Lyr Req: 'A handsome man stepped under the transom

Subject: A handsome man stepped under the transom
From: GUEST,old moose
Date: 13 Jun 07 - 08:40 PM

my mother in law , today, while discussing somw old songs, mentioned ,and recited a part of a old timey thing, as follows--"The barman said to the lady in red "You can't stay here." when a handsome man stepped under the transom and these were the words he said, "Remember your mother and sisters sir and let the lady sleep under the bar". That's all she could rememnber. But when I was a small lad, seventy years or so ago. my mo5her and father used to sing the song about the handsome man walking under the transom and that's all my memory can dredge up. Can anybody, from anywhere come upwith the rest of it? I would be much obliged   old moose

Subject: ADD: Lady in Red
From: Midchuck
Date: 13 Jun 07 - 09:40 PM

Lady In Red
Author unknown, Air Force traditional

'Twas a cold winter's evening
The guests they were leaving
O'Leary was closing the bar
He turned and he said to the lady in red,
"Get out; you can't stay where you are."

She cried a sad tear in her bucket of beer
As she thought of the cold night ahead
When a gentleman dapper stepped out of the crapper
And these are the words that he said:

"Her mother never told her
The things a young girl should know
About the ways of fighter jocks
And how they come and go . . .
   . . . Mostly go . . .

Age has taken her beauty
And sin has left its sad scar
So remember you mothers and sisters, boys . . .

---

Click to play

Subject: RE: A handsome man stepped under the transom
From: Joybell
Date: 13 Jun 07 - 10:10 PM

We know it as "Her Mother Never Told Her". The handsome man isn't around in it though. Could these lines be a substitute for lines 8 and nine in the above "Lady in Red".
Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: A handsome man stepped under the transom
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 13 Jun 07 - 11:11 PM

A gentleman handsome stepped out of the (under?) transom and these were the words that he said..

Subject: RE: A handsome man stepped under the transom
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 13 Jun 07 - 11:38 PM

A gentleman handsome came in 'cross the transom

...

"So remember your mothers and sisters and lovers,
And let her sleep under the bar
..............be-side-the-ginnnnnnnnnnnn."

Last line in typical barbershop close harmony of course.

It's in Songs for Swingin' Housemothers as Her Mother Never Told Her with alternate listing in the index as Let Her Sleep Under the Bar.

I don't have it handy to check, but I believe that in "the other book" titled Song Fest it was called The Lady in Red.

Lyrics for the "gentleman handsome" vs "gentleman dapper" are quite variable, according to recollection, with transom, phone booth, crapper, and a couple of others for what he came through/over/across/past/out of/'round etc.

Military versions may have even more variation than the college/outing club/mountaineer versions.

John

Subject: RE: A handsome man stepped under the transom
From: Frivolous Sal
Date: 13 Jun 07 - 11:56 PM

My mother was an Army wife, and was thrilled to hear the old songs aren't totally forgotten. When I read it to her, she was able to recite along with it, but she hasn't yet provided the tune.
Hers was "gentleman handsome stepped under the transom". Perhaps that was the version used in mixed company.
It got me to wondering a little about her youth.

Subject: Lyr Add: HER MOTHER NEVER TOLD HER
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 02:55 AM

I don't know if we're going to find the "transom" version. Here's the version from Songs for Swingin' Housemothers as Her Mother Never Told Her:

Her Mother Never Told Her
(Let Her Sleep Under the Bar)

On a cold winter evening the guests were all leaving,
O'Leary was closing the bar.
When he turned and he said to the lady in red:
"Get out you can't stay where you are!"
She wept a sad tear in her bucket of beer
As she thought of the cold night ahead;
When a gentleman dapper stepped out of the phone booth
And these are the words that he said:

"Her mother never told her
The things a young girl should know,
About those dashing young college boys,
And how they come and go (Mostly go).
Age has taken her Beauty
And sin has left its sad scar.
So remember your mothers and sisters, boys,
And let her sleep under the bar."

Click to play

Subject: Lyr Add: HER MOTHER NEVER TOLD HER
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 03:44 AM

Ah, I found the "transom" version in the Unofficial College Songbook website, which appears to come from the University of Wisconsin in the 1950's. The Website, drinking songs.net, looks very much like John Mehlberg's im mort alia.com

HER MOTHER NEVER TOLD HER

'Twas a cold winter's evening,
The guests were all leaving,
O'Leary was closing the bar,
When he turned and he said to the lady in red,
"Get out! You can't stay where you are,"

Oh, she wept a big tear
In her bucket of beer
As she thought of the cold night ahead;
When a gentleman handsome
Peered over the transom
and this is the story he said:

"Her mother never told her
The things a young girl should know
About the ways of college men
And how they come and go.
Age has stolen her beauty,
Sin has left its scar.
Remember your sisters and mothers, boys,
Let Nelly sleep under the bar."

