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Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
DigiTrad:
OH, HOW HE LIED
SMOKED HIS CIGAR
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Subject: Help with a Song: She sat 'neath the Lilacs From: sr Date: 02 Jun 99 - 10:36 PM I've been trying to find the words and music to a children's folk song. The name I do not know but the song begins with "She sat 'neath the lilacs and played her guitar, played her guitar, played her guitar...." and goes on to tell the story of a courter who joins her but is ultimately rejected. Any ideas? Thanks. |
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Subject: RE: Help with a Song: She sat 'neath the Lilacs From: campfire Date: 02 Jun 99 - 11:22 PM I'm pretty sure my father sings this one. I'll e-mail him and see if I can get the rest. Athough I think as he does it, people in the crowd get a chance to make up verses, too, and he "keeps" the good ones. campfire |
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Subject: RE: Help with a Song: She sat 'neath the Lilacs From: campfire Date: 03 Jun 99 - 09:55 PM There are actually two versions of this song right in the data base, but neither of them has her sitting " 'neath the lilacs". That threw me off, at first. Go to the Digital Tradition Search box at the top of the main page and type in "[smoked his cigar]" without the quotes. You'll get a choice of "Smoked His Cigar" and "Oh How He Lied" - basically the same song with a few variations. Your version, having her in 'neath the lilacs instead of him in his hammock is just one more...ain't folk music grand! The version my grandmother did, and now my father does, is bits and pieces of both, with new verses made up when there's a good group 'round the campfire. Enjoy! campfire |
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Subject: RE: Help with a Song: She sat 'neath the Lilacs From: Alice Date: 04 Jun 99 - 12:39 AM sr, the lyrics you are looking for are in the Women's Song Circle, on the post of 18-Sep-97, submitted by Speed-1. click here The Mudcat Café TM Thread #2801 Message #12461 Posted By: Speed-1 18-Sep-97 - 01:07 AM Thread Name: Women's Song Circle Subject: Lyr Add: OH, HOW HE LIED How about this under the category of girl falls for boy, boy turns out to be a slug, boy gets his. (Excuse my space bar, either it doesn't work, or puts out two spaces!) |
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Subject: RE: Help with a Song: She sat 'neath the Lilacs From: Barbara Date: 04 Jun 99 - 01:49 AM Interestin'. My mom sang this one, and in her version, it was: He sat in the hammock and smoked his cigar She sat down beside him and played her guitar
Then it's the same until the wedding where:
In Mom's version, he went to Hades, and I don't remember a moral about not lying. |
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Subject: RE: Help with a Song: She sat 'neath the Lilacs From: GUEST,Paul Spencer Date: 24 Jan 03 - 07:39 AM I know a few of the later verses, including: He (something, something) and laughed till he cried, laughed till he cried, etc. The tombstone fell on him and squish-squash he died... She went up to heaven and flip-flap she flied.... He went to the other place and frizzled and fried... And I vaguely know the tune, which I wil try to render in Do Re Mi or ABC format next time. |
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Subject: RE: Help with a Song: She sat 'neath the Lilacs From: Dave Bryant Date: 24 Jan 03 - 11:22 AM I wonder if it's related to "She sits among the cabbages and peas". |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,here ya go! Date: 21 Feb 09 - 11:32 PM Never tell lies She sat 'neath the lilacs and played her guitar, Played her guitar, played her guitar. She sat 'neath the lilacs and played her guitar, Played her guitar ha-ha-ha. He sat down beside her and smoked his cigar, Smoked his cigar, smoked his cigar. He sat down beside her and smoked his cigar, Smoked his cigar ha-ha-ha. He said that he loved her but oh how he lied, Oh how he lied, oh, how he lied. He said that he loved her but oh how he lied, Oh how he lied ide-ide-ide. They were to be married but somehow she died, Somehow she died, somehow she died. They were to be married but somehow she died, Somehow she died ide-ide-ide. He went to the funeral just for the ride, Just for the ride, just for the ride. He went to the funeral just for the ride, Just for the ride ide-ide-ide. He sat on the tombstone and laughed till he cried, Laughed till he cried, laughed till he cried. He sat on the tombstone and laughed till he cried, Laughed till he cried ide-ide-ide. The tombstone fell on him and squish-squash he died, Squish-squash he died, squish-squash he died. The tombstone fell on him and squish-squash he died, Squish-squash he died ide-ide-ide. She went to heaven and fluttered and flied, Fluttered and flied, fluttered and flied. She went to heaven and fluttered and flied, Fluttered and flied ide-ide-ide. He went to t'other place and frizzled and fried, Frizzled and fried, frizzled and fried. He went to t'other place and frizzled and fried, Frizzled and fried ide-ide-ide. Now the moral of this story is never tell lies, Never tell lies, never tell lies. Now the moral of this story is never tell lies, Never tell lies ies-ies-ies. