Digital Tradition Mirror

The Gay Caballero

The Gay Caballero

Oh I am a gay caballero
Going to Rio Janiero
With nice oily hair,
And full of hot air,
I'm an expert at shooting the bull-eo

I'll find me a fair senorita
Not thin and yet not too much meat-a.
I'll woo her a while
In my Argentine style
And sweep her right off of her feet-a

I'll tell her I'm of the nobilio
And live in a great big castillio.
I must have a miss
Who will long for a kiss
And not say "Oh don't be so silly-io.

It was at a gay cabaretta
While wining and dining I met her.
We had one or two
As other folks do.
The night was wet but we got wetter.

She was a dancer and singer
At me she kept pointing her finger
And saying to me
"Si, Senor, Si Si"
But I couldn't see a durn thing-er

She told me her name was Estrella.
She said, "stick around me, young fella
For mosquitos they bite
And they're awful tonight
And you smell just like citronella."

She told me that she was so lonely
So I climbed upon her balcony.
While under her spell
I heard someone yell
"Get away from here you big baloney."

I swore I would win this senorita
I woo'ed her on the sofita
Then her husband walked in
What he did was a sin.
I can still hear the birds sing "Tweet tweet-a"

Oh I am a sad caballero
Returning from Rio Janierio
Minus my hair,
With a bruise here and there,
And her husband he bit off my ear-o.


Note: I learned this song from a phonograph record circa 1929
while going to Alaska on a a ship carrying a crew to a salmon
cannery in Chignik Bay on the Aleutian Penninsula.  I have only
met one other person in the last 67 years who even recognized it.
This was a man I encountered in a piano bar in San Francisco, who
knew and sang all the verses.  The piano player faked the tune,
after we hummed a few bars!  I thought it deserved a chance at
being preserved, so am sending it to you. If I can I will try to
reconstruct the melody and send it at a later date. BW

BW
oct97

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!

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