We Three Kings: Variant Versions

[poliphilo]

Here's a version from the 40s or 50s...

We three spivs of Leicester Square,
Selling Ladies underwear:
How fantastic,
No elastic,
Only a shilling a pair.

And another from the 60s

We three Beatles of Liverpool are
John in a taxi, Paul in a car,
George on a scooter,
Bipping the hooter,
Following Ringo Starr.

There must be loads more...

Comments

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

We three kings of Orient are.
One in a taxi, one in a car,
One on a scooter, blowing his hooter,
Smoking a fat cigar...

Don't know its provenance, but it certainly goes back to my childhood in the 50s. As does 'Hark, the jelly babies sing...'

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

My Beatles verse is clearly derived from yours. Don'tcha just love the oral tradition!

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

Love both. Mine's from my childhood in the 50s:

We three kings of orient are
Smoking on a rubber cigar
It was loaded
And exploded...

We two kings of orient are...

Nine

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

There was never a "Me, one king of orient" verse. Either the remaining two wised up, or there was only one trick cigar. This always bothered me. I liked patterns to be finished.

Nine

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I like it.

I wonder if it originated in vaudeville or radio comedy. That would explain the lack of following verses. They're not needed after a punchline.

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

Maybe even schoolchildren have the sense not to meddle with a punchline. Think of "Be kind to your webfooted friends" breaking off at "Well, you may think that this is the end--"

Cartoons took a lot from vaudeville, and schoolyard cuture stole from both. We were still singing "Tar-ra-ra-boom-de-ay." Probably thanks to Bugs Bunny or some other Warner Brothers wise guy.

Nine

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

I remember that second one which must date me! :o)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I wonder if today's kids adapt carols to accomodate the likes of One Direction?