# What's the real name of that "There's a Place in France . . ." song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [February 16, 2003, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487 "2003-02-16T19:46:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![smithsonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@smithsonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsonian)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/1 "2003-02-16T19:46:18Z")
I recently went on a classic animation binge, watching a collection of old Mickey Mouse cartoons, followed by a bunch of Felix shorts. One thing that struck me as odd was how all the cartoons from the '20s and '30s seem to use the same songs over and over, particularly “Turkey in the Straw” and this . . . other song. The song in question sounds vaguely Middle Eastern, and in the cartoons it usually accompanies something exotic or foreign-seeming, like a snake charmer or a turban-clad man riding an elephant. Everyone’s probably heard this tune, and when I was a kid (early '80s), we even had lyrics for it: "There’s a place in France where the naked ladies dance; there’s a hole in the wall where the men can see it all; but the men don’t care, 'cause they choose their underwear . . . . " So, what is the real title of this song? Who wrote it? Why was it used so extensively in old cartoons? And how long have kids had their own lyrics for the song? Brian Shreveport, LA ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/2 "2003-02-16T19:52:39Z")
[Here](http://members.lycos.nl/catchytune/egypt.mid) is the tune as a MIDI file. ---
**Author:** ![smithsonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@smithsonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsonian)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/3 "2003-02-16T20:02:40Z")
> **["There's a Place in France" aka "Streets of Cairo" - That "Snake Charmer" Song](http://www.shira.net/streets-of-cairo.htm)** > > Learn the history of the song Streets of Cairo, which the general public in North America associates with belly dancing, snake charmers, and 'There's a place in France...' Okay, I answered my own question. (Searched the archives here, which I should’ve done first). This site discusses the tune (written by Sol Bloom, but stolen and used by numerous performers at the turn of the century). I am still curious about the schoolyard lyrics, though. Anyone know anything about variations/earliest recorded version? Brian ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/4 "2003-02-16T20:04:42Z")
[Not so fast:](http://ctc.portland.co.uk/answers.html) > [@](#): > > B01.Kradoutja or Hootchy Kootchy Dance or Hoolah Hoolah or The Dance Of The Midway or Coochi Coochi Polka or Danse Du Ventre or Kutchi Kutchi or Kutchy Kutchy or Koochie Koochie Dance or The Streets Of Cairo or The Poor Little Country Maid (midi-9kB) - The 1893 Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition seems to be the source of - at least the popularity of - this tune. Sol Bloom claimed he ad libbed it to accompany a dancer and forgot to claim copyright. It quickly became very popular under scores of titles. However! An 1857 French print of the melody has been found, that states this actually is an Algerian or Arabic traditional called Kradoutja, dating back to at least the 17th century. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/5 "2003-02-16T22:49:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by smithsonian \* > \*\* > I am still curious about the schoolyard lyrics, though. Anyone know anything about variations/earliest recorded version? > > Brian \*\* The version I heard as a kid: There’s a place in France where the ladies where no pants (then it continues about underwear, but I think different from the OP’s version. Can’t remember it, sorry.) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/6 "2003-02-16T22:55:13Z")
1950’s, southern Ontario version There’s a place called France Where the ladies wear no pants And the men wear glasses To see their dirty asses ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/7 "2003-02-17T00:06:38Z")
I remember: _“There’s a place on Mars, Where the women smoke cigars”_ ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/8 "2003-02-17T00:29:04Z")
“There’s a place in France Where the ladies were no pants And the men go 'round With their hammers hanging down.” Burnaby (Vancouver) BC, c1970. ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/9 "2003-02-17T00:31:09Z")
Rat’s! I don’t know what kind of ladies they WERE, but they didn’t WEAR pants! (Preview, zoogirl, PREVIEW!) ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/10 "2003-02-17T01:26:15Z")
There’s a place in France Where the naked ladies dance But the men don’t care Cause they don’t wear underwear Circa 1975, central Minnesota. I’d like to get my hands on a copy of that Kradoutja. ---
**Author:** ![jack\_ss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c77e96/32.png) [@jack\_ss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jack_ss)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/11 "2003-02-17T02:29:35Z")
There’s a place in France Where the naked ladies dance. There’s a hole in the wall Where the boys can see it all. Was what I heard in St. Louis in the early 70s ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/12 "2003-02-17T02:43:14Z")
There’s a place in France Where the alligators dance The one couldn’t dance So they kicked him in the pants The pants next door Cost a dollar forty four Plus tax. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/13 "2003-02-17T02:49:07Z")
There’s a board we know Where the happy Dopers go Unca Cecil rants, “Gotta stomp out ignorance!” _takes a bow_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/14 "2003-02-17T03:08:17Z")
I knew a slightly different version: In the land of Oz Where the ladies where no bras But the men don’t care 'cuz they wear no underwear ---
**Author:** ![batsto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b2d939/32.png) [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/15 "2003-02-17T17:00:26Z")
The version we sang where I live (central NJ, late 70s) goes: there’s a place in France where the naked ladies dance There’s a hole in the wall Where the men can see it all ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/16 "2003-02-17T17:13:52Z")
Hmmm, of all the lost childhood memories, I still remember: They don’t wear pants in the southern part of France, But they do wear grass to cover up their ass. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/17 "2003-02-18T01:04:49Z")
Similar to racer72’s, Mid-Atlantic area, c 1970 There’s a place in France Where the alligators dance One wouldn’t dance So they shot him in the pants The pants he wore Cost a dollar ninety-four Plus tax. Also, There’s a place on Mars Where the ladies smoke cigars. Every puff they take Is enough to kill a snake. When the snakes are dead They put diamonds in their head. When the diamonds crack, They put mustard on their back. When the mustard dries, They put rubies in their eyes… I don’t understand their motivation, of course. I merely report. ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/18 "2003-02-18T02:24:24Z")
All I remember is the first two lines: _Oh, they don’t wear pants On the sunny side of France._ ---
**Author:** ![babalouie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@babalouie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/babalouie)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/19 "2022-01-22T16:23:29Z")
Here is the version heard in the early 70s as a kid. There’s a place in France where the alligators dance and the dance they do was written by a jew. but the jew couldn’t dance so they kicked him in the pants and the pants he wore cost a dollar ninety four plus tax. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2022, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487/20 "2022-01-24T10:50:31Z")
We know of a location to the north of the Iberian Peninsula where skyclad ecdyists ply their trade. Through an aperture in the boundary the males are able to observe their actions. However due to their own lack of undergarments they have no interest in doing so, [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-real-name-of-that-theres-a-place-in-france-song/155487.md?page=2)