The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #129874   Message #2922891
Posted By: GUEST, Sminky
08-Jun-10 - 04:50 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: Gaskel's Comic Song Book (1841)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Gaskel's Comic Song Book (1841)
Many thanks for that, Q. Too late to stop me doing the one below, but there are sufficient differences to warrant its inclusion

THE COUNTRYMAN IN LONDON

TUNE:- "Drops of Brandy"

When fro' Lancashire first I went up,
Good laws! how the Lunnun folk eyed me,
I reckon they thought me a clown,
As they offered their service to guide me.
Bur I're not to be catch'd in their traps,
For we Lanky lads understand trickin,
So I tipt um a few friendly raps,
And that set their kindness o kickin.

Spoken -- That is o kickin their heels I meon; because when I geet into Lunnun, seein as I wur o countrified sort of o chap, they wanted t' have a bit of o joke wi me; so there comes up o very fine dressed sort of o man, un says he, "honest lad, does thee know what's o'clock?" Why, aye, I said, any foo knows that, o clock's o thing what tells th' toime o day! Well, but he said, what's o'clock now? Why, I said, o clock's o clock, now or any other time, just t' same; I said we'n o very pratty clock o whoam, but it's out o fettle, un I've brought th' strikin part wi me o bein mended! Well, he says, does it ever strike when you are from home? I said it does sometimes! "Well", says he, "I wish you'd make it strike now?" So I up wi my fist un knocked him down; there it's stricken one o'clock! While he lay sprawlin ith' mud - I run down th' street singin --
                                
                        Rum ti iddy, &c.

Then as I walk'd in the Strand,
And there to myself wur talkin,
About how I wur come to a stand,
Which wur the best way to be walkin,
I're taken somwhow by surprise
Wi a gentleman's hand in my pocket;
So I just painted one of his eyes,
And knock'd t' other out of its socket.

Spoken -- Hallo! measter, I said, I think I've made o bit of o mistake! He said you've made a very great mistake to go and strike me in that way, when I was goin to show you the sign of the Bell and Mouth! Aye, I said, but when you come to th' sign o'th hand ith' pocket, it wur time I showed you th' sign o th' fist ith' face; but, I suppose now, us I made thee blind, tha' can see thy mistake. - I then went o little bit down th' street, un I looked into o shop where I seed o mon writin, well, I said, owd chap, whay do you sell here? "Why", he said, "we sell Loggerheads!" O! I reckon, those are what we call Chouter yeads? "Yes", he said! Well, I said, but you'n o rare trade on it, for you'n sowd um aw but one I see, un he's writin. Then I seed some tailors workin in o shop wi th' windows open, and one on um hits me o rap on the yead wi th' yerd stick; there, he said, my man, there's a crowner for you! I'd my new pair o flails across my shoulder, I took him o rap un fotched him off th' shopboart; there, I said, ther's four and elevenpence halfpenny back, I cannot carry copper, off wi

                        My rum ti, &c, &c.

At neet as I walked in the street,
I thought fust the dickens wur in me,
That I must be a beauty complete,
For thg' wenches aw wanted to win me;
But I found it was all a cajole,
And all their billin and cooin
Was only to handle my tin,
And an honest lad bring into ruin.

Spoken -- As I went down th' street, I seed o very foine beatutified woman, I think I never seed any body look so nice; hur face wur aw daubed o'er wi red raddle! Hoo said I wur very pratty, it rather pleased me, tho' I knowed it wur not true; well, hoo coom up an made o very foine cortsey, un I was mackin hur one o my best bows, un I sent my yead clean thro' th' shop window! Hollo! says shopman, what are you for? Well, I think I'm gettin booked for an inside place; un wi that I had to set off, for fear he met want pay -- un goin down o street I met o parson chap readin in o book. "Well," said he, "where does this street go to?" Why, I said, street goes no where, its standin still! "I meon", he said, "where will it take me to?" I said, it will take you no where! "Where shall I go to if I go down this street?" Well, I said, if you go far enough you'll go to t'other end on't! "Sir, you are a very wicked, impertinent rascal; what religion do you profess, what's your belief?" Why, I said, there's but one o th' same belief us me in our part un we cannot afford to keep o church between us! "Why, I pray you, what belief is that?" Why I owe him half-a-crown un he believes I shall never pay him, un I believe th' same. So Off I went singin --

                        Rum ti iddy, &c.