Lyr Req: Oh Jack the Ripper

Subject: Oh Jack the Ripper
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 23 Feb 02 - 04:42 AM

Has anyone got the words (and music for the verse) of a song with a chorus which goes something like:

Oh Jack the Ripper, he carved his way to fame,
No one ever saw his face, but they all knew his name.
And when the mists are swirling around the Thameside mud.
His ghost still haunts the streets at night,
Looking for some blood.

I have done a Forum/DT search on Jack and Ripper but didn't come up with anything that looked useful. I did find a thread from Steve Parkes who wondered if there were any songs on the subject.

For any "Ripperologists" out there, I reckon "Joseph Barnet" as the best contender - but find me the words of the song before we discuss who Jack was !

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh Jack the Ripper
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 24 Feb 02 - 06:10 AM

I can remember Anne Lennox-Martin singing this, but she gave it up because "The Yorkshire Ripper" became active.

I'm sure someone out there must know the words.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh Jack the Ripper
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 25 Feb 02 - 06:17 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh Jack the Ripper
From: masato sakurai
Date: 26 Feb 02 - 06:17 AM

There're some songs on Jack the Ripper, including "Song of the Ripper (My Favorite Sings)" and "Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper," here (CASEBOOK: JACK THE RIPPER) (go from "home - main" to "ripper media" to "audio recordings").

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh Jack the Ripper
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 26 Feb 02 - 09:16 AM

Thanks Masato, but the song I'm looking for isn't there.

The song is quite funny in a rather sick way. I can remember there's a bit where he asks his mum for a bit of tart and she asks him if he prefers Liver or Heart !

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BALLAD OF JACK THE RIPPER
From: Ritchie
Date: 01 Mar 02 - 05:04 AM

Dave, here you are. Sorry I can’t write it down properly.

I’ve always liked this...

The chords are...
D, G, D, E7, A7, D, G, F=7, G, G=0, D, BM7, EM7, A7, D.

THE BALLAD OF JACK THE RIPPER
(Words by Horace Phlange & James Home. Music by Thornton G. Roper)

1. It happened in Whitechapel in the year of ‘88,
When several naughty ladies met a rather gruesome fate.
Their murd’rer prowled the East End streets, and though it sounds absurd,
When they cried out, “Do you want a bit?” ‘e took them at their word.

CHO: Oh, Jack the Ripper, ‘e carved his way to fame.
Nobody ever saw him, but they all knew his name.
And when the mist is swirling thick around the Thames-side mud,
‘Is ghost still ‘aunts the silent streets, looking for some blood.

2. They found a woman’s body in a nasty state one night.
The coroner ‘e laughed and smiled to see the gory sight.
The p’lice thought this improper, as the street with blood was speckled.
“Who is that man?” the inspector asked. They answered, “Doctor Jeck’ll.” CHO.

3. Now Sherlock Holmes was on the spot and said, “I’ll bet my shirt,
This villain Jack the Ripper must be the Prince Albert.”
As he stepped back, the place went black, for all the gas lamps fused,
And even Queen Victoria said, “We are not amused.” CHO.

4. A girl was walking down the street in Aldgate after dark.
Now Jack the Ripper menaced her, tho’ only for a lark.
She fled into a barber’s shop, not looking where she trod,
But it couldn’t have been ‘er night, because his name was Sweeney Todd. CHO.

5. Th’inspector was called out one night t’observe a special case.
The lady had been lacerated right up to her face.
When someone asked him, “Why d’you think ‘e’s made ‘er such a mess?”
The inspectors said, “She must have been a cut above the rest!” CHO.

6. Now Jack, ‘e was a family man what lived wiv ‘is old mum.
They sat down every night to supper when the day was done.
And when his muvver asked him, “Jack, fetch me a piece of tart.”
‘E said, “D’you want a change this week, or the usual ribs and heart?” CHO.

All the very breast. Ritchie.

HTML line breaks added, etc. --JoeClone, 4-Mar-02.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh Jack the Ripper
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 01 Mar 02 - 05:07 PM

Ritchie: Would you Pm the lyrics to me? I'd greatly appreciate it as I'm working on a novel about Jack the Ripper. Thanks awfully, Neil

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh Jack the Ripper
From: Ritchie
Date: 02 Mar 02 - 09:26 AM

Neil, I certainly will ... can you tell me what to do ?

thanks Ritchie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh Jack the Ripper
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 06 Mar 02 - 05:50 AM

Thanks Ritchie - That's what I've been looking for.

