Dunderbeck's Machine
(a.k.a. "Denderbeck's Machine", "Dunderbeck's Terrible Mackine", "Johnnie Verbeck", "Mr. Johnny Trebeck" and more)
Words & Music:
Traditional
Wow. There are so very many versions of this
and they appear to vary by American region. All I can do is post the version with the chords and then
the lyric variations. Choose the
one which resonates with your childhood.
Except for the Oscar Brand version (which I transcribed), these are all
from Mudcat Cafˇ. Oscar Brand sang
a version of this, if you need to hear one. Or, if you know "The Son Of A Gambolier", this
song uses the same tune.
1. Dunderbeck's Machine (Oscar Brand)
INTRO: D Bdim7 A7 D [also used as a transition out of
the chorus]
D A7 D
There was a man named Dunderbeck, invented a machine
D Em(E7) A7
For grinding things to sausage meat and it was run by steam.
G D G(Em) A7
Now kitchen cats & long-tailed rats will never more be seen.
D A7 D
They'll all be ground to sausage meat in Dunderbeck's machine.
CHORUS: [same
chords]
Oh, Dunderbeck, oh, Dunderbeck, how could you be so mean?
For ever having invented the sausage meat machine!
Now kitchen cats & long-tailed rats will never more be seen.
They'll all be ground to sausage meat in Dunderbeck's machine.
One day a little boy walked into Dunderbecke's store.
A little piece of sausage meat was lying on the floor.
While the boy was waiting, he whistled up a tune.
The sausage meat got up and barked and ran around the room.
CHORUS:
One morning, something it went wrong; the machine, it wouldn't go.
So, Dunderbeck, he stepped inside, the reason for to know.
His wife, she had a nightmare; she was walking in her sleep.
She gave a yank and turned the crank and Dunderbeck was meat.
CHORUS:
2. Dunderbeck's Machine (Charley Noble)
(Anon. – Various sources Tune: The Son of a Gambolier)
F Bb
There was a man named Dunderbeck who in-vented a machine.
C C7 F
It ground out perfect sausages, and it was run by steam,
F Bb
Them pussy cats and long-tailed rats, no more they will be seen,
C C7 F
They's all ground up for sausage meat in Dunderbeck's ma-chine.
CHORUS:
F Bb
Oh, Mr. Dunderbeck, how could ye be so mean,
C C7 F
To ever have invented that sausage meat ma-chine?
F Bb
Them pussy cats and long-tailed rats, no more they will be seen,
C C7 F
They's all ground up for sausage meat in Dunderbeck's ma-chine.
Now, one fine day, a little boy came walking in the store.
There was a pile of sausages a-lying on the floor.
While he was a-waiting, he whistled up a tune,
And all them little sausages went dancing 'round the room.
CHORUS:
One night, the thing got busted, the darn thing would not go.
So, Dunderbeck, he crawled inside to find what made it so.
His wife she had a nightmare, she was a-walking in her sleep.
She gave the crank one heck of a yank, and Dunderbeck was meat!
CHORUS: [new
words]
Oh, Mr. Dunderbeck, how could ye be so mean?
Ain't you awful sorry now you invented that machine?
Them pussy cats and long-tailed rats, no more they will be seen,
They's all ground up for sausage meat in Dunderbeck's machine.
3. Dunderbeck (Dick Wisan)
There was a man in our town, and Dunderbeck his name.
One day he invented a sausage meat machine.
And pussy cats and long-tailed rats, they'll never more be seen.
They'll all be turned to sausages in Dunderbeck's machine.
CHORUS:
Oh, Dunderbeck, Oh Dunderbeck, how coud you be so mean?
Ain't you sorry you ever invented that wonderful machine?
For pussy cats and long-tailed rats, they'll never more be seen.
They'll all be turned to sausages in Dunderbeck's machine.
One day, a little boy he came a walking in the store.
He ordered up some sausages and eggs a half a score.
The boy began to whistle, to whistle up a tune,
And all the little sausages went waltzing round the room.
CHORUS:
One night, the thing was busted; it quite refused to grind.
And Dunderbeck, he climbed inside the reason for to find.
His wife was having nightmares and walking in her sleep.
She gave the crank one hell[1] of a yank, and Dunderbeck was meat.
