The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #103310   Message #2102410
Posted By: GUEST,Malcolm Speake
14-Jul-07 - 10:30 AM
Thread Name: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
Subject: ADD: Orderly Day
I wonder if anyone knows anything more about this song? All I know is that it was written at Catterick Army Camp in 1916, apparently squish is butter and tosh is toast, I wonder who wrote it? The lyrics are as follows:

ORDERLY DAY
(G.E.H. Keesey)

Six o'clock of a shiny morn we start our little day
We wash the mugs and wipe the jugs and clear the pots away
We stoke the stoves and butter the loaves and neatly spread the quish
And tenderly drop a porridge flop in every waiting dish

CHORUS
Oh orderly orderly oh the orderly day
Poor sore orderly tra-la-la la-la-la la-la-la la-la-la
Six o'clock of a shiny morn we start our little day
And all day long we're making meals or clearing meals way
It's orderly squish orderly tosh orderly tea this way
Oh who would be an orderly upon an orderly day

When breakfast's done we've just begun our weary round of work
And evils light upon the wight who tries his job to shirk
A ravening crowd that roars aloud we feed with might and mane
And when they've sploshed the plates we've washed we wash them all again

Now spotted dog's magnificent prog and so is Irish stew
I'm a regular glutton for roasted mutton when I haven't the washing to do
Still stains of tosh are easy to wash compared with stains of fat
I'd rather be fed upon cheese and bread than wash for a week of that

Now just one crumb of chilly comfort has the orderly got
That when the rest have done their best why he we can finish the lot
One cheery ray lights up the day when labour he would spurn
That when he's played the scullery maid the others can have their turn