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My Little Bimbo Down on the Bamboo Isle From: goatboy@mindspring.com.nospam (Brian Thornton)
To: rolls@foxtail.com
Date: Wed, 28 Jan 1998 10:27:15 -0600

Subject: 'My Little Bimbo'

In Digest 980125 there was a post concerning this song. It's one of my all time favorites. I put the lyrics in my 'puter a while back, so for all of you who are not familiar with the tune, here are the words, taken from a black label Edison Diamond Disc ca. 1920. (And for all the Womens Lib fanatics: I don't write 'em -- I just collect 'em !)

My Little Bimbo Down on the Bamboo Isle ( by Walter Donaldson & Grant Clarke )
Sailor Bill McCoy was a daring sailor boy
His Ship got wrecked while on a teensy-eensy isle
He led a savage life and he hunted with knife
He said "I'll tell you about it .....
DON'T TELL MY WIFE!"

Ive got a bimbo down on the bamboo Isle
She'e waiting there for me, Beneath a Bamboo tree
Believe me she's got the other bimbos beat a mile
She'e a reg'lar ...No beggar
She's the bimbo king bootlegger
I'll build a bungaloo on the Bamboo Isle
And when I go again, I'll stay a while
I've seen wrecks, plenty of wrecks
Out on the deep blue sea,
But, By heck, there never was a wreck
Like the wreck she made of me
And all she has is a great bid Zulu smile,
My little bimbo down on the Bamboo Isle.

William's boss Said Bill, A captain's job you'l fill
Upon a ship bound north, today is sailing forth
Oh...A captain's is fine,
But Bill said "Oh, I decline,
I'll  take half pay as a sailor
On that ship of mine, 'cause...

Ive got a bimbo down on the bamboo Isle
She'e waiting there for me, Beneath a Bamboo tree
Believe me she's got the other bimbos beat a mile
She'e dances gaily..daily
She'd Make a hit with Barnum & Bailey
I'll build a bungaloo on the Bamboo Isle
And when I go again, I'll stay a while
Lot's of dancers that I've seen
Wear a string of beads,
Give that girl a hot Jazz band
And BOY!, that's all she needs
What's that....
Here.....Now You take my advice...
I don't know what a bimbo is..
but a Bimbo's awfully nice!
And all she has is a great bid Zulu smile,
My little bimbo down on the Bamboo Isle.


Note: This is the oldest reference to Bimbo, in the feminine sense, I have come across on rolls or records to date. If anyone has any earlier uses of the word, I'd like to hear it.

Brian Thornton, Short Mtn. Music Works
109 N. Cannon St., Woodbury, TN 37190
615-563-5814
http://www.mindspring.com/~goatboy/smmw.htm

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