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,jeanette liverpool Date: 26 Mar 09 - 12:04 PM hello, i learned this at girl giudes years ago, the tune i know was same as Guest 21 feb, except for second verse, the version i know is A MAN SAT BESIDE HER AND SMOKED A CIGAR, NOT HE? made up to revist these old folk tunes, i did perfom this age 10 or eleven for my family, doing all the actions along with it, this was at home, belive me, the reaction to this was that nerly everyone laughed till they cried, seeing this bit of a kid acting out this song, and taking it all so seriously |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Joe Offer Date: 26 Mar 09 - 02:58 PM I wonder what the name of the melody/tune/air is - it sure feels familiar. Meredith/Covell/Brown (Folk Songs of Australia, Volume 2, pages 130-131) notes that the tune for this is derived from "The Evening Stars," a waltz by Joseph Franz Karl Lanner (1801-1843, a contemporary -and competitor- of Johann Strauss) - but I don't know any tunes by Joseph Franz Karl Lanner, whoever HE is. Meredith/Covell/Brown say that other variants of this waltz are played by Joe Cashmere as "The Orphan Boy" and by Mick Pilley as "I've Got a Saviour That's Mighty to Keep." Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry (which spells Lanner's name wrong): Oh, How He LiedDESCRIPTION: An "old villain" sits by a girl and smokes his cigar. She plays her guitar. "He told her he loved her but oh how he lied." They agree to marry, "but she up and died." She goes to heaven, he to hell ("sizzle, he fried"), listeners are warned against liesAUTHOR: unknown EARLIEST DATE: 1928 (recording, Joe Foss & his Hungry Sand Lappers) KEYWORDS: courting marriage music death lie Hell humorous FOUND IN: US Australia REFERENCES (4 citations): Meredith/Covell/Brown, pp. 130-131, "Don't Tell a Lie" (1 text, 1 tune) Pankake-PHCFSB, p. 257, "She Sat on Her Hammock" (1 text) Silber-FSWB, p. 31, "Oh, How He Lied" (1 text) DT, HELIED* Roud #13621 RECORDINGS: Joe Foss & his Hungry Sand Lappers, "Oh How She Lied" (Columbia 15268-D, 1928) Pete Seeger, "Oh How He Lied" (on PeteSeeger31) NOTES: Meredith/Covell/Brown notes that the tune for this is a waltz by Joseph Franz Karl Lanner. - RBW File: FSWB031B Go to the Ballad Search form Go to the Ballad Index Instructions The Ballad Index Copyright 2014 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle. You'll find a great recording of this on the Pete Seeger American Favorite Ballads box set, coming out April 21. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Jim Dixon Date: 27 Mar 09 - 07:55 PM From Bulletin of the American Library Association, Volume IV, No. 5, September, 1910, "Proceedings of the Масkinас Island Conference," subheading "The Post-Conference Trip" by F. W. F.: College songs on some evenings furnished amusement for the younger members of the party, and doubtless helped to lull to sleep the rest. Especially pleasing was that little ditty—heard here by many of us for the first time—the plot of which was something as follows: She sat in her hammock and played the guitar. He sat beside her and smoked a cigar. He told her he loved her, but Oh! how he lied! She said she believed him, but 'm, 'm, she didn't. They were to be married, but she up and died. He went to the funeral, but just for the ride. She went to Heaven, and flip-flop she flied. He went to Hades, and sis-sis he fried. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: JeffB Date: 28 Mar 09 - 09:00 AM We sang this version in Queensland in the 1950s :- She sat on a tuffet and played her guitar He sat down beside her and smoked his cigar He told her he loved her but oh how he lied And then they got married but shortly she died He went to the funeral just for the ride He sat on her tombstone and laughed til he cried The tombstone split open and he fell inside He went to Old Nick and sizzled and fried She went to heaven and flip-flop, she flied The moral of the story is - don't tell a lie! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: JennieG Date: 28 Mar 09 - 07:47 PM I remember singing this song in Tamworth (NSW country town) in the 60s, but I can't for the life of me remember where she sat - it was possibly 'neath the lilacs. I seem to remember "She went up to heaven and flip flip she flied" and "He went down below and he frizzled and fried". So many years and so many songs later, I'm a bit hazy on what we actually sang. