"Music soothes the savage",
That’s a well-known phrase,
But your heart becomes
Full of kettle drums
When the sweet potato piper plays

Go on, throw your hat up,
Shout a few hoorays,
Cause you can‘t hold back
You’re a jumping jack
When the sweet potato piper plays...

Though it’s not a magic flute
There’s a fascinating toot
It’s not exactly beautiful,
It’s sort of like an‘ I don’t know
I guess you’d call it cute!

Sunbeams try new dance steps,
Songbirds sound their a’s,
And the world joins in
With a great big grin
When the sweet potato piper plays!

(whistlewhistlewhistle)

(Dialogue between Marion Hutton and Tex Beneke)

Marion Hutton:
Hello there, Texas, whatcha say?
How come you’re whistling,
Why don’t you play?

Tex Beneke:
I’ve been messing with this Sweet Potato all day long
I can’t make it play,
What goes, what’s wrong?

MH:
You’re crazy, Texas,
You’re outta your mind
You can’t blow that
That’s the eatin‘ kind!

TB:
But them baby rug-cutters down Texas way
They been blowin‘ on Sweet Potatoes
And really make ´em play!

MH:
Why don‘t you stick to your saxophone, man?
You oughta know you can’t jam on a yam...!