Lyr ADD: Down the Dark Alley / Down the Back Alley

Subject: Down the Dark Alley
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 15 Nov 00 - 07:59 AM

Does any one know a song like this? I first learnt it at school and suspect it was a rugby song. It starts off as a bawdy song descibe how the singer meets a woman down a dark alley and each time he meets her she is wearing a different colour. It turns into a tragic song when she announces she's pregnant and then announces that the baby is dead.

The next time I met her she was all dressed in blue
All in blue, all in blue,
She said "Your baby's due"
Down the dark alley where nobody goes (knows?)

The last time I met her she was all dressed in red
All in red, all in red
She said "Your baby's dead"
Down the dark...

The tune was similar to the Coppers' "The Week before Easter".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,Fibula Mattock
Date: 15 Nov 00 - 08:23 AM

I never thought of asking about that song here! I've been trying to find out how that finished for YEARS - anytime I heard it at school outings etc, it was censored after the first verse. All I can remember is:

The first night I saw her she was dressed all in white
All in white, all in white,
I took her out that night
Down the back alley where nobody goes

I have a feeling the colour brown comes up next, providing a convenient rhyme for down, but I can't be sure as the teachers deemed us too innocent and fragile to hear it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: Greyeyes
Date: 15 Nov 00 - 01:48 PM

I certainly know it as a rugby song from my wild and reckless youth. I don't know many verses but I know a few Rugby song web-sites so I'll have a look. The version I knew was absolutely filthy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: nutty
Date: 15 Nov 00 - 03:39 PM

I know the song as ---Down the Back Alley and understand that originally it was a Liverpool Street Song athough many extra verses ( some incredibly crude ) have now been added

The verses I remember are
I met her in white - she said it's cold tonight

blue - my baby's due

red - my baby's dead

check - I broke her pretty ( other words sometimes used ) neck
black - she won't be coming back

If I remember anymore i will post later

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: nutty
Date: 15 Nov 00 - 05:38 PM

just remembered - between blue and red is -

grey - you'll have to pay

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: bradfordian
Date: 11 May 03 - 05:12 AM

Any advance on this one in the last 3 years?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: bradfordian
Date: 11 May 03 - 07:58 PM

Ok, well I found a quite crude version ( & hence got more than enuff of it, thanks!).
Hope this jogs someones memory.
I've picked up some bits from this thread for this.
Just need someone to come in with some more of the less crude versions please. Add or delete colors as reg'd

The first time I saw her she was all dressed in white
All in white, all in white, I took her out that night
Down the dark alley where nobody goes

The next time I saw her she was all dressed in pink
All in pink , all in pink,    ??????????
Down the dark alley where nobody goes

The next time I saw her she was all dressed in blue
All in blue , all in blue, she said "your baby's due"
Down the dark alley where nobody goes

The next time I saw her she was all dressed in cream
All in cream, all in cream, ????????????
Down the dark alley where nobody goes

The next time I saw her she was all dressed in brown
All in brown, all in all in brown,    ???????????
Down the dark alley where nobody goes

The next time I saw her she was all dressed in green
All in green, all in green,       ??????????????
Down the dark alley where nobody goes

The next time I saw her she was all dressed in grey
All in grey, all in grey,      ?????????????????
Down the dark alley where nobody goes

The next time I saw her she was all dressed in rose
All in rose, all in rose, ???????????????
Down the dark alley where nobody goes

The next time I saw her she was all dressed in red
All in red, all in red, she said "your baby's dead"
Down the dark alley where nobody goes

The last time I saw her she was all dressed in black
All in black, all in black, she won't be coming back
Down the dark alley where nobody goes

Keep your ears open for this at a sing around or festival!

Brad

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,Richard
Date: 22 Mar 11 - 05:19 PM

I can add a tiny bit more from my school lunchtimes:

All in white, all in white, she took me home that night.

The song involved the singer speaking each line that went 'The next time I saw her...' then singing the verse.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,Mark from Oz
Date: 16 May 11 - 07:32 PM

I found this on
http://www.odps.org/glossword/index.php?a=term&d=3&t=108

down in the valley / down the back alley
This oddly unsympathetic little ditty has been sent in as the "Oak Park School Camp Song", but I'm sure the original title is "Down in the valley" etc:

The first time I met her I met her in pink,
All in pink all in pink.
She made my finger stink.
Down in the valley where I laid her down.

The next time I met her I met her in white,
All in white all in white.
I shagged her all that night.
Down in the valley where I laid her down.

The next time I met her I met her in green,
All in green all in green.
She said the doctors been.
Down in the valley where I laid her down.

The next time I met her I met her in blue,
All in blue all in blue.
She said the twins were due.
Down in the valley where I laid her down.

