OCEANA ROLL, THE
(Music: Lucien Denni / Lyrics: Roger Lewis)


Eddie Morton - 1911
Arthur Collins - 1911
Billy Murray - 1911
Beatrice Kay - 1940
Janet Brace - 1950
Jane Powell (feat. in the film "Two Weeks With Love") - 1951
Chuck Murphy - 1952
Jeanne Little - 1976





As recorded by EDDIE MORTON, 12th July1911, New Jersey:

Billy Mccoy was a musical boy
On the cruiser Alabama, he was there on that piana
Like a fish down in the sea
When he rattled off some harmony
Every night out on the ocean he would get that raggy notion
Start that syncopated motion lovingly
No one could sleep way out there on the deep
When Billy cut loose out at sea

Each fish and worm begins to twist and squirm
The ship starts in to dip and does a corkscrew turn
Just see that smoke so black sneak from that old smokestack
It's floatin' right to heaven and it won't come back
Now here and there you'll see a stool and chair
A-slippin' 'round the cabin shoutin', "I don't care"
And the hammock starts a-swingin' 
And the bell begins to ringin'
While he's sittin' at that piana, there on the Alabama
Playin' the Oceana Roll

England or Spain, it was always the same
He'd be there at the piana on the cruiser Alabama
Every morning, noon and nite
He would keep it up with all his might
Every time he'd start to playin', all the boys would start a-swayin'
Everyone would keep on sayin', "Don't you stop"
Sailors take care, oh, sailors beware
For Bill will play on till you drop

Each fish and worm begins to twist and squirm
The ship starts in to dip and does a corkscrew turn
Just see that smoke so black sneak from that old smokestack
It's floatin' right to heaven and it won't come back
Now here and there you'll see a stool and chair
A-slippin' 'round the cabin shoutin', "I don't care"
And the hammock starts a-swingin' 
And the bell begins to ringin'
While he's sittin' at that piana, there on the Alabama
Playin' the Oceana Roll


********************


As performed by JANE POWELL
in the 1951 film "Two Weeks With Love":


Billy Mccoy was a musical boy
On the cruiser Alabama, he was there at the piana
Like a fish down in the sea
When he rattled off some harmony
Every night upon the ocean he would get that raggy notion
Start that syncopated motion lovingly
No one could sleep way out there in the deep
When Billy cut loose out at sea

Each fish and worm begins to twist and squirm
The ship starts in to dip and does a corkscrew turn
Just see that smoke so black sneak from that old smokestack
It's floatin' right to heaven and it won't come back
Now here and there you'll see a stool and chair
A-slippin' 'round the cabin shoutin', "I don't care"
And then the hammock starts a-swingin' 
And the bell begins a-ringin'
While he's sittin' at that piana, there on the Alabama
Playin' the Oceana Roll

Each fish and worm begins to twist and squirm
The ship starts in to dip and does a corkscrew turn
Just see that smoke so black sneak from that old smokestack
It's floatin' right to heaven and it won't come back
Now here and there you'll see a stool and chair
A-slippin' 'round the cabin shoutin' I don't care
And then the hammock starts a-swingin' 
And the bell begins a-ringin'
While he's sittin' at that piana, there on the Alabama
Playin' the Oceana Roll

Ev'rytime he sits down at the piano stool
People start a-shoutin', "You're a playin' fool"
'Cause he is the master of the razzmatazz
He's known to ev'ryone as Mister Jazz
When he gets to goin' with a real hot phrase
Even baby Josie gets to shim and shake
Brother, you'll declare that he's a bear
What a lot o' music he can make

Now, listen here, and lend an ear
So listen here and lend an ear, and lend an ear
Doo-dee-doo-dee-doo-dee-doo-dah-dee-doo
Slippin' round the cabin shoutin', "I don't care"
And the the hammock starts a-swingin'
And the bell begins to ringin'
When we're sittin' at that piana, there on the Alabama
Playin' the Oceana Roll



(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - March 2017)