ADD/Origins: Orderly Day

Subject: ADD: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Malcolm Speake
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 10:30 AM

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

Subject: RE: Orderly Day
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 01:36 PM

In the "Slang Dictionary (1874), 'squish' is marmalade. (Entry in Oxford English Dictionary)
"butter the loaves and spread the squish"--
I would guess that it would apply also to other spreads put on the buttered bread.

Thanks for contributing this. Haven't seen it before. Not in "Kiss Me Goodnight, Sergeant-Major." Can't find much on orderly duty or 'kitchen police.'

Lyr. Add. OUR JAM
(Tune- Marching through Georgia

The jam, the jam, the glorious gooseberry jam,
The jam, the jam, the jam that was made for me,
The jam we spread on somebody's bed
    or on half a loaf of bread,
The jam that feeds a hungry mob like we.

p. 59, F. T. Nettleingham, 2nd. Lt., 1917, "Tommy's Tunes," Erskine Macdonald Ltd.

Subject: RE: Orderly Day
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 01:49 PM

According to Roy Palmer, who published it in What a Lovely War, it was written by one G.E.H. Keesey in 1915. Palmer thinks it was possibly intended for university students, who acted as orderlies at a TA camp. According to him, the tune was taken from The Scottish Students Song Book.

The song was given to Palmer by Malcolm Speake, a singer from Birmingham. I'v no idea where Malcolm got it.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Judy Magner
Date: 20 Aug 10 - 04:15 PM

I sang this song when in primary school "Penzance Primary School" Penzance Road, Glenwood, Durban South Africa. This song was in a book together with a lot of other songs such as oh no john no john. This book had a greyish cover. I will never forget these lyrics and the very catchy tune. l loved it! I would love to see this book again and all the songs therein.

Hope someone can shed some light on this.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Derek Bailey
Date: 20 Nov 10 - 12:26 PM

I remember singing this song as a young lad at Fairclough St. primary school in east London just after WW2. Thanks for posting the lyrics some of which I still remember after all these years.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 21 Nov 10 - 01:09 AM

We too sang it at Northampton Town & County School about 1942. It was in a book, which may well be that enquired about by Judy Magner above, called National Song Book compiled by Walford Davies who was Master of the King's Musick: it was our joint favourite in the book, along with Ho-Ro My Nut Brown Maiden {drift alert!} whose fine pipe-tune was one of the "Tunes Of Glory" mentioned by Alec Guinness's Highland colonel to be played at his predecessor John Mills' funeral in the fine film of that name.

♥♫❤Michael❤♫♥

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Derek Maskell
Date: 29 Apr 11 - 02:09 PM

I remember singing this song when in the Eastcote Lane senior scool, South Harrow around 1943. Our teacher Mr Mould held community singing frequently in the school hall. This, and many other tunes, never heard now, were enjoyed by all.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: Snuffy
Date: 03 May 11 - 08:53 AM

"Malcolm Speake, a singer from Birmingham" (message 14 Jul 07 - 01:49 PM) is still singing and telling stories. Last seen this weekend with Spiders' Web at Upton-upon-Severn Folk Festival.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Betty
Date: 07 Sep 11 - 07:54 PM

Well, i also sang this at high school, Wellington East girls' College in wellington, New Zealand. We sang from the Twice fifty five community song book, with a blue cover. This was in the 1950's. I have been looking for the words for years, and just stumbled on this today! Thanks so much! i can now sing it to our grand kids!

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Feb 12 - 09:32 PM

I'm in my mid seventies now (2012)and I remember singing this song whilst doing my National Service in 1959. The sing along was always led by our Padre. Thank you for bringing back some happy memories!

Oh and incidentally this was for a while at Catterick Camp too in North Yorkshire at Loos lines which has now all been cleared and is a housing estate

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Martin
Date: 14 Feb 12 - 02:08 PM

I recall this song from my days at Burntwood Lane primary school in Caterham, Surrey in 1956/9. I was part of a small choir that was singing in a local choral competition. We were NOT singing this song but it stuck with me to this day being so much fun and "catchy". I've been trying to track down the full words for years so I can at least sing more than just the chorus when I'm washing up!

