Lyr Req: A Gay Caballero (Frank Crumit, L Klein)

Subject: The Gay Caballero
From: GUEST,Eugene
Date: 31 Mar 00 - 05:37 AM

In the notes at the end of the lyrics to THE GAY CABALLERO, the writer of the notes says he has met only one other person in the last 67 years who even recognized this song. Better make it two. I have an original of the sheet music, dated MCMXXIX (1929). The composers' names, Frank Crumit and Lou Klein are shown on the front along with the words "Sung With Sensational Success by the Peerless DUNCAN SISTERS". The publisher was F.B. Haviland.

I also have the 78 of the song, from about 1929, as sung by Frank Crumit. Please put me in touch with the person who wrote the notes at the end of your lyrics. I am not a dealer,just someone who is interested in "old time" music.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: GUEST,Pam
Date: 31 Mar 00 - 02:00 PM

My uncle in Canada sings this song all the time at family parties! He learned it while in the navy during World War 11. He uses a hat to do actions while he's singing!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: Metchosin
Date: 31 Mar 00 - 03:24 PM

We sing this at family gatherings but it's my 80 year old mother who knows all the words, all I can remember is the following: Does it have lines in it something like this?

I am a gay Cabelero
Retuning from Rio Janero
Minus some hair
A bruise here and there
For here husband
He chewed off my ear-o

Oh she was a dancer and singer
At me she kept pointing her finger
She said senor, "Si,
Si, senor, si si"
But I couldn't see an dam thinger

I have some Frank Crumit on 78 RPM, but unfortunately I do not have this one, but I will try to pick my mothers brains for the rest of the lyrics if you want them.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: Metchosin
Date: 31 Mar 00 - 03:28 PM

Sorry, didn't realize you already have the lyrics, just saw the Lyr Req at the beginning of the thread. Can't help you regarding the notes on the sheet music.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: Stewie
Date: 31 Mar 00 - 08:10 PM

Metchosin, I think Eugene is asking to be put in touch with the 'BW' who wrote the note to the lyrics of the song that appear in the DT. Dick or Susan or someone should be able to help him out in that regard.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: Frank Maher
Date: 31 Mar 00 - 10:22 PM

I have the Gay Caballero,also The Return of the Gay Caballero,also Sung by Frank Crumit....

Subject: Lyr Add: THE GAY CABALLERO
From: raredance
Date: 01 Apr 00 - 01:07 AM

This version is from "The Dirty Song Book" compiled by Jerry Silverman

THE GAY CABALLERO

I am a gay caballero
I come from Rio de Janiero
I carry with me my weetrembeli
And both of my latrabaleros.

I met a gay young senorita
Who gave me a dose of clapita
Right on the end of my weetrembeli
And both of my latrabaleros

I wnet to a wise surgeano
He said, "I prescribe purgeano,"
He cut off the end of my weetrembeli
And both of my latrabaleros

And now I'm a sad caballero
Returning to Rio de Janiero
But not as you see with my weetrembeli
And both of my latrabaleros

At night as I lie on my pillow
Seeking to finger my willow
All I find there is a handful of hair
And one dried up latrabalero.

Ed Cray in "The Erotic Muse" has a couple more versions of the song. One version is WWI military vintage published in a book called "More Tommy's Tunes" in 1919. The second version Cray includes was dated 1927 and Cray also cites Randolph collection version that the informant said she learned in 1912. Cray concludes that "the song, under one or another title, was known on various college campuses well before Ohio State University student Frank Crumit edited and the recorded it." The edited and adapted version of the song was copyrighted by Lou Klein and Frank Crumit and released as RCA Victor V-21735 in 1929. The record sold nerarly 2 million copies.

rich r

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: Lanfranc
Date: 01 Apr 00 - 07:28 AM

The version I heard sung many years ago by that notorious Caledonian thespian Alex Norton was similar to the last posting, except for "trembolitos" instead of "latrabaleros". Ahhh memories!!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: Metchosin
Date: 01 Apr 00 - 10:06 PM

You can also hear the song here by Mr. Crumit himself.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 02 Apr 00 - 08:48 AM

I sing a slightly different version, but much the same learnt playing rugby many years ago.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE GAY CABALLERO (from Ed Cray)
From: raredance
Date: 02 Apr 00 - 11:42 AM

Here is text "A" from the book by Ed Cray

Oh I am a gay caballero,
Going from Rio de Janeiro
With an exceedingly long latraballee
And two fine latraballeros.