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Steve Gardham Date: 28 Mar 09 - 07:58 PM It may well be a composed waltz, but it resembles pretty closely 'Oh dear what can the matter be?' |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Joe Offer Date: 28 Mar 09 - 08:04 PM Apparently, Lanner was hot stuff in Vienna in his time. He was a competed against the Strauss family in the waltz business, and performed constantly at the Prater amusement park and in town. Alas, flip-flop he flied and was soon forgotten. Strauss must have had better business sense...or maybe better music? -Joe- |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Rowan Date: 29 Mar 09 - 01:29 AM As we sang it in Melbourne, also in the 40s and 50s, it went She sat in her garden and played her guitar He sat down beside her and smoked his cigar He told her he loved her but oh how he lied She said she loved him but she did not lie And then they got married but she up and died He went to the funeral but just for the ride He sat on her tombstone and laughed 'til he cried The tombstone split open and he fell inside He went to Hades and sizzled and fried She went to heaven and flip-flop, she flied The moral of this song is don't smoke cigars! Cheers, Rowan |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Rowan Date: 29 Mar 09 - 01:32 AM While I don't know the composer of the tune (or the author of the words in their original form), the tune we sang to bears no resemblance to the tune we used for "Oh dear, what can the matter be"; the scansion is different as well. Cheers, Rowan |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: JennieG Date: 29 Mar 09 - 07:45 PM I have remembered - we sang "She sat by the window and played her guitar". Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,Whitney Date: 23 Apr 09 - 12:27 AM I remember my aunt use to sing this song when she would come over I loved it the only difference though was.. She sat by her window and played her guitar He went to her funeral on his motorbike The moral of this story is never to lie |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Amos Date: 23 Apr 09 - 02:27 AM Burl Ives recorded a version which just recites "There once was a lady who played a guitar...", no particular location. The melody is simple, and has only two chords--the tonic and the dominant 7th. A |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,Fleabag Date: 07 May 09 - 04:00 PM My nan used to sing this to me when I was small, I remember it being She sat in her hammock and played her guitar He sat down beside her and smoked a cigar She said that she loved him and oh how she sighed He said that he loved her but oh how he lied They were to be married but she upped and died He went to her funeral but just for the ride He sat on her tombstone and laughed 'til he cried The tombstone fell over and thats how he died The vicar was passing and popped him inside She went to heaven and flip flap she flied He went to t'other place and frizzled and fried The moral of this story is never tell lies.... I still sing it now with my guitar, when I'm in the hammock in the garden hee hee but it's sooooo darn long!!! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,meesecheese Date: 23 May 09 - 07:48 PM Hi, my Mum, Dad and I used to sing this song in the car on road trips! I remember this tune so well but didn't know all the lyrics and we always sung it that she sat on her window. But then my families not the best at remembering lyrics. Well song definately brings back memories. And i like the last verse. I think we use to skip that one out. :) |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,meesecheese Date: 23 May 09 - 08:05 PM Hi did a bit of looking around and i found what we use to sing here it is Smoked His Cigar He sat by her window and played his guitar, Played his guitar, played his guitar. He sat by her window and played his guitar, Played his guitar. She smiled coyly and smoked her cigar... (She sat down beside him and played his guitar) He told her he loved her, but my how he lied... They were to get married but somehow she died... He went to her funeral just for the ride... He sat on her tombstone and laughed 'til he cried... The tombstone fell over and squish-squash he died... She went to heaven and flip-flop she flied... He went to hades and frizzled and fried... The moral of the story is never tell lies... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Weasel Date: 24 May 09 - 03:45 AM Has anyone sent you the tune yet? If not, send me a private message with an email address and I'll send you a sound file. Cheers |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Weasel Date: 24 May 09 - 07:16 AM By the way, we always sang "flip-flap she flied", not flip flop. As a very young kid when I was in the "cubs" (the junior version of the boy scouts, to which I never progressed) we used to sing this every year in the "gang show" (sorry, I'm putting all these terms in inverted commas because I don't know if such things exist over in the states) "Flip-flap she flied" was, for some reason, always our favourite verse. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,Karen Date: 27 Jul 09 - 10:08 AM My child came back from Girl Scout singing this and the last verse was, "The moral of the story is never trust guys (they lie), never trust guys, they lie...never trust gu-eye-eye-eyes..." |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,Ezekiel Date: 20 May 10 - 04:08 PM The version I remember ends: The moral of this is he shouldn't have lied (Shouldn't have lied, shouldn't have lied) And those who tell lies should expect to be fried (Expect to be fri-i-i-ied> |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST Date: 07 Aug 10 - 08:42 PM We used to sing this with some slight variations, such as "She sat on her porch and played her guitar," "She got lumbago and she up and died," and "He went to hell [we kids were thrilled to get away with a 'swear word']and oh how he fried." And, yes, we did like the line, "She went to heaven and flip-flop she flied." |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,eliza c Date: 07 Aug 10 - 10:11 PM So weird...my Dad used to sing this to me, and we just recorded it. Haven't heard it for years. I like the "somehow she died" bit. xe |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: MGM·Lion Date: 08 Aug 10 - 12:53 AM Minor variants: In my childhood, it was "a veranda" she sat on; and in Heaven she "fluttered and flied. Otherwise a clearly related version to all the gardens, windows, hammocks, lilacs, &c, above. ~Michael~ |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: MGM·Lion Date: 08 Aug 10 - 01:18 AM BTW, this has always struck me as an American student-y, Yale·Song·Book, sort of song, in the same mould/mode as "Riding Up From Bangor". Is this the case; or otherwise does anyone know its provenance? ~Michael~ |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST Date: 20 Oct 10 - 07:25 AM i thought it went "He brought a revolva and that's how she died. That's how she died, that's how she died. He brought a revolva and that's how she died. That's how she die-eye-eye-ied" haha |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,JMS Date: 26 Oct 10 - 07:56 PM I must have had a twisted Girl Scout troop. We sang: She sat on her hammock and smoked her cigar Smoked her cigar Smoked her cigar She sat on her hammock and smoked her cigar Smoked her cigar Yes she did. He sat down beside her and played his guitar... He said that he loved her, but oh, how he lied... They planned to get married, but she up and died... He went to her funeral, but just for the ride... He sat on her tombstone and laughed till he died... He went down to mm-mm and sizzled and fried... She looked down from heaven and spit in his eye... (And the last verse) Now that is my story and don't say I lied Don't say I lied Don't say I lied. Now that is my story and don't say I lied Don't say I lied - Yes, I did! (I don't remember any flip-flap or flip-flop verse.) |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,p fehrenbach Date: 20 Jul 11 - 10:24 AM In the version I remember, she sat on her veranda and played her guitar. Also, after squish squash he died, I thought there were two other verses She went up to heaven and flip-flop she flied, flip-flop she flied, flip-flop she flied She went up to heaven and flip-flop she flied, flip flop she fli i i ied He went down to mm-mm and sizzled and fried, sizzled and fried, sizzled and fired, he went down to mm-mm and sizzled and fried, sizzled and fri i i ied. The moral ..... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,Tattie Bogle Date: 20 Jul 11 - 05:00 PM We used to sing it in Girl Guides (Suffolk, England, 1960s): pretty much as "Here Ya Go" has given it, except that we also had the "Flip flap she flied" bit. I suspect quite a few of our campfire songs had crossed the pond as we also used to sing such as "Land of the Silver Birch" and "My paddle's keen and bright" (another thread on this elsewhere). |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,Tich Frier Date: 20 Jul 11 - 07:56 PM The tune that sprung to mind as I read the words was that of a song called 'My Mother Said Not To Put Beans In My Ears", which was a minor hit for one of those Boy/Girl 10 piece squeaky clean groups from USA in the sixties. Not unlike the one in "A Mighty Wind". Zat any help? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Mo the caller Date: 21 Jul 11 - 10:13 AM Our version was She sat neath the lilacs.... She went to heaven and fluttered and flied he went to 'tother place and frizzle and fried. Talking of guitars (actually, when I'd typed it meory altered it to a strumming banjo) One-l-nl-ce I ha-la-la-d an ol-l-l-ld banjo-l-l-0 I pla-la-layed it on-lo-lon my knee-li-li-li-ly But now-le-le-ow the strin-li-lings are bro-l-l-ken so It no-lo-lo more u-l-l-use to me-li-li-li-li-ly I to-l-look it to the me-l-l-nders sho-l-lop To see-l-lee what he-l-lee could doo-loo-loo-loo-loo And now-l-l-ow the stril-lings are mended and It's quite-l-lite as goo-l-lood as new-li-li-li-li-lew Well, something like that anyway. Which we used to sing at secondary school (1950s, Chiswick, London), sitting on the grass making 'banjos' by cutting the edge of plantain stems with a fingernail, then pulling the leaf gently to expose the strings. |
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Subject: ADD Version: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,Uke Player Date: 06 Aug 11 - 04:29 PM My father taught us this song over 60 years ago:
He sat down beside her and smoked a cigar He said that he loved her but OH HOW HE LIED! They were to be married when she up and died He cut up some onions and oh how he cried He went to the funeral but just for the ride Her soul went to heaven and FLIP-FLOP she flied (and the last verse is our kids and grandkids fav..)