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Antoine
Date: 11 Apr 12 - 11:41 AM

We learned this song in secondary school in 1964 in Edinburgh - Music Appreciation.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 25 Apr 12 - 12:32 PM

"And it's: orderly, squish! orderly, tosh! orderly, tea this way!"...

"Stains of tosh are easy to wash compared with stains of fat" ~~

"Squish" = marmalade, widely so defined in Chambers, Partridge &c.

But what, as a foodstuff, is/was "tosh"? Can't find that in any slang dictionary, in print or online. Mostly the meaning given is "nonsense"; also the equivalent of "mate" in the vocative, esp among spivs and street salesmen. But 'tosh' = any sort of aliment I can find nowhere.

Anyone know?

~M~

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Greygoose 304
Date: 24 Jun 12 - 08:56 AM

We sang this song at Ottershaw School in Surrey in the 1950s. It was in a song book that also included 'Riding Down From Bangor on an Eastern Train - after weeks of hunting in the woods of Maine.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: Artful Codger
Date: 25 Jun 12 - 12:10 PM

What's the name of the tune or of the song it was taken from? I don't have access to Palmer's book. Dots or a scan?

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 26 Jun 12 - 01:07 AM

Now the thread refreshed, chance to repeat my question 3 posts above.

What is "tosh", the foodstuff mentioned, along with "squish" [= marmalade], that the orderly is required to produce?

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: Snuffy
Date: 26 Jun 12 - 08:33 AM

According to the OP's initial query
"apparently squish is butter and tosh is toast"

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 26 Jun 12 - 02:07 PM

Thank you, Snuffy. I had missed that. Seem v good explanations, at that: but odd they are not actually documented anywhere.

~M~

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Lycanthrope
Date: 02 Jul 12 - 09:04 AM

At last some sort of answer about this song. For some reason it frequently pops into my head just as I'm going to bed. Could only remember the first two lines but no idea where I originally heard it or why it's stayed with me all these years.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 03:00 PM

I learned that song in primary school - Fairclough St - in Stepney, east London, a long time ago.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Rob.westontl
Date: 16 Sep 12 - 10:55 AM

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Mike
Date: 19 Apr 13 - 03:41 PM

Well, I think you are all off the scent. I learned and sang it at scout camps in the early 1950s. I think it is very much a scouting song, as it refers to orderlies on duty roster - see the last line: "....others can have thier turn" refers to other scouts having to do orderly duties on the next rota.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 19 Apr 13 - 03:50 PM

Scouts too, maybe, GUEST,Mike; but Palmer's including it in his book of soldiers' songs would suggest a military origin. Orderly duties, taken by roster, are part of the organisation of many bodies.

~M~

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 31 Jul 14 - 09:52 AM

Fascinating! I had no idea!

I sang this song in the Great Hall at Highgate School when I was a senior there in about 1960/61. It was a part of a sketch performed by a small group of us one evening in front of all the school and parents, in turn part of a "fun" evening of such sketches - very rare at Highgate!
I had always thought that it was written specially for that evening by a fellow pupil called Presland. Indeed, Presland positively encouraged all of us to believe that he had written it himself.
Now we know!!

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Jim I
Date: 31 Jul 14 - 11:33 AM

I am wondering at which school GUEST Antoine was when he sang this song in 1964 as that was when and where I also learned it.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 31 Jul 14 - 11:47 AM

Long after ~~ but looking at this thread again: still not happy about OP definition of 'tosh' as meaning toast. Toast might leave a few crumbs; but it surely doesn't leave any stains, easy to wash or not. So I can't homestly see where toast will do as a definition.

Any other offers?