I went down to Tijuana
Exceedingly fine Tijuana
With my exceedingly long latraballee
And my two fine latraballeros.

I met a gay senorita,
Exceedingly gay senorita
She wanted to play with my latraballee,
And with one of my latraballeros.

Oh, now I've got the clapito
Exceedingly painful clapito
Right on the end of my latraballee,
And on one of my latraballeros.

I went to see a medico
Exceedingly fine medico.
He looked at the end of my latraballee
And at one of my latraballeros.

He took out a long stiletto,
Exceedingly long stiletto.
He cut off the end of my latraballee
And one of my latraballeros

And now I'm a sad caballero
Returning to Rio de Janiero,
Minus the end of my latrballee
And one of my latraballeros.

At night I lay on my pillow
Seeking to finger my willow.
All I can find there is a handful of hair
And one dried-up latraballero.

rich r

Subject: Lyr Add: THE GAY CABALLERO (from Ed Cray)
From: raredance
Date: 02 Apr 00 - 11:59 AM

Copmparing the Silverman text with text "A" from Cray, you can easily see the logical error in the Silverman text. That Silverman text describes the surgical excision of both "latraballeros", however at the end he seems to have a dried up one remaining. Bad math or weird biology?

Here is the Cray "B" text with is rather different and less surgical although it refers to the woman using a masculine looking word "senorio". I guess rhyme trumps gender.

There once was a gay Don d'Ilio
Who lived in a high white castilio
And he played with his trototoilio
And the works of his raggle de bam, bam! bam!

One day to that high white castilio
There came a gay young senorio [sic]
And she played with trototoilio
And the works of his raggle de bam, bam! bam!

Next day that gay Don d'Ilio
Laid her down on a soft sofailio
And he eased in his trototoilio
And the works of his raggle de bam, bam! bam!

Nine days later that gay Don d'Ilio
Gnashed his teeth with rage at the senorio
And gazed with sorrow on this trototoilio
And the works of his raggle de bam, bam! bam!

He wnet to se Dr. Gonzalio
Who told him he had the clapilio
And he gave him a bottle of castorio
For the works of his raggle de bam, bam! bam!

rich r

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: GUEST,Eugene
Date: 02 Apr 00 - 09:39 PM

Thanks to all for your comments. Yes, Stewie, I was just commenting on the notes at the end of the lyrics, and trying to reach the person who wrote the notes. But, that's redundant now after seeing all the replies. To Metchosin: I played the song(there were 4 verses only) at the site you mentioned. Thanks for the tip. I lived in James Bay and Saanich for 10 yrs. Bought our Corgi on Happy Valley Rd. To rich r: Great info on the song's background. I'm holding one of those 2 million copies of the 78 in my hand. Yes, its Victor no. 21735-A. The B side has "The Ladies or I learned About Women from 'Er". Eugene

Subject: Gay caballero
From:
Date: 25 Nov 00 - 01:15 AM

I was so surprised and pleased to find the lyrics to this song. My daddy used to sing it at home and play the guitar. I had never heard one verse, I guess he forgot it. I know the tune well, if I just knew how to get it to you.????????? Perhaps you could tell me how to do this so that you might add the tune to the lyrics.

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Gay caballero
From: Louie Roy
Date: 25 Nov 00 - 11:34 AM

The tune is in the digitals threads.I've sang this song for years Louie Roy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: Ep' Eric
Date: 22 Nov 05 - 12:41 PM

I have sung this song for many years at EP'TH FOLK
          Club (UK) for many years, but I don't recall where
          I got it from. When I come to the last verse, Now I
          am a Gay Caballero,returning to Rio Janeiro. I change
          from my baritone voice and sing it in a cracked falsetto,
          manner much to the delight of the ladies in the audience
          in the audience.
                               Eric.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: Ep' Eric
Date: 22 Nov 05 - 12:56 PM

I have just realised that some readers may
             not have heard my version of the song, so here
             is my last verse.
            
             Now, I am a gay caballero
             Returning to Rio Janeiro
             But not as you see
             With my wee trembolee
             Nor both of my wee tremboleetos
            
                                           Eric.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: GUEST,Guest_2
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 04:09 PM

With the popularity of the recently released movie, Brokeback Mountain, about two gay cowboys, this song--or versions of it-- might well once again be heard at coffee houses and kitchen parties outside the gay community.
I remember hearing this on the radio long ago, and once had a 1960's era songbook with the lyrics in it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: masato sakurai
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 07:16 PM

"The Gay Caballero" has been known in Japan too since its roughly translated version "Share Otoko" (The Dandy Man) was released in 1930. Japanese & English lyrics with midi are here.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: Mr Happy
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 07:10 AM

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3yEmEMVsbjo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 12:58 PM

The magnificent Scots Traveller singer Stanley Robertson recently sang a Scots dialect version of this at the Royal Oak folk club in Lewes. Every line had to rhyme with 'wee stumpie'.

