Origins: Cab, Cab, Cab

Subject: Origins: Cab, Cab, Cab
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Mar 21 - 08:49 PM

Steve Belsey sang this at the Singaround today. What can we find out about it?

Modern Street Ballads (John Ashton, 1888), page 88
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Modern_Street_Ballads/6WMOAAAAYAAJ?hl=en

CAB. CAB, CAB

I goes out cab driving,
And oft the long day through,
In spite of all contriving,
I scarcely make a do.
A Hansom Cab I’ve got,
A handsome horse to trot,
        Cab, Cab, Cab, your honour Cab,
        I’ll take you like a shot.

Now if you hear my ditty,
I’ll tell how I was done
By a fat man from the City,
Of two and twenty stone.
I plied at Holborn Hill,
Says he, to Pentonville,
        Cab, Cab, Cab, I want a Cab,
        Drive fast and show your skill.

My horse’s eyes I kivered,
While he got in, you know,
If he’d see’d his weight he’d differed,
And perhaps refused to go.
To Pentonville I went,
When to me says still here gent,
        Cab, Cab, Cab, here’s some mistake
        ‘Tis Pimlico I meant.

To Pimlico I took him,
My horse ad you’d suppose,
This job did nearly cook him,
When again the check string goes.
He says to me, Hallo!
Hold hard a bit, go slow,
        Cab, Cab, Cab, you’re wrong again,
        Turn back and drive to Bow.

I didn’t like to grumble,
But mounted it once more,
All the way to Bow did trundle,
Where he stopped me as before.
Says he, when there he'd rode
This ain't my abode,
        Cab, Cab, cab, I think you're drunk
        This ain't the Edgeware Road!

Of course I felt vexatious,
But I my temper kept,
To Edgeware Road, good gracious,
I took him every step.
My horse was quite done brown,
And I began to frown,
        Cab, Cab, cab, what are you at?
        I live at Horseleytown!

To Horseleytown I drive him,
When my horse lay down —don't grin—
But shelter none would give him,
Thinks I, he's got no tin!
Where shall I now repair?
To the devil —I don't care—
Not there, I guess, says I, unless
You give me my back fare!

A parody of the very popular lied "Trab, Trab, Trab," sung by Fraeulein Jetty Treffz at Julien's Promenade Concerts, 1850, etc.

Subject: RE: Origins: Cab, Cab, Cab
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 09 Mar 21 - 07:49 AM

You seem to have all the info there, Joe. What is it you're after?

Subject: RE: Origins: Cab, Cab, Cab
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 09 Mar 21 - 07:54 AM

The great John W. Sharp (1818-56) had in his repertoire 'Cab! Cab!! Cabby!!!', he of Billy Taylor and Lord Lovell burlesque fame. Like Clifton he died young, 38, Clifton was 40. Both managed to make their mark.

Subject: RE: Origins: Cab, Cab, Cab
From: GUEST,#
Date: 09 Mar 21 - 01:42 PM

Eight stanzas at the following link:

https://books.google.ca/books?id=rRIDAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA255&lpg=PA255&dq=I+goes+out+cab+driving,+And+oft+the+long+day+through,+In+spi

Subject: RE: Origins: Cab, Cab, Cab
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 09 Mar 21 - 01:50 PM

Interesting song and obviously related, but a completely different text.

Subject: RE: Origins: Cab, Cab, Cab
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 10 Mar 21 - 10:09 AM

The tune Was my own as I have not been able to find Treffz's.   Years back I asked John Foreman about putting tunes to Broadsides. His advice to me was to make a tune up and if it feels right, it probably is.

Subject: RE: Origins: Cab, Cab, Cab
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 10 Mar 21 - 10:28 AM

An even more interesting subject seems to be the live of Jetty Traffz who led quite a notorious life.
About Jetty Treffz

Subject: RE: Origins: Cab, Cab, Cab
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 12 Mar 21 - 12:22 PM

This has opened a massive can of worms. The link to Punch gives a publication date of its version in 1894, which coincides with a London-wide strike by London Cab drivers - for which questions were raised in parliament to the then Home Secretary H Asquith (referenced in Hansard).

I haven't yet found out what the drivers' grievances were - maybe the broadside gives clues - but there was considerable commentary on the impact of passengers who had to bear the indignity of having to walk home from the opera, and some losing several stone through getting exercise.

Anyway, I will continue the research on this, even if it means that the introduction could end up being far longer than he song.

Subject: RE: Origins: Cab, Cab, Cab
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 12 Mar 21 - 12:24 PM

Extract Hansard