CHORUS:
[1] If you
are teaching this to children at Y-Camp, substitute: "one terrible
yank".
4. Dunderbeck (Andrea)
There was a big fat Dutchman, his name was Dunderbeck.
He was very fond of sausage meat, sourkraut and spat.
He owned the finest butcher shop, the finest ever seen.
And he took out a patent on the sausage meat machine.
CHORUS:
Oh, Dunderbeck, Oh Dunderbeck, how could you be so mean?
To ever have invented the sausage meat machine!
Now, all the rats and pussy-cats will never more be seen,
For they'll all be ground to sausage meat in Dunderbecks machine.
One day, a very little boy came walking in the store.
He ordered up some sausage meat and eggs, a half a score.
And while he was waiting, he whistled up a tune.
And all the eggs and sausage meat went dancing round the room.
CHORUS:
Something was the matter, the machine it would not go.
So, Dunderbeck, he crawled inside the trouble for to know.
His wife was having a nightmare, walking in her sleeeep.
She gave the crank an awful yank and Dunderbeck was meat!
CHORUS:
5. Dunderbeck's Machine (Al Huber)
Oh, there was a little Deutscherman, his name was Dunderbeck.
He had a healthy appetite for sauerkraut and speck.
He had a little butcher shop the finest ever seen.
And he got himself a patent to make sausage by machine.
Oh, Dunderbck, oh, Dunderbeck, how could you be so mean?
Now, all the rats and pussy cats will never more be seen.
They're all ground up in sausage meat in Dunderbeck's machine.
6. Johnny Rebek - Sausage Machine I
CHORUS:
Oh, Mister Johnny Rebek, how
could you be so mean?
I told you you'd be sorry for
inventing that machine.
Now, all the neighbors cats
and dogs will nevermore be seen.
They'll all be ground in
sausages in Johnny Rebek's machine.
One day, a little boy came
walking in the store.
He bought a pound of sausages,
and laid it on the floor.
Then he started whistling, he
whistled up a tune,
And all the little sausages
went dancing around the room!
One day, the machine broke,
the darn thing wouldn't go.
So, Johnny Rebek, he crawled
inside to see what made it so.
His wife was having a
nightmare, walking in her sleep,
She gave the crank a heck of a
yank and Johnny Rebek was meat.
Sang occasionally at
Chin-Be-Gota Scout camp near Antigo, Wis.
Vive L'avenir! —Dave
Scott
7. Johnny Vorbeck - Sausage Machine II
CHORUS:
Mr. Johnny Vorbeck, how could
you be so mean?
I told you'd be sorry for
inventing that machine.
Now, all the neighbors cats
and dogs will never more be seen.
They'll all be turned to
sausages in Johnny Vorbeck's machine.
One day a little Dutch boy
came wailing in the store.
He bought a pound of sausages
and laid them on the floor.
He then began to whistle, he
whistled up a tune.
And all the little sausages
began dancing round the room.
CHORUS:
One day, the thing got busted,
the darn thing wouldn't go.
So, Johnny Vorbeck, he climbed
inside to see what made it so.
His wife she had a nightmare,
while walking in her sleep.
She gave the crank A HECK OF A
YANK -- and Johnny Vorbeck was meat!
CHORUS:
While this may or may not
be sponsored by Bertha's Kitty Boutique it was sung at every Alexander family
camp-out for more than thirty years (and still going). This was as much a
tradition as taped versions of PHC (we camped out of reception range and taped
favorite shows to play on Saturday afternoons). Don't know the origin or the
tune but its easy to pick up.
—Mark Alexander and Family, Clifton Park New York
8. Johnny Rebec the Dutchman - Sausage Machine III
Johnny Rebec the Dutchman, what makes you be so mean?
I told you you'd be sorry for inventing that machine.
Now all the neighbor's cats and dogs will never more be seen.
They'll all be ground to sausages in Johnny Rebec's machine.
One day, the machine was broken, the darned thing wouldn't go.
So, Johnny Rebec crawled in to see what made it so.
Along came his wife a-walking down the street.
She gave the crank a heck of a yank and Johnny Rebec was meat.
Ohhh, Johnny Rebec the Dutchman, what makes you be so mean?