NERO

Paul Denniker / Joe Davis / Andy Razaf

as recorded by Thomas "Fats" Waller 
& his Rhythm  
December 24th 1936 
New York


Nero was a king, you know,
Many many years ago.
Nero loved his music, so
Bought a fiddle and a bow.

Room enough for Nero,
No, he never was a hero!
Rome was burnt to zero,
Still he fiddled away!

To his soldiers he said, "I'm
Busy having a big time!
With my Latin in jig time,
What survives today?".

So Nero never went to town
While Rome was burnin' down.
They watched him, in dismay,
Fiddle, fiddle, fiddle away!

Oh, Rome meant nothin' to Nero,
He was never a hero!
He must have been a zero,
'Cause he fiddled away!

Now listen!
Nero spent some of his dough
For a fiddle and a bow.
That's how Nero made his name,
Landed in the Hall Of Fame.
Come on Nero!

(yes!)

(oh stop, Nero, you fiddling now, don't do that!)

(yes!  ha-ha!)

Rome meant nothin' to Nero,
He never was a hero!
Rome fell to zero,
'Cause he fiddled away!

Nero spent some of his dough,
Fiddle and a bow.
That's how he made his name,
Landed in the Hall Of Fame.
(come here Nero, I gotcha!)



(Transcribed by Peter Akers - December 2012)