TENEMENT SYMPHONY
From the film "The Big Store" (1941)
(Music: Hal Borne / Lyrics: Sid Kuller & Ray Golden)

Tony Martin (Film Soundtrack) - 1941
Larry Clinton & His Orch. - 1941
Anne Shelton - 1944
Geraldo & His Orch. (vocal: Dorothy Carless) - 1944
Arthur Godfrey with Marion Marlowe - 1953
Sammy Davis Jr. - 1964





As originally performed by TONY MARTIN with
St. Luke's Episcopal Church Choristers in the 1941 film:

Schubert wrote a symphony, too bad he didn't finish it
Gershwin took a chord in `G' and proceeded to diminish it
I sought a variation on a theme that I thought pretty
And I found my inspiration on the east side of the city

The Cohens and the Kellys
The Campbells and Vermicellis
All form a part of my Tenement Symphony

The Cohen's pianola
The Kellys and their victrola
All warm the heart of my Tenement Symphony

The Campbells come tumb'lin' down the stairs
Doodlie-ah, doodlie-ah, doodlie-ah
Oh Marie! Oh Marie!
You'll be late for your date with Izzy

And from this confusion
I dreamed of a grand illusion
It's my Tenement Symphony in four flats

The kid on the first floor practicing the minuet
The kid on the second floor yelling for the dinner that he didn't get
The guy on the third floor wakened from his slumber
By the guy on the fourth floor practicing the rhumba

(Orchestral Interlude)

The sounds of the ghetto inspired the allegretto
You'll find them in my Tenement Symphony
The cry of a vendor met a lullaby sweet and tender
I combined them in my Tenement Symphony

The yelling of children will greet your ears
(Dooleeaah, dooleeah, dooleeaah)
Holly Gee! Holly Gee!, gotta stop, there's a cop, hey Chickie!

And from this confusion
I dreamed of a grand illusion
It's my Tenement Symphony in four flats


(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - December 2012)


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


As recorded by DOROTHY CARLESS:

Schubert wrote a symphony
Too bad he didn't finish it
Gershwin took a chord in `G'
Proceeded to diminish it
I sought a variation
on a theme that I thought pretty
And I found my inspiration
on the east side of the city

The Cohens and the Kellys
The Campbells and Vermicellis
All form a part of my tenement symphony

The Cohen's pianola
The Kellys and their victrola
All warm the heart of my tenement symphony

The Campbells come tumb'lin' down the stairs
Hoodlie-ah, hoodlie-ah, hoodlie-ah
Oh Marie, oh Marie
You'll be late for your date with Izzy.

And from this confusion
I dreamed of a grand illusion
It's my tenement symphony in four flats

(Orchestral Interlude)

And from this confusion
I dreamed of a grand illusion
It's my tenement symphony in four flats


(Contributed by Bill Huntley - January 2005)


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


As recorded by ANNE SHELTON:

Schubert wrote a symphony,
Too bad he didn't finish it;
Gershwin took a chord in G
And proceeded to diminish it.
I sought a variation
On a theme that I thought pretty,
And I found my inspiration
On the east side of the city.

The Cohens and the Kellys,
The Campbells and Vermicellis
All form a part
Of my Tenement Symphony.
The Cohen's pianola,
The Kellys and their Victrola
All warm the heart
Of my Tenement Symphony

The Campbells come tumb'lin' down the stairs,
Hoodlie-ah, hoodlie-ah!
Oh Marie, oh Marie,
You'll be late for your date with Izzy,
And from this confusion,
I dreamed up a grand illusion,
It's my Tenement Symphony in the four flat.

The kid on the first floor
Practising the minuet;
The kid on the second floor
Yelling for the dinner that he didn't get.
The guy on the third floor
Wakened from his slumber
By the guy on the fourth floor,
Practising the rumba!

The sounds of the ghetto
Inspire the allegretto,
You'll find them in my Tenement Symphony.
The cry of a vendor
Meant a lullaby sweet and tender,
I combined them in my Tenement Symphony.

The yelling of children will greet your ears,
Doodlie-ah, doodlie-ah!
Polly G, Polly G,
Gotta stop, tell that cop, hey G G!
And from this confusion
I dreamed up a grand illusion
It's my tenement symphony in four flat.


(Transcribed by Peter Akers - December 2012)