To Suicide and Marriage v. CU

[Mark A. Mandel]

Here's a citation from before 1928. I know "suicide" intransitive from a
humorous song I learned from my father in the 50s, "Romeo and Juliet". A
Google search turned up one version on somebody's blog
(http://thefrazzledsister.blogspot.com/2005_11_01_thefrazzledsister_archive.html),
attributed to Fred Newton Scott but with no further information. Then I went
to the Mudcat Cafe and found this (see 2nd stanza):

>>>>>>>>

http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=62075#1297700
Humorous male/female duets

Subject: Lyr Add: ROMEO AND JULIET (tune 'Long Long Ago')
From: cetmst
Date: 15 Oct 04 - 07:00 AM

My wife taught me this before we were married 52 years ago, finally found a
slightly different printed version in "Paradology" compiled by E.O. Harbin,
1928.

Romeo and Juliet
Tune: Long, Long Ago

Duet:
Come now and listen to our tale of woe,
Of Juliet and Romeo.
Right out of Shakespeare, it's something you know,
Of Juliet and Romeo.
Ne'er was a story so mournful as that one -
If you've a tear now prepare to get at one.
Romeo's the thin one and Juliet's the fat one.
O Romeo, O Juliet.

He:
I am the hero of this little tale,
I'm Romeo, I'm Romeo.
I am the highly susceptible male,
I'm Romeo, I'm Romeo
Never did lover dare do as I did;
When my best girl to eternity slided,
I took cold poison and I suicided.
I'm Romeo, I'm Romeo.

She:
I am the heroine of this tale of woe,
I'm Juliet, I'm Juliet.
I am the lady who won Romeo,
I'm Juliet, I'm Juliet.
Locked in the prison, no pickax to force it,
Nasty old hole, scarce room to stand or sit,
I stabbed myself right through the corset,
I'm Juliet, I'm Juliet.

Duet:
This of our tale is the short and the long,
Of Romeo and Juliet.
This is the moral of our little song,
Of Romeo and Juliet.
Lovers we warn you, always be wary,
Don't buy your drinks of an apothecary,
Don't stab yourself in the left pulmonary,
Like Romeo and Juliet.

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-- Mark A. Mandel, The Filker With No Nickname
   http://filk.cracksandshards.com/

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