Enjoy! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Mrrzy Date: 06 Aug 11 - 04:41 PM I didn't have those first few verses but I did have frizzed and fried - excellent thread! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,Eliza Date: 06 Aug 11 - 04:50 PM We sang "She sat under the lilacs..." etc. (not 'neath) |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,guest Date: 12 Aug 11 - 10:54 PM in the one i learned he went to -cough cough- and sizzled and fried. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,mjfire Date: 28 Aug 11 - 04:56 PM In the version my grandmother sang to me (born 1919), it went as follows: She sat 'neath the maple and strummed her guitar... He vowed that he loved her but uh-oh he lied... She got insomnia and uh-oh she died... She went up to heaven and flip-flop she flied... He went down below where he frizzled and fried... The moral of this story is never to lie... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,Kelly Date: 18 Nov 11 - 02:09 PM "She got consumption, and that's how she died, that's how she died" |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,Eske Rahn Date: 22 Oct 14 - 08:27 PM I have a version very close the one posted by "GUEST,Fleabag" above. I was taught it in the 1980'ties when I was about 20 by an over 90 year old professor visiting from Birmingham that remembered it from when he was a kid, so it can't hardly be from the last century, but must be even older. She sat on t'veranda and played her guitar He sat down beside her and smoked his cigar She said that she loved him and oh how she sighed He said that he loved her but oh how he lied They were to hav'been married but she upped and died He went to her funeral but just for the ride He sat on her tombstone and laughed 'til he cried The tombstone fell over him and splish splash he died The vicar was passing and popped him inside She went to the heaven and flip flap she flied He went to t'other place and frizzled and fried The moral of this story is you'shd never tell a lie.... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 23 Oct 14 - 11:08 AM The variations in the detailed text can go on forever, I guess, but in my misspent youth in Minnesota, in the 30's, we used the partial lines below: "sat in her hammock and played her guitar" "He sat down beside her and smoked his cigar" "he told her he loved her" "she got consumption and she ups and died" or sometimes "they were to be married, but she ups and died" "he sat on her tombstone and laughed till he cried" "she went to Heaven, and flip-flop she flied" "But he went the other place, and sssss-led and fried" "moral of this story is, never tell-lies" (This last was said or sung as one word, "telllize" to meet the scansion.) I don't recall the song having any account of just how he died. (This was, after all, seventy-plus years ago.) And we didn't do the triple-echo thing at the end of the verses. Dave Oesterreich |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Stewart Date: 23 Oct 14 - 12:10 PM ...... He went down below her and sizzled and fried The moral of this tale is never to lie Or you, too, may perish, and sizzle and fry from The New Song Fest by Best and Best Cheers, S. in Seattle |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Mrrzy Date: 23 Oct 14 - 01:21 PM Wow, fascinating. My dad's version started with the oh how he lied verse, skips his death, she went to heaven and flip-flop she flied, he went the other way and frizzled and fried, no moral. I love this place. I always figured that he lived to a ripe old age and then, eventually, frizzled. I also loved the idea of going to the funeral "but just for the ride" as if he had either been heading somewhere and that got him partway there, or he enjoyed cars as if they were roller coasters. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Steve Gardham Date: 23 Oct 14 - 02:47 PM Looking back through the thread it seems that Jim's reference from 1910 is the earliest. Up to that point I was beginning to think typical Frank Proffit/Frank Luther/Lesley Sarony material, but Mike might be right in his guess as American college song. However the fact that it has become so widespread with not a lot of variation smacks of an actual popular recording perhaps on the first 78s, although pre-1910 might have been cylinders. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: OH HOW HE LIED (Rust College Quartet) From: Jim Dixon Date: 23 Oct 14 - 05:23 PM This seems to be the oldest recording. It is sung by a 4 male voices in harmony, a cappella, at a faster tempo, and a different tune than the one Pete Seeger used. It was recorded on a 78-rpm record, Columbia 14307D, in 1927. It is also on "Vocal Quartets, Vol. 5: M/N/O/R" (Document Records, DOCD-5541), which you can hear on Spotify: OH HOW HE LIED As recorded by the Rust College Quartet 1. He sat in the window and smoked a cigar, Smoked a cigar, smoked a cigar. He sat in the window and smoked a cigar, Smoked a cigar. CHORUS (SAME MELODY): He told her he loved her but, oh, how he lied! Oh, how he lied! Oh, how he lied! He told her he loved her but, oh, how he lied! Oh, how he lied! 2. He sat in the window and picked a guitar, etc. CHORUS. 3. She fell for his music and oh, how she sighed, etc. CHORUS. 4. He wrote her a note but it was a joke, etc. CHORUS. 5. She baked him a cake but it was a fake, etc. CHORUS. 6. She was ... and ugly beside, etc. CHORUS. 7. She promised to marry but she up and died, etc. CHORUS. 8. He went to the funeral but just for a ride, etc. CHORUS. 9. She went up to heaven and flip-flop she flied, etc. CHORUS. 