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Jazz Song: The Dandy, A Gay Caballero (Jazu songu: Shareotoko, gei kyabarero)


Victor Harmonica Music Sheet (Bikutȃ hȃmonika gakufu) No. 53
ジャズソング 洒落男 キャバレロ
Designer: Saitô Kazô (Japanese, 1887 – 1955)
Composer: Frank Crumit (American, 1889 – 1943)
Arranger: Matsuhara Chikashi (Japanese, born in 1905)
Lyricist: Lou Klein (American, 1888 – 1945)
Publisher: Vikutȃ shuppansha (Japanese)
Japanese
Shôwa era
1930 (Shôwa 5), January 20

Medium/Technique Color lithograph; ink on paper
Dimensions Height x width: 26.5 × 19.1 cm (10 7/16 × 7 1/2 in.)
Credit Line Gift of Mary and Robert Levenson
Accession Number2023.1167.1-2
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsMusical scores

DescriptionTranslation of lyrics from Japanese (Japanese lyric only) by Kuniko and Kendall Brown:
"In the village I am the man
Called the number one ‘modern boy,’
Conceited, excited, puffed with pride
I came to Ginza, Tokyo.
To start, the ‘style’ of the time was
A blue ‘shirt’ with red ‘necktie,’
Derby hat and round ‘Lloyd’ glasses
And baggy sailor pants.
The girl I fell for at first sight
Has black eyes and ‘bobbed hair’,
She’s short, voluptuous
And plump down to her legs.
Our first meeting was at a ‘café’
“This place is my shop!
‘Cocktail,’ or ‘whisky,’ which is it?”
Holding back is wishy-washy.
As I was told, I had a few drinks
With her smile, one more drink,
Her face was slightly flushed
Well, well, good!, one more drink.
“Do you know that my
Father is a landowner and mayor?
A mayor is rich and, I, the son
Am single and still a bachelor.”
“Oh my, how wonderful
If you have glory and money,
Even though you’re not handsome
I like you!”
“Oh, my darling!
My body trembles,
I would go to the end with you
I will not leave you even we die.”
Was that time a dream or reality?
Then her husband jumped in,
Without a word, a storm of fists
I was beaten unconscious.
My wallet taken, my watch too
That precious girl was gone,
A frightening place that, Ginza, Tokyo
My sorrow beyond tears, a ‘modern boy.’"
Marks “S Kazō” at lower right
ProvenanceBy 2019, Mary and Robert Levenson, Belleair, FL; 2023, gift of Mary and Robert Levenson to the MFA. (Accession Date: December 13, 2023)