≈≈Grr·ROARrr·Rrr!≈≈

                      ~M~

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Brian Bailey
Date: 13 Oct 14 - 01:39 AM

This was a well-loved song from the Boys Brigade song book, sung with great gusto at Batallion Camps. I know all the words. Here's the last verse:
But just one ray of chilly comfort has the orderly got
The when the rest have done their best, why he can finish the lot.
One cheering ray lights up the day when labour he would spurn,
That when he's played the scullery maid, the others can have their turn.
(bit sexist)
OH orderly orderly etc

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Leslie Howard
Date: 07 Nov 14 - 05:09 AM

Sang it at Boronia High School [Melbourne, Australia] in 1960, and have sadly never seen or heard it since!

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,jg
Date: 24 Dec 14 - 12:58 AM

I know the lyrics from my youth in the NE of England and also the tune we used to sing. But who wrote the tune?

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Dianne Scott (nee Brunton)
Date: 01 Apr 15 - 11:32 PM

We sang this song at Girl Guides in Durban North, South Africa around 1961. The Guides met at the MOTH Hall in Kensington Drive every Friday afternoon. I especially remember singing this song when we went away on a camp to Lesotho by train and stayed in a campsite. Here we all had to take turns at being an orderly and there was a roster of duties. I have pictures of us in our blue guide uniforms and berets!

I have had this song in my head for all these years and now to find all the verses is wonderful

Di Scott

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Karl W Smith
Date: 07 Sep 15 - 05:53 PM

May songs like his - can't remember if is one of them - were combined earl post 1918 in The Hackney Scout Song Book. Published as a memorial to Hackney Scouts killed in WW1 it was used at Camp Fires for decades.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,L.Keir
Date: 22 Mar 16 - 02:08 AM

I was taught this song by a music teacher at Childwall valley High School in 1967 ish, we loved it!Dont know any more information.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Mike Pitman
Date: 19 Jul 16 - 02:24 AM

We sang this in the 1960s at Victoria College in Jersey in the Channel Islands.I can't remember the name of the songbook but it contained songs like "Jug of Punch", "The Blaydon Races", "The Weggis SOng" and Offenbach's "Gendarmes Duet". I bet these songs are all but forgotten.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Michael Davey,Far North Queensland.
Date: 09 Aug 16 - 11:25 PM

We were taught this song in my Year 3 class in Melbourne Australia in 1938. I always wondered as to its origin. Cheers!

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Rob
Date: 22 Nov 16 - 05:49 AM

We sang this song at Croydon High School in Victoria Australia probably 1959...... Miss Thomas was our music teacher back then.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,JIM Bennie
Date: 26 Nov 16 - 01:52 AM

Sung at RGS Guildford in the early 1940s. Isn't "tosh" gravy?

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,May Singapore
Date: 27 Mar 18 - 04:12 PM

I remember singing this song in the 1950's and the title has always been on my mind. Anyone knows whether it's on YouTube?

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 27 Mar 18 - 05:46 PM

According to Roy Palmer in 'What a Lovely War' p35. the tune is 'Solomon Levi'. I only have one copy of 'Solomon Levi' with tune and that's in Pankake's 'A Prairie Home Companion Folk Song Book'. Looking at the tune there it is a little like that used for 'Rumpsy Bumpsy Ay' and 'Eleven More Months and Ten More days I'll be out of the calaboosh'
Jig time, fist 2 bars all on one note, next 2 bars one note a tone up, and the next 2 bars a tone up again.

Subject: ADD Version: Orderly Song (G.E.H. Keesey)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Mar 18 - 06:21 PM

For the record, here are the lyrics from page 35 of Roy Palmer's What a Lovely War (Michael Joseph / Penguin Publishing, 1990). These lyrics are almost the same as those in the first post in this thread.


ORDERLY SONG
(G.E.H. Keesey)
Tune: ‘Solomon Levi’

At six o’clock on 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 swish,
And tenderly drop a pile of slop in every waiting dish.

