Great American Entertainer Eddie Cantor
EMERSON SIGNATURE LABEL with a facsimile of the performer's signature at the bottom of the label


Eddie Cantor (1892-1964) recorded this for the Emerson label in December 1920



Great American Entertainer Eddie Cantor in his 1921 song From “Broadway Brevities” of 1920

The song was published in 1920 and was named after the five-year-old daughter of singer and songwriter Eddie Cantor. Cantor is credited with popularizing the song with his 1921 recording that stayed at the top of the pop charts for five weeks.


I Wish That I'd Been Born in Borneo (1920)
From “Broadway Brevities” of 1920

A fast-paced, comedic novelty song with a section of Cantor talking,  characteristic of Cantor's vaudeville style, detailing a man's humorous fascination with photographs of Borneo.

Eddie Cantor – I Wish That I'd Been Born In Borneo / Margie

Label:
Emerson Records (2) – 10301
Format:
Shellac, 10", 78 RPM
Country:
US
Released:
Feb 1921
Genre:
Pop
Style:
Vocal, Comedy, Novelty
A  I Wish That I'd Been Born In Borneo
Written-By – Clarke*, Donaldson*
B  Margie
Written-By – Davis*, Conrad*, Robinson*
Record Company – Emerson Phonograph Company Inc.
A: Comedy Song
B: Novelty Song

A side (mx. 41453, take 3, 6 or 7) recorded New York, NY, ca. December 1920.
B side (mx. 41534, take 1, 2 or 3) recorded New York, NY, ca. December 1920.


EMERSON SINGATURE LABEL with a facsimile of the performer's signature at the bottom of the label
Orig Issue Emerson 10" 78 rpm - Record plays quiet but has ISSUES 

CONDITION: EXCELLENT MINUS, shiny unworn light rubs rare fine scratches dont sound, BUT short etched groove on Margie plays through, BORNEO: Stressed groove after 3mm may cause locked groove, 1mm wide drop/ stressed groove after 2cm may cause lock, fine needle run from there to end only rarely causes mild ticks ,  otherwise plays E Exceptionally quiet faint hiss

"Margie", also known as "My Little Margie", is a 1920 popular song composed in collaboration by vaudeville performer and pianist Con Conrad and ragtime pianist J. Russel Robinson, a member of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band. Lyrics were written by Benny Davis, a vaudeville performer and songwriter. The song was introduced by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band in 1920 as Victor 78, 18717-A, in a medley paired with "Singin' the Blues". The B side was "Palesteena".[1] The ODJB recorded their instrumental version on December 1, 1920.[2][3]
Other popular versions in 1920-21 were by Gene Rodemich; Eddie Cantor; Ted Lewis; and Frank Crumit.[4] The Rega Dance Orchestra recorded the song in October, 1920 for Okeh Records, 4211.


The song has appeared in the movies Stella Dallas (1937), Margie (1946), The Eddie Cantor Story (1953) and The Drowning Pool (1975).[5] The song was also used in a Phonofilm sound-on-film cartoon produced by Max Fleischer and released 30 October 1926.[6]

The song was the Preston North End unofficial club anthem during 1950s and played at Sir Tom Finney's funeral in 2014.

I Wish That I'd Been Born in Borneo (1920)

1. A friend of mine had some fine photographs he took,
Kept them in a book,
And let me take a look.
There were scenes of some queens down in Borneo.
First I glanced, then I danced
Then I hollered: “Oh!”

CHORUS:
I wish that I’d been born in Borneo
If half the photographs are really so.
Say, can you picture me
Beneath the pepper tree?
I’d be so peppery with all those wild women!
There’s very little clothing worn-e-o,
And no tight shoes to hurt your corn-e-o. Oh!
Give a girl a ring down there when you propose;
Then she’ll take the ring and stick it in her nose.
I’ve been wasting half my life, I know.
I wish that I’d been born in Borneo.

2. The friend of mine showed his fine pictures to my dad.
Daddy wore a smile
For the longest while,
Showed a few pictures to dear old Uncle Josh.
Uncle blinked, then he winked
Then he hollered: “Gosh!”

CHORUS:
I wish that I’d been born in Borneo
If half the photographs are really so.
Say, can you picture me
Beneath the pepper tree?
I’d be so peppery with all those wild women!
There’s very little clothing worn-e-o,
And no tight shoes to hurt your corn-e-o. Oh!
You should see them when they’re dressed for Sunday school.
You would think they just came back from the swimming pool.
Every man has twenty wives or so.
I wish that I’d been born in Borneo

From Eddie Cantor’s 78 record:

…can you picture me beneath a rubber tree?
What a rubberneck I’d be among those wild women.

‘stead of being born in Kokomo,
I wish that I’d been born in Borneo.