Lyr Req: Nobody Loves a Fairy when She's Forty

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: Peter T.
Date: 17 Sep 02 - 11:58 AM

This is a great thread. 4 years to the most complete lyrics!! -- I remember when it was first here in 98 (no one loves a mudcatter, etc.). Mudcat gold. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: Jim McLean
Date: 17 Sep 02 - 07:50 AM

The version I posted has a copyright date of 1934 but the last verse has a reference to television. It seems like there are many 'spurious' versions/verses around. Cheers, Jim Mclean

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 17 Sep 02 - 04:30 AM

Jim's version is definitely the one that I've heard before, but I seem to remember some other bit's - there was a sort of intro something like "For years I've lived in Fairy Dell". Can anyone remember a character on the folk scene called Dave Calderhead (he was once my boss) - he used to do a wonderful version of the song.

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 17 Sep 02 - 04:28 AM

Kitty - Close! - in fact she got it from me (e-mailed after Grove last year).

Mick

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 06:57 PM

I suspect JudeL got the Tessie O'Shea version from me, because that's the version I've sung at Herga, Maidenhead, and Wycombe (and probably Uxbridge too!. The words that Jim McLean has posted have been published by EMI Music Publishing Ltd(with the music) in the Bumper Book of Music Hall Songs.

In the Tessie O'Shea version, I thinks it's "foiled" the Demon King, not "followed". The fairy was with the good guys.

Kitty

Subject: Lyr Add: NOBODY LOVES A FAIRY WHEN SHE'S FORTY
From: GUEST,Jim McLean
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 05:20 PM

I've been playing this on the piano for years and here are the verses I have:

NOBODY LOVES A FAIRY WHEN SHE'S FORTY
Words and Music by Arthur Le Clerq
Published by Lawrence Wright

Nobody loves a fairy when she's forty.
Nobody loves a fairy when she's old.
She may still have a magic power, but that is not enough.
They like their bit of magic from a younger bit of stuff.
When once your silver star has lost its glitter,
And your tinsel looks like rust instead of gold,
Your fairy days are ending,
When your wand has started bending.
Nobody loves a fairy when she's old.

Nobody loves a fairy when she's forty.
Nobody loves a fairy when she's old.
The face of this immortal one to many has appealed,
But gone is the illusion once you've had it soled and heeled.
When you've lost your little dimples,
And the moth-holes in your dress let in the cold,
The goblins and the pixies
Turn their backs and say "Hi, Nixey."
Nobody loves a fairy when she's old.

Nobody loves a fairy when she's forty.
Nobody loves a fairy when she's old.
As far as I can see they try to push you off the map,
When once your wand has withered and your wings refuse to flap.
When you can't cast a spell without it spilling,
And a fairy tale for years you haven't told.
You stand there shouting "What-O"
But they all pass by your grotto.
Nobody loves a fairy when she's old.

Nobody loves a fairy when she's forty.
Nobody loves a fairy when she's old.
They don't give you an earthly chance to make a livelihood.
They're building council houses now in my enchanted wood.
When you are past the age for television,
And the air you use is government controlled,
It seems that they would sooner
Listen to a blinkin' crooner.
Nobody loves a fairy when she's old.

Cheers,
Jim Mclean

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: Crane Driver
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 05:13 PM

There's also a sort of conciliatory last verse, in which the fairy admits she's relieved not to get a length of sitka spruce rammed between her bumcheeks every christmas from now on, but I don't know the actual words - song challenge, anyone?

Andrew

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 06:29 AM

I'm sure I've heard a verse with lines which go some thing like

And every elf and every pixie
close their doors and all shout nixie
No-one loves a fairy when she's old

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: Helen
Date: 19 Aug 01 - 08:19 PM

For a visual image of an ageing female fairy, have a look at one of the imaginary friends in the psychiatrist's waiting room scene of the movie Drop Dead Fred. This song and that fairy dressed in satin are inextricably linked now in my brain.

