Lyr Add: Lily the Pink

Subject: Lyr Add: LILY THE PINK (as recorded)
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 21 Jul 99 - 10:12 AM

Shock horror! A friend asked me for the words and I sent him the one on the DT without reading it first. I got this snooty reply:

I don't know what you've been up to but yours must be the 'drug-induced Java script boys' version. I wanted the version that got in the charts back in whenever it was, not the real-ale, baggy jumper, save-the-whale, one- finger-in-the-ear, "Oooohhhh twas on the village green me lads" type stuff that you sent. Anyway someone found a lyric site on the net and I enclose herewith for your delectation.

Brother Tony,
Was known to be bony,
He would never eat his meals,
So they gave him medicinal compound,
Now they move him round on wheels.

Johnny Hammer,
Had a teribble st-st-st-stammer,
He could hardly s-s-say a word,
So they gave him medicinal compound,
Now he's seen but never heard.

Jennifer Eccles, had terrible freckles
And the boys all called her names
So they gave her medicinal compound
Now she joins in all their games

Mr Frears, had sticky out ears
And it made him awful shy
So they gave him medicinal compound,
Now he's learning how to fly

Old Ebenezer,
Thought he was Julius Caesar,
So they put him in a home,
And they gave him medicinal compound,
Now he's Emperor of Rome

Lily the pink, she
Turned to drink, she
Filled up with parafin inside,
So they gave her medicinal compound
But sadly pickled Lily died.

Lily died and went up to heaven
All the church bells, they did ring.
She took with her medicinal compound;
Hark the Herald Angels sing.
^^^
Note: the chorus is the same as the other version.

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This version added to the DT Oct 99

Subject: RE: LYR ADD - Lily the Pink
From: alison
Date: 21 Jul 99 - 09:41 PM

Hi,

sung by "The Scaffold(s)".

chorus went....

We'll drink, a drink, a drink,
To Lily the pink, the pink, the pink,
The saviour of the human ra-ce
For she invented medicinal compound
now she.........

(Can't remember) it was early 70's I think

slainte

alison

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Version by "The Scaffold" is in the DT - (click)

Subject: RE: LYR ADD - Lily the Pink
From: Ian
Date: 22 Jul 99 - 07:54 AM

" ... Most efficacious in ev'ry case"

Started out as a "rugby song" (i.e. rude folk song) called "Lydia Pink". The "Lily the Pink" name seems to have started with the Scaffold version.

Subject: RE: LYR ADD - Lily the Pink
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 22 Jul 99 - 08:15 AM

Sorry about the missng chorus:

We'll drink, a drink, a drink,
To Lily the pink, the pink, the pink,
The saviour of the human ra-a-a-ce.
For she invented medicinal compound,
Most efficacious in every case.

Subject: RE: LYR ADD - Lily the Pink
From:
Date: 22 Jul 99 - 07:54 PM

Was not the original "Lydia Pinkem" or something like that? There really was a historical personage of such a name who sold some kind of quack remedy and the song was meant to make fun of the claims made on behalf of this potion.

Subject: RE: LYR ADD - Lily the Pink
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 22 Jul 99 - 07:59 PM

In Salem Massachusetts USA there's a plaque on a wall dedicated to her!

Subject: Tune Add: LILY THE PINK
From: Snuffy
Date: 08 Sep 00 - 08:06 PM

It went to number one in the UK charts one Christmas - 1968 I think.

The Scaffold were Roger McGough, Liverpool poet; John Gorman, who went on to appear on Saturday morning Kids TV (TISWAS?); and Mike McGear, whose claim to fame was being Paul McCartney's kid brother.

Here's an ABC of the tune as I remember it.
X: 135
T:Lily The Pink
M:12/8
L:1/16
Q:150
N:filenames [LYDIAPN2 [lydiapn3
K:D
AA2G|
F3 F3-F2G AGF|E3 E6 E2F|
G3 B3 A3 G3|(F2d A3-A3)A2G|
F3 F3-F2A AGF|E3 E6 E2F|
G6-G2G F2E|D6-D2||
(A4-|A6-A6|G6-G6)|
F2F F2F F2A AGF|E2E E2E E2E E2F|
G6-G2B A2G|(F2d A3-A2)A A2G|
F3 F3-F2A AGF|E3 E3-E2E E2F|
G3 G3-G2G F2E|D6-D2||

Wassail ! V

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Click to play

To play or display ABC tunes, try concertina.net

Subject: RE: LYR ADD - Lily the Pink
From: Micca
Date: 08 Sep 00 - 09:33 PM

A version of this song was the unofficial regemental song of the Royal Tank Corps of the British Army at the end of WWII. I would dearly like their lyrics, which are not in the DT or anywhere else.