10. He went out a sh——, oh, how he fried! Oh, how he fried! Oh, how he fried! He went out a sh——, oh, how he fried! Sh——, sh——, he fried. [No chorus after verse 10. Also note there is a word or phrase in verse 6 that I don't understand. Also, I can't imagine what "sh——" means in verse 10. It's possible they're singing "He went on a sh——" or something similar.] |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: MGM·Lion Date: 23 Oct 14 - 05:34 PM Re American college -- It always feels to me in the same sort of genre as Riding Up From Bangor; certainly an American student song. There seems actually to be quite a lot of minor variation thru the thread -- as to whether she sat in a veranda or a hammock &c, whether he frittered or frizzled & fried, & so on. ≈M≈ |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Steve Gardham Date: 23 Oct 14 - 06:52 PM Yes, Mike, minor variation of the sort that is associated with versions that have been in oral tradition for only a relatively short period. Jim, Could v10 be 'He went down to sh! oh how he fried'? That would make much better sense. Is the song not credited to anyone on the 78? Was it part of the barber shop quartet repertoire? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: MGM·Lion Date: 24 Oct 14 - 12:43 AM "Went down to 'sh!'" I originally learned as went down to "Hmm-hmm" -- ie a euphemistic noise, as 'sh' = 'hush' or 'hmm-hmm' for a supposed avoidance of pronouncing the actual word; from time when "Hell" was thought of [facetiously, I suspect] as a very naughty(!) swearword. ≈M≈ |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Tattie Bogle Date: 24 Oct 14 - 06:20 PM I learned this song as a Girl Guide camp fire song in Suffolk back in the late 50s/early 60s. The closest of the many versions above to what we sang is the one posted by "Here Ya Go" in Feb 09. I am incidentally looking for another song about lying: can only remember bits of the chorus and the rather jolly tune: With her..and her.... Her hair hanging over her shoulder He sat her down by the light of the moon Many were the lies he told her. If anyone can help with this instantly great, otherwise I'll start a new thread. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Steve Gardham Date: 18 Nov 14 - 09:55 AM Some new evidence, but to make it really clear we need more info on the pre-1920s variants. Looking back through the thread it appears to me that any pre-20s refs don't indicate the repeats. Is it possible that pre 20s it went to a different tune without the repeats? I've just picked up a piece of sheet music dated 1923 published in New York by Stark and Cowan, and in London by B Feldman & Co. Title: Oh! How she lied to me Words and Music: Harry White and Will Donaldson Sung: Miss Jennie Hartley. There are 3 parts to the song 2 verses, a refrain, and then 5 further verses to a different tune. The refrain concerns us here (as well as the title) It is to the tune of the song in this thread. She told me she loved me, but, oh! how she lied. Oh! how she lied. Oh! how she lied; My poor heart is broken and oh! how I cried, She made a fool of me. The 5 final verses are in the same vein as our song obviously with gender reversal, but they are in 3 rhyming lines. Last verse as example: I called at her flat but since then we don't speak, And that's where I got this big bruise on my cheek, Her husband, she said, was away for a week. But oh! how she lied to me. I can't sightread very well but the tune of the refrain is obviously that of our song. Here are some obvious possibilities with the White/Donaldson song: They simply lifted the chorus, title and tune, and added other more sophisticated elements. The 'played her guitar' verses already existed as a college song with different tune and no repeats and someone post-23 adapted the verses to the White/Donaldson hit. We need to entice some of the earlier posters back to see if we can link the well-known tune (Evening Stars waltz?) to pre-23 texts. Also it would make things clearer if we could have some midis or ABCs of the tunes referred to. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Steve Gardham Date: 18 Nov 14 - 10:17 AM Just as a start in very simplest form here is the score from Meredith et al. 3/4 key C G/GEF/GEF/GC^.E/G../ FA.D/F.>/EGC/E G/GEF/GEF/GC^.E/G../ B../AB/C^GEC/ The version I know is slightly different in that the repeats in the second line stay on the higher notes. I'll try and transpose the White Donaldson chorus into C from Bb in a bit. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Steve Gardham Date: 18 Nov 14 - 10:38 AM Here's my best shot at transposing the White/Donaldson chorus. The last line goes off a bit into accidentals in accord with the first part. G/GEG/AFA/GE^C/G./ GD^B/G./GE^C/G G/GEG/AFA/GE^C/G./ F#AC/EEb/D^./ I can have a go at my own tune if anyone's interested and my primitive notation is any use. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Steve Gardham Date: 18 Nov 14 - 10:41 AM I should add that the whole of the W/D song is in 3/4. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: OH HOW SHE LIED TO ME (from Spike Jones) From: Jim Dixon Date: 18 Nov 14 - 10:43 AM What a difference a change of gender makes! We can now find many more versions of a song that formerly seemed very obscure. This one is on YouTube and Spotify: OH HOW SHE LIED TO ME As recorded by Spike Jones on "Not Your Standard Spike Jones Collection" Don't ask me why I look worried, And why there's a tear in my eye, For I fell in love with a sweet turtledove, And I'm such an innocent guy. She told me she loved me, but oh, how she lied! Oh, how she lied! Oh, how she lied! My poor heart is broken, and oh, how I cried! She made a fool of me. She said my money would lead me astray, So to protect me she took it away. She said she'd return it on some rainy day, But oh, how she lied to me! On last Christmas Eve she made me very cross. I cried my poor eyes out and it was because She tried to tell me there was no Santy Claus, But she falsified— She misrepresented— She discarded the truth— She prevaricated— She fabricated a story— She tried to deceive me— And on top of that, Oh, my, how she lied to me! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Steve Gardham Date: 18 Nov 14 - 11:11 AM Hi, Jim All of this is in the White/Donaldson version, apart from the additions to the last verse, with other verses as well. The plot thickens. Having looked more closely at my indexes I find I have another related song I recorded from an old lady in May 1972, but we're back with a female narrator with a female singing. I once had a sweetheart, me a courting did he He was so attentive as attentive could be, One day he took me out for a walk by the sea, Now let's go for a swim, my darling, said he. We went in the water, and oh deary me! I said how deep do you think the water might be Just up to your expectations said he, Oh, how he lied to me! The recording is online at BLSA at C1009/9 C10. I'll check out the tune. I noted she knew further verses but I failed to record them. Gnash! gnash! The style of this piece is more 1890s to me. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Steve Gardham Date: 18 Nov 14 - 11:23 AM Unfortunately Mrs Cograve had difficulties recalling her tune for this. She had just sung a version of 'Still I Love Him' and had this tune in her head. At first she recites the words above and when she is asked to sing it she gets confused. It's a pity I didn't get back at a later date to ask again. She was 85 in 1972. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Steve Gardham Date: 18 Nov 14 - 11:35 AM I note that A. K. Davies lists 2 versions in Folk Songs of Virginia one from 1930 7 sts and the other from 1936 6 sts. Unfortunately whilst it's obvious that they are both variants of the college song I don't think he published them. His 2 later volumes concentrate on ballads. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: OH! HOW SHE LIED TO ME (Murray & Smalle) From: Jim Dixon Date: 18 Nov 14 - 11:39 AM My transcription from YouTube. Murray and Smalle sing this as a dialogue, which is awkward, because their voices sound so much alike (this is probably made worse by the low fidelity of the 78-rpm recording) that it's hard to tell when the speaker changes. I have inserted a dash where I think this occurs. OH! HOW SHE LIED TO ME Words by Harry White, music by Will Donaldson. As sung by Billy Murray and Ed Smalle, on Victor 19188-B [recorded 1923-Oct-01]. —Of late you've been looking quite worried. —You've noticed the tears in my eyes. —I guess you're in love with some sweet turtledove. —I was, but I'm just getting wise. —You must have found her deceitful. —I did, and it was a surprise. —I wish you'd explain. Tell me why you complain. —I'm tired of her alibis. She told me she loved me, but oh, how she lied! —Oh, did she lie? —Yeah, I'll say she lied! —Your heart must be broken. —I cried and I cried. She made a fool of me. She told me my money would lead me astray. —I guess to protect you she took it away. —She said she'd return it on some rainy day, But oh, how she lied to me! She told me to bet on a horse named Yvette, Who'd win ten to one. —Oh, a fortune you'd get! —So it's ... and the horse ain't in yet. Oh, how she lied to me! I'll never forget how she acted The last time that I took her out. —Why, what did she do? Did she upset you? —My feelings were hurt beyond doubt. She said: "Goodbye, Valentino" As we stood there by the old mill. —What! She called you Rudolph? Well, that's mighty strange. —Yeah, my name ain't Rudolph; it's Bill. She told me she loved me but oh, how she lied! —Did that baby lie? —I'll say that she lied! —Your heart must be broken. —Goodbye to my bride. I hope that she's satisfied. "I want to see Washington someday," she said. —Oh, you loaned her the money? —Yeah, I said: "Go ahead," But someone just told me George Washington's dead. Oh, how she lied to me! She called me her angel and raved constantly, Said that someday her sweet hubby I'd be. —Why, that baby pulled the same patter on me! [BOTH:] Oh, how she lied to me! The Online 78-rpm Discography says that early recordings were also made by: Harry Blake, Billy Jones (as Billy West), Aileen Stanley, and Frank Crumit. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Steve Gardham Date: 18 Nov 14 - 02:28 PM Ah, Frank Crumit! If the song was crystallised in the 20s there's a good candidate. It's not on my 2 FC CDs pub. Naxos Nostalgia, Frank Crumit, the Gay Caballero, or Frank Crumit Returns. The 2 versions you've posted are quite different and yet seemingly by the same writers. I'd better post the sheet music version for comparison. |
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Subject: ADD Version: Oh! How She Lied to Me From: Steve Gardham Date: 18 Nov 14 - 02:43 PM Sheet Music: OH! HOW SHE LIED TO ME (Harry White and Will Donaldson) Don't ask me why I look worried, And why there's a tear in my eye, For I fell in love with a sweet turtle dove, And I'm such an innocent guy. She said goodbye Valentino, One night as I started to go, She whispered, My Rudolph, I'll dream dear of you, But my name's not Rudolph, it's Joe. Refrain: She told me she loved me, but Oh! how she lied, Oh! how she lied. Oh! how she lied; My poor heart is broken and oh! how I cried. She made a fool of me. She said that my money would lead me astray, And just to protect me she took it away, She said she'd return it on some rainy day, Oh! how she lied to me. On last Christmas Eve she made me very cross, I cried my poor eyes out and it was because She tried to tell me there was no Santy Claus, But Oh! how she lied to me. She told me to bet on a horse named Yvette, Twill win ten to one and a fortune you'll get; It's now ten to five and the horse ain't in yet, Oh! how she lied to me. She said, Let's get married and I'll treat you fair, At home I've a drawer two of everything there. But her bottom drawer, when I looked it was bare. Oh! how she lied to me. I called at her flat but since we don't speak, And that's where I got this big bruise on my cheek, Her husband, she said, was away for a week. (no final line given but most probably a printer's error) dated 1923 published in New York by Stark and Cowan, and in London by B Feldman & Co. