Willie the Weeper

About Willie the Weeper

"Willie the Weeper" is a song about drug addiction. It is based on a standard vaudeville song, likely written in 1904. It is credited to Walter Melrose, Grant Rymal, Marty Bloom, who published it with Morris Edwin H & Co Inc in 1908. The first recording was likely by Freddie Keppard between 1923 and 1926. Many artists recorded it in 1927, including Frankie "Half-Pint" Jaxon, Louis Armstrong and His Hot Seven, and King Oliver. Ernest Rodgers recorded a version, also in 1927, which shares several lines with Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher". The song has many different versions, but all share a common theme: Willie, a chimney sweeper with a dope habit, is introduced. The rest of the song is a description of his drug-induced dream. As Carl Sandburg wrote in his book The American Songbag: R. W. Gordon in his editorship of the Adventure magazine department "Old Songs That Men Have Sung" received thirty versions of Willy the Weeper, about one hundred verses different. Willy shoots craps with kings, plays poker with presidents, eats nightingale tongues a queen cooks for him; his Monte Carlo winnings come to a million, he lights his pipe with a hundred dollar bill, he has heart affairs with Cleopatra, the Queen of Sheba, and movie actresses. more »

Year:

2005

2:24

173 Views

Playlists:

#1

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Yonder comes Willie the weeper 
Saddest looking sight in all the town
Had a new love but couldn't keep her 
Now Willie's crying heart is broken down

You should have seen the smiling face that Willie wore
The day he found the thrill of her embrace
For the first time in his whole life Willie fell in love
But I took the smile right off of Willie's face took his place
Yonder comes Willie the weeper

I put on the smiling face that Willie wore 
And took her round for everyone to see
But she found someone else that she wanted more
Now Willis's smiling face laughs back at me look and see

I'm just like Willie the weeper 
Saddest looking sight in all the town
Had a new love but couldn't keep her 
Now mine and Willie's hearts are broken down

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Billy Walker

William Marvin "Billy" Walker (January 14, 1929 - May 21, 2006) was an American country music singer and guitarist best known for his 1962 hit, "(I'd Like to Be In) Charlie's Shoes". Nicknamed The Tall Texan, Walker had more than 30 charted records during a nearly 60-year career; and was a longtime member of the Grand Ole Opry. more »

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