Lyr Req: Turned Up: 'Mary Ellen at the church ...'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Turned Up: 'Mary Ellen at the church ...'
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 10 Feb 16 - 06:18 AM

That third line, rather than mentioning that nameless aunt, is sometimes rendered as

Her sister Gert, her little brother Bert,

which provides a nice double internal rhyme for the vicar's long white shirt.

≈M≈

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Turned Up: 'Mary Ellen at the church ...'
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Feb 16 - 10:45 AM

Mary Ellen at the Church turned up ,
her ma turned up and her pa turned up.
Her Auntie ? with her skirt turned up
and the Vicar in his long white shirt turned up .
But no Bridegroom with the ring turned up ,
then a telegram boy with his nose turned up
brought a note that said that he didn't want to wed
and they`d find `im in the river with his toes turned up

x I just need to find out the name of her Auntie lol

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Turned Up: 'Mary Ellen at the church ...'
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 08 Mar 15 - 10:51 AM

Guest,
You only have to read the rest of the thread and you've got it!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Turned Up: 'Mary Ellen at the church ...'
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Mar 15 - 10:51 AM

the request should read which album did the song come from?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Turned Up: 'Mary Ellen at the church ...'
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Mar 15 - 10:48 AM

Please can anybody tell me from which the song came from and what year?

Subject: Lyr Add: I TOLD HIS MISSUS ALL ABOUT HIM
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Mar 14 - 08:24 PM

From the sheet music at the Levy collection:

Vesta Victoria's New Song
I TOLD HIS MISSUS ALL ABOUT HIM
(Sequel to "Waiting at the Church")
Words by John P. Harrington. Music by James W. Tate.
New York: Francis, Day and Hunter, ©1907.

1. You've heard me tell the story, how I waited at the church,
And how a wretched bounder went and left me in the lurch,
The way he made me spend my cash on all my twiddly bits,
But what I haven't told you, is the way that I got quits.
I found out where his missus lived, then to myself I thinks:
"I'll just go 'round and say to Mrs. Obadiah Binks:

CHORUS: "I'm the girl he left in the lurch.
I'm the girl who was waiting at the church,
But I've got another fellow in my eye, so I'm all right without him."
I found out where his wife was hid,
Told her all he said and did.
There's a very dark night in front for him, for I've told his missus all about him!

2. I told her how we'd sit in lanes, and bill and coo and purr.
She knew that ev'ry word was true; he'd done the same to her.
To prove I knew him fluently, some secrets I did tell,
Which I couldn't possibly have known unless I'd known him well.
I said: "He's got a beauty spot upon his offside knee.
I saw that at the sea, when we went bathing, don't you see?" CHORUS

3. She sympathized with me, she did, as any woman ought.
She said: "Yes, he's been courting you, but I'm the one he's caught.
But only wait till he comes home, when lights are low and dim.
I'll give him, 'Wife won't let me!' when I lay my hands on him!"
Before we parted, she showed me her twins, so large and fine.
I said: "I've been unlucky, or they might have both been mine!" CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Turned Up: 'Mary Ellen at the church ...'
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 10:58 AM

You can see a video of this Lily Morris performing WAITING AT THE CHURCH at YouTube.

(Joe Offer posted the lyrics above.)

The video appears to be a scene from a longer film. She sings only one verse and a chorus.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Turned Up: 'Mary Ellen at the church ...'
From: GUEST,Ian sparrow
Date: 15 Aug 08 - 10:56 AM

I have a version of Turned up on MP3 taped from my TV set when i was but a boy by Joe Brown Please send me your e mail address and I'll e mail it.
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary Ellen at the church turned up
From: GUEST,her pa turned up and her ma turnd up,her ric
Date: 24 Mar 08 - 05:14 AM

her pa turnd up and her ma turnd up,her rich uncle burt who didnt have a shirt,they found him in the duck pond with his toes turned up

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary Ellen at the church turned up
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 10:07 PM

Ummm...that should be "shirt." Little bit of late night mental fog, and out comes one of the great typos in the English language. Well, mama always said, Distinguish yourself. (At least I don't think she said "Extinguish"...???

