Lyr Req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm

Subject: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Melanie
Date: 31 Oct 98 - 01:21 PM

One phrase in this song reads: "How the sweet san fairy ann can I know who you are?" I understand the meaning of the phrase but can anyone explain the meaning or origin of the words "san fairy ann"? Are the words correct? Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Oct 98 - 01:48 PM

The alternate line for the passage in question is invisible in the online version of the database because somebody enclosed it in angle brackets. Here 'tis:

Well, how <do you expect me to know who in Hell you> are?

Rise Up Singing renders it:

Now how the heck am I to know just who you are?

which may well also be inaccurate. "Sweet san fairy ann" is what I hear in the Kingston Trio recording, but what it means has been a puzzle to me for 30 years.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Bobby Bob, Ellan Vannin
Date: 31 Oct 98 - 02:09 PM

Sans faire rien

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Oct 98 - 02:12 PM

Sounds good, Bobby Bob - what's it mean???
-Joey Joe (I have been called that at times...)-

Subject: Tune Add: ANNE BOLEYN (R.P. Weston & Bert Lee)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Oct 98 - 02:55 PM

Here's the tune, as printed in the Folk Song Abecedary (with one dot added to a quaver to correct the meter). It's not exactly the Kingston Trio tune I know, but it's close.
-Joe Offer-

---

Click to play

To play or display ABC tunes, try concertina.net

ABC format:

X:1
T:Anne Boleyn
M:2/4
Q:1/4=120
K:C
E4A2A2|G2G2F2E2|C2D2E4|-E8|E8|-E4E3^D|F3FE3D|
C3B,A,4|-A,8|E8|-E4A2A2|G2G2F2E2|C2D2E4|-E8|
E8|-E4E3^D|E3FE3D|C3B,A,4|-A,8|C8|-C4B,3B,|
B,3B,F4|F3FE4|-E8|E8|-E4^D3^D|^D3^DA3A|A3A^G4|
-^G8|E8|-E3EA,4|-A,4E4|-E4E3D|E3FE4|E4A4|
-A6A2|G2G2E4|-E8|E8|-E3ED4|-D4F4|-F4E2D2|
C2D2E4|D2C2B,4|-B,4B,4|-B,4E4|-E15/2||

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Bobby Bob, Ellan Vannin
Date: 31 Oct 98 - 03:09 PM

It's a polite way of saying Sweet F A (either Fanny Adams, or whatever else you think appropriate) or bugger all - and all without doing anything.

Billy Bennet used the expression in his monologue, "'Twas Christmas Day in the cookhouse" (one of Billy Bennet's Budgets). I can't remember what some of the other comments had been, but "Others said san fairy ann".

As regards the Bobby Bob bit, I'm a Robert, and a son of Robert, which makes me become Bobby Bob. My grandfather was John, and my great-grandfather was William, so, as I say at the start of my bilingual radio programme (Manx Gaelic and English) on Manx Radio, "My name is Bobby Bob John Billy."

My programme used to be followed by a syndicated (sin-dicated?) "religious" programme (opinion withheld) called "Frank and Ernest", which gave rise to some jocular banter in these parts.

Lhiats,

Bobby Bob..

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Oct 98 - 03:42 PM

Thanks a lot, Bobby Bob - you've solved a lifelong mystery.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 01 Nov 98 - 02:27 AM

"san fairy ann" = ca ne fait rien, Fr. "it means nothing", a little bit of French picked up by British soldiers in WW 1. Jon

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 01 Nov 98 - 02:31 AM

Sorry, I should have added: who is Billy bennett, and does "It Was Christmas Day in the Cookhouse" have anything to do with Sims' celebrated "It Was Christmas Day in the Workhouse", a prime piece of Victoriana I first heard in an obsene parody from my father? Or is this another thread? Advice, please on protocol here. Thanks. Jon

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Nov 98 - 03:22 AM

Hi, Jon -
Click here or here for previous threads on "Christmas in the Workhouse," which would be a better place than here for that discussion. We do digress at times, well....often, but attempting to keep on topic seems to aid discussion
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Melanie
Date: 02 Nov 98 - 05:03 PM

Thanks all! I haven't been wondering about it quite as long as Joe has but still appreciate having the mystery solved!

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Abby Sale
Date: 21 May 00 - 03:32 PM

Melanie wrote:
 One phrase in this song reads: "How the sweet san fairy ann can I know who you are?" I understand
 the meaning of the phrase but can anyone explain the meaning or origin of the words "san fairy ann"?
 Are the words correct? Thanks!

