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Origins: Knees Up Mother Brown DigiTrad: KNEES UP, MOTHER BROWN Related threads: (origins) Origins: Give it to the Girl Next Door (5) (origins) Origin: Knees Up Mother Brown (Weston/Lee) (6) |
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Subject: Origins: Knees Up Mother Brown From: Joe Offer Date: 28 Dec 20 - 12:37 PM "Knees Up" has its very own Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knees_Up_Mother_Brown And YouTube videos, too: Raffi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlZwhEn3uuw
A cockney version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7q3PxD__VA
Knees Up, Mother BrownDESCRIPTION: "Oh, knees up, Mother Brown, Knees up, Mother Brown, Come along, dearie, let it go, Ee-I-Ee-I-Ee-I-O, It's your bloomin' birthday, Let's wake up all the town, So, knees up, knees up, Don't get the breeze up, Knees up, Mother Brown."AUTHOR: unknown EARLIEST DATE: 1979 (Hopkins-SongsFromTheFrontAndRear) KEYWORDS: nonballad FOUND IN: Canada REFERENCES (2 citations): Hopkins-SongsFromTheFrontAndRear, p. 17, "Knees Up, Mother Brown" (1 text, 1 tune) LibraryThingCampSongsThread, post 78, "(Knees up, Mother Brown)" (1 short text, from user John5918, posted September 19, 2021) ST Hopk017A (Partial) Roud #24984 NOTES [70 words]: I heard a YouTube clip that had a "Knees Up, Mother Brown" segment in it, which made it appear that it was a music hall song, but I haven't seen a printed version. This often includes a segment, Oh my, what a rotten song, what a rotten song, what a rotten song Oh my, what a rotten song, and what a rotten singer too-oo-oo... which sometimes floats, but I'm filing it here because this seems to be the place it started. - RBW Last updated in version 6.3 File: Hopk017A
Knees Up Mary MuffetDESCRIPTION: "Knees up Mary Muffet ... Mary Brown ... Mary Macaroni, Take your partner's hand." Swing her ...AUTHOR: unknown EARLIEST DATE: 1961 (Opie/Opie-TheSingingGame) KEYWORDS: playparty FOUND IN: Britain(England(North)) REFERENCES (1 citation): Opie/Opie-TheSingingGame 83, "Knees Up Mary Muffet" (2 texts, 1 tune) File: OpGa083 Go to the Ballad Search form Go to the Ballad Index Instructions The Ballad Index Copyright 2024 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle. KNEES UP, MOTHER BROWN (Digital Tradition Lyrics) Oh, knees up Mother Brown, Knees up Mother Brown, Come along, dearie, let it go E-I-E-I-E-I-Oh! It's your blooming birthday Let's wake up all the town; So knees up, knees up Don't get the breeze up Knees up Mother Brown! note: probably just the chorus of a music hall song, this was wildly popular with Canada servicemen during WWII.RG From: Songs from the Front & Rear, Hopkins @English @musichall filename[ KNEESUP TUNE FILE: KNEESUP CLICK TO PLAY RG |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Knees Up Mother Brown From: MGM·Lion Date: 28 Dec 13 - 07:34 PM "Why did the lady need to lift her knees?" - asked Billy Weeks way back in April 05, but thus far SFAICS without answer. Why, as part of a lively dance, of course. A 'knees-up' is a colloquial, mainly I think cockney, phrase for a lively party with drinking & [particularly] dancing. I have been unable to find a date for the phrase in any slang or standard dictionary [neither Partridge nor Oxford Dict (my edition) gives it, surprisingly: it is in Chambers, but that doesn't give a date ab quo]; so I cannot confirm what has always been my suspicion, that the phrase grew from the popularity of the song, rather than the song's referring to the application of a previously existent phrase: but it could, I suppose, have been vice-versa. In either event, I take it that the instruction to Mother Brown will have occurred at such an occasion, rather than in the course of her normal day-to-day avocations! ~Michael~ |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Knees Up Mother Brown From: GUEST,Michael Lee Date: 28 Dec 13 - 06:13 PM A couple of the verses from a 78 record heard in my 1950's childhood: I popped into a wing ding Down dear old Brixton Way. Old Mother Brown the Village Queen's A hundred years today. Oh what a celebration, What proper la de da Until they rolled the carpet up And shouted: "Now then, Ma" CHORUS: Oh, knees Up Mother Brown Knees Up Mother Brown Come along dearie let it go E I E I E I O It's your bloomin' birthday Let's wake up all the town So knees up, knees up