Sorry gang.. Bob

Subject: Lyr Add: TURNED UP (Herbert Rule, Harry Castling)
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 09:58 PM

For those of you who want the song as originally published, and the melody as well, the song "Turned Up" (its original title) can be found complete in sheet music form at this Australian historical sheet music site:

http://nla.gov.au/nla.mus-an10544570

Below are the original words. Pretty close to what Chelsea Jimmy gave above, but you can see a little bit of folk process at work from here to there.

Credit is due to Amba Lee and her researching talents for turning up this gem.

Enjoy! Bob

====

TURNED UP

Words and music by Herbert Rule and Harry Castling. Published B. Feldman & Co., London 1924.
As sung in the Sydney, Australia music halls by Miss Rosie Lloyd.

In our little village there has been a tragedy,   
Deary, deary me, such a terrible tragedy
Mary Ellen Bottomley today should have been wed,
It's a good job that she didn't, so everybody said,

CHO
Mary Ellen at the church turned up,
Her Mother turned up and her Dad turned up,,
Her sister Gert and her rich uncle Bert,
And the parson in his long white shit turned up,
But no bridegroom with the ring turned up
But a telegraph boy with his nose turned up
Brought a telegram that said, he didn't want to wed,
And they'd find him in the river with his toes turned up.

The people waiting in the street, they fairly blocked the road,
They waited in the road for the money the bridegroom owed,
My heart is broken, cried the bride, so Jim the butcher's son
He rushed into his shop and brought her out another one.

A week went by, then someone learned the bridegroom wasn't drowned,
He went around and found John asleep in his bed so sound,
His real wife, she was waiting at the church that day, it's true,
Said, if there'd been a wedding there'd have been a fun'ral too.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary Ellen at the church turned up
From: GUEST,mws
Date: 10 May 03 - 04:56 AM

I have been trying to get the whole tune for this song with no success.
The BBC & all the usual music hall links failed me including Roy Hudd to whom I have sent a number of letters to different BBC addresses. I guess he never got them because he is passionate about the genre.Can anyone send me the tune (particularly the verse tune. I have a view on the chorus from a number of people but they dont know the verse part. Strange that! My E-Mail address is [e-mail].
Many thanks
Mick

Subject: Lyr Add: WAITING AT THE CHURCH (Leigh/Pether)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 08:07 AM

Hmm. couldn't find that one posted here, but it was at this site.
-Joe Offer-


WAITING AT THE CHURCH
lyrics: Fred W. Leigh
Melody - Henry E. Pether, 1906

I'm in a nice bit of trouble, I confess;
Somebody with me has had a game.
I should by now be a proud and happy bride,
But I've still got to keep my single name.
I was proposed to by Obadiah Binks
In a very gentlemanly way;
Lent him all my money so that he could buy a home,
And punctually at twelve o'clock to-day-

Chorus:
There was I, waiting at the church,
Waiting at the church, waiting at the church;
When I found he'd left me in the lurch.
Lor, how it did upset me!
All at once, he sent me round a note
Here's the very note, this is what he wrote:
"Can't get away to marry you today,
My wife, won't let me!"

Lor, what a fuss Obadiah made of me
When he used to take me in the park!
He used to squeeze me till I was black and blue,
When he kissed me he used to leave a mark.
Each time he met me he treated me to port,
Took me now and then to see the play;
Understand me rightly, when I say he treated me,
It wasn't him but me that used to pay.

Just think how disappointed I must feel,
I'll be off me crumpet very soon.
I've lost my husband - the one I never had!
And I dreamed so about the honeymoon.
I'm looking out for another Obadiah,
I've already bought the wedding ring,
There's all my little fal-the-riddles packed up in my box
Yes, absolutely two of ev'rything.

---

This site (click) says Groucho Marx did a parody of this, called "There I Was, Waiting in my Shirt."

---

Sheet music at Levy Sheet Music Site. Search for "waiting at the church." There's a sequel, too.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary Ellen at the church turned up
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 04:34 AM

It goes well with "There was I waiting at the church".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary Ellen at the church turned up
From: Cappuccino
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 02:25 AM

English rockers will remember a version on a Joe Brown and the Bruvvers album in the late 50s.... but only one verse. Thanks for the rest.

