Re: Rasputin - lyrics, anybody?

On Wed, 20 Nov 1996, Arlene Hills wrote:
> Does anyone have the lyrics to this con-standard?

Not all of them, but I'll give you what I can from memory.

> I can remember the chorus but don't know the verses, let alone who
> wrote/sang it.

Wrote/sang: a group called "Boney M" (or maybe "Boney-M").

> Please send replies directly to me rather than the list,
> unless you think it's of general interest.

I'm hoping other people can fill in where I don't know them, so I'm sending it to the list. Where I'm not certain of the words at all, I've included them <in angle-brackets>, and where there are two possible wordings I can hear, I've [marked them like this|used square brackets to mark them].

So. Here goes (more may follow when I'm at home, and have the tape handy to listen to):

There lived a certain man in Russia long ago He was big and strong, and his eyes [would flame and glow|were flaming gold] Most people looked at him with terror and with fear But to Moscow chicks he was such a lovely dear

He could [preach|teach] the Bible like a preacher Full of ecstacy and fire
But he also was the kind of teacher
Women would desire

CHORUS:
Rah, rah, Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
There was a cat that really was gone
Rah, rah, Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
It was a shame how he carried on.

<> and never mind the Tsar,
But the Kaiser thought he was really vunderbar At all affairs of state he was the man to please But he was real great when he had a girl to squeeze

To the queen he was no wheeler-dealer
Though she knew the things he'd done
She believed he was a holy healer
Who could heal her son

CHORUS <SPOKEN>
But as <> his drinking, and lusting, and his hunger for power became known to more and more people, the demands to do something about this outrageous fellow became louder and louder.
</SPOKEN>

"This man has got to go" declared his enemies But the ladies said, "Don't you try to do it please." <> Rasputin had lots of hidden charms
Though he was a brute, they just fell into his arms

Then one night some men of <highest standing> Set a trap--they're not to blame
"Come to visit us" they kept demanding
And he really came

CHORUS Rah, rah, Rasputin,
Lover of the Russian queen
They put some poison into his wine
Rah, rah, Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
He drank it all and said "I feel fine"

Rah, rah, Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
They didn't quit, they wanted his head
Rah, rah, Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
And so they shot him 'till he was dead.

<SPOKEN>
Oh, those Russians.
</SPOKEN> Received on 11/20/96