Chords:
{t:Abdul Abulbul Amir}
{artist:Frank Crumit}
{key: C}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv6M2omQ__U
{c: Thanks to Terry Gardiner}
[G7] [C] [F]
The [G7] sons of the prophet were [C] brave men and bold
And [F] quite unaccustomed to [C] fear,
But the [G7] bravest by far in the ranks of the [C] Shah
Was [G7] Abdul, the Bulbul [C] Amir.
When [G7] they needed a man to encourage [C] the van,
Or to [F] harass a foe from the [C] rear,
Storm [G7] fort or redoubt, they had only to [C] shout
For [G7] Abdul, the Bulbul [C] Amir.
This [G7] son of the desert in [C] battle aroused,
Could [F] split twenty men on his [C] spear.
A [G7] terrible creature, sober or [C] soused,
Was [G7] Abdul, the Bulbul [C] Amir.
Now the[G7] heroes were plenty and well known [C] to fame
Who [F] fought in the ranks of the [C] Czar;
But the[G7] bravest of these was a man by the [C] name
Of [G7] Ivan Skavinsky [C] Skivar.
He could [G7] imitate Irving, play poker [C] and pool,
And [F] strum on the Spanish [C] guitar;
In fact, [G7] quite the cream of the Muscovite [C] team
Was [G7] Ivan Skavinsky [C] Skivar.
The [G7] ladies all loved him, his [C] rivals were few;
He [F] could drink them all under [C] the bar.
As [G7] gallant or tank, there was no one [C] to rank
With [G7] Ivan Skavinsky [C] Skivar.
One [G7] day this bold Russian had [C] shouldered his gun,
And [F] donned his most truculent [C ] sneer;
Downtown [G7] he did go, where he trod on the [C] toe
Of [G7] Abdul, the Bulbul [C] Amir.
"Young man,"[G7] said Bulbul, "has your [C] life grown so dull
That [F] you're anxious to end your [C] career ?
Vile [G7] infidel, know you have trod on the [C] toe
Of [G7] Abdul, the Bulbul [C] Amir."
{np}
"So [G7] take your last look at [C] sunshine and brook,
And [F] send your regrets to the [C] Czar,
By [G7] which I imply, you are going to [C] die,
Mr.[G7] Ivan Skavinsky [C] Skivar."
Said [G7] Ivan, "My friend, your remarks [C] in the end
Will [F] avail you but little, I [C] fear;
For you [G7] ne'er will survive to repeat them [C] alive,
Mr. [G7] Abdul, the Bulbul [C] Amir."
Then [G7] that bold Mameluke drew his [C] trusty skibouk,
With [F] a cry of [C] "Allah Akbar."
And [G7] with murderous intent, he ferociously [C] went
For [G7] Ivan Skavinsky [C] Skivar.
They [G7] parried and thrust, they [C] sidestepped and cussed,
Of [F] blood they spilled a [C] great part;
The [G7] philologist blokes, [C] who seldom crack jokes,
Say that [G7] hash was first made on that [C] spot.
They [G7] fought all that night, 'neath the [C] pale yellow moon
The [F] din, it was heard from [C] afar,
And [G7] huge multitudes came, so great was the [C] fame,
Of [G7] Abdul and Ivan [C] Skivar.
As [G7] Abdul's long knife was extracting [C] the life,
In [F] fact he had shouted [C] "Huzzah"
He [G7] felt himself struck by that [C] wily Calmuck
Of Count [G7] Ivan Skavinsky [C] Skivar.
The [G7] sultan drove by in his [C] red-breasted fly,
Expecting [F] the victor to [C] cheer,
But he [G7] only drew nigh just to hear the last [C] sigh
Of [G7] Abdul, the Bulbul [C] Amir.
Czar [G7] Petrovich, too, in his [C] spectacles blue,
Rode [F] up in his [C] new crested car;
He [G7] arrived just in time to exchange a last [C] line
With [G7] Ivan Skavinsky [C] Skivar.
There's [G7] a tomb rises up where the [C] Blue Danube rolls,
And [F] 'graved there in [C] characters clear
Are, [G7] "Stranger, when passing, oh pray for the [C] soul
Of [G7] Abdul, the Bulbul [C] Amir."
A [G7] Muscovite maiden [C] her lone vigil keeps
'Neath [F] the light of the pale polar [C] star,
And the [G7] name that she murmurs so [C] oft as she weeps,
Is [G7] Ivan Skavinsky [C] Skivar.