I've also heard a rugby-style (Bonfire) version in which the Gay Caballero calls his wedding tackle 'Miralto Maree'. I would imagine this is a distortion of the Spanish for 'my old friend'. It has a chorus to the tune of 'Cielito Lindo' and goes,

Ay ay ay ay,
Si, si, Senora,
Belinda, Belinda, she p****d from the window
All over my new sombrero.

Valmai (Lewes)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: Rowan
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 05:26 PM

And Valmai's version (with the Miralto Maree and chorus) appears very similar to the version being sung around Melbourne Uni in the 60s.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 05:36 PM

An old friend, who once played center for University of California's football team on their last Rose Bowl trip(1959, I think), shared this with me after his freshman year of college in 1958. It was a favority at his fraternity house, as I suppose various versions were at other campuses across the land. Unless I miss my guess, P.C. has caused many of these ditties to either go undergound or disappear entirely.

Another from the same source, to the tune of "High Above Cayuga's Waters," the Cornell Alma Mater:

High above a Pi Phi's garter,
High above her knees,
Lies a Pi Phi's only virtue,
Her vir-gin-i-ty.

It was only rude and insensitive then. You'd likely go to the slammer for singing it in public today.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: Amos
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 05:46 PM

High above Cayuga's waters
Comes an awfully wicked smell;
Some say it's Cayuga's waters
Others swear it is Cornell.

(Sung, IIRC, by the Princeton Glee Club)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: SINSULL
Date: 25 Oct 08 - 10:44 AM

And from Soupy Sales:
Show me a cowboy who rides sidesaddle and I'll show you a Gay Cabellero.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero
From: GUEST,Ken Brock
Date: 25 Oct 08 - 11:02 AM

FWIW there's also the song "Land of the Gay Caballero" by the Gershwin brothers in GIRL CRAZY (1930). A fragment made it into the "new" 1990's Gershwin show CRAZY FOR YOU.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero (Frank Crumit, L Klein)
From: GUEST,USAF Ret.
Date: 01 Sep 09 - 06:49 AM

Have another version from the Air Force…

Oh I was a young caballero
A very, very young caballero
With an excellent tip on my bombomderee
And two very fine bombomderairos

I met me a fine señorita
A very, very fine señorita
Who latched on to the tip of my bombomderee
And to each of my bombomderairos

Well I caught me a bad case of syphiliotos
A very, bad case of syphiliotos
Right on the tip of my bombomderee
And on each of my bombomderairos

So I went to a good physicato
A very ,very good physicato
He cut off the tip of my bombomderee
And each of my bombomderairos

*Now I am a gay caballero
A very, very gay caballero
I have no tip on my bombomderee
And neither of my fine bombomderairos

*Sung in falsetto

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero (Frank Crumit, L Klein)
From: Tug the Cox
Date: 02 Sep 09 - 05:43 AM

I knew a particularly lewd version about the gay caballero and his penis which was christianed
marotta marotta maria,    which provided the chorus, can only remember 3 verses though.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero (Frank Crumit, L Klein)
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 11:33 PM

Iam 86 years old. For no reason at all, I started to sing The Gay Caballero. Couldn't get past the first two lines, couldn't get the
darned song out of my head, and in frustration, asked Google for the lyrics. Hooray for Google. Thanks.

Subject: Lyr Add: A GAY CABALLERO (Frank Crumit, L Klein)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 19 Feb 10 - 01:24 PM

Transcribed from the video at YouTube—See Mr. Happy's link above. This has 2 verses that are not in the version in the DT, as well as several small differences in other verses.

A GAY CABALLERO
As sung by Frank Crumit

I am a gay caballero,
Coming from Rio Janiero.
With nice oily hair,
And full of hot air,
I'm an expert at shooting the bull-o.

I'm seeking a fair senorita,
Not thin and yet not too much meat-a.
I'll woo her awhile
In my Argentine style.
I'll carry her off of her feet-a.

I'll tell her I'm of the nobilio,
And live in a great big castillio.
I must have a miss
Who will long for a kiss
And not say, "Oh, don't be so silly-o!"