Don't get the breeze up Knees up Mother Brown Now dear old cousin Reggie Came in his Sunday best With nice striped shirt and spotted tie And gaily checkered vest. She kicked up high and mighty Knocked out his upper teeth And now you ought to 'ear him whistle Through the ones beneath CHORUS The Duke of Gloucester-Cheshire He stopped in for a while "I'll stay for just a spot of tea, They served it with a smile. But Mother Brown raised her knee And caught me in the chest. I had my spot of tea all right - I had it on my vest!" CHORUS |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Knees Up Mother Brown From: Tcrier Date: 08 Apr 05 - 09:40 PM I just came across an old vinyl titled "A British Pub Singsong" Produced by Arc Sound Limited in Toronto (Ontario Canada) #A542 Side A Knees Up Mother Brown A Pint of Black and Tan MacNamara's Band Boiled Beef and Carrots Sospan Fach (Welsh Air) I Belong to Glasgow Side B Don't Dilly Dally On The Way Beside The Seashore The Bleydon Races Medley-- Maybe It's Because I'm A Londoner, Around the Marble Arch, Let's All Go Down The Strand, Lambeth Walk Medley--Lily of Laguna, Lovely Bunch of Coconuts, Show Me The Way To Go Home, Nellie Dean The address for Arc Sound Limited was 143 Raleigh Ave. Scarboro Ontario (This was some Thirty Years ago) |
Subject: Lyr Add: KNEES UP MOTHER BROWN From: Tcrier Date: 08 Apr 05 - 09:24 PM VERSE: I've just been to a party Down dear old Brixton Way Old Mother Brown the Pearly Queen's A Hundred Years today Oh what a celebration T'was rather la de da Until they rolled the carpet up And shouted loud and long CHORUS: Knees Up Mother Brown Knees Up Mother Brown Come along dearie don't let go E I E I E I O It's your bloomin' Birthday So wake up all the town So knees up knees up Don't get the breeze up Knees up Mother Brown |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Knees Up Mother Brown From: Gray D Date: 08 Apr 05 - 07:25 PM "If I catch you bending, I'll saw your legs right off." Can anyone elucidate? Gray D |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Knees Up Mother Brown From: Billy Weeks Date: 08 Apr 05 - 12:40 PM The copyright date is 1939 but I think (alas, can't go on oath) that I can remember it being sung at parties some years before that. Can anyone confirm? I've always suspected Weston and Lee of doing the occasional bit of quiet recycling of 'things heard', a suspicion that is hardened by the fact that the sheet music has verses inferior to those usually sung. The sawing off of M.Brown's legs does not occur in the printed version (not the one I have, anyway) but was always in the first verse of the party song (and dance) which also always had the 'Give it to the girl next door' verse (give what exactly?) and concluded with 'Oh my what a rotten song'. Why did the lady need to lift her knees? Knees up Mother Brown Your drawers are falling down... |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Knees Up Mother Brown From: Big Al Whittle Date: 08 Apr 05 - 07:58 AM Useful Tip Always avoid singing the saw your legs right off verse Its a favourite song of old people and there sre frequently a few amputees in the audience |
Subject: Lyr Add: KNEES UP, MOTHER BROWN! (Weston, Lee) From: Mr Happy Date: 07 Apr 05 - 08:38 AM KNEES UP, MOTHER BROWN! by Harris Weston and Bert Lee (1939) Knees up, muvver Brahn, Knees up, muvver Brahn, Under the table you must go, Ee eye ee eye ee eye oh! If I catch you bending I'll saw your legs right orf!, SO! Knees up knees up, Don't get the breeze up, Knees up, muvver Brahn! Oh, my, What a rotten song, What a rotten song, What a rotten song, Oh, my, What a rotten song, And what a rotten singer too! It's coming by degrees, It's coming by degrees, Got the table, got the chair, Evryfink for a babe to wear, Got the soap and flannel To wash it's dirty knees, We 'aven't got the baby yet, But it's coming by degrees! Oh, my, What a rotten song, Etc. Give it to the girl next door, Give it to the girl next door; She goes in for luxuries, She can 'ave it if she pleases, I don' wannit, I tole you so before! Take it away, take it away, Give it to the girl next door Oh, my, What a rotten song, Etc. Pickin' all the big ones aht, Pickin' all the big ones aht, Oh you should 'a seen me face fulla wrinkles When I saw me pennyworth 'a winkles. All the big ones gorn! It made me rave an' shaht! My ole woman an' seven little kids, Pickin' all the