Lydia the Queen of Tattoos Trivia Quiz

Answer: At the Circus

"At the Circus" was a Marx brothers film made in 1939.

Answer: The Fisher King

Robin Williams' character sings the song to Amanda Plummer's character, Lydia, while they are eating at a restaurant. This is one of my favorite scenes from this great movie.

Answer: Hesperus

"The Wreck of the Hesperus" is a poem written by Henry Longfellow.

Answer: Andrew Jackson

In the version sung in "The Fisher King", Robin Williams changes this line to "Up the hill comes Michael Jackson".

Answer: Paree

Of course, Paree is Paris, France. Kankakee is the other city shown on Lydia.

Answer: It's a Living

In a very funny scene, Sonny (played by Paul Kreppel) plays the song until a waitress closes the keyboard cover on his fingers. Maxwell Klinger does sing it in an episode of M.A.S.H. but he is not a pianist.

Answer: The Muppet Show

Probably one of my favorite skits from "The Muppet Show", Lydia the pig's dancing is hysterical! The song is sung by Kermit the Frog. You can find a copy of this scene on youtube if you've never gotten to see it.

Answer: Groucho Marx

After singing it in "At the Circus", it became one of Groucho Marx' best known songs.

Answer: Hitler

This line was removed from the song for some performances of it since the writers felt it would date the song too much.

Answer: a torso even more so

"Lydia the Queen of Tattoos" has been a favorite of mine ever since hearing it sung in "The Fisher King" I leave you now with the lyrics to the song.


"Lydia oh Lydia, say have you met Lydia,
Lydia, the Tattooed Lady.
She has eyes that folks adore so,
And a torso even more so.

Lydia oh Lydia, that encyclopidia,
Oh Lydia the Queen of Tattoo.
On her back is the Battle of Waterloo.
Beside it the wreck of the Hesperus, too.
And proudly above waves the Red, White, and Blue,

You can learn a lot from Lydia.

La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la

When her robe is unfurled, she will show you the world,
If you step up and tell her where.
For a dime you can see Kankakee or Paris,
Or Washington crossing the Delaware.

La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la

Oh Lydia oh Lydia, say have you met Lydia,
Oh Lydia the Tattooed Lady
When her muscles start relaxin',
Up the hill comes Andrew Jackson

Lydia oh Lydia, that encyclopidia,
oh Lydia the queen of them all!
For two bits she will do a mazurka in jazz,
With a view of Niagara that nobody has.
And on a clear day you can see Alcatraz.
You can learn a lot from Lydia.

La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la

Come along and see Buff'lo Bill with his lasso.
Just a little classic by Mendel Picasso.
Here is Captain Spaulding exploring the Amazon.
Here's Godiva but with her pajamas on.

La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la

Here is Grover Whalen unveilin' the Trilon.
Over on the West Coast we have Treaure Island.
Here's Najinsky a-doin' the rhumba.
Here's her social security numba.

{whistles}La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la

Oh Lydia, oh Lydia that encyclopidia,
Oh Lydia the champ of them all.
She once swept an Admiral clear off his feet.
The ships on her hips made his heart skip a beat.
And now the old boy's in command of the fleet,
For he went and married Lydia.

I said Lydia
{He said Lydia}
They said Lydia
{We said Lydia}

La La! "




Thanks to wikipedia.com for some background information and to lyricsandsong.com for the lyrics!