Track Title:               Mischa, Jascha, Toscha, Sascha


Prime Artist:              Unknown
Lyrics by:                 Ira Gershwin     (b. Israel Gershvin)
Music by:                  George Gershwin     (b. Jacob Gershvin)
Lyrics:
Written merely for the writers own amusement in 1922 about four famous Russia
born violinists.  Became published in 1932 for the De Luxe edition of George
Gershwin's Song-Book by Random House.

Verse 1

We really think you ought to know*
That we were born right in the middle
Of Darkest Russia.
When we were three years old or so,
We all began to play the fiddle
In Darkest Russia.
When we began,
Our notes were sour-
Until a man
(Professor Auer)
Set out to show us, one and all,
How we could pack them in,
In Carnegie Hall.

Refrain 1

Temp'ramental Oriental Gentlemen are we:
Mischa, Jascha, Toscha, Sascha-
Fiddle-lee, diddle-lee, dee.
Shakespeare says, "What's in a name?"
With him we disagree.
Names like Sammy, Max or Moe
Never bring the heavy dough
Like Mischa, Jascha, Toscha, Sascha-
Fiddle-lee, diddle-lee, dee.

Verse 2

Though born in Russia, sure enough,
We're glad that we became relations
Of Uncle Sammy.
For though we play the high-brow stuff,
We also like the syncopations
Of Uncle Sammy.
Our magic bow
Plays Liszt and Schumann;
But then you know
We're only human
And like to shake a leg to jazz.
(Don't think we've not the feelings
Everyone has.)

Refrain 2

Temp'ramental Oriental Gentlemen are we:
Mischa, Jascha, Toscha, Sascha-
Fiddle-lee, diddle-lee, dee.
High-brow He-brow may play low-brow
In his privacy.
But when concert halls are packed,
Watch us stiffen up and act
Like Mischa, Jascha, Toscha, Sascha-
Fiddle-lee, diddle-lee, dee.

Verse 3

You find our pictures ev'rywhere.*
They show you we're artistic persons
Who play the fiddle.
When critics hear us, they declare
The rest are all so many worse 'uns
Who play the fiddle.
We're from the best;
The critics said it-
But to the rest
We still give credit.
And so we want it understood
We think that Paganini also was good.

Refrain 3

Temp'ramental Oriental Gentlemen are we:
Mischa, Jascha, Toscha, Sascha-
Fiddle-lee, diddle-lee, dee.
We give credit when it's due-
But then you must agree
That outside of dear old Fritz,