The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #21520   Message #2693449
Posted By: GUEST,Matt
04-Aug-09 - 08:52 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: More Work for the Undertaker (F W Leigh)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: More Work for the Undertaker
This is a song we have been singing at Scout camp fires in the UK for many many years but the version that has been passed on across the decades has ended up as:

"Sammy worked on a railway,
without a hat or coat;
he tried to polish the railway line
with a mouldy piece of soap.
Along came a railway engine,
stood right in his tracks.
Up with his sleeves and down on his knees
to push that engine back.

Oh, more work for the undertaker,
another little job for the tombstone maker;
up in the local cemetery,
on his tombstone you will see:
Solomon, that's me.

Now, Sammy had an auntie,
an auntie very poor.
One day she said to Sammy
"Get down and scrub that floor".
Sammy feeling tired,
went upstairs to bed.
Tried to climb the banister
and fell down on his head!

Oh, more work for the undertaker,
...

Sammy had an uncle,
an uncle very rich.
One day he said to Sammy:
"Here's two pounds ten and six".
Sammy feeling thirsty
went into a shop.
Ten lemonades and one ginger beer
and Sammy went off pop!

Oh, more work for the undertaker,
..."

I always did wonder where the 'Solomon' part came from - I guess our version has been altered over the years as people have misheard it. Also our version doesn't include a 'Bang!' after each verse. Its been great to read other versions on this page to see how ours differs.