Words and music by E. Ray Goetz and Irving Berlin".]



[1st verse:]

Fiddler Joe from Kokomo took lessons on the piccolo

After seven years or so, he could play a violin

Beneath his whiskered chin, he'd tuck his violin

And when you least expected, Fiddler Joseph would begin



[chorus:]

On his fid-fid-fid-fid-fid-fid-fiddle-dee-dee!

He played a melody

As plain as plain could be

Now he might have played that tune

On his harp or his bassoon

But he played it on his fid-fid-fiddle-dee-dee!



[2nd verse:]

Joseph met a girl last Spring who said, "Come up and bring a ring"

Joseph had no ring to bring, so he brought his violin

A cunning B flat grin hung from his whiskered chin

And when the maiden shouted, "Mister Fiddler Man, begin"



[additional verses:]

Joe and Jim, like two big fools, went one night to steal some jewels

Joseph had no burglar tools, so he brought his violin

Soon Joseph said to Jim, "This is the house, go in

Go in, and I'll accomp'ny you on my violin"



When Miss Stiles wed farmer Giles, the folks came round from miles and

miles

Fiddler Joe, with many smiles, brought along his violin

The "Wedding March" you see, had slipped his memory

So, as they walked the aisle, he played this simple melody



Joseph watched some people play the game we call croquet one day

Joseph couldn't play croquet, so he played his violin

A lady, tall and thin, took out a long hat-pin

And, while Joseph wasn't looking, stuck him in his violin



Joe's wife couldn't stand the breeze that came from some Limburger

cheese

So she put the cheese and the breeze into Joseph's violin

When first she put it in, the cheese was weak and thin

But when the cheese grew strong enough, it choked the violin



The doctor told poor Joseph's dad, "Joe needs an operation bad"

So they cut 'most all he had, all except his violin

The doc said with a grin, "To stop would be a sin

There's nothing left to cut, so let's cut his violin