Yes! We Have No Bananas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "Yes! We Have No Bananas" |
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| Published | March 23, 1923 |
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"Yes! We Have No Bananas" is a very famous American novelty song. It was written by Frank Silver and Irving Cohn. The song was first published on March 23, 1923.
It quickly became a huge hit in 1923. Many singers recorded it, like Billy Jones and Billy Murray. It was so popular that it reached the number one spot for five weeks! Later, famous bands like Benny Goodman and Spike Jones & His City Slickers also recorded it.
This song sold more sheet music than any other song in American history. It even inspired a follow-up song called "I've Got the Yes! We Have No Bananas Blues."
Contents
The Song's Story
Frank Silver, one of the writers, shared how the song came to be. He told Time Magazine about a fruit seller he knew. This seller was Greek and always started his sentences with "Yess."
Silver found the way the seller spoke very catchy. He and his friend Irving Cohn decided to write a song based on this funny way of speaking. That's how "Yes! We Have No Bananas" was born.
A Song for Unity
In 1932, this song became important during protests in Belfast, Northern Ireland. People were protesting about not having enough help for those who were struggling.
What was special was that both Protestant and Catholic people protested together. This was rare at the time. They used "Yes! We Have No Bananas" because it was one of the few songs everyone knew. It helped bring them together. The song even gave its name to a book about this difficult time in Belfast.
Bananas Disappearing
The shopkeeper who inspired the song might have been affected by a problem with bananas. Around that time, a plant disease called Panama disease caused a worldwide crash in banana crops. This meant fewer bananas were available.
The phrase "Yes! We Have No Bananas" was used again during rationing in the United Kingdom in World War II. The British government stopped importing bananas for five years. Shop owners would put signs in their windows saying "Yes, we have no bananas." This showed they were supporting the war effort.
Where Did the Tune Come From?
A music expert named Sigmund Spaeth had an interesting idea about the song's melody. He thought parts of the tune might have come from other well-known songs.
He suggested it sounded like pieces of the "Hallelujah Chorus" from Messiah by Handel. He also thought it sounded like "My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean" and "I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls".
If you replace the original words with parts of these other songs, it sounds like this:
Hallelujah, Bananas! Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me
I dreamt that I dwelt in marble halls—the kind that you seldom see
I was seeing Nellie home, to an old-fashioned garden: but,
Hallelujah, Bananas! Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me!
Spaeth even used this idea when he was a witness in court.
Public Domain
On January 1, 2019, "Yes! We Have No Bananas" entered the public domain in the United States. This means the song's copyright expired. Now, anyone can use, perform, or adapt the song without needing special permission.
