Tiptoe through the tulips

Posted by Smokey Stover on August 02, 2005

In Reply to: Tiptoe through the tulips posted by Grace Wu on August 02, 2005

: I'm totally in the dark here about a phrase " to tiptoe through the tulips". Can anyone help me out of here? Thank you very much.

"Tiptoe throught the Tulips" was a 1929 song by Al Dubina and Joe Burke, made popular (again) by Tiny Tim (born Herbert Buckingham Khaury) in the 1960s and 1970s. Tiny Tim had a distinctive style. He sang "Tiptoe," which became a sort of theme-song of his, in his usual falsetto voice, wearing a fancy costume, with his ukelele on his knee. His performance of the song became immensely popular; it was a jaunty tune with cheerful words, and sung by a musician with style. A very distinctive style.

Tiptoe through the window,
By the window, that is where I'll be;
Come tiptoe through the tulips with me.
Knee deep in flowers we'll stray,
We'll keep the showers away,
And if I kiss you in the garden, in the moonlight
Will you pardon me
And tiptoe through the tulips with me?

Oh, tiptoe from the garden,
By the garden of the willow tree,
And tiptoe through the tulips with me

Knee deep in flowers we'll stray ...

Tiny Tim no longer tiptoes through the tulips. He died in 1996, just after singing "Tiptoe through the tulips" one more time. SS

• Tiptoe through the tulips Smokey Stover 02/August/05