Transcribed from Cleo Brown, vocalist, recorded
November 20, 1935,
From: Cleo
Brown: The Legendary Cleo Brown, President Records, PLCD 548.
Creole babies from Manhattan,
Will be leaving Harlem if they
can,
Yeah, man! Oh, yeah, man!
When Hollywood goes black and tan!
Louis Armstrong with his trumpet
Will be heading westward with his
band,
Yeah, man! Oh, yeah, man!
When Hollywood goes black and tan!
Harlem crooners with a swing will
be singing at the studio,
Makes no difference if you can't
sing, just say, "he-de-he-de-hi-de-ho!"
When they start to swing that rhythm
I'll be heading for that promised
land,
Yeah, man! Oh, yeah, man!
Yeah, man! Oh, yeah, man!
You won't find them wing and bucking,
Everybody will be truckin'
It's gonna be grand,
When Hollywood goes black and tan!
The mayor of Harlem says he'll be
there
To give those boys a helping hand,
Yeah, man! Oh, yeah, man!
When Hollywood goes black and tan!
Old Bob Howard made a promise
To latch on to that baby grand,
Yeah, man! Oh, yeah, man!
When Hollywood goes black and tan!
Steppin Fetchit's gonna sing and
dance like Fred Astaire,
Nina May don't have to sing 'cause
she can be petit like Ina Claire.
Water's gonna do a fan dance
And shake the feathers off her
fan,
Yeah, man! Oh, yeah, man!
Yeah, man! Oh, yeah, man!
Here's good news and it's the newest,
Braddock's going to meet Joe Louis,
It's gonna be grand,
When Hollywood goes black and tan!
Published 11/19/99.
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