Subject: RE: A handsome man stepped under the transom
From: old moose
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 02:54 PM

I must say, wow!! Thank you all so much. The first words my mother in law said had the handsome man stepping over the transom, which is a strange picture indeed. Peering over the transom makes him taller than usual. Now, given my tone deaf state, the thing to do is to find somewhere the written score. Mehitabel has looked up "The unofficial college song book" but its words only, not even chords. I rreally want to thank you to allfor you work and sharing your knowledge. old moose

Subject: Lyr Add: THE LADY IN RED
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 04:57 PM

From "Roll Me in Your Arms: 'Unprintable' Ozark Folksongs and Folklore: Volume I, Folksongs and Music," by Vance Randolph, 1992, found with Google Book Search. (You can also view the sheet music.)


THE LADY IN RED

'Twas a cold winter's evening.
The guests were all leaving.
O'Leary was closing the bar,
When he turned and he said
To the lady in red,
"Get out! You can't stay where you are."

She wept a big tear
In her bucket of beer
As she thought of the cold night ahead,
When a gentleman dapper
Stepped out of the crapper (phone-booth),
And these are the words that he said:

(Slow and mawkish:)
Her mother never told her
The things a young girl should know,
About the ways of college men
And how they come and go.—(Mostly go!)

Now age has taken her beauty,
And sin has left its sad scar,
So remember your mothers and (kid-)sisters, boys,
And let her sleep under the bar!

[Excerpts from Randolph's extensive notes:]

Sung as above by Miss Wyana McDow, Fayetteville, Arkansas, May 20, 1957. Text and tune copied from her manuscript of that date, Songs for the Suds: A Collection of College Party Songs ... private manuscript of a college thesis....

This is a typical barbershop quartet mock-tragic, humorous 1890s piece....

Also, to tease the audience, at the expected word crapper ... some singers substitute the mock-expurgatory "phonebooth." ...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A handsome man stepped under the transom
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 08:16 AM

Odd that this venerable song, which almost never varies much in content and thus suggests a pop, not a traditional origin, can't be tracked to its source! And if Randolph and Legman couldn't, b'golly, who can?

It has the manner and style of a Victorian or slightly post-Victorian song. I first heard it earlier than 1957 -- 1955, at a college outing club songfest.

Somebody must have written it! Anyone know of earlier versions? 40s? 30s?

Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A handsome man stepped under the transom
From: GUEST,jim brusoe
Date: 21 Dec 07 - 06:08 PM

this song was sung many times at the North End tavern at Northern Michigan University from 1954 to 1958. That's in Marquette, MI on the roof of the United States!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A handsome man stepped under the tra
From: GUEST,flo reilly
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 03:41 AM

Words are pretty much as I remember slurring them in my college days with minor exceptions:

"Oh she shed a sad tear in her bucket of beer as she thought of the cold night ahead,
when a gentleman dapper stepped out of the phone booth and these were the words that he said:"


The last verse is a bit different:

"Though age has taken her beauty, and sin has left its sad scar,
Be kind to your mothers and sisters boys ---- don't let them sleep under the bar!"


And how odd that just yesterday I met someone at a house party and during the course of conversation we found that we had many things in common, this song being one of them - so we proceeded to sing it much to the consternation of the other guests. But we had a blast.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A handsome man stepped under the tra
From: GUEST,James
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 07:42 AM

The version my Dad used to Sing (before alzheimer's)

THE LADY IN RED

'Twas a cold winter's evening.
The guests were all leaving.
O'Leary was closing the bar,
When he turned and he said
To a lady in red,
"Get out! You can't stay where you are."

She wept a sad tear
In her bucket of beer
As she thought of the cold night ahead,
When a gentleman dapper
Stepped out of the clapper*,
And these are the words that he said:

Her mother never told her
What every young girl should know,
About the ways of city boys
And how they come and go.

Age has taken her beauty,
And sin has left its sad scar,
Remember your mothers and sisters, **boys,
And let her sleep under the bar!

*(I think that "clapper" was slang for "phone booth", derived from a bell's clapper, which would ring when the phone was dialed. I don't think crapper ("toilet") is correct. I like "a gentleman handsome stepped over the transom", but that's not how my father sang it. He used "clapper."

