydney
but what we liked best
was upon her chest
our little home in Waikiki

A fine song for a father to teach a 5 year old

Jim

[Mike Snyder]

In a great '80's movie called The Fisher King, Robin Williams sings a snippet of Lydia to his beloved.
And Robin didn't sound too bad. Now, if he'd a had a mandolin, we're talkin' Oskar stuff.

[ApK]

Here are the lyrics:
http://reelclassics.com/Movies/Philstory/philstory-lydia.htm
(Includes a short sound clip)

And here, not only didn't I know the Marx Bros. connection, but I thought Klinger made it up on that episode of MASH.....

[John Ritchhart]

Is this the same Tattooed Lady that the Kingston Trio sang?[
No, it's Groucho's version. Lydia oh Lydia, encyclo-pidia. :))
I once won a $10 bet that I could name 4 songs about tattoos. This was one of them. Another one is Galway Bay -
"On her back is tattooed a map of Ireland.
And when she takes her bath on Saturday,
she rubs the Sunlight soap around by Claddagh,
just to see the suds flow down by Galway Bay.