What did your Dad used to sing?

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Janie
Date: 15 May 09 - 09:16 PM

I have always followed this thread, and always found that it makes me sad.

My Dad was always afraid to really sing, though he loves music, especially old-time country, old-time blue grass (Ralph Stanley, but not New Grass) and folk music. All I have ever heard him sing are little snippets, usually along with a song on the radio or the record/cd player.   It was apparent from that little bit that he had within him a fine voice.    He is a grand whistler, but has always been afraid to cut loose with that also. Instead, he always encouraged us to sing, and to this day nothing gives him greater pleasure than when my remaining sister and I are home, Annie breaks out the guitar or the fiddle, and we sit down and sing some duets for him.

HIs own father was fine singer and whistler, ( apparently was also a fine banjo and fiddle player until he got saved in a church that only found a capella music acceptable) but only contenanced singing to the glory of his United Baptist concept of God. My earliest memories of live music are of my grandfather singing and whistling hymns as he went about the house, his orchard and his garden. he was a wonderful grandfather. But in his own kids, he managed to squelch any impetus to find their own voice.

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Nick E
Date: 15 May 09 - 09:04 PM

I don't know if you could call it singing but I hear "Go To Your Room" more than a few times

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 15 May 09 - 08:53 PM

The Tenderfoot
The Jam on Jerry's Rocks
John Nankivell, b. 1921:

Danville Girl
The Tennessee Waltz
The Red River Valley
Green Grow the Lilacs
Careless Love
Shenandoah

Chattenooga Choo Choo and other "pop" of the day

The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze, and other selections from the IOCA Songfest


Dad's hearing has gotten so bad that he hasn't sung for quite a while, and now Parkinson's is making speech difficult.

I treasure the memories, but mourn the loss. Never got him recorded.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: GUEST,Bryan
Date: 15 May 09 - 08:12 PM

DAD
Paddy your an Irishman
Paddy your a rouge
The only thing that's Irish
is your cloths and brogue
MUM
If i had a silver dollar and i put it on the
ground it would ro o o ll because its ro o ound
ME
"The pianist what played em was an undred and free
grabbed a andful of notes in no particaler key"

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Beer
Date: 27 Mar 09 - 10:05 PM

White Silver Sands. His all time favorite.
Beer (adrien)

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Joe_F
Date: 27 Mar 09 - 08:29 PM

I've got rings on my fingers,
And bells on my toes,
Elephants to ride upon,
My little Irish rose,
So come to my [?]
Upon St Patrick's Day:
Be Miss Chief Mumbo Jumbo Jijiboo Jay
O'Shea.

-- probably wrong, and I always hear "Miss Chief" as "mischief".

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: lompocan
Date: 27 Mar 09 - 05:55 PM

The two songs mt dad sang that stand out most in my memory were:
Bill Grogan's Goat, with a refrain of "bud-a-bee-bum-bum". I can remember him explaining that three red shirts could stop a train.

The other was John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt, with the "J"s pronounced as "Y".

Mostly I remember these from long car rides.

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Singing Referee
Date: 27 Mar 09 - 05:39 PM

A muvva was baffin' her baby one night
The poor little fing was an 'orrible sight
The muvva was poor and the baby was fin
Was just a wee skelinton covered wiv skin
The muvva turned round for the soap on the rack
T'was only a moment but when she turned back
'er baby was gorn and wiv anguish she cried
Oh where is my babe, and the angels replied

Your baby 'as gorn dahn the plug 'ole
Your baby as gorn dahn the plug
The poor little fing was so fin and so small
'e should 'ave been washed in a jug
Your baby is perfectly 'appy
'e won't want a baff any more
'e's floated away dahn the drain pipe
Not lorst but gorn before!

Best I can do with the North London accent. That wasn't his normal speach, but it was perfect for the song!

Still going strong at 91!