It was at a swell cabaretta
While wining and dining I met her.
We drank one or two,
As other folks do.
The night was wet but she got wetter.

She told me her name was Estrella.
She said, "Stick around me, young fella.
Mosquitoes they bite
And they're awful tonight,
And you smell just like citronella."

I can't forget that senora.
While telling her how I adore her,
Asleep she did fall.
Didn't mind that at all,
But she was a terrible snorer.

She was a dancer and singer.
At me she kept pointing her finger
And saying to me
"Si, si" or "Thee, thee(?),"
But I couldn't see a durn thing-a.

She told me that she was so lonely,
So I climbed upon her balcony.
While under her spell,
I heard someone yell,
"Get away from here, you big baloney."

I swore I'd win this senorita.
I wooed her upon the sofita,
Then her husband walked in.
What he did was a sin.
I can still hear the birds sing "Tweet tweet-a."

Now I am a sad caballero
Returning to Rio Janiero.
Minus my hair,
A bruise here and there,
For her husband he chewed off my ear-o.


[I think some of the Spanish-sounding words in this song are either made up or distorted: nobilio, castillio, cabaretta, sofita. The actual Spanish word for castle is castillo, but castillio is how he pronounces it.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero (Frank Crumit, L Klein)
From: GUEST,Connal McIlwraith
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 09:31 AM

This is great! I've been listening to my father sing this song for decades but these are all completely different to the version I know. For your delectation...

1.        I am a gay Cabaliero,
        Returning from Rio d'Janeiro,
        And I brought with me, my Moroto Mari,
        My Moroto, Moroto Mari.

2.        I went to a gay casino,
        An exceedingly gay casino,
        And I took with me, my Moroto Mari,
        My Moroto, Moroto Mari.

3.        I met a gay seniorita,
        An exceedingly gay seniorita,
        Who up'd me to stand my Moroto Mari,
        My Moroto, Moroto Mari.

4.        We lay on a comfy sofita,
        An exceedingly comfy sofita,
        And there I put in my Moroto Mari,
        My Moroto, Moroto Mari.

5.        I got a bad dose of Poxito,
        An exceedingly bad dose of Poxito,
        And it blackened the tip of Moroto Mari,
        My Moroto, Moroto Mari.

6.        I went to a cunning physico,
        An exceedingly cunning physico,
        And he cut of the tip of Moroto Mari,
        My Moroto, Moroto Mari.

7.        Now I'm left with a stumpy stumpedo,
        An exceedingly stumpy stumpedo,
        But it does just as well as Moroto Mari, Moroto Mari,
        My Moroto, Moroto Mari.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero (Frank Crumit, L Klein)
From: GUEST,Wilz,
Date: 27 Jan 11 - 07:17 AM

The version I used to sing:

I am a gay caballero,
Going to Rio d'Janiero.
I'm taking with me my Bombom-bodee
And both of my Bombom-bodero.

Then I went to a gay fiesta,
And I met a lovely Senorita.
She wanted to see my Bombom-bodee
And both of my Bombom-bodero.

So I took her to my hacienda
And I laid her on my soft sofalita,
I gave her five shots of my Bombom-bodee
And both of my Bombom-bodero.

But this lovely senorita
Had a very 'rosita',
It rotten the tip of my Bombom-bodee
And one of my Bombom-bodero.

So I went to a medico.
O, he took out a sharp scalpalito!
He cut off the tip of my Bombom-bodee
And one of my Bombom-bodero.

Now I'm a sad caballero,
Going out of Rio d'Janiero,
I'm taking with me no Bombom-bodee
And only one Bombom-bodero.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero (Frank Crumit, L Klein)
From: GUEST,Wilz,
Date: 27 Jan 11 - 07:33 AM

Erratum:

It should read:
Had a very wild 'rosita',

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero (Frank Crumit, L Klein)
From: tritoneman
Date: 27 Jan 11 - 09:25 AM

Malcolm Price used to sing 'The Gay Caballero' in the UK folk clubs and I remember Diz Disley used to sing the 'Prune Song' at around the same time. I wonder if it's time for a Frank Crumit revival. Maybe I'll have a go at 'There's No-one With Endurance Like the Man Who Sells Insurance' or perhaps 'The Pig Got Up and Slowly Walked Away' Possibilities??

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero (Frank Crumit, L Klein)
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jun 11 - 12:14 PM

This version was taught to me by a friend years ago. Sung to the same tune as "Gay Caballero" but with different adapted dirty song lyrics. When referring to it, we have always called it "The Ballad of Pepito Consejero"... Enjoy!

