It's been raining here
in Long Beach
The dampness in the air
Tends to straighten out my hair
Against its wishes
But the traces of a
song reach
My tattered ear once more
And lend me courage to ignore
The smell of fishes
I was a drunken lout, I ran about
With ladies that I knew
I did 'em wrong all night long
Singing 23 skidoo
Huzzah huzzah
Once upon a time I was
a kid
Well I don't know what happened then
But I'm warning all you younger men
On your way to Long Beach think again
You can't afford to
settle down in Long Beach
I had a raccoon coat, a paddle boat
I played the ukulele
Beneath the moon in June I'd croon,
"Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey"
Huzzah huzzah
Once upon a time I was
a kid
But now my hair is turning gray
And I'm getting fatter every day
If you got any sense you'll stay away
And never give another thought to Long Beach
And never give a moment's thought to Long Beach