Subject: Lyr Add: JACK THE ZIPPER (Barrie Roberts)
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 07 Mar 02 - 05:37 AM

Barrie Roberts (a noted Ripperologist himself, of the James K Steven school) wrote this in the early seventies:

When the shades of night are falling
I dons me grubby mac,
I takes me flask of coffee
And me little sandwich pack;
I takes up my position
Behind a friendly tree,
And when the pretty ladies pass
I shows a bit of me.
    Chorus:
    And they calls me Jack the Zipper,
    They calls me Jack the Zipper,
    They calls me Jack the Zipper
    'Cos I zips me little zip!

Some of them, they screams and faints;
Some turns pale as clay;
Some pretends the did not see,
And some they runs away:
But when I am quite certain
They've had their little see,
I zips me zipper up again
And back behind me tree.

It was on one summer's evening
At the closing of the day,
When a quite delightful lady
Came a-sauntering my way.
She wore a skin-tight sweater
And a min-skirt so cute,
But what sprang me to attention
Was her thigh-length kinky boots!

I steeped out from behind me tree
And I zipped me little zip,
But before I could retreat again She grasped me in her grip.
She flung me to the ground
And, with a dreadful chortling laugh,
She took from her bag a razor blade
And snipped me zip in half!

She stood beside me in the dock
Before the magistrate,
Who said to us, "Me fine young friends, You're in a sorry state!"
For possessing offensive weapons
We both got six months each,
But I got a little bit extra--
Bound over to keep the piece!

Not very pc, even for those days, and as for kinky boots--! Tune is "Early in the morning".

Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh Jack the Ripper
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 07 Mar 02 - 04:01 PM

Richie: If you go into your personal page and click on send message. It will ask to whom. Type in Irish Sergeant (That's me) and the box will come up type in the lyrics or past if you can and submit. It will get to my personal page. Neil

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh Jack the Ripper
From: GUEST,James Home
Date: 29 May 13 - 07:08 AM

As the writer of the Ballad of Jack the Ripper I can confirm that it is published and copyrighted by PeerMusic of Richmond Surrey.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh Jack the Ripper
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 30 May 13 - 04:36 AM

I know this is now a pretty old thread, but to "lift" song lyrics straight off the page, I just select and copy the text, then paste it into a new Word doc: can then edit any mis-spelling, increase font size or otherwise re-format to suit myself. No real need to PM files between members.
But thanks to the suppliers of the lyrics: any chance of getting the tunes? ( I lived in Whitechapel for nearly 7 years back in my student days, hence my interest!)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh Jack the Ripper
From: GUEST, Paul Slade
Date: 30 May 13 - 11:16 AM

Seeing the title of this thread, I immediately started singing it to the tune of Oh Mr Porter..

"Oh Jack the Ripper,
What can I do,
I wanted to go to Whitechapel,
But I never thought I'd meet you,
Slice me lights and liver as quickly as you can.
Oh Jack the Ripper, what a silly girl I am!"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh Jack the Ripper
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 May 13 - 12:40 PM

The other Jack the Ripper:

Never saw a bodice I didn't rip.

Subject: Lyr Add: JACK THE RIPPER (Screaming Lord Sutch)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 02 Jun 13 - 05:36 PM

As an American, I was not familiar with this musician, but he seems to be famous in the UK. The song and delivery has some resemblance to ALLEY OOP as recorded by the Hollywood Argyles in 1960.

My transcription. I have left out the screams and evil laughs.


JACK THE RIPPER
As sung by Screaming Lord Sutch

(The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)
There's a man walks the streets of London late at night (The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)
With a little black bag that's oh so tight. (The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)
He's got a big black cloak hangin' down his back. (The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)
That's-a one big cat I just-a hate to fight. (The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)

CHORUS: Well, when he walks down the streets, every girl he meets
He says, "Is your name Blood?" (The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)
(The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)

When she walks down the street, he's never far behind (The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)
With his little black bag and his one-track mind. (The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)
Well, he really catches up when the lights go down, (The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)
'Cause that's the time he starts his dirty, uh, shop-around. (The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)

CHORUS: Well, when he walks down the streets, every girl he meets
He says, "Is your name Blood?" (The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)
(The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)

Scotland Yard will never catch him cause he's much too clever, (He's much too clever.)
Mm, but if they do, man, they'll get the leather, yes. (The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)
(The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)

Well, the streets of London kinda never safe (The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)
Whenever Jack the Ripper ever shows his face. (The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)
So you pretty little girlies, take-a my advice (The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)
And don't walk the streets of London late at night. (The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)

CHORUS: Well, when he walks down the streets, every girl he meets
He says, "Is your name Blood?" (The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)
(The Ripper, Jack the Ripper)


[The chorus seems deliberately slurred. "Blood" is only an approximation of what he really says; it could be "bleauh."]