In Celebration of the Human Voice - The Essential Musical Instrument

Lydia, the Tattooed Lady

Music by Harold Arlen, Lyrics by Yip Harburg

"Lydia, the Tattooed Lady" is a 1939 song written by Yip Harburg and Harold Arlen. It first appeared in the Marx Brothers movie At the Circus (1939) and became one of Groucho Marx's signature tunes. The complex lyrics by Harburg – with clever rhymes such as "Lydia/encyclopedia" and "Amazon/pajamas on" – were inspired by W. S. Gilbert. Harburg made many contemporary references to topical personalities such as Grover Whalen, who opened the 1939 New York World's Fair.

Release Date: 1939

Songbooks, Arrangements and/or Media

Displaying 1-2 of 2 items.

Hot Shots : Another Bad Idea

The Barbershop Harmony Society's '06-'07 Sunshine District Quartet Champions, South Florida's fast-rising Hot Shots are very talented, funny guys (we could tell by the photo on the back of the CD showing them wearing garish matching suits that would make Bozo blush. "Another" features 12 songs, including favorites "Here's to the Losers," "The Weather Channel Song," "The Hurricane Song," "That's Life," "Scottish Spring," "Scotland the Brave," "Music, Maestro Please," "Lydia the Tattooed Lady" and (the accompanied) "Somebody To Love" (featuring Kat Bowser). Hot Shots are big fun on stage, and big fun in this album. Enjoy!

Songlist: Mic Check, Here's To The Losers, The Weather Channel Song, The Hurricane Song, If I Love Again, That's Life, Ave Maria, Scottish Spring, Scotland The Brave, Music Maestro Please, Lydia, The Tattooed Lady, Somebody To Love

New Tradition Quartet : Masterworks Series

Masterworks Series Association of International Champions brings us one of their popular, generous, "best-of" compilations of the work of a Barbershop Harmony Society Gold Medal winner, in this case, 29 songs by 1985 champs The New Tradition. They won the Gold in Marx Brothers costumes, and begin this collection with "Marx Brothers Opener" and "Lydia, the Tattooed Lady," continuing with favorites "Tuxedo Junction," "I Used To Call Her Baby," "Air Medley," "Anti-Marriage Medley," "World War I Medley," "Showbiz Medley," "That Charlie Chaplin Walk," "Star Trek Opener," "Enterprise Medley" and "Barbershoppers Parody." This is all very funny stuff, sung with the ringing harmonies and soaring leads we would expect from Barbershop Harmony Society champions. In short, this album is great entertainment from the first cut to the last, from The New Tradition, one of the most innovative and funniest Barbershop International Champions!

Songlist: Gentlemen, Hello! (intro), Marx Brothers Opener, Carnival Barker (intro), Lydia, The Tattooed Lady, Jeepers Creepers, Tuxedo Junction, I Want You To Be My Sweetheart, I Used To Call Her Baby, Air Medley, Anti-Marriage Medley, Having To Say Goodbye (intro), So Long Mother, World War I Medley, Once in a While, Smile, Parade Medley, I'm So Alone With A Crowd, Trickle Trickle, It Was Almost Like A Song, Hallelujah Barbershop!, Showbiz Medley, That Charlie Chaplin Walk, Heart of a Clown, When I'm Sixty-Four, Be a Clown/ Send in the Clowns, Star Trek Opener, Enterprise Medley, Star Trek (dialogue), Barbershoppers Parody, Star Trek Opener

Individual Folios

Displaying 1-1 of 1 items.

Jay Althouse : Lydia, the Tattooed Lady

Would you believe this song was written by the same songwriting team that wrote The Wizard of Oz, Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg? It's true. They created this number for comedian Groucho Marx to sing in the 1939 movie At the Circus. It's a tour de force of comedic writing, in the style of Gilbert and Sullivan. An absolute must-have for men's groups.

Arranger: Jay Althouse | Composer: Harold Arlen | Lyricist: Yip Harburg