Groucho Marx - Lydia the Tattooed Lady

My life was wrapped around the circus.
Her name was Lydia.
I met her at the world's fair in 1900,
marked down from 1940.
Ah, Lydia.
She was the most glorious creature
Under the su-un.
Guiess. DuBarry. Garbo.
Rolled into one.
Oooooooh
Lydia oh Lydia, say have you met Lydia,
Lydia, the Tatooed Lady.
She has eyes that folks adore so,
And a torso even more so.
Lydia oh lydia, that encyclopidia,
Oh Lydia the Queen of Tatoo.
On her back is the Battle of Waterloo.
Beside it the wreck of the Hesperus, too.
And proudly above waves the Red, White, and Blue,
You can learn a lot from Lydia.
La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la
When her robe is unfurled, she will show you the world,
If you step up and tell her where.
For a dime you can see Kankakee or Paris,
Or Washington crossing the Delaware.
La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la
Oh Lydia oh lydia, say have you met Lydia,
Oh Lydia the Tatooed Lady
When her muscles start relaxin',
Up the hill comes Andrew Jackson

Lydia oh Lydia, that encyclopidia,
oh Lydia the queen of them all!
For two bits she will do a mazurka in jazz,
With a view of Niagara that nobody has.
And on a clear day you can see Alcatraz.
You can learn a lot from Lydia.
La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la
Come along and see Buff'lo Bill with his lasso.
Just a little classic by Mendel Picasso.
Here is Captain Spaulding exploring the Amazon.
Here's Godiva but with her pajamas on.
La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la
Here is Grover Whalen unveilin' the Trilon.
Over on the West Coast we have Treaure Island.
Here's Najinsky a-doin' the rhumba.
Here's her social security numba.
{whistles}La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la
Oh Lydia, oh Lydia that encyclopidia,
Oh Lydia the champ of them all.
She once swept an Admiral clear off his feet.
The ships on her hips made his heart skip a beat.
And now the old boy's in command of the fleet,
For he went and married Lydia.
I said Lydia
{He said Lydia}
They said said Lydia
{We said Lydia}
La La!

[@thedem0niac]

I slipped it into that Stevia crap you're always putting in your tea

[@willemverheij3412]

I really like how much everyone seems to enjoy themselves here, all the extra's seem very happy to be a part of this.

[@clementwolf4081]

wel im against it

[@dragonwarrior1013]

@@clementwolf4081 no one cares

[@davidbcalhoun]

Clement is referring to the Marx Bros song “Whatever it is, I’m against it”

[@yoda8588]

​@@clementwolf4081no one asked for your opinion

[@beforeourveryeyes]

this song was written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg who wrote the songs for the Wizard of Oz

[@johnboys4697]

your a genius

[@charlescoleman9278]

Gotta love Groucho and his Brothers. All these years later and he still entertains and can make me laugh, even though I've seen pretty much everything they've ever done at least twice. Thank you boys. Good comedians worth their salt can still learn form these guys.

[@user-sm7dr9bk5u]

Ah, the Marx Brothers. No one ever had more fun, and this mix with the Gershwin brothers' song makes for superior fun!

[@ColonelAngus2023]

Unbelievably clever lyrics. Only Groucho could make this song entertaining.

[@WildeNotesMusic]

Yes, songs and movies were censored less in the mid-to-late '20s than in the '30s (after the Hays Commission began). That's why Groucho had to use double entendre and innuendo in published things like this.

[@nathanbray5005]

I love this song it makes me want to listen it again and again

[@josephgiarraffa6379]

I’m only 52 but grew up in Newyork watching the Marx Brothers I love the chaos they create just crazy and funny

[@triumphmanful]

what a fun time, I kept my eyes on Harpo. He is quite the energetic character. He is all over the place. Even swinging from the lights. Riding on the back of a man who was dancing with a tall woman. Very cool. They were such a great team. That was entertainment. No violence, sex or blood.

[@daniexists6]

One of their films was about literal war, and most of Groucho's jokes are so blatantly innuendos that you'd have to be blind not to see it. Are you sure?

