Talk:Abdul Abulbul Amir

Folk song?

I find the sentence that this is "folk song written by Percy French and later set to music" to be very confusing. Are folk songs written by people? Are songs written then later set to music? I'm too lazy to research this history but I wish someone would.

I guess a song becomes a "Folk Song" when nobody remembers who wrote it, or the author is long dead, the copyright (if any) expired, and nobody cares. This poem used to be widely anthologized under the author's name back in the days when people actually read books.--Saxophobia 20:06, 25 June 2006 (UTC)

It does sound like a contradiction in terms, but there are other cases where a folk song began life as a poem and was later adapted to either a musical air that already existed or was in the appropriate style: Percy French's own "Gortnamona", "Down By The Sally Gardens" by William Butler Yeats, and Jerusalem -- words by William Blake, 1804, music by Hubert Parry, 1916. Another example is where new words were custom-fitted to an existing melody, like The Red Flag by Jim Connell for the tune of "The White Cockade" (and later the much drearier "Tannenbaum"), or "On Raglan Road", by Patrick Kavanagh, for the air "The Dawning of the Day". Of course, if you try that and you're not a Connell or a Kavanagh, you might just end up with filk. Ben-w 05:12, 31 July 2006 (UTC)

Eisenhower's favorite song

If you go to the Eisenhower Farm at Gettysburg Pa. as the guide takes you through his main living room the guide will tell you that this was loved by the General. He played it on the piano, and sung it with much gusto but very little quality at family gatherings. Maybe it stems from a marching song during his West Point days. He did not make it to WW1.72.228.50.136 13:56, 12 February 2007 (UTC)

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Tighten up the introduction

Need to fix the following line: "It tells the story of two valiant heroes — a Russian and one of the Shah's mamelukes" Given the geographical reference to the Danube and the poem's reference to 'the Sultan,' it's not likely any Shah was associated with the poem. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.180.79.243 (talk) 00:57, 15 January 2010 (UTC)

Doubts about title and text

I have a copy of "The Scottish Student's Song Book" dated 1897 in which this appears under the title "Abdul, the Bulbul Ameer", and with words similar, but not identical, to those given here. No author is given for the words, but there is an acknowledgement "By special permission of Mr. John Blockley, 16 Mortimer Street, London W." The tune is attributed to "Ali Baba".

In view of the date, this must be a more credible version of Percy French's original than Frank Crumit's is. I'm inclined to make a corresponding move and edits at some point in time, but if anyone has any better information, please give it here. SamuelTheGhost (talk)

Brendan O'Dowda the Irish Folksinger, interviewed the daughters of Percy French and researched the original song in 1981. He also claimed to have gotten a bregrudging acknowledgement from the publishers that Percy was the actual author. The lyrics in O'Dowda's 'The World of Percy French' differs from what he identifies as 'the pirated version' in several respects. Abdullah Bulbul Ameer is the spelling for the Turk, and Ivan Potschinski Skidar is the spelling for the Russian.

In the 1928 sequel to Beau Geste, the novelist has a femme fatale whistle a tune (which the narrator identified as 'that popular aire') then she sings a verse to tease the French Legionairre she calls 'Major Ivan.' She uses the words 'Ivan Potschjinski Skivah.' So again in 1928 (this is before Crummit) the lyrics were closer to French's original than the words known to WWII veterans, which due to vaudville and radio, were likely Crummit's version. 76.233.198.239 (talk) 20:03, 21 November 2010 (UTC) foxtale

Similar Version

For what it's worth, here's the version I learned as a child (the biggest difference seems to be the line about Caruso): jaknouse (talk) 14:16, 7 April 2011 (UTC)

The sons of the prophets were mighty and bold,

And quite unaccustomed to fear,

But the bravest of all was a man, I am told,

Named Abdul the Bulbul Emir.

If they needed a man to encourage the van,

Or to harass the foe from the rear,

Or to storm a redoubt, they would send up a shout,

For Abdul the Bulbul Emir.

There were heroes aplenty and men known to fame

Who fought in the ranks of the Tsar,

But none of more fame than a man by the name,

Of Ivan Skvinsky Skvar.

He could sing like Caruso, both tenor and bass,

He could play on the Spanish guitar--

In fact, quite the cream of the Muscovite team

Was Ivan Skvinsky Skvar.

One day this bold Muscovite shouldered his gun

And walked down the street with a sneer.

He was looking for fun when he happened to run

Across Abdul the Bulbul Emir.

"Young man," said Abdul, "Is existence so dull

You wish to end your earthly career?

For, infidel know, you have trod on the toe

Of Abdul the Bulbul Emir!"

"So take your last look at sunshine and brook

And send your regards to the Tsar--

By which I imply you are going to die,

Mr. Ivan Skvinsky Skvar!"

Then this bold Mameluke drew his trusty chibook

Crying "Allah! Oh, Allah akbar!"

And with murderous intent, he most suddenly went

For Ivan Skvinsky Skvar.

On a stone by the bank where the Neva doth roll

Is written in characters clear:

"Oh, stranger, remember to pray for the soul

Of Abdul the Bulbul Emir!"

While a Muscovite maiden her vigil doth keep

By the light of the cold northern star,

And the name that she constantly cries in her sleep

Is "Ivan Skvinsky Skvar."