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Lyr Req: Suicide Arms
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Subject: Lyr Req: Suicide Arms From: Snuffy Date: 01 Aug 03 - 11:12 AM I heard this again recently, but all I've found on the web is a mention of Bert Cleaver singing it at a Morris Feast in 1959. Tune is Oh Dear, What Can The Matter Be, and chorus is (roughly) Oh Dear, What can the matter be Trouble's a-brewing away down in Battersea Twenty-four coppers got beat up last Saturday Down at the Suicide Arms Anybody remember the verses? WassaiL! V |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Suicide Arms From: Dave Bryant Date: 01 Aug 03 - 12:26 PM |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Suicide Arms From: Dave Bryant Date: 01 Aug 03 - 12:35 PM Didn't mean to post a blank message. Snuffy I have PMed you the phone number of Wayne who is the landlord of "The Royal Oak" at Tunbridge Wells. He is a singer and member of Ravensbourne Morris. He frequently sings it. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Suicide Arms From: Snuffy Date: 01 Aug 03 - 04:59 PM Thanks, Dave. Message received and understood. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Suicide Arms From: Leadfingers Date: 01 Aug 03 - 08:27 PM I 'collected' this one from a WREN who sang it in Singapore in 1969.If I can get my brain in gear over the weekend I will try to post the words |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Suicide Arms From: Hrothgar Date: 03 Aug 03 - 07:40 AM Remember a few fragments: The missus came in and said "John, get you 'at on, You know I'm a lady, and will not be spat (sat) on." Muggins went down, took the whole bloody lot on Down at the Suicide Arms And, also, never pronounce it Battersea. It's Ba'ersea. Avoid pronunciation of the letter "t" anywhere in it, if you can, actually. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Suicide Arms From: Charley Noble Date: 03 Aug 03 - 11:33 AM Sounds like this one is a jewel! Charley Noble |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Suicide Arms From: GUEST,Tergof Date: 12 Dec 13 - 12:21 PM I once heard someone singing a verse that went something like; With a message for mummy runs young Molly Bicker But in the side alley she met the old vicar Molly moved fast but the vicar was quicker And nobody knew she was there |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Suicide Arms From: GUEST Date: 13 Dec 13 - 10:57 AM http://www.horntip.com/html/books_&_MSS/1960s/1963ca_baker_house_super-duper_extra_crude_song_book_(mimeo)/ Check pages 1 and 2 at that link. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Suicide Arms From: Richard Mellish Date: 13 Dec 13 - 04:14 PM I have heard that the phrase is actually "the Sewer-side Arms". That would make more sense. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Suicide Arms From: GUEST,Tergof Date: 13 Dec 13 - 06:13 PM On reflection I think the last line should be; Down at the Suicide Arms. Molly's experience may not have been as bad as first memory implies. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Suicide Arms From: GUEST,SEAN O'SHEA. Date: 28 Mar 17 - 09:17 AM I too want to find this.Can anyone provide a comprehensive version? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Suicide Arms From: Herga Kitty Date: 28 Mar 17 - 05:12 PM I heard this sung in the pub when I was a student in Oxford in the early 1970s, so have emailed some former members of the morris side and folk club to see if anyone remembers the words..... Kitty |
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Subject: Lyr Add: SUICIDE ARMS From: Snuffy Date: 29 Mar 17 - 05:43 AM Suicide Arms (from 'Bert' Cleaver, who learned it at Stratford Festival, 1952) (Starts with chorus): And it's Oh dear, what can the matter be? Trouble's a-brewing away down in Battersea, Forty-five coppers got laid out last Saturday Down at the 'Suicide Arms'. They were laid out and numbered and chucked in the water, And all weighted down with great big sacks of mortar, Believe me, this place is the liveliest quarter That you've ever seen in your life. They sent an inspector but he didn't get far, They bashed in his head with a whopping great crowbar, And stuck on his tunic a dirty great show-card To say he had now gone to rest. My missus comes out as the pubs was a-closing, And being a woman she must stick her nose in. They broke all the bottles containing the sloe gin. She bought at the 'Suicide Arms'. My missus comes home and says 'Bill, put your hat on, You knows I'm a lady and I'll not be sat on'. So muggins goes out just to take all those chaps on She met at the 'Suicide Arms'. They blacked both my eyes and they hit me with coshes, Sent me on a stretcher away to St Thomas's, All I was fed on, was cow juice and poultices, I wish I was single again. The moral of this story which I'd like to point out, If you sees a row, for God's sake keep your nose out. You only gets one and your blooming light goes out Down at the 'Suicide Arms'. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Suicide Arms From: GUEST,SEAN O'SHEA. Date: 29 Mar 17 - 07:26 AM To Snuffy,my thanks,indeed. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Suicide Arms From: Herga Kitty Date: 29 Mar 17 - 08:39 AM Thanks Snuffy! You've provided one more verse than I've got from OUMM! Kitty |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Suicide Arms From: GUEST,CM Date: 29 Mar 17 - 10:48 AM Kitty! I'm probably the singer of the Suicide Arms all those years ago. Here's my version (Mac forgot one verse.): The Suicide Arms: Tune: Oh, dear, what can the Matter be? Chorus (sing first, as well as after each verse): Now it's oh, dear, what can the matter be? Trouble's a'brewing away down in Battersea. Forty-five coppers were laid out last Saturday, Down at the Suicide Arms. They were tied up in bundles and thrown in the water. They weighted 'em down with great sacks of mortar. I'm telling you this is the liveliest quarter That you ever saw in your life. Now they sent an inspector, but he didn't get far. They battered his head in with a blooming great crowbar, And stuck to his tunic a dirty great showcard, To say how he'd gone to his rest. Now the missus came out as the pubs were a'closing, And, being a woman, she must stick her nose in. So they broke all the bottles containing the sloe gin, That she'd bought at the Suicide Arms. Now when she came in she said, "Bill put your hat on. You know I'm a lady, and I'll not be sat on." So Muggins goes out there to take all those chaps on That she'd met at the Suicide Arms. Now they blacked both me eyes and they hit me with coshes. They took me on a stretcher way down to St. Thomas's. All I was fed on was cow juice and poultices; Wish I was single again. This story has a moral, that I'd like to point out. If you see any trouble, then keep your big nose out, 'Cos as soon as you stop one, your bleeding light goes out, Down at the Suicide Arms. Charlie |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Suicide Arms From: Herga Kitty Date: 29 Mar 17 - 06:45 PM Thanks Charlie - I remember you singing it, possibly in the pub after dancing out in Trinity term... Kitty |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Suicide Arms From: GUEST Date: 30 Mar 17 - 02:09 AM I'm sure I've heard a similar Suicide Arms song in the dim and distant, but with a completely different set of words. Martin Winsor comes to mind.... Anyone??? |
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