I've also done a bit of Googling, and I think I've found the original
non-obscene version, published, apparently by Frederick Blume, New York,
in 1866, with the words credited to S. Oxon, 'arranged by F. Blume,' who
may himself have been the anonymous composer." (Sigmund Spaeth, A
History of Popular Music in America, Random House, 1948, pp. 165-166).
The lyrics and music are in Sigmund Spaeth's Read 'Em and Weep: The
Songs You Forget to Remember (Doubleday, 1927, pp. 148-149) (the
spelling is "Kafoozalem" here):
KAFOOZALEM (original version)
In ancient days there liv'd a Turk,
A horrid beast, E'en in the East,
Who did the Prophet's holy work,
As barber of Jerusalem.
He had a daughter fair and smirk,
Complexion fair, And light brown hair,
With naught about her like a Turk,
Except her name, Kafoozalem!
Refrain (faster):
My own Kafoozalem, Kafoozalem,
My own Kafoozalem, the daughter of the Barber!
A youth resided near to she--
His name was Sam--A perfect lamb
Who was of ancient pedigree,
And came from old Methusalem;
He drove a trade (and prospered well)
In skins of cats, And worn-out hats;
And ringing at the airy bell,
He saw, and loved, Kafoozalem. [Refrain]
If Sam had been a Mussulman,
He might have sold That barber old,
And with a verse of Al Koran
Have managed to bamboozle 'em;
But no, ah no! Sam tried to scheme--
Stole up one day--The airy way--
And crept into the Turk's hareem
To carry off Kafoozalem. [Refrain]
The Old Man had begun to smoke,
When slaves rushed in With horrid din--
"Marshalla! The dogs your house have broke!
Oh, do come down, and toozle 'em!"
The Old Man wreathed his face in smiles,
Said twenty prayers, Then rushed downstairs
To find a man with three old tiles
A-kissin' of Kafoozalem. [Refrain]
The Barber went to his boudoir,
And, smiling still With great sang-froid,
He took a bowstring from a drawer,
And greased it well with goozalum.
The youth and maid he seizéd on,
And nothing loth, He choked them both,
And threw them in the brook Kedron
(Which flows hard by Jerusalem). [Refrain]
In ancient days--the story goes--
When day was done In Babylon,
And when the silver moon arose
And shone down on Jerusalem,
Amid the crying of the cats--
A sound that falls From ruin'd walls--
A ghost was seen, with three old hats,
A-kissin' of Kafoozalem! [Refrain]
George
--
Snakeskin Poetry Webzine is at
http://www.snakeskin.org.uk
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