Lyr Add: A Nice Quiet Day (from Gus Elen)

Subject: Lyr Add: A Nice Quiet Day
From: Will Fly
Date: 04 Sep 08 - 06:34 AM

Here are the lyrics for music hall singer Gus Elen's "A Nice Quiet Day".

A NICE QUIET DAY

I works just like a nigger and I isn't over-strong,
And I'm mostly on me trotters all the time.
So I'm glad when Easter Monday or a Whitsun comes along,
'Cause a day of perfect rest is really prime.
So I lately took it easy 'cause I had a day to spare,
With the wife and kiddies in their Sunday clothes.
'Twas a treat to make me mind up for a bit of country air,
And the pleasures of a quiet day's repose.

There was me and the missis and the 'arf a dozen kids,
Starting in the morning for the zoo.
'Twas a precious way, you know, but we made our minds to go,
And we took the lot to Epping Forest too.
To Highgate, Barnet, Hampstead, Peckham Rye,
At the Crystal Palace made a stay.
We got weary on our pins, and we lost the bloomin' twins,
But I'm glad we had a nice quiet day.

'Twas grand to see the London smoke from off the Monument,
When I dragged our pramberlutor to the top.
As soon as I got up there to the bottom I was sent,
'Cause the missis let the beefsteak pudd'n drop.
And when we reached the Serpentine the nipper tumbles in,
We held him up upside down a bit to drain.
And soon as we had scraped the mud from off his nose and chin,
Well, blimey, if he don't fall in again.

And there was me and the missis and the 'arf a dozen kids,
With nothing in the bottle but the bung.
But I gave the kids a treat when we come to Newgate Street,
'Cause I showed them where their uncle he was hung.
West Ham, Wanstead, Woolwich, Walthamstow,
We reached a spot they called St. Mary's Cray.
And then I says to Ma, "Now, you mustn't go too far,
'Cause I think we've had a nice quiet day."

Subject: Lyr Add: A NICE QUIET DAY (Baynes/Bateman/Scott)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 08 Mar 14 - 11:49 PM

These are the complete lyrics from the sheet music at The Levy Collection:


A NICE QUIET DAY
Words by Eustace Baynes & Edgar Bateman; music by Maurice Scott.
London: Francis, Day & Hunter, ©1901.

1. I works just like a nigger and I isn't over-strong,
And I'm mostly on my trotters all the time;
So I'm glad when Easter Monday or a Whitsun comes along,
'Cause a day of puffick rest is really prime.
So I lately took it easy 'cause I 'ad a day to spare,
Wiv the wife and kiddies in their Sunday clothes.
'Twas a treat to make my mind up for a little country air,
And the pleasures of a quiet day's repose.

CHORUS:
There was me and the Missus and the 'arf-a-dozen kids,
Starting in the morning for the Zoo.
'Twas a precious way, you know, but we made our minds to go,
And we took the lot to Eppin' Forest too.
Highgate, Barnet, 'Ampstead, Peckham Rye,
At the Crystal Palace made a stay.
We got weary on our pins, and we lost the blooming twins,
But I'm glad we 'ad a nice quiet day.

2. The night before none of us thought o' getting into bed,
'Cause we'd got all day tomorrow for the rest;
And 'arf the night was take up in cutting meat and bread,
And in getting all the youngsters ready dressed.
I felt a bit lop-sided 'cause I carried all the grub.
It's surprising wot a lot the kids can peck;
And I got a gallon bottle full of porter from the pub,
'Cause it balanced all the grub around my neck.

CHORUS: There was me and the Missus and the 'arf-a-dozen kids,
Climbing up the Monument so 'igh;
Then we played at Jack and Jill when we sampled Greenwich Hill,
And we 'ad a run to Chiswick bye-and-bye.
Acton, 'Endon, Kilburn, Kensal Green,
Loaded wiv the lilac and the may;
There was blisters on my heel, for an 'arf an inch o' steel,
But I'm glad we 'ad a nice quiet day.

3. 'Twas grand to see the London smoke from the Monument,
When I dragged the pram-ber-looter to the top.
As soon as I got up there to the bottom I was sent,
'Cause the Missus let a beefsteak pudden drop;
And when we reached the Ser-pin-tine the nipper tumbles in.
We 'eld 'im up upside down a bit to drain;
And soon as we 'ad scraped the mud from off his nose and chin,
Well, blow me if he don't fall in again.

CHORUS: And there was me and the Missus and the 'arf-a-dozen kids,
Wiv nuffink in the bottle but the bung;
But I gave the kids a treat when we come to Newgate Street,
'Cause I showed 'em where their uncle 'e was 'ung.
West Ham, Wanstead, Woolwich, Walthamstow,
Reached a spot they called St. Mary's Cray;
And then I sez to Ma, "Now, we mustn't go too far,
'Cause I finks we've 'ad a nice quiet day."

4. When I takes the Missus out to have a row just arter tea,
The nippers let a moocher pinch my coat;
And the owner of the wessel 'e was nasty like with me,
Becos I lost the bottom of 'is boat.
When we got home at closin' time, I 'adn't got a sou,
Except the shilling on the gallon jar;
And when we totters in the pub, for half-a-pint or two,
I smashes it against the blessed bar.

CHORUS: There was me and the Missus and the 'arf-a-dozen kids,
Limping back to London froo the rain.
Sez a chap to me, "Oh, no, that ain't the way to Bow.
Go on a dozing miles, and ask again."
Lightning, thunder, 'ailing cats and dogs,
Water streamin' off me all the way,
And to finish up the night, well, the Missus 'as a fight,
But I'm glad we 'ad a nice quiet day.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: A Nice Quiet Day (from Gus Elen)
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jan 19 - 02:21 PM

I really cannot see why that DISGUSTING "n"-word is allowed to appear in the first line of this wonderful Music Hall number by CVocknet icon Gus Elen, whom my father remembered seeing at the Camberwell Music Hall around 1910. I beg you to replace it with the word "skivvy", which is how my dad sang it - long before, might I add, the "n" word became unacceptable. David Andrews, North Ayrshire, Scotland.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: A Nice Quiet Day (from Gus Elen)
From: Jeri
Date: 08 Jan 19 - 04:35 PM

Thank you for responding to a ten year old post.
I wouldn't sing the "n" word now, but erasing it from the song, "white-washing" history, allows some people to say "nobody ever used that word". Yes, people did, and yes, it didn't bother folks as much as it does today.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: A Nice Quiet Day (from Gus Elen)
From: Will Fly
Date: 09 Jan 19 - 02:28 AM

When I perform the song, I use the word "devil" in preference to the word "nigger", being fully aware of the modern aversion to the original word. And rightly so - BUT - the original sheet music is at is and can't just be erased from history. The original recording by Elen is as it is, and reflects the mores of the time. Learn from that.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: A Nice Quiet Day (from Gus Elen)
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 09 Jan 19 - 03:11 PM

I know this by the title "Postman's Holiday", the irony being that the "nice quiet day" is spent walking for even more miles than on a working day.

And as for the "n" word; avoiding it obscures not only the fact that it was not regarded as objectionable when this song was written but also, arguably even more important, that black men often needed to work harder than white men in those days.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: A Nice Quiet Day (from Gus Elen)
From: leeneia
Date: 11 Jan 19 - 06:53 PM

I remember a story where Bertie Wooster was eager to learn tips for playing his banjolele from the nigger musicians performing on a local yacht. There is obviously nothing contemptuous in his use of the word.

But if you don't like it, try navvie instead. You ARE a free citizen of the free world, after all.

Thanks for all who helped publicize the song. I like it.