Name: SHINANIKI-DA
Price range: $$

Type

Song

Composer

Harry Carlton

Lyricist

Harry Carlton

1929

Publisher

Lawrence Wright, London

Cover Artist

Nicholson

Notes

Turkey Rhubarb, also called Chinese Rhubarb, Indian Rhubarb and Russian Rhubarb (Rheum palmatum) is a medicinal root traded along the Silk Route.Carlton also wrote “C-o-n-s-t-a-n-t-i-n-o-p-l-e.”

Lyrics

Somewhere out in Turkestan,
There lives a Turkey Rhubarb man,
Whose name is Shinaniki Da.
There’s no Turk in Turkestan
Just like this Turkey Rhubarb man
Whose name is Shinaniki Da.
Don’t mistake, he makes a lot o’ money,
Playing on his Turkestan guitar.

CHORUS:
Oh! Shinaniki Da,
He play the guitar,
Outside a Bazaar, a-ah,a-ah!
While he play the guitar,
He smoke a cigar
And laugh-a the ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!
Ah! Tuesday and We’n’sday,
Don’t miss one day,
Thursday and Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday -Oh!
Shinaniki Da, He play the guitar,
Outside a Bazaar, aha, aha, Ha!

Old Shinank’s a man of rank,
With lots of rhino in the bank,
And plenty good Turkish Delight.
Old Shinank has got a tank
As big as Marble Arch, and swank in plenty,
Good Turkish alright.
Artful as a wagon load of monkeys,
Ev’ry time a Tourist comes in sight.

Any things and many things,
From elephants to ruby rings,
He’ll sell you, Shinaniki Da,
Ev’ry one who silver brings,
The place from whence your fortune springs,
He’ll tell you, Shinaniki Da.
If you do, or if you don’t believe him,
Old Shinank is not particular.