The next time I met her I met her in red,
All in red all in red.
She said the twins were dead.
Down in the valley where I laid her down.

The next time I met her I met her check,
All in check all in check.
I'll break her fucking neck.
Down in the valley where I laid her down.

The next time I met her I met her in black,
All in black all in black.
I want my money back.
Down in the valley where I laid her down.


Version 2:
The first time I met her I met her in white.
All in white, all in white,
She was a fucking good sight.
Down a dark alley where nobody goes.

The next time I met her, I met her in pink.
All in pink, all in pink,
She made my fingers stink.
Down the back alley where nobody goes.

The next time I met her, I met her in red.
All in red, all in red,
She was so good in bed<.br> Down the back alley where nobody goes.

The next time I met her, I met her in green,
All in green, all in green.
She said 'The doctor's been'!
Down the back alley where nobody goes.

The next time I met her I met her in blue.
All in blue, all in blue,
She said the baby's due.
Down the back alley where nobody goes.

The next time I met her, I met her in fawn,
All in fawn, all in fawn,
She said 'The baby's born'.
Down the back alley where nobody goes.

The next time I met her I met her in red.
All in red, all in red,
She said 'The baby's dead'.
Down the back alley where nobody goes.

The next time I met her, I met her in yellow,
All in yellow, all in yellow,
She said 'I've got another fella'.
Down the back alley where nobody goes.

The next time I met her, I met her in CHECK.
All in check, all in check,
I BROKE HER FUCKING NECK!
Down the back alley where nobody goes.

Source: circa current, UK

hope this helps a tad Mark from OZ

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Mar 12 - 02:31 PM

I remember this song from (Boarding) School (80's)

I too, have wondered what the full lyrics were, as because over time you kind of forget them.

I remember that it was "All in pink - she made my finger stink"

"All in green, i filled her up with cream (or my cream)

"All in black, i filled up her crack"

It's amazing what we remember as kids.. well i'm glad someone else remembers

Many of my mates were "forces kids" so, they may have heard it via their parents

All the best to the armed services (but i don't reckon unless otherwise told, that their singing this in Afghanistan)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Apr 12 - 12:45 AM

I learned the song in elementary school in Queens, NY.

I remember the first verse as:

The first night I met her, I met her in white
All in white, all in white,
I took her out that night
down the back alley where nobody goes

Insert other verses here that I have forgotten

The next night I met her, I met her in green
All in green, all in green,
She said the doctor's been
down the back alley where nobody goes.

Other verse? Brown or blue?


The next night I met her, I met her in red
all in red, all in red
she said the baby's dead
down the back alley where nobody goes


Last night I met her, I met her in check
All in check, all in check,
I wrung her bleeding neck
down the back alley where nobody goes!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 08 Apr 12 - 06:08 AM

As so often with camp and children's songs, "Down the Dark Alley" derives from a bawdy song sung by soldiers. I don't know its origin, but the first I have found it printed is in "Mess Hall Songs of the RAAF," a 1945 collection of airmen's songs during World War II. You can find the songbook at:

http://www.horntip.com/html/books_%26_MSS/1940s/1945-09-00--1961_mess_songs_and_rhymes_of_the_RAAF_(mimeo)/index.htm

It next turns up in Korea as sung by members of the Royal Australian Air Force during the Korean War:

http://www.horntip.com/html/books_&_MSS/1970s/1971ca_songs_my_mother_taught_me_(mimeo)/index.htm

and after that seems to have entered children's tradition in the UK and Oz at least. Anyone know any versions from the US, Canada, or other different locales? I don't find it in a hasty survey of Cray's The Erotic Muse, the Vance Randolph collection or Logsdon's The Whorehouse Bells Were Ringing, three good sources of such songs.

Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 08 Apr 12 - 06:17 AM

In asking "Anyone know any versions from the US," etc. I should have added: apart from the Queens, NY one posted by Guest immediately above. Thanks for that ... it's the first evidence I've seen of the song being sung in the US. Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 08 Apr 12 - 08:38 AM

Bob, there are five full stanzas in Conrad Aiken's novel "Blue Voyage" (1927).

Eleven presumably bowdlerized stanzas, plus a tune, are in Lt. F. T. Nettleingham's collection of British army songs, "Tommy's Tunes" (1917).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 11 Apr 12 - 06:08 AM

Nice work, Lighter, as always ... That places this as a definite WWI song, if not earlier.
Thanks, Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,Me
Date: 29 Jun 12 - 09:53 PM

I was always tolk this was a song to be passed down in the folk style of never writing any of it down ...as in, it was "forbidden" to do so... Perhaps this was because my friend who taught it to me is a rennie who learned it in amtgard... And it took me years to find any bit of it online.