CHORUS
Oh orderly, orderly, oh the orderly day.
Poor sore orderly, tra la la la la Ia 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 and clearing meals away.
It’s: ‘Orderly, swish ‘Orderly, tosh ‘Orderly, tea this way’.
Who would be an orderly upon an orderly day?

When breakfast’s done we’ve just begun our weary round of work —
And evil light upon the wight that tries his job to shirk,
A ravening crowd that roars aloud we feed with might and main,
And when they’ve splashed the plates we’ve washed we wash them all again.

The spotted dog’s magnificent trog, and so is Irish stew;
I’m a regular glutton for roasted mutton when I haven’t the washing to do.
Still, ackers and tosh is easy to wash compared with plates of fat:
I’d rather be fed on 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 can finish the lot.
One cheery ray lights up the day when labour he would spurn,
That when he’s laid the scullery maid the others can have their turn.


Notes: The emphasis moves here from food to those who serve it. The song, by G. E. H. Keesey, was published in 1915. I have a feeling that it was intended for university students at a TA camp where they would have been expected to take a turn as dining room orderlies. The tune comes from The Scottish Students’ Song Book, and ‘swish’ (squish: marmalade) was university slang.
Other slang words used are ‘trog’ (prog: food) and ‘ackers and tosh’ (bread and cheese).

I can't find the Scottish Students' Song Book, although I thought I had it. Here's a pretty good recording of "Solomon Levi":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUiHqRtbb9I

The melody is very familiar to me. If I think long enough, I might come up with some Wisconsin camp songs that used the tune.

I was surprised to find information about the tune at hymnary.org

-Joe-

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,des taylor
Date: 04 Jun 18 - 01:11 AM

I recall the words to this song whilst a student at the
WAIHI SOUTH PRIMARY SCHOOL, WAIHI, NORTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND,
and that was in the years between 1937 and 1943.
Was not even a teenager then.
Des

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 21 Nov 18 - 05:56 PM

We learned it in songing in School in Scpt
And in the 50s

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Marie
Date: 11 Sep 20 - 08:13 AM

I was pleased to find the Orderly Song With all the words as I remember
my Mother singing it. She first knew it in the period when it was new.
She learned it in the Girl Guides and my only comment on the words is that I believed "Tosh" to be jam, and "when they've 'toshed' the plates we washed we wash them all again."

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Jonathan
Date: 04 Sep 21 - 01:28 AM

We sang this in Hall Singing at prep school: Carn Brae (Bromley, then Kent) in the sixties.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Peter Dodds
Date: 09 Oct 21 - 04:55 PM

Just stumbled upon this thread (as one does) and would like to add that we sang it in music class at Trinity Grammar School in Kew Victoria (aka Hedgeburner's Grammar), in the early 60's, led by Mr Warren Thompson on piano. This class was a blessed and creative relief from the usual curricula tedium!

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Jan 22 - 05:21 PM

In Melbourne, Australia, in 1938, my teacher taught us the first verse of this song. I was 7 at the time and love it still. She was English.

Michael Davey

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Robin
Date: 24 Jun 22 - 05:51 PM

We sang it inthe fifties at Lord Wandsworth College, but our catering boss was a lovely lady called Mrs Deeley, so tbe word 'orderly' became 'deeley'. Now i know why.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Lindsey Mitchell
Date: 13 Sep 23 - 03:51 PM

I vividly remember singing "The Orderly Song " from the school songbook at Pukekohe High school (South Auckland New Zealand). I was at the school from 1967-69. We had a small songbook with a red cover, that was a part of the official school uniform along with the school cap. Thursday morning we had school singing for the first period when we would sing this and many others including Nut Brown Maiden and Hernando's Hideaway. At the end of the period the prefects would often check for songbook and cap as we left the hall, heading for the next class. The song pops into my head from time to time, especially when the sun is coming up on a cool sunny morning. ??

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Guest pat
Date: 31 Dec 23 - 05:57 PM

Escombe Primary school natal South Africa -late 1940s the same grey book as others- our music master was from UK