Subject: RE: LYR ADD - Lily the Pink
From: Brendy
Date: 08 Sep 00 - 09:41 PM

All about Lydia Pinkham

B.

Subject: RE: LYR ADD - Lily the Pink
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 08 Sep 00 - 09:42 PM

Yes Snuffy, it was TISWAS! - Anyone remember the Bucket of water song or Spit The Dog... ?

Jon

(sad enough to have watched it many times - and to have fancied Sally James)

Subject: RE: LYR ADD - Lily the Pink
From: Micca
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 04:06 AM

Jon you are not the only one to fancy the delectable Ms James, and I remember Spit the dog too.

Subject: RE: LYR ADD - Lily the Pink
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Sep 00 - 08:17 AM

Or indeed:
Sally James' (almost) Legendary Pop Interviews.

Follow this link to find out about TISWAS.

(From the TV Cream pages.)

AndyG

Subject: RE: LYR ADD - Lily the Pink
From: Robby
Date: 11 Sep 00 - 12:01 PM

In addition to the verses listed by Steve Parkes, the Irish Rovers had a version of Lily the Pink, on they're "Years May Come, Years May Go" cassette, which included the following:

Now here's a story, a little bit gory,
A little bit happy, a little bit sad.
Of Lily the Pink and her medicinal compound,
And how it drove her to the bad.

Freddie Klinger, the opera singer,
Could break a glass with his voice, they said.
Rubbed his tonsils with medicinal compound,
Now they break glasses over his head.

Lily died and went up to heaven;
All the Church bells they did ring.
She took with her medicinal compound--
Hark! The herald angels sing.

^^^These verses are in the DT.

Subject: RE: LYR ADD - Lily the Pink
From: GUEST,Gavin
Date: 11 Sep 00 - 09:01 PM

Then, of course, there's the Irish version which comments on the early years of the "Troubles":

"We'll drink, a drink, a drink
To Terry the Pink, the Pink, the Pink
The saviour of the Ulster fa - a - ce
Who invented "Invisible Progress"
Most efficacious in every case.

Now, there's a song which deserves a wider hearing !!
Gavin.

Subject: RE: LYR ADD - Lily the Pink
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 03:42 AM

Thanks Guest, I loved that link. I had forgotten some of the characters and how chaotic the show really was.

Jon

Subject: RE: LYR ADD - Lily the Pink
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 Jan 02 - 01:13 AM

Just as I suspected, "Lily the Pink" is a variant of "GRANDMA'S LYE SOAP."

Subject: RE: LYR ADD - Lily the Pink
From: GUEST,Annraoi
Date: 17 Jan 02 - 09:28 PM

Good man, Gavin,
Lyrics by a cousin of my own who hides his light under a bushel. I have sung this parody on numerous occasions, usually family get togethers. It has never made it to the wider public. A great pity as it is one of the most ascerbic and insightful commentaries on the politics of the time.
Annraoi
BTW how did you come by the chorus and have you the rest of the song ?

Subject: RE: LYR ADD - Lily the Pink
From: GUEST,Pete
Date: 13 Mar 05 - 07:02 PM

I must correct you on the following verse:-

Jennifer Eccles, had terrible freckles
And the boys all called her names
So they gave her medicinal compound
Now she joins in all their games

If you listen to the song you will come to realise that the reason Jennifer Eccles was allowed to join in all their games is because she changed sex - the last line in this verse is:-

Now HE joins in all their games.

Subject: RE: LYR ADD - Lily the Pink
From: GUEST,richard
Date: 14 Mar 05 - 12:25 PM

the spanish version of lily the pink was very popular back in chile in 1969 ,but I just do not know who sing that version....if there is anybody out there who can tell me the name of the spanish version and the name of the artist I would really appreciated it

many thanks

richard

Subject: Lyr Add: LYDIA PINKHAM
From: Abby Sale
Date: 15 Mar 05 - 11:59 AM

There seem to be many, many versions of this. Several at Immortalia:

LYDIA PINKHAM

CHORUS:So we'll drink, drink, drink to Lydia Pinkham,
The savior of the human race,
The human race.

Oh, she makes, she bottles, she sells the
Vegetable Compound,
And any man can sit on her face,
Sit on her face.

Now, Mr._______had a very small penis,
He could barely make it stand,
Make it stand.
So we gave him the Vegetable Compound,
Now he comes in either hand,
In either hand

Now Miss_______had a very small bosom,
They scarcely showed beneath her blouse,
Beneath her blouse.
So we gave her the Vegetable Compound,
And now they milk her with the cows,
With the cows.

Now, Mr.______had very small testes,
They looked like a couple of peas,
Couple of peas.
So we gave him the Vegetable Compound,
Now they hang below his knees,
Below his knees.