Arthur Askey - I Want A Banana
June 28, 2007 · Print This Article
Arthur Askey - I Want A Banana (Chords)
Whether it was the wartime rationing, it’s phallic nature, or the fact that bananas have no bones; the banana was something of an obsession in wartime songs. If you hadn’t guessed by the title, the hat and the mid-YMCA pose, this is a novelty song. As with any good novelty song, this burrows into your head so deeply it would take a drill to get it out. And after having it rotate in my brain for an hour today, the drill option looked quite appealing.
In the verses, it’s worth emphasizing the melody notes of the chords (usually the note on the highest string) and you might need this little beauty:
Requested by Bromley Plonker
I can confirm the wartime preocupation with bananas. I was born in 1938, and can remember vividly the first time I ever saw one in the flesh. I must have been about eight years old. I’d seen many illustrations, and heard several comic songs. I must admit I was a bit disappointed. It seemed to be quite different from my expectations - whatever they were at the time.
Good old Arthur!
I had a similar experience with passion fruit. From the name I’d imagined them to be exotic and enchantingly beautiful. Then I got my hands on one and it was a purple lump with goo inside. They are tasty, though.