The Czar Song

(a.k.a. - "An Intimate Friend Of The Czar", "The Palace Of The Czar" & "Shootin' With Rasputin")

Words:

Gene Raskin (music: unknown)

Many thanks to Songhound Elizabeth Block who started the search for the writer of this song. She found it in a book by Jerry Silverman entitled "62 Outrageous Songs". From there, I was able to tweak my web searches until I discovered that Gene Raskin wrote the word to this tune. According to his granddaughter -- who has her own version on YouTube -- "Shootin' With Rasputin" is the official title of this song. Any hints on the composer?

Am Dm

A personal friend of the Czar was I,

Am E

An intimate friend of the great Nicholai.

Am Dm

We practically slept in the same double bed,

Am E

I at the foot, and he at the head.

PRE-CHORUS:

Am Dm

But all that seems distant and all that seems far,

Am E E7

Were those wonderful nights in the palace of the Czar, when----

CHORUS:

I was shootin' with Rasputin, ate farina with Czarina,

E Am

Blintzes with the princess and the Czar (Hey! Hey! Hey!)

We were sharing tea and herring, dipped banana in Smetana,

E Am E Am

Borscht and vorscht around the samovar, hoo-ha!

Friends with the Czar was I for life,

[alt: "The Czar & I were friends for life"

or: "A friend of the Czar, I was all his gracious life."]

But friendlier still was I with his wife.

[alt: "Much better friends was I with his pretty, young wife."

or: "More intimate still with his pretty, young wife."]

We practically slept in the same double bed,

'Til the Czar kicked me out and slept there instead.

PRE-CHORUS: & CHORUS:

One bloody day revolution broke out,

I went to see what the tsimis was about.

I finally bid old Rushka goodbye,

For it was a case of Lenin or I.

[alt verse: Then one bloody day revolution broke out,

I went to see what all the fuss was about.

Now, here is the story, as it seemed to be,

It was clearly a case of Lenin --- or me.

OR:

BUT! - One awful day revolution broke out,

I failed to see what the fuss was about.

So one frosty morning I bid Russia good-bye.

It was simply a case of Lenin or I.]

PRE-CHORUS: & CHORUS:

The boss took my money and left me in the cold,

All I had left were some rubles and gold.

I turned about for New York City,

Where I got even on the Un-American Activities Committee.

[alt verse: Yes the Bolsheviks came, kicked me out in the cold

[alt, too: "The Reds took my dough, kicked me out in the cold"]

And all I had left were some diamonds and gold.

But I'll get my revenge here, and I'll have no pity

By giving my testimony to the House Un-American Activities Committee!]

PRE-CHORUS: & CHORUS:

Another version subs the last two verses with this one verse:

The revolution came, I was out in the cold.

All the Bolsheviks left me was my silver and gold.

The Reds kicked me out without any pity.

But I got even, on the McCarthy Committee.

[alt final line: " "Yes, I was penniless. But the Czar, ah, he was... Nicholas."]