alexander's ragtime band

One Hundred years ago Irving Berlin placed a copyright on this simplified rag which would become a worldwide sensation as a piece of printed sheet music. Its simplicity made it easy to learn and it spread like wildfire, a million copies in the first year; numerous versions were recorded over the ensuing decades. It was the first hit for the young songwriter and made him an instant celebrity. That year alone the song would chart with four different versions. This version, sung by Arthur Collins and Byron G. Harlan spent ten weeks at the top of the charts in 1911.












Oh, my honey,
Yes?
Oh, my honey,
Yes?
Better hurry and let's meander.
Ain't you goin'?
Where you goin'?
Ain't you goin'?
Where you goin'?
To the leader man,
Raggie music band?

Oh, my honey,
What?
Oh, my honey,
What?
Let me take you to Alexander's Grandstand Brass Band,
Ain't you coming along?

Come on and hear,
I got to hear!
Come on and hear,
I got to hear!
Alexander's Ragtime Band!
Come on and hear,
I'll get to hear,
Come on and hear,
I'll get to hear!
It's the best band in the land!
Can you play a bugle call like I never heard before?
Why, so natural that you'll want to go to war!
That's just the bestest band what am,
Honey lamb!

Come on along,
I'm goin' along,
Come on along,
I'm goin' along,
Let me take you by the hand,
Up to the man
Up to the man,
Up to the man,
Up to the man,
Who's the leader of the band.
And I would like to hear the Swanee River played in ragtime!
Come on and hear
I'm going to hear
Come on and hear
I'm going to hear
Alexander's Ragtime Band!

Oh, my honey,
Well!
Oh, my honey,
Well!
There's a fiddler with notes that screeches
Like a chicken!
Like a chicken!
Like a chicken!
Oh, you're kickin'!
And a clarinet
Is the leader's pet;

Come on and listen,
Sure!
Come on and listen,
Sure!
To a classical band what's peaches,
Come now, somehow,
Better hurry along!

Come on and hear,
I got to hear!
Come on and hear,
I got to hear!
Alexander's Ragtime Band!
Come on and hear,
I'll get to hear,
Come on and hear,
I'll get to hear
It's the best band in the land!
Can you play a bugle call like I never heard before?
Why, so natural that you'll want to go to war!
That's just the bestest band what am,
Honey lamb!

Come on along,
I'm goin' along,
Come on along,
I'm goin' along,
Let me take you by the hand,
Up to the man
Up to the man,
Up to the man,
Up to the man,
Who's the leader of the band.
And I would like to hear the Swanee River played in ragtime.
Come on and hear,
I'm going to hear,
Come on and hear,
I'm going to hear
Alexander's Ragtime Band!