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Will Fly
Date: 27 Mar 09 - 02:51 PM

Ah Bert! Many thanks for the "Turned Up" thread. Excellent.

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Bert
Date: 27 Mar 09 - 02:11 PM

Will,

Dad said that the dock workers used to curse the mammoth crane that was out there floating in the river 'cos it was a prime target for the Luftwaffe.

He never said much about his duties as an Air Raid Warden, I guess he was sparing us kids or just didn't want to talk about it.

Most of the time he was on duty they spent their time in the Wardens' hut playing darts or cribbage.

Here's a thread about Mary Ellen

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Betsy
Date: 27 Mar 09 - 06:18 AM

Thanks for that Noreen

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 27 Mar 09 - 05:11 AM

My dad used to sing lots of 'part songs'

By that I don't mean he sang harmonies,
He could never remember all words!

R.I.P. Dad!

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Will Fly
Date: 27 Mar 09 - 04:34 AM

Bert - the London Docks was a rare old place to be at that time! Glad he survived. He must have had some tales to tell of when the dock are and the East End went up in flames.

My dad was in the Home Guard at the age of 19, just before joining up in 1941, and he remembers standing on the tower of Blackrod Church (St. Katharine's) with the unit, watching Liverpool burn from the bombing. And Liverpool's a fair few miles from Blackrod...

It was my grandfather (dad's father) who did most of the singing when I was a child, and I remember sitting on his knee while he sang a song with the words "Mary Ellen at the church turned up" - to which I'll find the tune and words one day, in my copious free time!

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: quokka
Date: 27 Mar 09 - 01:00 AM

My Dad's still singing away at 77 - and making CDs if you don't mind!
His favourite when we were little was
'Far Away in Australia'.
Some of his favourites are:

Down By Lough Arrow's Side
Glorious Old Round Towers of Ireland
Lakes of Sligo
Three Leaf Shamrock.

He has a lot of songs - far more now than I remember from my childhood.

Cheers,

Quokka

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Bert
Date: 27 Mar 09 - 12:07 AM

Will,

Dad was unfit for miltary service so they made him an Air Raid Warden and he worked on ship repair in The London Docks.

If we got cold during the night he would cover us with his great coat. I still have to laugh when I hear that line from 'In Me Liverpool Home' which goes 'Under old overcoats each night we slept'.

Betsy, the thread you are looking for is here

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Noreen
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 09:58 PM

Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly? (Wikipedia)

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Noreen
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 09:54 PM

'Kelly from the Isle of Man' was the song, Betsy.

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Betsy
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 08:34 PM

Nice to see this thread revived - maybe the thread should have read "What did your Dad (or Mam)used to sing"
My Mum on washing days 1950's when boiling the whites used to sing " Has any body here seen Kelly - Kelly from the Isle of White?"
That was IT, - nothing else - did I miss-out on some subtledy / an in-joke about boiling, and Isle of White, or, was there ever an actual song about "Kelly from the Isle of White

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 08:01 PM

Hm..can't see that I answered before but maybe I missed it. Anyway, I only remember him singing Jim O'Shea was cast away, McNamara's Band and Kkkkkkaty. But my sister insists he sang Paddy from Cork Paddy from Cork holes in his britches as big as New York...his father died when he was very young but was supposedly a great singer and friend of Bing Crosby's father so I always wonder if Bing Crosby was at all influenced ever by my grandfather. Oh I think he also sang wait till the cows come home. mg

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Will Fly
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 07:07 PM

Bert:
Hey Will, that must be related to another one my Dad used to sing to the tune of Blaze Away.

Ain't it a pity she's only one titty
to feed the baby on
The poor little bugger will never play rugger
he won't be big and strong.

Aha - "Blaze Away" is indeed the tune! Ta, Bert. My dad got a lot of his odd ways, including silly songs and phrases from his war years as a navigator in the RAF - trained in Canada and served in Egypt and other areas such as India, Pakistan, etc.