- Ian B

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary Ellen at the church turned up
From: GUEST,Donal
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 01:04 AM

Thanks Lanfranc, I have been thinking for ages about starting
a thread on this, but I didn't have enough lines to be useful. My
Dad used to sing it long ago and it's one of those things that
come to mind now and again. What I do remember is "with a
telegram to say, there'd be no wedding today, for they'd found
him in the river with his toes turned up".
                                                                  Don.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary Ellen at the church turned up
From: Lanfranc
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 06:17 PM

Thank you, Chelsea Jimmy and Leadfingers.

Leadfingers version of the last verse was the one I (vaguely) remembered.

Another one to be revived!

Thanks again

Alan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary Ellen at the church turned up
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 02:28 PM

Redd Sullivan used to do this with actions, great stuff.
Giok

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary Ellen at the church turned up
From: Leadfingers
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 02:02 PM

I have a variation in the last verse - First two lines the same ,but last two lines i have:-

His real wife had been waiting at the church that day its tue
She said if there'd been a wedding there'd have been a funeral too.

I had this song from Miles Wooton Way Way back in the REALLY good old days

Subject: Lyr Add: MARY ELLEN AT THE CHURCH TURNED UP
From: GUEST,Chelsea Jimmy
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 09:28 AM

In our little village there has been a tragedy
Dearie Dearie me, what a terrible tragedy
Mary Ellen Bottomley today should have been wed
It's a good job that she didn't, that's what the neighbours said

ch-
Mary Ellen at the church turned up
Her ma turned up and her pa turned up
Her sister Gert and rich uncle Bert
And the Parson in his long white shirt turned up
But no bridegroom with the ring turned up
But a telegraph boy with his nose turned up
Brought a telegam that read "I'm afraid I cannot wed"
And they found him in the river with his nose turned up

The people waiting in the street they fairly bocked the road
they waited in the road, for the money the bridegroom owed
My heart is breaking Mary cried so Jim the butcher's son
He ran into his shop and brought her out another one

Now when a day had passed they found the bridegroom hadn't drowned
They went around and found, he was sleeping safe and sound
His bride he should have wed there at the church that afternoon
Said there wasn't any wedding but there'll be a funeral soon

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary Ellen at the church turned up
From: Snuffy
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 09:02 AM

Could only find the chorus on Google, but I have heard Alhambra (Pete & John) perform this at festivals.

They run Crediton Folk Festival (4-6 April this year) so an e-mail to [e-mail] might produce the goods.

WassaiL! V

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary Ellen at the church turned up
From: Charley Noble
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 08:18 AM

The question might better been phrased "Will Mary Ellen's beau rise again?"

Sorry, nothing really useful to offer in your search, but I'll check through my songbooks if I can stop giggling.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: Lyr Req: Mary Ellen at the church turned up
From: Lanfranc
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 07:53 AM

I've flown this one before, without success, but perhaps I'll be luckier this time!

Does anyone know the other verses to this old music hall song, which I remember being sung, but not recorded, by Redd Sullivan.

Chorus:
Mary Ellen at the church turned up
Her Ma turned up and her Pa turned up
Her sister Gert, and her rich uncle Bert
And the Vicar in his long white shirt turned up
But no bridegroom with a ring turned up
But a telegram boy with his nose turned up
Brought a telegram that said he didn't want to wed
And they found him in the river with his toes turned up

Verse 1:
In our little village there has been a tragedy,
Deary, deary me, such a terrible tragedy
Mary Ellen Bottomley she was supposed to have been wed
But when she turned up at the church this is what they said.

Chorus:

... If there had been a wedding, there'd have been a funeral too...

That last is the only other line I can remember, but the burden of the story was that poor old ME's intended was already married!

Can anyone out there help me complete this? I've Googled and BBC'd and been through Music Hall sites galore, but nowhere can I find the other verses, most sites that have the song just have the chorus.

Alan