It was down in Chinatown,
All the cokies laid around,
Some were high and some were mighty low;
There were millions on the floor
When a knock came on the door,
And there stood old Smoky Joe.
He was sweatin', cold and pale,
He was lookin' for his frail,
He was broke and all his junk ran out;
Nobody made a sound,
As he stood and looked around,
And then you hear old Smoky shout:
Saying, "Tell me where is Minnie?
My poor Minnie!
Has she been here,
Kicking the gong around?"
"If you don't know Minnie,
She's tall and skinny,
She gets her pleasure
Kicking the gong around!"
[Scat chorus]
"Just tell her Smoky Joe
Was here and had to go."
And as he departed,
The curtains parted,
And there stood Minnie
Kicking the gong around!
Another version
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It was down in Chinatown,
All the cokies laid around,
Some were high and some were mighty low;
Count millions on the floor
When a knock came on the door,
And there stood old Smoky Joe.
He was sweatin', cold and pale,
He was lookin' for his frail,
He was broke and all his junk ran out;
As he stood and looked around,
Nobody made a sound,
And then you hear old Smoky shout:
"Tell me where is Minnie?
Oh, I want my little Minnie!
Has she been here,
Kicking the gong around?"
"If you don't know Minnie,
Oh, she's tall and skinny,
She gets her pleasure
Kicking the gong around!"
[Scat chorus]
"You just tell her Smoky Joe
Was here and had to go."
And as he departed,
The curtains parted,
And there was Minnie
Kickin' the gong around!