My Father Was a Dutchman

Mein vader vos ein Dutchman Ch: Mit mein yaw-yaw, yaw! Mein vader vos ein Dutchman Ch: Mit mein yaw-yaw, yaw! Mein vader vos ein Dutchman, Und mein mutter vos ein Prussian Ch: Mit mein yaw, yaw, yaw! Ich spoke ein funny lingo, Ich spoke ein funny lingo, Gott for dommey, O by Yingo! Mit mein buckeroom, buggerum, stinkum, Vell, ve'll climb upon der steeples, Und ve'll spit down on de peoples. Und der polis-man, fireman, steepleman, Dey all climbs upon de steeple, Und dey laugh do all the peoples. Oh, ven I vos ein sailor, Ve'll ve trink up all der whiskey, Und it makes us feel damn frisky. Ve did all de vawdy houses, UInd ve hitchum up de trousers, Und ve catchum all der louses, Ve chase all der bretty frauleins, Und ve chase 'em und ve tease 'em, Und ve catch 'um und ve kees 'em.

Ja, Ja, Ja

O mitsch mein inkum stinkum buckeroom and mein ja, ja, ja, Mitsch mein inkum stinkum buckeroom And mein ja, ja, ja, Vell ve'll git up on der shteeples And ve'll spit down on der peoples, Mitsch mein ja, ja, ja!

Stan Hugill writes:

This song is a rather humorous attempt at Dutch, or perhaps German. A “Dutchman” in the lingo of the old-time sailorman was any member of the Nordic race except a Hollander, who was called “Holland Dutch.” The general term “Squarehead” was used for all Germans, Scandinavians, and seamen from the Low Countries.

Doerflinger (Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman) described the song as a ditty at the expense of the Dutch. He collected it from the singing of Captain Patrick Tayluer in New York, New York.