I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy

I woke this morning singing (I'm a) Yankee Doodle Dandy". Today marks Independence Day in the USA. I am looking forward to a celebration tonight (with the kids- Beth wouldn’t miss it!) at a friends house up in Golders Green. Our little bit of Americana – a real 4th of July picnic. It has been a yearly tradition for this family for many a year and we try not to miss it. They make us feel so welcome. One of the things I like most of about this gathering is it's internationalism, there are many non-Americans people who come to partake in marking the birth of our nation while eating and drinking traditional American food. The event is a potluck supper, followed by fireworks and singing traditional American songs. I have made my USA Jello Mold. (red white and blue layers!) to bring along.

So here it is: The lyrics to (I'm a) Yankee Doodle Dandy". We all know the chorus but most of us are not familiar with the whole song. (I'm a) Yankee Doodle Dandy" is a song from the Broadway musical Little Johnny Jones written by George M. Cohan. The play opened at the Liberty Theater on November 7, 1904. The play concerns the trials and tribulations of a fictional American jockey, Johnny Jones, who rides a horse named Yankee Doodle in the English Derby.

Verse 1
I'm the kid that's all the candy,
I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy,
I'm glad I am,
So's Uncle Sam.
I'm a real live Yankee Doodle,
Made my name and fame and boodle,
Just like Mister Doodle did, by riding on a pony.
I love to listen to the Dixie strain,
I long to see the girl I left behind me;
That ain't a josh,
She's a Yankee, by gosh.
Oh, say can you see,
Anything about a Yankee that's a phony?

Verse 2
Father's name was Hezikiah,
Mother's name was Ann Maria,
Yanks through and through.
Red, White and Blue Father was so Yankee-hearted,
When the Spanish war was started,
He slipped on a uniform and hopped upon a pony.
My mother's mother was a Yankee true,
My father's father was a Yankee too:
That's going some,
For the Yankees, by gum.
Oh, say can you see
Anything about my pedigree that's phony?

Chorus
I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy,
A Yankee Doodle, do or die;
A real live nephew of my Uncle Sam's,
Born on the Fourth of July.
I've got a Yankee Doodle sweetheart,
She's my Yankee Doodle joy.
Yankee Doodle came to London, just to ride the ponies;
I am the Yankee Doodle Boy.


So happy fourth of July to all my family and friends. I will be thinking of all of you today and missing home.