"So Long, Oolong, How Long You Gonna Be Gone?"

Here's a tune first recorded in 1920, "So Long, Oolong, How Long You Gonna Be Gone?", written by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby. This recorded yesterday and played on an Ohana CKP-70 Vita Uke.

Once again, a very sweet song! You must have some hidden arsenal of great, half-forgotten songs just lying about...

Thank you, Doc. Yes, I do, but if you ask my wife, it's not hidden enough; it tends to be found all over the house.

Cool, John.
Late one night on TV I saw the 1950 film about the writing duo, and I heard that song for the first and only time.
In "Three Little Words," Fred Astaire and Red Skelton play Kalmar and Ruby. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043044/?ref_=nv_sr_2

Please come back next week, when I'm hosting a Halloween party for Season 89!

Ginny - yes, that's a fun movie. A great excuse for several MGM stars to do Vaudeville numbers.

Halloween? OK, I got several for you - I'll pick one...

You'll have to wait for the theme to be announced Saturday night...it's not going to be a conventional Halloween theme.

Hmmmmm....Intriguing!

I'd gotten a couple of requests for chords and lyrics - so here they are, if you're interested in learning this one:

SO LONG OO-LONG (HOW LONG YOU GONNA BE GONE)
(Bert Kalmar / Harry Ruby, 1920)


Ming Toy loved a boy, Happy little Japanee;
F Gm Am F
Oo-long was his name, Set her heart a flame.
F C7 F
One day he say, "Soon I gotta go away;"
F Gm Am Dm
When he leave Ming Toy grieve; Everybody hear her say:
G G7 C7

"So long! Oo-long, how long you gonna be gone?
F
Your little Japanee, Will be waiting underneath the bamboo tree;
F C7 F D7 G7
So don't be too long, Oo-long I'll long while you're away
G7 C7 F
Waiting for the day when you'll come back to me.
F G7 C7
I'll sit and sigh, 'Neath the Oriental sky,
F7 Bb
Each day that I am left a lone In Nagasaki.
Bb G7 C7
So long! Oo-Long, How long you goin' to roam?
F A7 Cm6 D7
Please don't be too long, Oo-long, so long hurry back home."
Gm C7 F

Second Verse:
Days fly quickly by, Turning into lonely years;
Tho' the nights are long, Ming Toy's faith is strong.
She kneels and feels, That she doesn't pray in vain;
Whispers "Oo I love you, Ming Toy wants you back again."