Several Offers are given including the sensible "Sans faire rien"

The Kingston Trio (not scholars, exactly) at  Clicky sing:
One night she caught King Henry, he was in the canteen bar. Said he, "Are you Jane
Seymour, Anne Bolyn, or Katherine Parr?
How the sweet san perryann do I know who you are with your head tucked underneath your
arm?"

But they also Americanize the football lines:  (ie, Processed)
The sentries think that it's a football that she carries in and when they had a few they shout,
"Is Army going to win?"
They that it's Red Grange instead of poor old Ann Bolyn with her head tucked underneath her arm.

Charles Colyer claimed to give the original words in a 27-Oct-97 post. Clicky   He used the British football words ("Is Ars'nal going to win?" They think it's Alec James Instead of poor old Anne Boleyn,)  & how the sweet san fairy ann  (this was several days after another posted how the sweet Sam Perryham.)

Anyway, I've listened to Stanley Holloway on my old LP 243 times now and I still can't be sure of this or the football lines.  I've also done a pretty good search by now.

So:  Can anyone fer certain verify the lines as sung by Holloway and/or as originally written.  Charles, seems believable but unfortunately didn't give his source.
 

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Terry K
Date: 21 May 00 - 06:27 PM

Abby, you need to take note of Jon Bartlett - it's "ca ne fait rien".

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: GUEST,Paul Burke
Date: 21 May 00 - 07:11 PM

This song caused some grief in my (long late) father's youth. There is a line in the song something like 'is Arsenal going to win the cup?' They would bang the table at this line, to make the needle jump so that it said " 'is arse.. 'is arse.. 'is arse" - and their mum would clout them for it. After a while, the misuse caused the needle to jump all by itself.. and she hit them anyway.

As for san fairy ann - there was a whole vocabulary of bastard French spoken by WW1 soldiers- for example 'doolay' meant milk (du lait) and oofs are obvious. My brother's wifes grandfather told us about the German prisoners- he said "The Frenchies always shouted 'Isle of Man' when they saw a captured Jerry- because that's where the prison camp was". The French were saying "Allemains".

Subject: Lyr Add: ANNE BOLEYN^^^
From: AndyG
Date: 22 May 00 - 05:39 AM

The text of the relevant verses of
With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
R.P.Weston & Bert Lee, 1934 reads;

With her head tucked underneath her arm
She walks the Bloody Tower!
With her head tucked underneath her arm
At the Midnight hour.
The sentries think that it's a football that she carries in,
and when they've had a few they shout `Is Ars'nal going to win?'
They think it's Alec James instead of poor old Ann Boleyn
With her head tucked underneath her arm!

With her head tucked... etc
One night she caught King Henry, he was in the Canteen Bar,
Said he, `Are you Jane Seymour, Ann Boleyn, or Cath'rine Parr?
For how the sweet san fairy ann do I know who you are
With your head tucked underneath your arm!"

See Jon Bartlett (above, 01-Nov-98 - 02:27 AM) for the derivation of san fairy ann.

AndyG

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: GUEST
Date: 22 May 00 - 07:49 AM

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: GUEST,Crazy Eddie
Date: 22 May 00 - 08:01 AM

One of my great-aunts (who believed that children should be seen & not heard)used to use the phrase "san fairy ann to you" in the sense of "mind your own business"

My mother explained that it came from the French Literally this means "that does nothing" but is used in the sense of "that is unimportant" or "that makes no difference" I don't know if your san fairy ann is the same. Eddie :o)

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 22 May 00 - 12:19 PM

At the moment you should sya, "Is Villa going to win?". Except in Birmingham!

Steve

P.S. It's probably OK in Birmingham, Alabama!

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: bobby's girl
Date: 22 May 00 - 03:05 PM

There was another verse which I remember my father singing which went something like this

She walks the dusty corridors For miles and miles she goes She often catches cold You know it's chilly there when it blows And its really rather awkward For the Queen to blow her nose With her head tucked underneath her arm.

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Blue Anchor
Date: 23 May 00 - 02:48 PM

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Hollowfox
Date: 24 May 00 - 11:53 AM

I seem to remember that Stanley Holloway had a bit of a story about this song in his autobiography ("Wiv A Little Bit ' Luck"). It seems that the BBC wanted to censor his radio performance as they considered "bloody" to be too rude a word to broadcast. They were convinced otherwise when it was pointed out that "the Bloody Tower" was a proper noun referring to a specific site, not a value judgement of the same.