A lot of postwar slang was actually services slang. I can remember dad saying "Let's have a shufti" when he meant "Let's have a look". and "Time for a charp" when he meant time for a nap. ("Charp" from "charpoy" - Indian word for a day bed). Did your dad have wartime or national service?

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Rasener
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 06:46 PM

I even remeber the words to thisday. Not sung anymore

Its a long way to go to Wembley
Its a long way to go
Its a long long way to go to Wembley
But we'll get there yes we know

Goodbye Bristol City
Goodbye Burnley too

Its a long long way to go to Wembley
But we'll get there yes we know


No swearing then or fighting etc. :-)

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Rasener
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 06:37 PM

He did

Les

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 06:34 PM

He didn't.

Jerry

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Rasener
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 06:25 PM

The only song I remember my dad singing was down at the Aston Villa matches. The song that they sung in those days was "Its a long way to tipparary" adapted to "Its a long way to go to Wembley", the year they beat Manchester United at Wembley in the FA Cup (When it meant something) in 1957.

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: GUEST,CupOfTea, no cookies
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 06:20 PM

My father was a perfect reflection of his times singing. He looked like Fred Astaire, and had a perfect crooner's voice. He could also whistle with great volume and intonation anything he'd a mind to. His favorite piece had to be his version of "My Blue Heaven" with my mother's and my names dropped in (just Ferny and me, Joannie makes three) which made me cringe by my high school years.

Very unfortunately, his repertoire was exceedingly small. Like any music, no matter how wonderful, the 2,000th repetition of it that month leaves you running for the other room. He was likley to come out with something from a Bing Crosby or Fred Astaire musical if he'd heard it recently, but it would fade out fast. His top 6 (In heavy rotation) were:

Peanut sat on a railroad track/Ain't gonna rain no more
The Sunday School song (AKA the "Darkie's Sunday school, but without the minstrel show dialect "Adam was the first man ever invented..")
Down by the Old Mill Stream (I thought all drunks knew this song when I was a kid)
Toura loura loura
My Blue Heaven
When Irish Eyes are Smiling

I so regret that I didn't have the smarts to try singing with him, and learning songs with him or teaching him the ones I came to love at camp.

Joanne in Cleveland

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Noreen
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 02:37 PM

The Old Bog Road
Kevin Barry
The Rose of Tralee...

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Bert
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 01:42 PM

Hey Will, that must be related to another one my Dad used to sing to the tune of Blaze Away.

Ain't it a pity she's only one titty
to feed the baby on
The poor little bugger will never play rugger
he won't be big and strong.

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Will Fly
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 01:29 PM

My dad used to sing, while shaving:

"Go back to your mother you bald-headed bugger,
You don't belong to me.
He couldn't play rugger, the poor little bugger,
He hadn't the strength, you see."

to the tune of a Sousa march - and I must find the correct title...

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: babypix
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 12:59 PM

Little Tom Tinker
The Leatherwing Bat
Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'
The Whiffenpoof Song
It's a Sin to Tell a Lie

Still sings 'em, too...beautifully. I had a wonderful time at a recent family reunion, singing songs together with my father. Probably the best bonding experience we ever had. Only took 40-some years. It's never too late to have a happy childhood! ; )

Deborah Robins
www.themusicofamerica.org

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: goatfell
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 12:51 PM

my father sang quite a lot of songs some of which I now sing and so did my mother sing songs a well and they are being sung by me as well.

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 12:38 PM

My Dad since Deceased, taught me so little on his guitar. Acoustic. He played at all the weare NH. Dances, back awayw. Age did not deter
his talent, nor did arthritis in his fingers and hands.   ':( You are my Sunshine ) was the first song he taught me, now i take lessons and still can't tune my own giutar Might I say very Frustrating.......... He sang all the old songs taht can be thought up . I never went to the dances I was tooo young Darn it.
"


Alice of Manchester NH.