[@triumphmanful]

for many years I thought his moustache was real

[@aseerose5684]

It was not sex that children would see and understand. Certainly not language or dialog like we endure today.

[@niktesla4000]

At the circus is such a great movie...

[@heywilbur]

Brilliant songwriting... acting, and everything else...

[@nognilk]

This tune is filled with sexual double entendre, if you lived in the 1930s and 1940s these entendres were easier to spot and get. In fact in the film "The Philadelphia Story", Katherine Hepburn's little sister (about 10 y.o.) played the song on the piano. "The Philadelphia Story" scene was funny because it showed a 10 year old girl from high society playing a trashy song. Think of it this way, suppose a 10 year old girl today singing Katy Perry's "I kissed a girl."

[@CNYKnifeNerd]

I don't get it.... Its almost like you're trying to say that terrible parents don't encourage their young children to perform trashy songs in exchange for meaningless internet points from strangers constantly, but you can't be that ignorant!

[@werksdesign]

Being a tattooed lady in the circus today wouldn't draw any attention since thousands of women outside a circus everywhere could also be called Lydia the Tattooed Lady.

[@splashpont]

If I opened a tattoo shop, it would be called "Lydia's."

[@dragonwarrior1013]

@@splashpont I would get a tattoo there

[@ladavidson9269]

Tattoos are foolish and ugly. Where do welfare recipients get the funds to pay for body art? Nasty. Redcross won't take blood from heavily marked people

[@pepperwilliams4428]

Boy, can one really see where Alan Alda got his "Hawkeye Pierce" character from.

[@Shadowsnshades]

Always puts a smile to my face.

[@greenman1411]

Best place for it - you'd look silly with it anywhere else!

[@camhamster3891]

@@greenman1411 Briwyant!! And in the true spirit of Marxism.

[@zathras11b53]

The gentleman with the glasses, in the middle of car on the left-hand side of the screen, is Harpo's father-in-law. He was visiting set that day and they decided to stick him in the scene as an extra.

[@donaldmorrissey3291]

Groucho's best song...and he had many

[@motorheaddave3981]

That tattooed lady would hardly get noticed today!

[@mysticmudflaps9385]

No one else would even attempt to rhyme Amazon with Pyjamas on.

[@bernardbrenner9240]

Or African explorer with schnorrer.

[@andymassingham]

Occasionally the later Marx films have moments of inspiration like this. Groucho gets a hot single he could dine out on forever, here. (It's a challenge not to look at his wandering toupee, though)

[@eliebellytv]

Anyone remember Robin Williams singing this in “The Fisher King”?

[@WildeNotesMusic]

Wonderful theme song for Groucho, written by Harold Arlen and E Y Harburg - the same guys who wrote Over The Rainbow and all the other songs for The Wizard Of Oz. I understand that this is the 'cleaned-up' version - the lyrics revised to get past the Hays Commission censors.

[@bobbyfrancis8957]

Cleaned up? That mention of Andrew Jackson sounds dirty to me.

[@bobjohnson3323]

Awesome ... nothing like this today :-)

[@IcemanE52]

None better than the Marx Brothers!

[@minenotyours212]

Holy shit! I was always wondering where Todd got his ringtone in breaking bad! Never thought I could love that show more than I do

[@SteveEdwardCooper]

I grew up watching these movies every Sunday morning for years. They are a big part of why I developed a sense of humor and even did some stand up comedy for a while. Every routine I ever did I put in at least one reference to these legends.

[@kurtisle]

If you were tranported back to 1930s you'd see that the whole song is risque for the times.

[@ladavidson9269]

Ugly scoundrels, and I was just mortified every time old men sang that song to me. Please let it die with them

[@mcgannahanskyjellyfetti6854]

Happy Birthday, Groucho Marx...😎👍

[@AxelQC]

Three chairs for Capt Spaulding, the African Explorer!

[@jessicathethreestoogesfan2635]

Fantastic

[@TheFlyingSeal]

So one of the forums I go too have a rumor going around that this one user was hacked by a person named Lydia. I now see endless topics with jokes about 'Lydia'. I can not stop thinking about the song. It's amazing.

