Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
A 1897 popular song
Words by Harry B. Smith
Music by Victor Herbert
Sung by Laurence Rubenstein
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne
Get the sheet music and accompaniment here:
sheetmusicsinger.com/the-tattooed-man
Lyrics
1. Do you remember, Angeline
That heartless “Human Snake”
Who won my heart in another part
And gave that heart a break?
I’ll sing you now of my sweet revenge
“Twas retribution stern
She fell in love with a tattooed man
Who broke her heart in turn, Ah!
REFRAIN
He was a human picture gallery
Such a spectacular gent
He won her heart, and drew her salary
He never gave her a cent
Till one good day with her season’s pay
And the Fat Lady off he ran
Oh, ’tis perfectly true
You can beat a tattoo
But you can’t beat a tattooed man
2. He had designs upon himself
She had designs on him
She loved to look at the picture-book
He had on every limb
“Oh, why should I go abroad?” she said
To Germany, France, or Rome
With a lovely collection awaiting inspection
In my happy, little home, Ah!
3. He’d Raphael’s Cherubs on his brow
The Angelus on his chest
While on his back was a liberal stack
Of “old Masters” of the best
“Oh, picture to your self, she said
A lovelorn maiden’s doom
“I cannot picture to myself,” he said
“For there’s no more room”, Ah!
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A 1897 popular song
Words by Harry B. Smith
Music by Victor Herbert
Sung by Laurence Rubenstein
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne
Get the sheet music and accompaniment here:
sheetmusicsinger.com/the-tattooed-man
Lyrics
1. Do you remember, Angeline
That heartless “Human Snake”
Who won my heart in another part
And gave that heart a break?
I’ll sing you now of my sweet revenge
“Twas retribution stern
She fell in love with a tattooed man
Who broke her heart in turn, Ah!
REFRAIN
He was a human picture gallery
Such a spectacular gent
He won her heart, and drew her salary
He never gave her a cent
Till one good day with her season’s pay
And the Fat Lady off he ran
Oh, ’tis perfectly true
You can beat a tattoo
But you can’t beat a tattooed man
2. He had designs upon himself
She had designs on him
She loved to look at the picture-book
He had on every limb
“Oh, why should I go abroad?” she said
To Germany, France, or Rome
With a lovely collection awaiting inspection
In my happy, little home, Ah!
3. He’d Raphael’s Cherubs on his brow
The Angelus on his chest
While on his back was a liberal stack
Of “old Masters” of the best
“Oh, picture to your self, she said
A lovelorn maiden’s doom
“I cannot picture to myself,” he said
“For there’s no more room”, Ah!
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