That said, my favorite verse was "all in orange, all in orange ::dramatic pause:: I f*cked her up one side and down the other cos nothing rhymes with orange..."

I know there were scads of other colors, including plaid and check, and others mentioned here.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,Ed Beasant
Date: 04 Mar 14 - 07:00 AM

Astonishing. - I learned this in tha back of a 4-tonner in about 1996 from a couple of lads from 2 Para ... It was rude but not as rude as some versions....
I think it's a mess hall standard still :-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 Jun 14 - 01:48 PM

Anyone know how old this "old standard" is?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: Lighter
Date: 18 Jun 14 - 02:57 PM

See my post of April 8, 2012.

Almost surely it antedates 1914.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 18 Jun 14 - 05:41 PM

Splicing!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 Jun 14 - 07:03 PM

And I put in a post thanking Lighter, but it disappeared. Thanks, Lighter!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 20 Jun 14 - 03:21 PM

Refresh for merger, Joe.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Sep 15 - 08:18 PM

i thought it was up the dark aly were no bdy goes the parts i rem were i met her in blu she said the twins were due the next nite i met her i met her in red she said the twins were dead up the dark ally were n/body goes brn was she took her knickers dn up and so on green was i stk it inbtween up the dk allie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,to cassidt snr
Date: 09 Sep 15 - 08:36 PM

white i took her out that nite next brown i took her knickers dn pink she made my fingers stink green i stuck it inbetween grey run away check she said she,d take me bk blue twins r due red twins r dead blk i i broke her fkn neck . parts i still rem ime now 59. end still rem bits

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 10 Sep 15 - 01:34 PM

The tune I knew was very close to that sung in the folk clubs as 'Maids when you're young never wed an old man' which also has a similar structure.

There are lots of versions (Roud 210)

Here's the first verse of the version in Marrow Bones.

An old man came courting me
Heigh down derry down
An old man came courting me
Heigh derry down
An old man came courting me
All for to ruin me
Girls, for your sake never wed an old man.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,Desi C
Date: 11 Sep 15 - 06:46 AM

I'm havig to laugh at this, everyone seems to remember a clean verse when anyone who kn ows this song knows that most veres are n fact very blue lol!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,Sean
Date: 24 Jul 18 - 12:44 PM

The next I saw she was all in pink she made my finger stink down the ally where nobody goes

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,Guest - elwill
Date: 20 Sep 18 - 05:05 AM

My recollection is as follows as a UK rugby song

The first time I met her she was all dressed in green
All in green, all in green she was a virgin queen
down in the valley where she followed me
then the clour sequence
brown - I had her pantied down
pink - she made my fingers stink
blue - i fucked her though and through
fawn - one litle bastard born
red - one little bastard dead
check - I wrung her fucking neck

there may be other colours I've missed

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,Aaron Smith
Date: 14 May 19 - 05:15 AM

The one colour I remember is black and that was the next night I met her I met her in black I layed her on her back

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,Rugby Man
Date: 23 Jun 19 - 05:44 AM

Might not be the original but try this:

The first night I met her
I met he in white
All in white all in white
She said tomorrow night
Down the dark alley where nobody goes

The next night I met her I met her in grey
All in grey all in grey
She said it is today
Down the dark alley where nobody goes

The next night I met her
I met her in pink
All in pink all in pink
She made my finger stink
Down the dark alley
Where nobody goes

The next night I met her I met her in red
All in red all in red
She laid upon the bed
Down the dark alley where nobody goes

The next night I met her I met her in green
All in green all in free
I filled her up with cream
Down the dark alley where nobody goes

The next night I met her I met her in blue
All in blue all in blue
We had another screw
Down the dark alley where nobody goes

The next night I met her I met her in blue
All in blue all in blue
She said your baby’s due
Down the dark alley where nobody goes.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Aug 19 - 07:26 PM

Was a day boy at a boarding school and played club rugby after only the filthy lyrics seem familiar

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,elwill
Date: 14 Dec 20 - 05:34 AM

I knew it as down in the valley where she followed me
The verses I remember started off with green - she was a virgin queen
brown - I had her panties down
pink - she made my fingers stink
blue - I fucked her through and through
grey - I had ten quid to pay
fawn - one little bastard born
red - one little bastard dead
check - I wrung her fucking neck

Not necessarily in that order and there may have been some other verses

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Jun 21 - 12:00 PM

Captainocd

All in pink, she made my fingers stink

And there was All in checks - I wrung the bastard's neck.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,Rosie
Date: 27 Jun 21 - 01:29 PM

Hi, I know this is an old thread, and lord knows how I came across it, but my 1st husband played rugby, and I have to say I know a lot of rugby songs, (I played too, in the ladies team, I must have been mad!!!), anyway, the lyrics I know are rather more filthy and I cannot think of all the colours, as we'd sing the verse and someone would jump in with a colour and rhymn that they made up,

It started withe the first time I met her I maet her in white,
All in white all in white she was a bit of alright,
Down a dark alley where nobody goes.