Subject: Lyr Add: WITH HER HEAD TUCKED UNDERNEATH HER ARM
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Oct 03 - 03:42 AM

I checked the lyrics in the Digital Tradition, and they seem to be quite good (and they offer several alternatives). For completeness, let me post this:

Thread #3113   Message #15327
Posted By: Charles Colyer
27-Oct-97 - 06:50 PM
Thread Name: halloween songs
Subject: Lyr Add: WITH HER HEAD TUCKED UNDERNEATH HER...^^^

Here are the original words to "With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm":

WITH HER HEAD TUCKED UNDERNEATH HER ARM
Words by R. P. Weston and Bert Lee Music by Harris Weston

In the Tower of London large as life,
The ghost of Anne Boleyn walks, they declare.
Poor Anne Boleyn was once King Henry's wife
Until he made the headsman bob her hair!
Ah, yes he did her wrong long years ago
And she comes up at night to tell him so

With her head tucked underneath her arm
She walks the Bloody Tower!
With her head tucked underneath her arm
At the midnight hour.

She comes to haunt King Henry
She means giving him "what for."
Gad Zooks, she's going to tell him off
For having spilt her gore,
And just in case the Headsman
Wants to give her an encore
She has her head tucked underneath her arm!

With her head tucked underneath her arm
She walks the Bloody Tower!
With her head tucked underneath her arm
At the midnight hour.

Along the draughty corridors
For miles and miles she goes,
She often catches cold, poor thing,
It's cold there when it blows,
And it's awf'lly awkward for the Queen
To have to blow her nose
With her head tucked underneath her arm!

Sometimes gay King Henry gives a spread
For all his pals and gals, a ghostly crew.
The headsman carves the joint and cuts the bread.
Then in comes Anne Boleyn to "queer" the "do";
She holds her head up with a wild war whoop
And Henry cries, "Don't drop it in the soup!"

With her head tucked underneath her arm
She walks the Bloody Tower!
With her head tucked underneath her arm
At the midnight hour.

The sentries think that it's a football
That she carries in
And when they've had a few they shout,
"Is Ars'nal going to win?"
They think it's Alec James
Instead of poor old Anne Boleyn,
With her head tucked underneath her arm.

With her head tucked underneath her arm
She walks the Bloody Tower!
With her head tucked underneath her arm
At the midnight hour.

One night she caught King Henry,
He was in the Canteen Bar.
Said he, "Are you Jane Seymour, Anne Boleyn, or Catherine Parr?
For how the sweet san fairy ann do I know who you are
With your head tucked underneath your arm!"

copyright 1934 by Francis, Day & Hunter, Ltd.

---

Click to play

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Jim McLean
Date: 25 Oct 03 - 11:58 AM

In colloquial French, it's ça fait rien.

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: IanC
Date: 28 Oct 03 - 08:53 AM

Sweet san Fairy Ann is a euphemism similar to "Sweet Fanny Adams"

Means nothing ... "F*** All"
;-)

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: EBarnacle
Date: 28 Oct 03 - 09:16 AM

Gee, and all these years, I thought Henry was saying "How the sweet Saint Mary Ann..." as an expression of exasperation.

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 29 Oct 03 - 04:59 AM

The song always seems to be short of a "B" section to a verse - the general pattern being "A" section - chorus - "B" section. I therefore wrote another "A" section which fits in after the She comes to haunt King Henry. I also put the Alec James "B" section at the end - without an "A" section, although I usually change it to "England" and the current skipper (ie David Beckham). So I end up with:-

In the Tower of London large as life,
The ghost of Anne Boleyn walks, they declare.
Poor Anne Boleyn was once King Henry's wife
Until he made the headsman bob her hair!
Ah, yes he did her wrong long years ago
And she comes up at night to tell him so

With her head tucked underneath her arm
She walks the Bloody Tower!
With her head tucked underneath her arm
At the midnight hour.

She comes to haunt King Henry
She means giving him "what for."
Gad Zooks, she's going to tell him off
For having spilt her gore,
And just in case the Headsman
Wants to give her an encore
She has her head tucked underneath her arm!

