The Road to Morocco

THE ROAD TO MOROCCO
(Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen)

Bing originally recorded the title tune from the film Road to Morocco without the aid of his co-star, Bob Hope, on June 10, 1942. It wasn’t until December 1944, two years after the release of the film, that Bing and Bob recorded for commercial release a duet of the title tune accompanied by the Vic Schoen Orchestra. “The Road to Morocco” spent one week in the pop charts in 1945 at the No. 21 spot.

Note that there are changes in the lyrics because the song switched media. In the movie, for example, they sing in the second line, “this taxi is tough on the spine” because the visual of them riding a camel made the joke work. In the purely auditory medium of radio, this had to be changed. Not only does the nature of the media make a difference, but the intertextuality differs. Thus the line in the film version, “Of any villains we may meet, we will have no fears/Paramount will protect us, we’re signed up for five more years” is here changed to “We may run into villains but we’re not afraid to roam/Because we read the story and we end up safe at home.”

We’re off on the road to Morocco
This camel is tough on the spine (hit me with a band-aid, Dad)
Where they’re goin’, why we’re goin’, how can we be sure?
I’ll lay you eight to five that we’ll meet Dorothy Lamour (yeah, get in line)

Off on the road to Morocco
Hang on till the end of the line (I like your jockey. Quiet)
I hear this country’s where they do the dance of the seven veils
We’d tell you more (uh-ah) but we would have the censor on our tails (good boy)

We certainly do get around
Like Webster’s Dictionary we’re Morocco bound

We’re off on the road to Morocco
Well look out, well clear the way, ’cause here we come
(Stand by for a concussion)
The men eat fire, sleep on nails and saw their wives in half
It seems to me there should be easier ways to get a laugh
(shall I slip on my big shoes?)

Off on the road to Morocco
Hooray! Well blow a horn, everybody duck
(Yeah. it’s a green light, come on boys)

We may run into villains but we’re not afraid to roam
Because we read the story and we end up safe at home (yeah)
Certainly do get around
Like Webster’s Dictionary we’re Morocco bound

We certainly do get around
Like a complete set of Shakespeare that you get
in the corner drugstore for a dollar ninety-eight
We’re Morocco bound

Or, like a volume of Omar Khayyam that you buy in the
department store at Christmas time for your cousin Julia
We’re Morocco bound
(we could be arrested)