Song lyrics to Hooray for Captain Spaulding
Hooray for Captain Spaulding – Groucho Marx’ theme song, from the film Animal Crackers (1930), by Bert Kalmar / Harry Ruby, performed by Groucho Marx, Zeppo Marx, Margaret Dumont & Chorus
(All)
At last, we are to meet him,
The famous Captain Spaulding.
From climates hot and scalding,
The Captain has arrived.
Most heartily we’ll greet him,
With plain and fancy cheering.
Until he’s hard of hearing.
The Captain has arrived.
At last – The Captain has arrived.
(Butler)
Mr. Horatio W. Jamison, Field Secretary to Captain Spaulding.
(Jamison/Zeppo)
I represent the Captain who insists on my informing you of these conditions under which he camps here.
In one thing he is very strict, he wants his women young and picked and as for men, he won’t have any tramps here.
(All)
As for men he won’t have any tramps here,
There must be no tramps.
(Jamison/Zeppo)
The men must all be very old,
The women warm, the champagne cold.
It’s under these conditions that he camps here.
(Voice off Screen)
I’m announcing Captain Jeffery Spaulding.
(All)
He’s announcing Captain Jeffery Spaulding,
Oh dear, he is coming,
At last, he’s here.
(Spaulding/Groucho)
Hello, I must be going,
I cannot stay, I came to say, I must be going.
I’m glad I came, but just the same I must be going.
La La.
(Mrs. Rittenhouse/Margaret Dumont)
For my sake, you must stay.
If you should go away,
You’d spoil this party I am throwing.
(Spaulding/Groucho)
I’ll stay a week or two,
I’ll stay the summer through,
But I am telling you,
I must be going.
(All)
Before you go,
Will you oblige us,
And tell us of your deeds so glowing?
(Spaulding/Groucho)
I’ll do anything you say,
In fact. I’ll even stay!
(All)
Good!
(Spaulding/Groucho)
But I must be going.
(Jamison/Zeppo)
There’s something that I’d like to say,
That he’s too modest to relay.
The Captain is a moral man.
Sometimes he finds it trying.
(Spaulding/Groucho)
This fact I emphasize with stress,
I never take a drink unless – Somebody’s buying.
(All)
The Captain is a very moral man.
(Jamison/Zeppo)
If he hears anything obscene, He’ll naturally repel it.
(Spaulding/Groucho)
I hate a dirty joke I do,
Unless it’s told by someone who –
Knows how to tell it.
(All)
The Captain is a very moral man.
Hooray for Captain Spaulding, The African explorer.
(Spaulding/Groucho)
Did someone call me Shnorrer?
(All)
Hooray, Hooray, Hooray.
(Jamison/Zeppo)
He went into the jungle where all the monkeys throw nuts.
(Spaulding/Groucho)
If I stay here I’ll go nuts.
(All)
Hooray, Hooray, Hooray.
He put all his reliance, In courage and defiance,
And risked his life for science.
(Spaulding/Groucho)
Hey, hey.
(Mrs. Rittenhouse/Margaret Dumont)
You are the only white man to cover every acre.
(Spaulding/Groucho)
I think I’ll try and make her.
(All)
Hooray, Hooray, Hooray.
He put all his reliance, In courage and defiance,
And risked his life for science.
(Spaulding/Groucho)
Hey, hey.
(All)
Hooray for Captain Spaulding, The African explorer.
He brought his name undying fame
And that is why we say, Hooray, Hooray, Hooray.
(Spaulding/Groucho attempts to speak)
My friends, I am highly gratified at this magnificent display of effusion and I want
you to know …
(All)
Hooray for Captain Spaulding, The African explorer.
He brought his name undying fame
And that is why we say, Hooray, Hooray, Hooray.
(Spaulding/Groucho)
My friends, I am highly gratified at this magnificent display of effusion and I want
you to know …
Hooray for Captain Spaulding, The African big hero…..
Well, somebody’s got to do it!