Lydia the Tattooed Lady Lydia the Tattooed Lady "Lydia, the Tattooed Lady" is a 1939 song written by Yip Harburg and Harold Arlen. It first appeared in the Marx Brothers movie "At the Circus" (1939) and became one of Groucho Marx's signature tunes. The complex lyrics by Harburg – with clever rhymes such as "Lydia/encyclopedia" and "Amazon/pajamas on" – were inspired by W. S. Gilbert. Harburg made many contemporary references to topical personalities such as Grover Whalen, who opened the 1939 New York World's Fair. Among the items, persons, and scenes tattooed on Lydia's body are the Battle of Waterloo (on her back), "The
The Lady of The Aroostook and many curious heads turn to look once they hear her beautiful voice. After the sermon, an elderly woman named Lady Fenleigh asks Josephine if she will bring Lydia to her palace to sing. Josephine is thrilled that Lady Fenleigh likes Lydia because she thought that many of the other churchgoers would be envious of Lydia's beautiful voice. Later that afternoon a talented English artist, Mr. Rose-Black, stops by to see Josephine. He tells her that everybody at church was “enchanted” by Lydia's voice and he also asks if he can sketch Lydia; he is intrigued by not only her