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Jim Dixon Date: 18 Nov 14 - 05:21 PM You can see a copy of the sheet music for OH! HOW SHE LIED at the web site of York University libraries (Toronto, ON, Canada). It lacks the last 2 verses posted above, however. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,Kegan Mahon Date: 18 May 15 - 01:16 AM Available on Archeophone Records' "The Complete Hit of the Week Recordings, Volume 2 [ARCH 3003 (2 CDs)]" Recorded by Cal Carson as "She Sat in Her Parlor (c. 1931 or '32). |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,PS Date: 18 May 15 - 01:19 AM Listen here as .ram |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST Date: 15 Jun 16 - 01:32 AM My gran use to sing.. (He gave her some poison and then she soon died...) Has anyone else heard that???? |
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Subject: Lyr Add: OH HOW SHE LIED TO ME (Billy Murray) From: Jim Dixon Date: 16 Jun 16 - 11:26 PM OH HOW SHE LIED TO ME As recorded by Billy Murray with Ed Smalle, 1923. (I have marked the two singers A and B, but I don't know which is Murray and which is Smalle.) [A] Of late you've been looking quite worried. [B] You've noticed the tears in my eyes? [A] I guess you're in love With some sweet turtledove? [B] I was, but I'm just getting wise. [A] Why, you must have found her deceitful. [B] I did and it was a surprise. [A] I wish you'd explain. Tell me why you complain. [B] I'm tired of her alibis. She told me she loved me but, oh, how she lied! [A] Oh, did she lie? [B] Yeah, I'll say she lied! [A] Your heart must be broken. [B] I sighed and I cried. She made a fool of me. She told me my money would lead me astray. [A] I guess to protect you, she took it away. [B] She said she'd return it on some rainy day, But, oh, how she lied to me! She told me to bet on a horse named Yvette Who'd win ten to one. [A] Oh, a fortune you'd get! [B] Well, it's now ten to five and the horse ain't in yet. Oh, how she lied to me! I'll never forget how she acted the last time that I took her out. [A] Why? What did she do? Did she upset you? [B] My feelings were hurt beyond doubt. She said: "Goodbye, Valentino," as we stood there by the old mill. [A] What! She called you Rudolph? Well, that's mighty strange! [B] Yeah, my name ain't Rudolph; it's Bill. She told me she loved me but, oh, how she lied! [A] Did that baby lie? [B] I'll say that she lied! [A] Your heart must be broken! [B] Goodbye to my bride! I hope that she's satisfied. "I want to see Washington someday," she said. [A] Oh, you loaned her the money? [B] Yeah, I said go ahead, But someone just told me George Washington's dead. Oh, how she lied to me! She called me her angel and raved constantly, Said that someday her sweet hubby I'd be. [A] Boy, that baby pulled the same chatter on me! Oh, how she lied to me! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: Joe Offer Date: 16 Jun 16 - 11:50 PM Where'd you find that one, Jim? Sheet Music or Recording? -Joe- |
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Subject: Lyr Add: OH HOW SHE LIED TO ME (Spike Jones) From: Jim Dixon Date: 17 Jun 16 - 12:15 AM OH HOW SHE LIED TO ME As recorded by Spike Jones and His City Slickers, 1945? Don't ask me why I look worried, and why there's a tear in my eye, For I fell in love With a sweet turtledove, And I'm such an innocent guy. She told me she loved me, but, oh, how she lied! Oh, how she lied! Oh, how she lied! My poor heart is broken and, oh, how I cried! She made a fool of me. She said that my money would lead me astray, So to protect me, she took it away. She said she'd return it on some rainy day, But, oh, how she lied to me! On last Christmas eve she made me very cross. I cried my poor eyes out and it was because She'd tried to tell me there was no Santy Claus, But she falsified, She misrepresented, She distorted the truth, She prevaricated, She fabricated a story, She tried to deceive me, And on top of that, Oh, my, how she lied to me! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: and e Date: 08 Jun 23 - 06:24 PM OH, HOW HE LIED! From Songs and Ballads: Folk Material and Old Favorites, Collected by [James] Kenneth Larson in McCammon, Idaho. Undated [c1933], typescript. Tune not indicated. Read the collection online here: https://archive.org/details/1933-1972jameskennethlarson/page/n29/mode/1up |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied From: GUEST,Phil Bustin Date: 20 May 24 - 09:17 PM I read many of the posts, but the version we were taught by my mother, and that my wife was taught by her mother, goes as follows (as we recall) (the one line different from the other versions I read on this post is followed by an asterisk): She sat in her hammock and strummed her guitar He sat down beside her and smoked his cigar He told her he loved her, but oh how he lied! So then they were married but not satisfied * Then she gets pneumonia and she ups and dies He went to the funeral but just for the ride Then he gets pneumonia and he ups and dies Then she went to heaven and flip-[flap? flop?] she flies Then he went to the other place and sizzles and fries The moral of the story is never to lie |
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