BELL BOTTOM TROUSERS
(Moe Jaffe - Based on an English 19th Century bawdy folksong)
The Jesters - 1944
Connie Boswell & Her V-Disc Men - 1944
Ginny Simms (with Edgar Fairchild & His Orch.) - 1944
Louis Prima & His Orch. (vocal: Lilyann Carol) - 1945
Kay Kyser & His Orch. (vocal: Ferdy, Slim & Quartet) - 1945
Tony Pastor & His Orch.(vocal: Ruth McCullough & Tony Pastor) - 1945
Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians - 1945
Jerry Colonna - 1945
George Paxton & His Orch. (vocal: Alan Dale) - 1945
Mitch Miller & The Gang - 1958
Diane Renay - 1964
Also recorded by:
The Four Blues; Sun Harbor's Chorus; Joe Edwards;
Lee Bedford Jr. & The Big D Ranch Hands; Art Kassel;
George Olsen & His Orch. ............... and others.
As recorded by THE JESTERS. Recorded 26th June 1944:
Bell bottom trousers, coat of navy blue
She loves her sailor and he loves her too
Once there was a little girl who lived next to me
And she loved this sailor boy, he was only three
Now he's on a battleship in his sailor suit
Just a great big sailor, but she thinks he's very cute
In his bell bottom trousers, coat of navy blue
She loves her sailor and he loves her too
When her sailor boy's away on the ocean blue
Soldier boys all flirt with her, but to him she's true
Though they smile and tip their caps and whistle
She just smiles and shakes her head, then she softly sighs
Bell bottom trousers, coat of navy blue
She loves her sailor and he loves her too
Everywhere her sailor went, she was sure to go
Till one day he sailed away, where she doesn't know
Now she's gonna join the Waves, maybe go to sea
Try to find her sailor boy, wherever he may be
Singing bell bottom trousers, coat of navy blue
She loves her sailor and he loves her too
If her sailor she can't find on the bounding main
She is hopeful he will soon come home safe again
So they can get married and raise a family
Dress up all their kiddies in sailor's dungarees
With bell bottom trousers, coat of navy blue
She loves her sailor and he loves her too
*********************
As recorded by CONNIE BOSWELL:
Once there was a little girl who lived next door to me
And she loved a sailor boy, he was only three
Now he's on a battleship in his sailor suit
Just a great big sailor man, but he's just as cute
Bell bottom trousers, coat of navy blue
She loved her sailor boy and he loved her too
(Instrumental Break)
When they walk along the street, anyone can see
They are oh, so much in love, happy as can be
Hand-in-hand they stroll along, they don't give a hoot
He won't let go of her hand, even to salute, oh!
(Instrumental Break)
(Bell bottom trousers, bell bottom trousers, bell bottom trousers)
(He's a sailor, he's a sailor, he's a sailor boy)
When her sailor boy's away on the ocean blue
All the boys they flirt with her, but she's true
Oh, ev'rywhere her sailor went, well she was sure to go
Until one day he went away, oh-oh-oh
Bell bottom trousers, coat of navy blue
She loved her sailor boy and he loved her too
(Anchors away, ship ahoy, boy)
(She loved her sailor) How she loved her sailor boy
********************
As recorded by GUY LOMBARDO. Recorded 20th April 1945:
Once there was a little girl who lived next to me
And she loved a sailor boy, he was only three
Now he's on a battleship in his sailor suit
Just a great big sailor, but she thinks he's very cute
(With his bell bottom trousers, coat of navy blue)
(She loves her sailor and he loves her too)
When her sailor boy's away on the ocean blue
Soldier boys all flirt with her, but to him she's true
Though they smile and tip their caps, and they wink their eyes
She just smiles and shakes her head, then she softly sighs
(Oh, bell bottom trousers, coat of navy blue)
(She loves her sailor and he loves her too)
Then her sailor went to sea to see what he could see
She saw that he ate spinach, now he's big as he can be
When he's home they stroll along, they don't give a hoot
She won't let go of his hand, even to salute
If her sailor she can't find on the bounding main
She is hopeful he will soon come home safe again
So they can get married and raise a family
Dress up all their kiddies in sailor's dungarees
(Oh, bell bottom trousers, coat of navy blue)
(She loves her sailor and he loves her too)
********************
LOUIS PRIMA'S version featured lyrics that were
much more reminiscent of the original folksong.
Recorded February 1945:
LILYANN:
When I was a lady's maid down in Drury Lane
My mistress, she was good to me; my master was the same
Along came a sailor, happy as could be
And he was the cause of all my misery
With his bell bottom trousers, coat of navy blue
(She loved her sailor and he loved her too)
He asked me for a candle to light him up to bed
He asked me for a kerchief to tie around his head
And I, like a silly girl, thinking it no harm
Lay down beside him, just to keep him warm
With his bell bottom trousers, coat of navy blue
(She loved her sailor and he loved her too)
(Trumpet Solo)
Early in the mornin', before the break of day
A sawbuck note he left for me before he went away
And he wrote a message that if I have a son
Let him be a sailor if he wants to have some fun
With his bell bottom trousers, coat of navy blue
(She loved her sailor and he loved her too)
(Saxophone Solo)
LOUIS:
If it is a daughter, bounce her on your knee
And if it is a boy, send the begger out to sea
Singin' bell bottom trousers, coat of navy blue
Oh, he'll climb the riggin', like the sailors used to do
LILYANN:
If my sailor I can't find on the bounding main
I am hopeful he will soon come home safe again
So we can get married, and raise a family
Dress up all our kiddies in sailor's dungarees
(Transcriptions by Mel Priddle - January 2013)
