Lyr Req: Working Class Millionaire (R Digance)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working Class Millionaire (R Digance)
From: GUEST
Date: 17 May 17 - 06:15 PM

The line 'forget the 'ouses in between' refers to a song by Gus Elen, a coster singer, called 'IF IT WASN'T FOR THE 'OUSES IN BETWEEN'. On YouTube.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working Class Millionaire (R Digance)
From: GUEST,giovanni
Date: 02 Jul 13 - 05:27 PM

Love Digance, and that Vinegar Butt you mentioned.....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working Class Millionaire (R Digance)
From: breezy
Date: 02 Jul 13 - 12:28 PM

I liked 'Every Poppy Falling in the Royal Albert Hall' which he used as a closer.

he is is an english treasure, and to London what Jez Lowe and Vingarbutt are to the NorthEast, Alan Bell to the North west, Harvey Andrews to the Midlands

But i did turn him down for a gig in Woolwich late 60s early 70s when he was Pisces

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working Class Millionaire (R Digance)
From: GUEST,Toby Young
Date: 02 Jul 13 - 06:20 AM

He sometimes changed this lyric:

The boats sail in and out, and the word is passed about
There's a welcome at me mansion if y' knock.

To

There's boats of Ities by the score, still retreating from the war,
for who(m) the butler's got two fingers if they knock.


just saying............. :-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working class millionaire
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 27 May 09 - 03:17 PM

It's

"There ain't no good jobs to be found round Bethnal Green or Canning Town"

and

"And on the lawn I'd have a seat for tired pairs of feet
Of folks that's walked in search of better days.
...
And in the marble halls, goalposts painted on the walls,
And other things the Hampstead crowd detests."

I saw Digance once, supporting Steeleye Span. I wasn't crazy about the songs, but his patter was superb. I still remember his intro - without being announced, he walked on, sat down, put his guitar across his knee and then said

"Hello, good evening and welcome to Folk Club, my name's Roy Harper. This first song is by Millican and Nesbitt.
[pause]
Actually it's not by Millican and Nesbitt, it's by the King Brothers.
[pause]
It's from the album The King Brothers Play The Kray Brothers.
[pause]
And Lose."

I also remember the intro to a rather drippy lovesong called Show Me The Way (which he assured us was really filthy if you read between the lines), which turned into a long and rambling story involving a cup of cocoa which goes so cold that it forms a skin on top that's thick enough for a bee to land on and walk across, rather like walking across a trampoline. And the intro to Working-Class Millionaire: he taught us the chorus word by word (as you do), until he got to the second line -

"Life's too short for working, ooh - can we just practise the 'ooh'? Go on, give us an 'ooh'. No, come on, you can do better than that - give it a bit of welly, a bit of the old James Brown, urgh! Much better. Very nice. Where were we - Life's too short for working 'oo knows where..."

All this was, dear God, 35 years ago.

Subject: Lyr Add: WORKING CLASS MILLIONAIRE (R Digance)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 May 09 - 01:15 PM

Here's my transcription from the YouTube video. There are a few gaps to be filled in, and one name (Anstey) to be either corrected or explained, since I have no idea which Ansty or Anstey he might be referring to.


WORKING CLASS MILLIONAIRE
Richard Digance

1. People say to me, "What d'you think you're gonna be?"
When I tells 'em, I see laughter in their eyes.
If you wants an explanation, I've found me true vocation,
Though me answer seems to take 'em by surprise.
There ain't no good jobs to be found round Bethnal Green or Canning Town
For a councillor, a magistrate or mayor,
But I just sit and laugh 'cause I'd really like not half
To be a working-class millionaire.

CHORUS: I don't want to be a clerk, a conductor or a spark.
Life's too short for working who-knows-where,
So I just sit back and dream, forget the 'ouses in between
And be a working-class millionaire.

2. I'd have a mansion down in Bow where all me mates could go,
A carriage and a team of dapple-greys,
And on the lawn I'd have a seat for tired pairs of feet
Of folks that's walked in search of better days.
There'd be a lion either side of the gateway to the drive,
A statue of Lloyd George would greet me guests,
And in the marble halls, goal posts painted on the walls,
And other things the Hampstead crowd detests.

3. So now I've got this palace grand. It sounds like some'ing down the Strand,
But it ain't; it's down by Royal Albert Dock.
The boats sail in and out, and the word is passed about
There's a welcome up me mansion if ye knock.
Yes, it's the simple life for me. That's all I want, you see.
That's all the cockney pride in me expects.
There's nothing can compare with an East-End millionaire
That's used to living just from one day to the next.

[Corrections have been inserted by a Mudelf.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working class millionaire
From: Mallee
Date: 23 May 09 - 07:55 PM

Yeah that line is up for grabs ive heard Val Doonican and All Jolson used. I still do Drinking with Rosie and Amsterdam. I recall a concept album about the travels of a salmon which was riveting listening. I left UK in the 60s so i would use Johhny Hains WHO!as a statue (Fulham)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working class millionaire
From: alanabit
Date: 23 May 09 - 08:19 AM

I used to hear Richard singing this at The Cap And Gown in Reading back in the seventies. I recall that he once changed the line about the statue of Lloyd George to "a statue of Bobby Moore..." He was a big fan of West Ham Foootball Club.

He's a nice bloke and those were happy days.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working class millionaire
From: Mallee
Date: 23 May 09 - 04:35 AM

Three day millionaire Mike Waterson

Just like margarine my fame is spreading

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working class millionaire
From: Peace
Date: 23 May 09 - 02:06 AM

Richard Digance singing the song on YOUTUBE

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working class millionaire
From: Peace
Date: 23 May 09 - 02:02 AM

Mike Waterson did it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working class millionaire
From: Mallee
Date: 22 May 09 - 11:20 PM

Anyone who may be interested Google came up with nixs But utube came up trumps Richard Digence Working class millionaire worth a listen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpeVFZCvvPA

I must stop talking to myself.I must stop talking to myself.I must stop talking to myself.I must stop talking to myself.I must stop talking to myself.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working class millionaire
From: Mallee
Date: 22 May 09 - 10:45 PM

To easy Or is it a bit like Columbus and the egg
Ta

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working class millionaire
From: Mallee
Date: 22 May 09 - 10:40 PM

Its there, not sure what the filter does but i will messabout
TA

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working class millionaire
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 May 09 - 09:54 PM

I used to be a working class millionaire, and it was very nice - although a million just ain't what it used to be. Then last year happened. Now I'm a former working class millionaire, and only the truly rich are rich again.

If you'd like to add verses to "A Mon Like Thee," use our Filter to find an existing thread on the subject, like this one (click).

-Joe-

Subject: Lyr Req: Woking class millionaire
From: Mallee
Date: 22 May 09 - 09:33 PM

A mate used to sing this song

I have looked in archives with no luck

Chorus and 1st verse went:

I don't want to be a clerk a conductor or a spark
life's to short for working who knows where
i will just sit back and dream fill the hours in between
and be a working class millionaire

Yeah, whilst browsing lyrics i noticed a verse missing from "A mon like thee" how do i add a verse??

Ta muchly