Then there was all in pink, she made my fingers stink,

All in red, I f"*'ed her til she bled

All in black, I f"*'ed her on her back,

All in green was til she screamed,

It went on and on in the same sort of filthy way, as we also did with the "department store" song, which was entertaining when we were drunk, thinking of some new things to buy, and nit getting, and also the piano song song, that was another that we all loved, and when very drunk, which was every Saturday night, the engineers song!!! I can't believe that I even remember them, it was years ago

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: RunrigFan
Date: 27 Jun 21 - 02:22 PM

https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=97513

Similar song

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jan 22 - 06:45 PM

Green - she was my every dream
Tan - I want to be your man
White - I took her out that night
Pink - she made my fingers stink
Brown - I took her panties down
Black - I laid her on her back
Plaid - she said you’ll be a Dad
Red - I said we have to wed
Blue - she said the baby’s due
Grey - we lost our twins that day
Yellow - I saw her with some fellow
Check - I broke her fucking neck
The last time I saw her I saw her stone dead…

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: bradfordian
Date: 21 Feb 23 - 07:21 AM

Here is a sanitised version:

·DOWN THE BACK ALLEY
The first time I met her, I met her in white
All in white , all in white
She said “it’s cold tonight”
Down the back alley where nobody goes

The next time I met her, I met her in green
All in green , all in green
She’s something to be seen
Down the back alley where nobody goes

The next time I met her, I met her in blue
All in blue , all in blue
She said “My baby’s due”
Down the back alley where nobody goes

The next time I met her, I met her in grey
All in grey , all in grey
She said “You’ll have to pay”
Down the back alley where nobody goes

The next time I met her, I met her in red
All in red, all in red
She said “My baby’s dead”
Down the back alley where nobody goes

The last time I met her, I met her in black
All in black , all in black
She won’t be coming back
Down the back alley where nobody goes

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,Julia L
Date: 21 Feb 23 - 08:11 PM

Found a version of this from Maine listed as "The Dark Orchard" in the Flanders collection. The actual song seems to be "The Dark Arches" and refers to a lady of the evening purveying her wares in a train station. Still working on the trancription

J

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,Julia L
Date: 21 Feb 23 - 08:15 PM

found this

https://songsfromtheageofsteam.uk/railways/77-station-life/201-bar090

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: GUEST,Julia L
Date: 21 Feb 23 - 08:20 PM

Down by the Dark Arches- circa 1836

As I walked out one day in the month of July
A pretty young damsel I chanced for to spy,
Singing Villikens and Dinah, so blithe and so gay,
Down by the dark arches under the railway.

Then I stepped up to her so gay and so free,
And for the same ballad I paid one halfpenny,
Will you be my sweetheart to her I did say?
Down by the dark arches under the railway.

Oh no, my gay young man that cannot be,
There is a chap here in blue and he is a-watching of me,
And if he should see me, what would he say,
Down by the dark arches under the railway.

At last she consented, away we both went,
Five shillings in lobsters and oysters I spent,
Six drops of brandy for her I did pay,
Down by the dark arches under the railway.

Then in came a chap with a black eye and a stick,
He drunk up my brandy and broke my Pickwick
Pop goes the weasel to me he did say,
Down by the dark arches under the railway.

Then he squared up to me and pulled my watch out,
He spoiled my new beaver and damaged my snout,
He kicked me in the gutter and there I lay,
Down by the dark arches under the railway

I lay in the gutter till four in the morn
As naked as ever a poor creature was born,
And when I awakened quite still there I lay,
Down by the dark arches under the railway.

Four bobbies came up and to my surprise
I found I had no shirt on to cover my thighs,
They put me on a stretcher and bore me away
From beneath the dark arches under the railway.

I sent to my mother for money and clothes,
Likewise to a doctor to patch up my nose,
You have not had fair play to me he did say
Down by the dark arches under the railway

Now all you young chaps take a warning by me,
And never go a-courting when you are on the spree,
And never take those young ladies out of their way
Down by the dark arches under the railway.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Down the Dark Alley
From: Lighter
Date: 21 Feb 23 - 08:29 PM

In some versions, possibly the most violently nihilistic, misogynist
song in English.

Except for meeting a young woman (happens all the time in folksongs) and the phrase "down in the dark," there's little similarity between the songs.

The misogynist song is at best a parodic offshoot of the other.

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: Down the Dark Alley / Down the Back Alley
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Feb 23 - 05:33 PM

Joe - check