It was down in Chinatown,
|
All the cokies laid around,
|
Some were high and some were mighty low;
|
There were millions on the floor
|
When a knock came on the door,
|
And there stood old Smoky Joe.
|
|
He was sweatin', cold and pale,
|
He was lookin' for his frail,
|
He was broke and all his junk ran out;
|
Nobody made a sound,
|
As he stood and looked around,
|
And then you hear old Smoky shout:
|
|
Saying, "Tell me where is Minnie?
|
My poor Minnie!
|
Has she been here,
|
Kicking the gong around?"
|
|
"If you don't know Minnie,
|
She's tall and skinny,
|
She gets her pleasure
|
Kicking the gong around!"
|
|
[Scat chorus]
|
|
"Just tell her Smoky Joe
|
Was here and had to go."
|
And as he departed,
|
The curtains parted,
|
And there stood Minnie
|
Kicking the gong around!
|
|
|
Another version
|
----------------------
|
It was down in Chinatown,
|
All the cokies laid around,
|
Some were high and some were mighty low;
|
Count millions on the floor
|
When a knock came on the door,
|
And there stood old Smoky Joe.
|
|
He was sweatin', cold and pale,
|
He was lookin' for his frail,
|
He was broke and all his junk ran out;
|
As he stood and looked around,
|
Nobody made a sound,
|
And then you hear old Smoky shout:
|
|
"Tell me where is Minnie?
|
Oh, I want my little Minnie!
|
Has she been here,
|
Kicking the gong around?"
|
|
"If you don't know Minnie,
|
Oh, she's tall and skinny,
|
She gets her pleasure
|
Kicking the gong around!"
|
|
[Scat chorus]
|
|
"You just tell her Smoky Joe
|
Was here and had to go."
|
And as he departed,
|
The curtains parted,
|
And there was Minnie
|
Kickin' the gong around!
|
|
-----------------
|
Kickin' the Gong Around
|
Cab Calloway |