**here, I seem to remember "lads" instead of "boys"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A handsome man stepped under the transom
From: GUEST
Date: 23 May 09 - 11:47 PM

I heard it in '55-'56 in the Air Force in Monterey, Calif.

It was a cold winter's evening. The guests were all leaving.
O'Leary was closing the bar
When he turned and he said to the lady in red,
"Get out. You can't stay where you are."
Oh, she shed a big tear in her bucket of beer
As she thought of the cold night ahead,
When a gentleman dapper stepped out of the crapper,
And these are the words that he said:

"Her mother never told her the things a young girl should know,
About the ways of college boys and how they come and go.
Now age has stolen her beauty and sin has left its sad scar,
So remember your mother and sister, Joe, and let Rosie sleep under the bar."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A handsome man stepped under the transom
From: GUEST,ALNORCPA
Date: 26 Aug 09 - 09:00 PM

I remember this song as a fraternity song at UCLA back in the late 50s-early 60's.

Words were almost exactly the same as most of these verions. 'Crapper' was used instead of 'phone booth'. 'College men' instead of 'college boys' and 'mostly come' instead of 'mostly go'.

I didn't realize that this was an old popular Air Force song since I never heard it in the air force. I had forgotten most of the words until I found this site.

Virtually nobody I know has ever heard of this song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A handsome man stepped under the transom
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 09:55 AM

the word is crapper, not clapper or phone booth. A rest room was called a crapper after Sir Thomas Crapper(no joke) who invent the flush toilet.


http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/factoid1/p/thomas_crapper.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A handsome man stepped under the transom
From: David Wean
Date: 19 Nov 09 - 08:55 PM

My dad used to sing this, much as others have quoted. But when he sang it, he paused briefly after "when a gentleman dapper stepped out of the" before continuing with "phone booth" (reminiscent of Benny Bell's "Shaving Cream" or some of the "Miss Lucy" rhymes that kids sing.)

Funny thing was that when my daughter and I visited him in the nursing home (he has dementia) last week, we sang it with him, and when I paused after "came out of the" he sang "crapper". Oh well...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A handsome man stepped under the transom
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 20 Nov 09 - 03:33 PM

I learned this ca 1947; in 1959 it was adapted to fit another milieu:

'Twas a cold winter's evening the night before Sebring
McClellan was closing his shop,
When he said to a loafer spread out on the sofa
"Get Out! This is no place to stop!"
Well he wept a big tear, he was missing fourth gear
And he still had to put back the head
When a gentleman cleanly leaped from a Volpini
And these were the words that he said:
    Oh,
His dealer never told hem
The words one must take to heart.
About the ways of racing cars
And how they come apart....
Now age hae emptied his wallet
And racing has left its sad scar
So remember our sports car traditions, boys
And let him sleep under the car.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A handsome man stepped under the transom
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 21 Nov 09 - 05:20 PM

Interesting that GUEST at 20 Oct 09 - 09:55 AM says that Thomas Crapper invented the flush toilet, when the very web site he refers us to says that Thomas Crapper did NOT invent the flush toilet.

Furthermore, I agree that "phone booth" is much funnier than "crapper" because of the surprise factor: the audience is led to expect "crapper" and then hears "phone booth"! Given the right delivery, this could be hilarious.

Some people seem to have no appreciation of the humor that is often behind the use of euphemism.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A handsome man stepped under the transom
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 21 Nov 09 - 06:16 PM

the flush toilet was used several centuries BC, by, I believe, the Greeks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A handsome man stepped under the transom
From: GUEST,Spike
Date: 05 Jul 11 - 08:56 AM

My God, the stuff you can find on the internet!
For some reason the words 'a gentleman dapper stepped out of the crapper' have been going around in my head but I couldn't remember anything else so I googled it. Of course I did. I was in Australia in 1961-62 with the Royal Air Force and bought a book of comic verse. This was one of them. I had no idea that it was a song. Thanks very much. I recall there was another poem about a dog with sugar diabetes. Anyone?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A handsome man stepped under the transom
From: Snuffy
Date: 05 Jul 11 - 01:01 PM

Spike,

Look in this thread here on Mudcat Piddling Pete for several versions of the song you're looking for

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A handsome man stepped under the transom
From: GUEST,P. Meyer
Date: 01 Nov 11 - 10:58 PM

... where I went to college in Kansas, "a gentleman dapper stepped out of the crapper" was considered, well, uncouth. So we changed it to:

    "A gentleman uncouth stepped out of the phone booth ..."

    thus preserving both the meter and the rhyme.