[@kung-fuhustle5755]

Breaking bad bought me here. 🤠

[@nonolapatate3014]

one of my favourite

[@MadameMarge]

OMG, I didn't even realize, I see all those comments about Breaking Bad, I thought KZbin went crazy mixing vids and comments! That song was Todd's ringtone in the finale, that's why I felt like I heard it very recently! I came for a little of Groucho, and here comes Breaking bad!

[@evanhughes7609]

I believe the names from the opening recitative are "Thaïs! Du Barry! Garbo! Rolled into one." Thaïs was a famously beautiful courtesan who became the mistress (and later, a wife) of Ptolemy I Soter, first of the Macedonian Kings of Egypt. Hope this helps!

[@dr.barrycohn5461]

Excellent.

[@seanwelch71]

Garbo is Greta Garbo, one of the five most important actresses of 20th century cinema.

[@brainsci]

Written by Yip Harburg, who also wrote "Over the Rainbow".

[@thomasblair8143]

timeless and perfect

[@WildeNotesMusic]

Groucho's original lyrics - not used in the movie or released as a record - are not posted on Wikipedia. Groucho's lyrics & quips in his movies stayed just inside the boundaries of what the Hays Commission of the '30s would allow - with innuendo, double entendre, etc. But he was much bawdier when the censors weren't watching, and it's documented that his first lyrics for "Lydia" were definitely so.

[@4ledbury]

Heisenberg I will miss you best tv show ever im so gutted it all had to end See you hank,jessie.saul.walter

[@Gravyballs2011]

Briefly heard in final season of "Breaking Bad" as a ring-tone.

[@WildeNotesMusic]

BTW, even Wikipedia acknowledges that some lines in the movie version of "Lydia" had been changed from an earlier version. The line "When she stands the world gets littler; when she sits she sits on Hitler" was dropped and the lines about Grover Whalen & Nijinski were used, because at the time it thought that Hitler would soon be forgotten but Whalen was a more prominent figure (being in charge of the 1939 World Fair).

[@BettyJoBialofski]

The Marx Bros were Vaudeville pros, they had to include timeliness in their act, not to mention something to spice it up.

[@WildeNotesMusic]

These are the lyrics the general public has heard - the ones used in the movie and printed as sheet music. There is information about earlier versions of the song from people who knew and worked with Groucho and have written about it. Groucho himself also talked publicly in later years about how some of his songs developed and about his bouts with the censors.

[@mrsmelons5553]

Yeah - they had to marry Lydia off at the end of the song to get around the censors in this one.

[@noahgoodman2949]

Great song.

[@WildeNotesMusic]

@TheTubePortal Interesting. I never thought of that line as any more double entendre than most of the others, e.g., "For a dime you can see Kankakee or Paree or Washington crossing the Delaware." I never thought of "Andrew Jackson" as a particular anatomical reference, since "Andrew Jackson" is a tattoo on Lydia, not on a guy. But Groucho was known to be quite bawdy when he could get by with it. He even slipped a few not-so-subtle innuendoes past the censors on "You Bet Your Life."

[@LazyIRanch]

I think this song inspired another "tatooed lady" song in the 50's from a rather obscure calypso band, the Talbot Brothers. This song was covered by Harry Nilsson, and it's a cute song: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kICyZIV_jdRpmLc Now listen to my story, boys, I need your sympathy The tattooed lady in the circus fell in love with me And to prove her love was sweet as sugar canda-di She had my picture tattooed on her body She has the landing of the pilgrims on her shoulder And on her back she has the sunset of the west And right beside her dimpled knees She has two great big apple trees And the pyramids look lovely on her chest When she decided that she'd like to add my picture She simply couldn't find a vacant spot, you see So she tattooed my poor face In a most peculiar place And now whenever she sits down, she sits on me She has a small gardenia tattooed on her elbow And on her hips she has the lovely Queen of May And right beneath her shapely spine If you saw that pal of mine You would see the famous road to Mandalay She has a rusty hinge that's tattooed on her knee cap It looks so real it squeaks each time she bends her knee But she filled me with disgrace When she tattooed my poor face And now whenever she sits down, she sits on me Now do you wonder why I'm looking sad and worried And do you wonder why I am feeling mighty low I'd like to take a chance And kick her right square in the pants But if I do, I'll only kick myself, I know The only time that anyone can see my picture Is when that tattooed lady takes her bath, oh gee I get black and blue, of course Every time she rides a horse 'Cause now whenever she sits down, she sits on me

