Lyr Req: Oo'er, What a Death to Die!

Subject: Lyr Req: Oh What a Death to Die
From: GUEST,Marion
Date: 14 Oct 12 - 08:39 AM

I've heard this sung a number of times, but can't remember who by (brain fading rapidly) and all I can really remember of the lyrics is "and be shot in the spleen in me new crepe de chine/ Oh what a death to die." Had thought it would be quite easy to find, but not. Have an idea someone said it was written by Mabel Constanduros?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh What a Death to Die
From: GUEST,999
Date: 14 Oct 12 - 08:52 AM

Oo'er What a Death to Die - Constanduras, Mabel/Lewis, Gwen

Kerr, Sandra. My Song Is My Own, Plane Label TPL 000-1, LP (1980), trk# B.01

from Folk Music Index


The title also appears here

http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~zierke/frankie.armstrong/records/mysongismyown.html

as

Oo'ver What a Death to Die


I haven't located lyrics but will look further.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh What a Death to Die
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 14 Oct 12 - 12:15 PM

I can't do it just now, but I'll post the words later, if noone does before then.

Mick

Subject: Lyr Add: OO'ER, WHAT A DEATH TO DIE! (Constanduros
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 14 Oct 12 - 02:36 PM

Here are the words from My Song Is My Own, which are modified from the original 1951 sheet music.

The original sheet music is available here for £11: Oo-er What A Death To Die - Sheet Music Warehouse

and The British Library holds a copy of the sheet music:

  Title: Oo-er! What a Death to die!.
  Author: Gwen Lewis
  Publication Details: c1951.
  Language: English
  Identifier: System number 005222867
  Physical Description: 1 score.
  Holdings Notes: Music VOC/1951/LEWIS Awaiting full cataloguing
  Shelfmark(s): Music Collections VOC/1951/LEWIS
  UIN: BLL01005222867

I was unable to check youtube for versions - I'm getting a Service Unavailable message at the moment.

The notes in My Song Is My Own say: "From the variety tradition. Originally written in 1951 - words my Mabel Constanduros, music by Gwen Lewis - this version has one new verse and a reworked tune from Sandra Kerr.

Mick

---

OO'ER, WHAT A DEATH TO DIE!
(Words: Mabel Constanduros, Music: Gwen Lewis; one new verse added and tune adapted by by Sandra Kerr)

Why are the men I meet so dull?
There's nothing could be duller,
I like those blokes you see on films
In glorious technicolor.
Why are the men who fancy me
All undersized and spotty?
Where can I ifnd those gay young sparks
Who kiss so hard they leave red marks
And drive you nearly dotty?

  Oo-er, to be loved by a movie star
  And crushed in his cruel embrace,
  Who'd bite my neck till I felt a wreck
  As I gazed on his handsome face.
  To stand there and gasp in his passionate clasp
  With the moon looking down from the sky -
  But at that time of night I should give up the fight,
  Oo-er, what a death to die!

I want a man who's six feet tall
To satisfy my craving,
With eyes of steel and iron jaws,
Who's use a flint for shaving.
I want a high-born haughty spark
With something wild about him,
A man who'd treat me just like dirt
Who'd kill me if I tried to flirt
And club me if I flout him.

  Oo-er, to be loved by a boxing man
  Who'd fill me with awe and dread,
  Who'd knock me sick with a well-placed kick
  And shove me aside for dead.
  I'd cling to his base while he trod on my face
  Look up at him yearning and sigh,
  A-gasping for breath while he choked me to death
  Oo-er, what a death to die!

I want a strong and silent man,
I'm sure he'd never bore me,
Who'd use me for his carnal lust,
Then totally ignore me.
I want a playboy millionaire
With just a trace of coarseness,
I'd throw myself down on the floor
And swear I'd never come before
His booze, his cars or horses.

  Oo-er, to be loved by a gangster man
  Who'd make me his gangster moll,
  I'd hold his gun while he had his fun
  As still as a rubber doll.
  To go to his rooms in my hat with the plumes
  And sneer when his passion runs high,
  And be shot in the spleen in my new crepe de chine,
  Oo-er, what a death to die!

Source: My Song Is My Own - 100 Women's Songs ed Kathy Henderson with Frankie Armstrong and Sandra Kerr

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh What a Death to Die
From: GUEST,Marion
Date: 14 Oct 12 - 03:27 PM

Mick Pearce - many thanks!