THERE'S A BOY IN HARLEM
From the film "Fools For Scandal" (1938)
(Music: Richard Rodgers / Lyrics: Lorenz Hart)


Jeni Le Gon & The Three Brown Sisters (Film Soundtrack) - 1938
Tommy Dorsey & His Orch. (vocal: Edythe Wright) - 1938
Red Norvo & His Orch. (vocal: Mildred Bailey) - 1938
Bob Crosby & His Orch. (vocal: Nappy Lamare) - 1938




There's a new dark music by a new dark man
And he writes his symphonies in black and tan
All his rhythms send you, other songs are tame
But the outside world has never heard his name


There's a boy in Harlem
And he writes all the songs
Manhattan belongs to him


Oh, he won't leave Harlem
But his tunes get about
He pounds them out when the lights are dim


Though his clothes are sloppy
The boy has earned a good pile
All the writers copy
This person in the woodpile


He only lives for pleasure
He's in no one's employ
And Harlem lives for her Harlem boy



(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - April 2015)