[@beulahfuldreamer8369]

Thanks for sharing. One of my favorites.

[@donaldmorrissey3291]

Incomparable....

[@sina9541]

I noticed only right now after the 4th time rewatch this todd ringhtone

[@ashleysmith1276]

I know this from The Muppets album. Classic.

[@kimberlywills7316]

Adam Sandler needs to work this into something. Their voices and mannerisms are really similar!

[@bobbyjordan37]

C 'est de la loufoquerie ,J ' ADORE

[@CharlieChaplinsAngel]

@JillianLovesFilm yeah I read both, I think it was his autobiography that he complained that when he went to the studio he'd have to have his hair dyed like, 4 times a week or something. I still love him regradless lol

[@PrincessAlyssHearts]

I did an English proect on Groucho in the seventh grade and after I had presented, my English teacher looked this song up and played the Muppets version. I was trying to hide under my desk when it played.

[@alejandrogarcia-zk1wz]

I would gladly go to the cinema to see a biopic of the Marx brothers, his life was like his work: crazy, fun and interesting

[@thomassutherland377]

I wanted to sing this on karaoke when I dressed as Groucho for Halloween but it's not available. What a bummer.

[@Forensource]

So we know that by 1939 the Social Security Number was common enough to use in a song lyric.

[@TheBoxingCannabyte]

doesn't take a song to know that but it is kinda-sorta interesting it's being used in a pop song of this era.

[@PhilBagels]

In the days before identity theft, it wouldn't have been that big a risk to tattoo your SSN on yourself somewhere.

[@TheBoxingCannabyte]

PhilBagels Hehe, and hey, maybe you'd be lucky enough to live long enough to regret it! eh?

[@BettyJoBialofski]

That's because there was a big publicity push to register, so it was a timely news item.

[@sheritaa3600]

Always think of this when I hear "Lydia".

[@sha11235]

Jerry Lewis would've stressed Lady.

[@SuperWolsey]

BEARDED LAAADDDYYYY

[@MIKESOWELL]

@JillianLovesFilm That makes sense. Nearing fifty, I guess graying hair was a growing problem. The other brothers wore wigs, so that was not a problem for them.

[@WildeNotesMusic]

@TheTubePortal I know there's double entendre, but it's still quite subtle compared to what Groucho would often do. I think the movie came out during the "Hays Commission" era, which was the height of American cinema censorship. Anyway, the sexual allusions are subtle enough that I can sing the song for just about any audience, including church groups and senior citizens, with no one seeming the least bit offended. I'd love to find the original lyrics but wouldn't know how to find them easily

[@johnboys4697]

google

[@justinbatters3509]

Who remembers Robin Williams singing this in The Fisher King?

[@justinbatters3509]

Am glad somebody does. :-)

[@snuegliffer]

The Walking Dead 915?

[@CharlieChaplinsAngel]

is groucho wearing a wig or something? His hair looks kinda weird

[@SpeckyBecky27]

I think so. I was readong one of his books and he talks about how he would wear a toupee just to keep executives happy. Not sure of this is what he was talking about but it looks it.

[@splashpont]

A song ahead of its time!

[@seanwelch71]

This is Groucho at the height of camp. It's Groucho, squared.

[@DataTasha4Ever]

My best friend's name is Lydia, and one of our teachers would sing this every time he called her name to take attendance.

