Lyrics:
How'd You Like To Be The Ice Man [Version (a)]:
While strolling up town the other day
Saw a brownstone mansion on my way
I stopped to admire, 'twas simply divine
And couldn't help wishing that it was mine
A servant came out, then I asked of him
If Mr. Vanderbilt was in
I thought it the house of a millionaire
But he told me that the iceman resided there
How'd you like to be the Iceman?
How'd you like to be the Iceman?
The plumbers ain't in it
They froze them out
Each day with his wagon loaded down
Full of ice, he starts off for town
At Johnson's Cafe, a stop that me makes
Fills up the icebox with enormous cakes
When ready to start and move on his way
He tells the boss, "it's hot today"
The boss, with a wink, says
"What will it be?"
"Well I'll have a tin roof cocktail, that just suits me
How'd you like to be the Iceman?
How'd you like to be the Iceman?
Drinking tin roof cocktails
They're on the house
The grocery man is just close by
And the Iceman leaves him his supply
Then orders ten pounds of coffee that's ground
Ten pounds of his butter, thirty a pound
And ten pounds of sugar, ten pounds of tea
"How many pounds in all?" says he
The grocer than says "forty pounds are there"
"Well here's forty pounds of ice
So that makes us square"
How'd you like to be the Iceman?
How'd you like to be the Iceman?
They are like policemen
All on the beat
Before with his daily toil he's through
He will stop along Fifth Avenue
He jumps from his wagon, ice in the hook
Then meets in the kitchen a big fat cook
Spread out on the table, good things will lay
The Iceman knows the cook will say
"Have dinner with me, for it's very fine"
Now it's funny how he strikes there at dinnertime
How'd you like to be the Iceman?
How'd you like to be the Iceman?
Talk about a high living
Oh! what a cinch
While strolling up town the other day
Saw a brownstone mansion on my way
I stopped to admire, 'twas simply divine
And couldn't help wishing that it was mine
A servant came out, then I asked of him
If Mr. Vanderbilt was in
I thought it the house of a millionaire
But he told me that the iceman resided there
How'd you like to be the Iceman?
How'd you like to be the Iceman?
The plumbers ain't in it
They froze them out
Each day with his wagon loaded down
Full of ice, he starts off for town
At Johnson's Cafe, a stop that me makes
Fills up the icebox with enormous cakes
When ready to start and move on his way
He tells the boss, "it's hot today"
The boss, with a wink, says
"What will it be?"
"Well I'll have a tin roof cocktail, that just suits me
How'd you like to be the Iceman?
How'd you like to be the Iceman?
Drinking tin roof cocktails
They're on the house
The grocery man is just close by
And the Iceman leaves him his supply
Then orders ten pounds of coffee that's ground
Ten pounds of his butter, thirty a pound
And ten pounds of sugar, ten pounds of tea
"How many pounds in all?" says he
The grocer than says "forty pounds are there"
"Well here's forty pounds of ice
So that makes us square"
How'd you like to be the Iceman?
How'd you like to be the Iceman?
They are like policemen
All on the beat
Before with his daily toil he's through
He will stop along Fifth Avenue
He jumps from his wagon, ice in the hook
Then meets in the kitchen a big fat cook
Spread out on the table, good things will lay
The Iceman knows the cook will say
"Have dinner with me, for it's very fine"
Now it's funny how he strikes there at dinnertime
How'd you like to be the Iceman?
How'd you like to be the Iceman?
Talk about a high living
Oh! what a cinch
The Song:
In order for it to be more authentic, Beck filled out his Song Reader book with fragments of songs and melodies, as well as fictional album collections and song titles. On the back of "Saint Dude," there are a number albums listed, including the most sensational collection of songs, Prison And Mountain Songs (For Boys). "How'd You Like To Be The Ice Man" is listed as part of that.
Many, if not most, of the songs on the back of "Saint Dude" are references to older sheet music songs, and this is no exception. There is a ludicrous song from 1899 called "How'd You Like To Be The Iceman," which I gather is in between a 'comedy' song and a racist 'coon song.' Reading the lyrics don't help. But Beck included here as a play on the word 'ice' euphemistically meaning 'kill' and that this is a collection of songs about prison.
In order for it to be more authentic, Beck filled out his Song Reader book with fragments of songs and melodies, as well as fictional album collections and song titles. On the back of "Saint Dude," there are a number albums listed, including the most sensational collection of songs, Prison And Mountain Songs (For Boys). "How'd You Like To Be The Ice Man" is listed as part of that.
Many, if not most, of the songs on the back of "Saint Dude" are references to older sheet music songs, and this is no exception. There is a ludicrous song from 1899 called "How'd You Like To Be The Iceman," which I gather is in between a 'comedy' song and a racist 'coon song.' Reading the lyrics don't help. But Beck included here as a play on the word 'ice' euphemistically meaning 'kill' and that this is a collection of songs about prison.