Transcription Help: Faux-riental song
Hi, friends.
The title of this early 1960s song is "Oriental Hop", which kind of says it all. The singer is Korean-born, but the lyrics mention Hong Kong and kimonos. In other words, it's a novelty record that plays off of US Americans' lack of knowledge of Asian culture and language (at least back then).
The singer does a pretty good job of enunciating the lyrics, but the lyrics themselves are sometimes dumb (imo), so it's hard to tell what she's singing. It could be nonsense syllables in some places, or it could be real words.
Here's what I have (or think I have). The words I'm pretty sure are WRONG are in double brackets [[ --- ]], with an arrow ➡️ at the start of the line. Let me know what you hear, please!
➡️Have you heard about the oriental [[----]]? (Note: sounds like "fish", but that makes no sense. The "stroll" was a dance; the "fish" was not.)
Have you heard about the oriental stroll?
They got the syncopated beat
That will knock you off your feet —
Yes, it will! A-bless a-my soul!
➡️You gotta hear the Hong Kong [[long beat]]
➡️When it begins ding-dong [[dong beat]]
Everybody at the oriental hop,
Suddenly we stop,
‘Cause chop, chop,
Cha-cha-cha.
To me as a US American, the song is a bit embarrassing. But it is a document of a certain time and place, so it does have some value, I guess!
Thanks for any help you can provide.
Keith (MoriokaBoy)
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keith,
i listened to it and the first sentence is a challange imho
but i listened futher ofcourse and spotted the next (can be wrong ofcourse)
Yes, it will! A-bless a-my soul! → Yes, it will! A bless of my soul!
??
i did ask the "Fish" question to AI-modus of google, and got the next answer:
~~~~~
Yes, the 'Fish' is indeed a dance name
but depending on the context it refers to something very different from the 'Stroll'.
The 50's 'Fish'
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Fish was a popular slow dance that was often described as a more intimate version of the Slow Drag.
The movement:
Couples stood close together and moved their pelvis in a rhythmic, grinding motion (often called "grinding").
Difference with the Stroll:
While the Stroll was a group dance (line dance) with specific steps in two rows,
the Fish was a dance for couples who stayed in one place
source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/notnostalgia/posts/2032134173799995/
That FB find is gold, @fatix! Thank you so much for going above and beyond. I knew about the "stroll", but I had looked into the "Fish" online, and I hadn't come up with anything ... even from AI. I guess your natural intelligence beats artificial intelligence! ⭐️ I think the "Fish" is just right. The songwriters were from Brooklyn, and probably kept their ears open for the latest teen slang.