[@ladavidson9269]

Cruel

[@brianboklundpedersen3729]

GENIALT G. SLÅR ALT, OZE DEN NY MUSIK

[@sharky8577]

Absolute genius - like everything they ever did - anyone know who the tall guy is in the hat ? Must be 7 ft tall

[@TryTheBLT]

@WildeNotesMusic The song is loaded with double entendre since most of the tattoos are in hidden places of her anatomy. If you haven't had the opportunity you should look for the lyrics of the original uncensored version I think you'll find that a lot of the song suddenly makes sense :o)

[@hugginkiss1027]

1:44 -1:48 Groucho milk shake.

[@beboploo]

lar lar lar timeless

[@andreichivu7653]

Attorney Loophole singing lol

[@albertalikesbix]

thanks for posting--just in case people want to google to find out more about Groucho's references, a couple of corrections. Nijinsky is spelled with an "i", I believe at the beginning he's saying Thais, referring to the opera, and of course the Trylon and Perisphere from the 1939 World's Fair.

[@johnboys4697]

a Genius

[@roynersalomonmiranda2590]

anyone watch this after seen Todd's death ?

[@VioletJV]

now they`re both happy in Belize

[@Femmefatale1990]

Todd's ringtone

[@triumphmanful]

Toad ?

[@WildeNotesMusic]

@TheTubePortal Oh, I always expect it from Groucho. But I don't 'get' the sexual innuendo in a line like "On her back is the Battle of Waterloo" or (even less so) "beside it the wreck of the Hesperus too, and proudly above waves the Red, White, and Blue." If you can find me a link to the original lyrics, that would be great. Thanks.

[@HarrisaSports]

Yes I have met Ms. Quayle indeed

[@Omega.Madris]

2020?

[@TryTheBLT]

@WildeNotesMusic It's still quite racy though, even by today's standards. I'm sure most people know what is meant by "When her muscles start relaxin' up the hill comes Andrew Jackson" ;o)

[@achu-bg1hz]

Todds ringtone from breaking bad

[@kurtisle]

Thanks..where do these people get their information? I've heard this since I was a kid, all over and by many different entertainers...these are the lyrics.

[@lupodelupis3672]

Julius is quite a legend! He (and his brothers) were born in very poor family from a couple of artists, but he worked his way through the ladder in the glorious times of the Vaudeville, in the early 1900's, roaming around the most little town of America in the most infamous theaters, to the fame and success of Broadway and then to Hollywood. And he deserved it all! 🥸

[@JohntechFL]

Todd was a great character and will sadley be missed.

[@DarkNagell]

@shortshu But Harpo still looked like a kid ^^

[@bubblemum]

Who is Guiess? I tried looking her up but even Google is stumped

[@rodrigodecarvalho6925]

Sandman brought me here

[@flowhannesburg1912]

Me too!

[@TeresaGarcia-tm7ez]

Me tooooooo!!! Hahah

[@TeresaGarcia-tm7ez]

Sandman make me search this song :D

[@TOR1Hershman]

Tor so do so adore so that torso.

[@babyjenks1784]

Like if Todd's ringtone brought you here lol

[@LazyIRanch]

I was thinking more about Robin Williams singing this song to the girl he had a crush on in the movie, "The Fisher King". I think he was inspired by the Marx Brothers a LOT!

[@delpainasshole]

lydia,mike,todd and me are in...bélize!!

[@_motaleonardo_]

Quien viene de el capitulo 16 temporada 5 de Breaking Bad?

[@greenman1411]

Is that a wig or some sort of furry hat?

[@joemoonraker]

Kankakee is a weird reference.

[@KyloWick]

Breaking bad

[@mikedx1]

Apparently it's Thais, not Guiess (Thais with a double-doted "i").

[@TryTheBLT]

@WildeNotesMusic Yeah, I guess one has to be expecting it in order to detect it. Most church people are usually repressed so they wouldn't be looking for double entendre, at least the naughty kind anyway. I'll try to find a link with the original lyrics for you.

[@CharlieChaplinsAngel]

@WildeNotesMusic haha that's believable :)

[@Praptolium]

NO EVIL CHARACTER