My name is Pepito Consejero,
I hail from Rio de Janero
And all that I have is my bombom ba dee
And two of my bombom baderos

One day I met a fine senorita,
She was a very very fine senorita,
She wanted to play with my bombom ba dee
And one of my bombom baderos

I caught a rare disease called clapita,
It was a very rare disease called clapita,
It affected the tip of my bombom ba dee
And one of my bombom baderos

I went in the search of America,
I needed a very good la medica,
They had to cut off my bombom ba dee
and one of my bombom baderos

At night as I lay on my pillow,
I reach down to play with my willow,
But all that is there is a big clump of hair
And one of my bombom baderos...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Gay Caballero (Frank Crumit, L Klein)
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 02 Jun 11 - 08:43 PM

Yet another version, learnt c. 1965 with Crawley RFC:

There once was a gay caballero
An exceedingly gay caballero
Who christened his prick Maria Marie -
Maria Marea Marino.

He went to a low-down casino
An exceedingly low-down casino
And with him he took Maria Marie
Maria Marea Marino.

He there met a fair senorino
An exceedingly fair senorino
And to her he showed Maria Marie
Maria Marea Marino.

He showed him her dark crevacino
An exceedingly dark crevacino
And in it he put Maria Marie
Maria Marea Marino.

He there caught the dreaded poxino
The exceedingly dreaded poxino
That withered the tip of Maria Marie
Maria Marea Marino.

He went to an old medecino
An exceedingly old medecino
Who cut of the tip of Maria Marie
Maria Marea Marino.

There now sits an old caballero
An exceedingly old caballero
Who sits on his rump, nursing the stump of
Maria Marea Marino.

The tune we rugby players used for this was the verse tune of "Sing Us Another One" (for limericks).

Jon Bartlett

Subject: Lyr Add: THE RETURN OF THE GAY CABALLERO (Crumit)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 Jan 19 - 05:35 PM

You can hear this, and see an image of the record label, at the Internet Archive.


THE RETURN OF THE GAY CABALLERO
Written by Frank Crumit.
As recorded by Frank Crumit, Victor 22154-A, 1929.

Oh, I am a gay caballero.
I’m back again from Janeiro,
And you bet your life
I’ll be dodging the wife
And the husband who chewed off my ear-o.

While coming here on the steamer,
I met a beautiful dreamer.
Each kiss that I got
Her lipstick left a spot
And the captain thought I had eczema.

Last night I strolled on the plaza,
The music was playing some jazz-a;
Then I heard a noise.
‘Twas made by some boys.
My gosh! I was getting the razz-a.

Then I met a sweet bambelina.
I told her I owned a casina.
Would she leave home that night?
She said that she might,
For poker but not for casina.

She said for a job she was wishin’,
For she lost hers at some exhibition.
I said: “I’m a nice chap.
Just sit on my lap.
You can’t find a better position.”

I told her that she was so simple,
And she had a cute little dimple.
Then she said to me:
“That dimple you see,
When turned inside out, it’s a pimple.”

I said: “Take a trip to my manor,
Then a trip to old Santy Anna.”
Then somebody cried:
“Hey, you outside!
I hope you trip on a banana.”

She took me to her home to nestle.
Her room was as big as a castle.
I said: “Why so much space?”
Then she said: “In case
You get fresh, I need room to wrestle.”

She asked me to stay to meet Mother.
When I saw her, my face I did cover.
When her dad did appear,
I held my one ear,
For ‘'twas him who had chewed off the other.

Now I’m back in Rio Janeiro.
I’ve been married for many a year-o,
But for me there’s no joys.
I’ve got seven boys,
And each one was born with one ear-o.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gay Caballero (Frank Crumit, L Klein)
From: GUEST,PB
Date: 18 Jan 19 - 08:37 AM

Dad's version, no doubt well cleaned up for juvenile consumption:

I am a gay caballero,
An exceedingly gay caballero,
But for me there's no joys
For I've got sxeven boys.
And each one
was born with one ear'ole.

Chorus:
You, me, and us,
We are my favourite people,
We all go together like peaches and cream,
Like the weathercock and the church steeple.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gay Caballero (Frank Crumit, L Klein)
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jan 19 - 05:32 AM

strange how some songs lend themselves to parody much more than others? hardly anyone quoted the ACTUAL words, which are a little more subtle & gently humorous than the rugby club type words which seem to be now the norm for this song!