# Oom-Pah-Pah

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Song in "Oliver!" (1960 musical)

For other uses, see [Oom-Pah-Pah (disambiguation)](/source/Oom-Pah-Pah_(disambiguation)).

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"**Oom-Pah-Pah**" is a show tune with music and lyrics by [Lionel Bart](/source/Lionel_Bart), featured in the 1960 musical *[Oliver!](/source/Oliver!)*, in which it is sung by [Nancy](/source/Nancy_(Oliver_Twist)) and the crowd at the "Three Cripples" tavern. Although not an original [music hall](/source/Music_hall) song, it recalls that genre.[1] In terms of both its tempo and suggestiveness, it shares characteristics with such late 19th century songs as "[Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay](/source/Ta-ra-ra_Boom-de-ay)".

In the stage musical, the song opens Act II and does not directly contribute to the storyline. For the 1968 [film version](/source/Oliver!_(film)), the song was moved near the end and served a dramatic purpose: Bill Sikes refuses to let Nancy take Oliver out of the pub and, unbeknownst to him, to Mr. Brownlow for rescue. He orders Bullseye to guard Oliver while he discusses matters with Fagin. Nancy then begins the song, gradually rousing the pub crowd into a raucous singalong in hopes that their noise will drown out Bullseye’s barking long enough for her to spirit Oliver away.

The chime of the song is often used in carnival-like music.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** *The Cambridge companion to the musical*. Cambridge University Press. 2002. p. 119. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780521791892](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780521791892).

v t e Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist Characters Oliver Twist Bill Sikes Fagin Mr Brownlow Nancy Rose Maylie Monks The Artful Dodger Charley Bates Mr Sowerberry Mr. Bumble Film adaptations 1909 1912 (American) 1912 (British) 1916 1922 1933 1948 Oliver! (1968) 1974 Las Aventuras de Oliver Twist (1987) 2005 Film retellings Manik (1961) Chitti Tammudu (1962) Oliver & Company (1988) Twisted (1996) Twist (2003) Boy Called Twist (2004) Twist (2021) TV adaptations 1962 TV serial 1982 American–British TV film 1982 Australian TV film 1985 TV serial Saban's Adventures of Oliver Twist (1996 TV series) 1997 TV film 1999 TV series 2007 TV series Stage adaptations Oliver Twist (1905) Oliver! (1960) Songs "As Long as He Needs Me" "Consider Yourself" "Food, Glorious Food" "I'd Do Anything" "Oliver!" "Oom-Pah-Pah" "Where Is Love?" "You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two" "Be Back Soon" "Reviewing the Situation" Related Oliver! (1962 original Broadway cast recording) Oliver! (soundtrack to the 1968 film) Oliver & Company (soundtrack to Oliver & Company) Escape of the Artful Dodger (2001 TV series retelling) Fagin the Jew (2003 graphic novel) Oliver and the Artful Dodger (1972 TV film) I'd Do Anything (2008 TV series) Dodger (2022 TV series) The Artful Dodger (2023 TV series)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Oom-Pah-Pah](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oom-Pah-Pah) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oom-Pah-Pah?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.