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: GUEST,Chicken Charlie
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 11:52 PM

My father was not musical. He used to sing about half a verse of "The Crash on the Highway," just because he particularly hated it. Talk about reverse psychology.

I had to skip a generation. I had a great-uncle who played banjo and harmonica. He was renowned for "Turkey in the Straw." Maternal grandfather liked "The Wedding of Lili Marlene." And how 'bout Mom, you chauvinist? "Be Still, My Soul (Finlandia)." She needed it, I guess, with all those other characters around.

CC

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 04:33 AM

My dad was a semi-professional singer ( the Liverpool UK area) in his younger days. His three big music heroes were Al Jolson, Bing Crosby and Jimmie Rodgers; indeed, his rendition of those performers classic songs amounted to impersonations. I loved him singing the Jimmie Rodgers stuff, complete with great yodelling. My favourites were "Hobo Bill's last Ride" and "Me and My old guitar".

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Bert
Date: 14 Mar 08 - 10:48 PM

Call 'round any old time
make yourself at home
put your feet on the mantleshelf
go to the cupboard and help yourself
I don't care if your friends
have left you all alone
Rich or poor, knock at the door
and make yourself at home.

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Bert
Date: 14 Mar 08 - 01:01 AM

Oh, the Moonlight's Fair Tonight Along the Wabash.
Though the fields there comes the breath of new mown hay
Though the sycamores the candelights are gleaming
on the banks of the Wabash far away.

and

Oh I works just like a N**** (Navvy) though I isn't over strong
I'm mostly on me trotters all the time
soze I'm glad when Easter Sunday or a Whitsun comes along
for a day of perfect rest I'm really prime

Nah I lately took it in me 'ead I 'ad a day to spare
Wiv the wife and kiddies in their Sunday Clo'es
'Twarz a treat to make me mind up for a little country air
the pleasures of a quiet day's repose

There was me and the missus and the 'arf a dozen kids
a starting in the mornin' for the zoo
We played at Jack and Jill as we sampled Greenwich Hill
and then we went to Eppin' Forest too,

'ampstead, 'igate, Kilburn, Kensal Green
A loaded wiv the lilacs and the may
we got weary on our pins and we lorst the bloomin' twins
but I'm glad we 'ad a nice quiet day.

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 08 Feb 08 - 09:42 AM

Thanks to all for your contributions. I have added four new songs to my dulcimer repertoire because I saw them here:

Que Sera, Sera
I've Got Sixpence
Kerry Dancing
Sidewalks of New York.

My father used to sing one line of a song as he worked about the house, then suddenly stop singing. I wonder if someone once told him he had an ugly voice. I remember

I'm Sending You a Big Bouquet of Roses
Sweet Little Alice Blue Gown
Oh, the Moonlight's Fair (Bright?) Tonight Along the Wabash.

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 08:54 PM

Oh and "I spy with my little eye".
I remember when my dad got his first car radio, but wouldn't use it while driving in case it distracted him: smokers and moby users, take note!

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Schantieman
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 02:37 PM

Tattie Bogle:

My dad did both the 'I've got Sixpence' and 'Here's to Good Old Whisky' versions and i'm in the process of passing both (and others) on to my daughter.

We used to sing mostly in the car to pass the time and to relieve the intellectual exercise of 20 Questions!

Steve

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Jeri
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 06:55 AM

Long, Long Trail (Stoddard King) is in the DT. My dad sang the same thing, and also only the chorus.

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: GUEST,Granny In Wales
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 06:49 AM

note for Sandynewlap. "The Long, Long Trail" is a very well-known First World War song, sung by British Soldiers.

I'm sure that you will find it in the ether somewhere.

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: GUEST,Bert
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 03:44 AM

LOL! Tattie Bogle, I was thinking the same thing.

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 06 Feb 08 - 02:34 PM

A dour auld Scot, Faither's favourite---"Home in Pasadena"!!

