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User Name Thread Name Subject Posted
GUEST,Kate Lyr Req: Abie My Boy (music hall song) (34) RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song) 26 Oct 08


My Mum and Poppy used to sing us to sleep with this song - they are 79 this year and I bet they heard it from their parents as the song originates in 1919. They both grew up on the east coast of the United States. Here are the lyrics I remember;

(alto part) Abie, abie my boy what are you waiting for now?
You promised you'd marry me sometime in June
It's never too late and it's never too soon
So Abie, Abie my boy what are you waiting for now?

Baritone part)
It's just that I ain't got no money - M - O - N - E - Y
I'm busted disgusted financially embarrassed
i haven't got a solitary C - E - N - T
When I think of the old days - glory how I sigh
Cause I ain't got no money - M - O - N - E - Y!
Not one red cent.

(alto)(sometimes duet)
So - if you've a little bit
Hang on to it
Save it for your wedding day
Cause it's easy to spend it and it's easy to lend it
But it's doggone hard to get it again
Mmmmm
If you've a little bit hang on to it
Save it for a rainy day
My honey
Save it for a rainy day.

Or

Put every cent away, for a rainy day
Put a lock on that door
Cause it's easy to spend it...etc

this can get changed around some - for instance it's sometimes has

All my relatives keep on asking me
What time? What day?
I don't know what to say!

Plugged in to the first verse. My parents used to repeat stuff and fool around with it a lot - partly to put us to sleep, but we adored it. It's pretty damned topical at the moment and I think deserved a resurgence in popularity considering the global financial crisis.

I'd like to find the sheet music for it as I plan to sing the alto part to a friend's baritone for a christmas singing party in a month or two. Any help gratefully accepted!


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