Now Anne Boleyn had quite a roving eye
And it's into bed with courtiers she would hop
But that was not the only reason why
King Henry gave to her the final chop
For he always was ambitious so they said
And it seemed the easiest way to get ahead (a head)

With her head tucked underneath her arm
She walks the Bloody Tower!
With her head tucked underneath her arm
At the midnight hour.

Along the draughty coridors
For miles and miles she goes,
She often catches cold, poor thing,
It's cold there when it blows,
And it's awf'lly awkward for the Queen
To have to blow her nose
With her head tucked underneath her arm!

Sometimes gay King Henry gives a spread
For all his pals and gals, a ghostly crew.
The headsman carves the joint and cuts the bread.
Then in comes Anne Boleyn to "queer" the "do";
She holds her head up with a wild war whoop
And Henry cries, "Don't drop it in the soup!"

With her head tucked underneath her arm
She walks the Bloody Tower!
With her head tucked underneath her arm
At the midnight hour.

One night she caught King Henry,
He was in the Canteen Bar.
Said he, "Are you Jane Seymour, Anne Boleyn, or Catherine Parr?
For how the sweet san fairy ann do I know who you are
With your head tucked underneath your arm!"

With her head tucked underneath her arm
She walks the Bloody Tower!
With her head tucked underneath her arm
At the midnight hour.

The sentries think that it's a football
That she carries in
And when they've had a few they shout,
"Is England going to win?"
They think it's David Beckham
Instead of poor old Anne Boleyn,
With her head tucked underneath her arm.

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Reiver 2
Date: 29 Oct 03 - 11:53 AM

The worda posted by Joe Offer from the DigiTrad are the same as those sung by Stanley Holloway on the recording I have. (It's a cassette tape copy, so I don't know the original album name. On my casette it's just called Stanley Holloway Monologues. "With 'er 'ead Tucked Underneath 'er Arm" is the only piece that is sung. The other monologues include "Jonah and the Grampus" and "The 'ole in the Ark" among others.

I prefer to use the colloquial French for the words in question, as Jim McLean posted: ça fait rien.

Riever 2

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Charley Noble
Date: 29 Oct 03 - 01:28 PM

Dave-

Nice additional verse!

Thanks,
Charley Noble

Subject: Tune req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Oct 04 - 08:29 PM

You'll note that I posted only a partial tune, which is all I could find in Leisy's Folk Song Abecedary. The tune works for two of the verses, but not for the others.
The Plymouth Song Index lists the song in three songbooks:

• World of Stanley Holloway
• Boomps-a-daisy: 40 singable songs
• Bumper book of music hall songs

Anybody have a copy of one of theres or another songbook that has this song? Can you e-mail me a scan or MIDI of the tune?
No, it's not in either of my Kingston Trio songbooks.
Thanks.
-Joe Offer-
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Genie
Date: 27 Oct 04 - 02:56 AM

"..."Sweet san fairy ann" is what I hear in the Kingston Trio recording, but what it means has been a puzzle to me for 30 years. ..." -Joe Offer-

LOL
I've always heard that line as "Oh, how the sweet Sam Perry, Anne, do I know who you are ... ?!" LOL

Since I never expected my audiences to understand that line, I've always changed it to:
"Oh, how the bloody devil, Anne, can I tell who you are ...?"

Subject: RE: Lyr: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 27 Oct 04 - 03:02 AM

"san fairy ann" -> S.F.A. ......

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 09:31 PM

my dad had a seventy eight of a music hall comedian singing it. He very clearly enunciates "how the sweet saint mary ann should I know who you are?" I'm guessing saint mary ann was mary queen of scots, which would have made it a fearsome oath at the time, mary ann being a catholic saint and henry being in the habit of beheading catholics.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Joe_F
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 10:46 PM

Surely, in our day, the football player ought to be O. J. Simpson!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her A
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 01:05 AM

Back in the 50s, we sang a tag line to the bit about "It's awfully awkward for the Queen to have to blow her nose":

Pity the Queen, the poor old Queen. She can't use antihistamine
With 'er 'ead tucked underneath her arm.

BTW- the song was popularized in the US in the 30s by none other than Rudy Vallee.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her A
From: NH Dave
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 02:59 AM

The song was also published in early editions of, Song Fest a paperbound book for US collegiate groups like outing clubs and such, edited by Dick and Beth Best, but due to an ommission of copyright data was pulled from editions printed later than the mid 50's.