big ones aht! Oh, my, What a rotten song, Etc. Knees up, muvver Brahn, Knees up, muvver Brahn, Under the table you must go, Ee eye ee eye ee eye oh! If I catch you bending I'll saw your legs right orf!, SO! Knees up knees up, Don't get the breeze up, Knees up, muvver Brahn! KNEES UP MOTHER BROWN Traditional Party Song There came a girl from France Who didn't know how to dance The only thing that she could do Was knees up Mother Brown Oh, knees up Mother Brown Knees up Mother Brown Knees up, knees up, never let the breeze up, Knees up Mother Brown Oh, hopping on one foot Hopping on one foot Hopping, hopping, never stopping Hopping on one foot Oh, knees up Mother Brown Knees up Mother Brown Knees up, knees up, never let the breeze up, Knees up Mother Brown Oh, prancing up and down Prancing up and down Prancing, prancing, never dancing Prancing up and down Oh, knees up Mother Brown Knees up Mother Brown Knees up, knees up, never let the breeze up, Knees up Mother Brown And whirling round and round Whirling round and round Whirling, whirling, never twirling Whirling round and round Oh, knees up Mother Brown Knees up Mother Brown Knees up, knees up, never let the breeze up, Knees up Mother Brown |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Knees Up Mother Brown From: GUEST,Q Date: 05 May 03 - 12:09 AM Few more verses in thread 49743: Mother Thread #49743 Message #752651 Posted By: The Walrus 22-Jul-02 - 05:51 PM Thread Name: Play-party game 'Punchinello' Subject: Lyr Add: KNEES UP, MOTHER BROWN
Mrrzy, |
Subject: Lyr Add: KNEES UP, MOTHER BROWN From: Jim Dixon Date: 04 May 03 - 11:51 PM I found many variants of this song on the Internet. I can't tell for sure which is the original copyrighted version, so I listed my best guess first and listed the variations below. KNEES UP, MOTHER BROWN (E Harris Weston, Bert Lee. Copyright EMI, 1938) 1. Knees up, Mother Brown! Knees up, Mother Brown! 2. Under the table you must go. 3. Ee-i-ee-i-ee-i-oh! 4. If I catch you bending, I'll saw your legs right off. 5. Knees up! Knees up! 6. Don't get the breeze up! 7. Knees up, Mother Brown! Oh, my! What a rotten song! What a rotten song! What a rotten song! Oh, my! What a rotten song! What a rotten singer, too! Ow's yer farver? All right! [VARIANTS FOR LINE 2: 2a. This ain't the Lambeth Walk, you know. 2b. Come along, dearie, don't be slow. 2c. Come along, dearie, let it go. VARIANTS FOR LINE 4: 4a. And if your bones are creakin', don't let it get you down. 4b. It's your blooming birthday, so wipe away the frown. 4c. It's your blooming birthday. Let's wake up all the town. VARIANTS FOR LINE 6: 6a. Never let the breeze up! 6b. Never get a breeze up! [There are kids' versions, recorded by Raffi and others, that contain the following additional verses. (There may be more.)] Prancing up and down, prancing up and down, Prancing, prancing, never dancing, Prancing up and down. Whirling round and round, whirling round and round Whirling, whirling, ever twirling Whirling round and round Hopping on one foot, hopping on one foot, Hopping, hopping, never stopping, Hopping on one foot. |
Subject: RE: Knees Up Mother Brown From: Greg Furness Date: 22 Jun 97 - 01:59 AM Thanks, Bo & Bert. Appreciated! |
Subject: RE: Knees Up Mother Brown From: Bert Hansell Date: 20 Jun 97 - 02:06 PM We used to sing.... Oh, knees up, Mother Brown, Knees up, Mother Brown. Under the table you must go, Ee-I-Ee-I-Ee-I-O. If I catch you bending I'll saw your legs right off, So, knees up, knees up, Don't get the breeze up, Knees up, Mother Brown. Oh my, what a rotten song what a rotten song what a rotten song Oh my, what a rotten song what a rotten singer too. Bert. |
Subject: Lyr Add: KNEES UP, MOTHER BROWN From: Bo Vandenberg Date: 20 Jun 97 - 01:43 PM _Songs From The Front and Rear_ edt Anthony Hopkins, Hurtig Publishers/Edmonton 0-88830-171-5 has a model verse for this song.
Oh, knees up, Mother Brown, This, they claim, is the one universal verse to all the songs. I know there are many more verses but I cant remember them off hand. bo hope this helps. |
Subject: RE: Knees Up Mother Brown From: Bo Vandengerb Date: 20 Jun 97 - 01:38 PM |
Subject: Knees Up Mother Brown From: Greg Furness Date: 13 Jun 97 - 11:31 AM Hello! Chorus of this song is in the database; can anyone supply the rest of the lyrics or suggest a source for same? Much Appreciated! |
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