Fifty million frenchmen

Posted by Bruce Kahl on May 05, 2000

In Reply to: Fifty million frenchmen posted by Jamie on May 05, 2000

: anyone know the origin of "fifty million frenchmen can't be wrong"

Sophie Tucker, performing with the Ted Lewis Band, recorded a song with that title in 1927.

FIFTY MILLION FRENCHMEN CAN'T BE WRONG
by Rose, Raskin, & Fisher
as sung by Sophie Tucker

They say the French are naughty
They say the French are bad
They all declare that over there, the French are going mad.
They have a reputation of being very gay
I just got back from Paris, and I just want to say:
When they go parley-vee and parley-vou,
This for me, zat for you,
Fifty million Frenchmen can't be wrong.
When they go Ohh la la la la la la la
On the bully boulevard
Fifty million Frenchmen can't be wrong.
They shake-a the hand
They shake-a the feet
They roll ze eyes and kiss cafe right on the street
Even though the Irish and the Dutch
Say it don't amount to much
Fifty million Frenchmen can't be wrong.

Fifty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong 4-27-1927 New York, New York Columbia
Ted Lewis Band