Dave

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: wildlone
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 03:43 PM

This is a good source of comic songs and monologues
Click Here
dave

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 11:36 AM

I'm still looking for a tune that's better than the one I posted. It's not in the 1948 or 1958 Song Fest, as far as I can see. Anybody have it in another edition?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From:
Date: 21 Apr 05 - 03:59 PM

What movie is this song in?
It could be a horror movie. Thanks
Miss jenny

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: robomatic
Date: 21 Apr 05 - 04:17 PM

Mudcat is Sweet San Fairy Ann -ing incredible. Years and years ago I recorded Stanley 'olloway singing the song music hall style. My father loved it and I learned to sing it when doing the dishes, walking to school, at the drop of a hat. But I couldn't make out that bit what has caused this thread. I figured it was "Saint Birmingham".

I must now go and practice.

(Also loved the boldfaced 'new' verse and 'David Beckham').

God Bless the Queen!

Robo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her A
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 21 Apr 05 - 04:35 PM

>>>This song caused some grief in my (long late) father's youth. There is a line in the song something like 'is Arsenal going to win the cup?' They would bang the table at this line, to make the needle jump so that it said " 'is arse.. 'is arse.. 'is arse" - and their mum would clout them for it. After a while, the misuse caused the needle to jump all by itself.. and she hit them anyway.<<<

That just caused me to laugh so hard, others in the room wanted to know what was so Ca ne fait Rien funny! Lord!

Reminds me of some stunts I hear my father and Uncle used to get up to. They used to do something wicked over a recording of Lily Pons' recording of Tales from The Vienna Woods and get clouted for it. Now I'm going to have to ask.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her A
From: GUEST,Bainbo
Date: 21 Apr 05 - 06:33 PM

As we're playing fast and loose with the words, can I admit that I always drop "San Fairy Ann" altogether, as it's noy a phrase that's really understood, and substitute a line that allows for an internal rhyme:

'Ow the 'ell am I supposed to tell just who you are,
With your head tucked underneath your arm.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her A
From: GUEST,April 23rd
Date: 18 Feb 06 - 03:30 PM

Ça ne fait rien.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: kendall
Date: 19 Feb 06 - 08:22 AM

Caryl P. Weiss recorded this along with some other winners years ago. She picks the Beaumont Rag like no one I have heard since.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: kendall
Date: 19 Feb 06 - 12:45 PM

Actually, neither Jane Seymore nor Katherine Parr were beheaded, so why would he mistake either of them for the two who were beheaded?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her A
From: MaineDog
Date: 19 Feb 06 - 01:06 PM

I heard a verse once in which King Henry cries "give me head--" but I don't remember the rest of it.
MD

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: GUEST,Anoymous121
Date: 27 Feb 06 - 03:29 PM

Actually, I always thought that it was not "ça fait rien," but "and scurvy anne." Does the French really make sense?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Snuffy
Date: 28 Feb 06 - 07:57 AM

Does the French really make sense?

It's not meant to - it's a polite way of covering up for an unacceptable obscenity.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 13 May 07 - 10:40 PM

Most English kids can say:

Divorced
Beheaded
Died
Divorced
Behaeded
Survived

For.....
Katherine of Aragon
Anne Bolyn
Jane Seymour
Anne of Cleaves
Katherine Howard
Katherine Paa

Subject: Saint Ferriam
From: GUEST,Eric
Date: 30 Jul 08 - 07:58 AM

I have been pondering this enigma for many years. Recently I came across a copy of Eric Partridge's Concise Dictionary of Slang. Under the definition of "visit Lady Perriam" , slang for a visit to the lavatory, was the explanation that an underground lavatory at Oxford U. stood ( in the 1930's) on the site of a building donated by Lady Perriam.
It is my opinion that the lyricist, for the sake of alliteration and to convey a sense of mock Tudor sensibility, changed Lady Perriam to Saint Perriam.

Subject: With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
From: Genie
Date: 02 Sep 09 - 09:45 PM

True Brit, I take it that "Katherine Paa" was just a typo, for "Paar."

it's funny how many mondegreens of "sweet san fairy ann" there are here. LOL

I've always thought it was,

"Oh, how the sweet Sam Perry, Anne, do I know who you are ... ?"

And since I had no idea who Sam Perry was or what the expression was about, I usually changed it to "... how the bloody devil, Anne, do I know who you are ... ?"   (Being a Yank, my audiences wouldn't get the "sweet san fairy ann" reference any more than they would " ... sweet Sam Perry ... ."

Genie