The Band Played On

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The Band Played On was a popular song, with lyrics by John F. Palmer and music by Charles B. Ward, written in 1895.

The lyrics of the refrain:

Casey would waltz with a strawberry blonde
As the band played on;
He'd glide 'cross the floor with the girl he adored
As the band played on;
Well, his head was so loaded
It nearly exploded
The poor girl would shake with alarm;
He'd ne'er leave the girl with the strawberry curl
As the band played on.

The song has become a pop standard with many recordings made.

One of the most famous recordings, by Guy Lombardo's orchestra, was made on February 26, 1941 and issued by Decca Records as catalog number 3675 (reissued as number 25341). It first reached the Billboard magazine Best Seller chart on May 9, 1941 and lasted 4 weeks on the chart, peaking at #6. ^[1]

The Roto-Rooter Good-Time Christmas Band made a recording, with a conversation imposed over the music.