“Monkey Doodle Dandy”

Those that know me know that I am a great collector of sheet-music. As a young lad, I was fancied by my piano instructor as an heir to the great ivory-tickling tradition of Franz Liszt. Alas, these days it’s something more of a hobby and you’ll more often find me leading sing-a-longs at the Lodge or serenading one of my many paramours in my parlor than entertaining concert halls full of high-society swells.


As of late I’ve developed a certain yen for what some musical critics are calling “Simian Syncopation.” These are popular songs whose lyrics feature chimpanzees, baboons, orangutans and other comical members of the primate kingdom.

I have collected several scores including “In Monkey Land,” “All Aboard For Monkey Town” and “That Monkey Tune.” I would have to say my favorite by far is “Monkey Doodle Dandy” (not to be confused with “Monkey Doodle Doo,” which I abhor).

The tune, of course, is a parody of (Irishman) George M. Cohan’s “The Yankee Doodle Boy.” I happened to catch a particularly boffo rendition of the song last weekend as performed by a young quipster named “Eccentric” Egbert Yikelyankel. This fellow is truly the “elephant’s eyebrows” – with his hot accordion-playing being particularly of note.

What popular tune will this ribald wisecracker give a razzing to next? "I'll Name the Boy Dennis, or No Name At All"? "Bing! Bang! Bing 'Em On The Rhine"? "Yaddie Kaddie Kiddie Kaddie Koo"? Needless to say, I wait in mirthful anticipation.