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Dave Earl
Date: 06 Feb 08 - 08:38 AM

Valencia stick yer 'ead between yer legs and whistle up yer Barcelona.

Sorry, but you did ask and he was more prone to courseness than my mum (see the what mum sang thread)

Dave

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: mattkeen
Date: 06 Feb 08 - 08:36 AM

The Sun has got his hat on

and

ghost riders in the sky

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 08:44 PM

This thread says more about the posters than their dads, especially their ages! I find it a bit worrying that I recognise a lot the songs that their Dads were singing as being of my generation!

My Dad, now over 90, used to sing:
Here's to the good old whisky, drink it down, down, down, (x2)
Here's to the good old whisky,
That makes you so frisky,
Here's to the good old whisky, drink it down.

Chorus:
Drink it down, drink it down,
By the light of the silvery moo-oo-oo-oon,
Happy shall I be with the bottle on my knee,
And the shadow of the glasses on the wall.

And many other verses about other alcoholic beverages, even though my Dad was not really a big drinker!

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Forsh
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 08:26 PM

Forsh the 1st, as I recall, was always singing, but the first one I recall him singing, and making us sing, was "When I was a little bitty baby, my mama would a-rock me in ma cradle.." etc.
He was from Ruddy NORTHALLERTON for Chrissake!
He also used to do a fine rendition of the Bernard Cribbins thing, "Right Said Fred" Loved that one, as he put on the Cockney Accent, which to me, as a Geordie, was quite hilarious in 1962/3 (?)
I only hope some of what I sing stays with my children & grandchildren.

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: janemick
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 05:09 PM

We (mum, dad & elder sister) all used to sing in the car.
I was interested to see that Schantieman and Bob Coltman both included
I've Got Sixpence

In this song we used to sing the lines:
"happy as the day when the airman gets his pay
rolling rolling rolling rolling home, blind drunk!"
though I think most people sing soldier rather than airman. Something to do with him being in the RAF I suppose.

We also sang:
The Quartermasters Store
Ilkley Moor baht tat
Billy Boy

Got me interested in singing from an early age...

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: GUEST,sandynewlap
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 04:28 PM

As a lullaby, my Dad sang:

Theres a long, long trai a winding
Into the land of my dreams
Where the nightengale is singing
And the pale moon beams
Theres a long, long night awaiting
Until my dreams all come true
Till the day that I'll be walking
Down that long, long trail with you.

That's all there was. Anybody know any more verses?

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Kaleea
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 04:19 PM

Daddy sang with his terrific Tenor voice too many songs to list here! He loved the old time, gospel, western, traditional, country, early rock, blues, what he referred to as "Western Swayng," and "Hank" was a category unto himself.
In addition to the love of singing, what Daddy best passed on to my brother & I (on this subject) was the preference to sing incorrect lyrics on purpose. My mother was not amused when he began teaching us, as small children, the old standard: "Gorilla My Dreams I Love You . . ." Had she been a cursing woman, she would have cursed. Instead, she vehemently told us not to imbibe--which made us all the more fervent to learn this unique method of lyricism. Yes, this talent which is appreciated by some, yet abhorred by others ensures that sing-a-longs with us will not soon be forgotten. A strategically placed incorrect word or two can bring down the house amongst the revelers at a party. As children, we especially loved when he would sing in the style of the Irish tenor:

My Bonnie leaned over the gas tank;
More clearly its contents to see;
I lighted a match to assist her;
Oh bring back my Bonnie to me.

& for those of you old enough to know the difference, one of my alltime favs:

"I'll be feeling you in all the old familiar places . . .

. . .& when the night is through,

         I'll be looking for some love,

                        & I'll be feeling---you"

Subject: RE: What did your Dad used to sing?
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 04 Feb 08 - 08:53 PM

Grab your coat and get your hat
leave your worries on the doorstep
just direct your feet
to the sunny side of the street

A fine voice my father had.