Helen

Subject: Lyr Add: Nobody loves a fairy when she's forty
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 19 Aug 01 - 07:58 PM

Seems to me this tune, with all 4 verses, really ought to be in the DT...

Lin

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: JudeL
Date: 19 Aug 01 - 03:56 PM

Don't you just hate it when you miss out a line break! ......Help......
.... Where's a Joe Clone when you need one!

Subject: Lyr Add: NO-ONE LOVES A FAIRY WHEN SHE'S FORTY ^^
From: JudeL
Date: 19 Aug 01 - 03:49 PM

A friend heard I was looking for it and sent me this!

Jude


NO-ONE LOVES A FAIRY WHEN SHE'S FORTY
(Arthur le Clerq)

For years a fairy queen I've been.
For years I've followed the demon king.
But alas, I'm getting on, the years have flown by somehow,
And I feel that Fairy Snowdrop isn't wanted now.

Nobody loves a fairy when she's forty.
Nobody loves a fairy when she's old.
She may still have her magic powers, but that is not enough.
They all want their bit of magic from a younger bit of stuff.
When once your silver star has lost its glitter,
And your tinsel looks like rust instead of gold,
Your fairy days are ending when your wand has started bending.
No one loves a fairy when she's old.

'Twas I who helped Aladdin find a cave that wasn't there.
'Twas I who made Dick Whittington* turn round and then Lord Mayor.
I've been Spirit of the Flowers and Fairy Daffodil.
I've been Fairy of the Wind, ay, and suffer from it still.
In satin-coloured ballet shoes I toe-danced through the glen,
Beloved by all the children and run after by the men.
No-one could touch me at the splits; me splits were all the rage
Until the Woodman left his chopper on the stage. (What a mess!)

Nobody loves a fairy when she's forty.
Nobody loves a fairy when she's old.
She may still have her magic powers, but that is not enough.
They want their bit of magic from a younger bit of stuff.
When you can't cast a spell without it spilling,
And a fairy tale in years you haven't told,
You stand there shouting "What ho!" but they all pass by your grotto.
No-one loves a fairy when she's old.


(*) "Whit Dickington" is sung by Tessie O'Shea
^^

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 17 Aug 01 - 06:03 AM

Sorry, my friend Peter (aka Ruby Snatch) can't remember any more words.(His favourite party piece is a number called;"Let's all be fairies", let's not go there!) There are some recordings out there if you do a Google search.
RtS

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 17 Aug 01 - 03:33 AM

If your PC can do video (I can't) you can see a performance here .
Whether it has extra verses I don't know.
RtS

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: GUEST,bigJ
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 04:10 PM

Didn't Tessie O'Shea have a hit with this?

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: Wolfgang
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 09:47 AM

It is a one-verse song in:

Busking for Special Occasions
Printed: 1981
Publisher: Wise Publications

but that doesn't prove it has not been sung somewhere with more verses. It seems to be a songs that cries for more verses to be added. I'd love to see them.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: JudeL
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 09:33 AM

No, its not a one verse song as I've heard it sung in it's entirety before, I just can't remember who or when, although I think it may have been at either Maidenhead FC or Hurga.

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 09:29 AM

I e-mailed Herself. She says "Ruby" has just sung her the first verse over the 'phone! He's going to let me know if he comes up with any more but Wolfgang may well be right about it being one verse only (he usually is!).
RtS

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: Wolfgang
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 09:19 AM

I found it being described as a 'one-verse song' in a search. If that's true, the search is over.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 09:11 AM

I couldn't track down the lyrics either. Wasn't it Douglas Byng who had the big hit with it? A gay friend who has been known to appear in drag as "Ruby Snatch" does the bit quoted but I'm not sure if he knows any other verses. He's a colleague of my wife's and she helped him get made up for their office Xmas show. "I never thought I'd hear myself say at work :'Get your trousers off and I'll help you on with your tights'" she told me later!
RtS

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: JudeL
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 08:41 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: JudeL
Date: 14 Aug 01 - 11:00 AM

I too would like the lyrics of this song. Having searched the forum I found this thread that was started Dec 98, but still only has the chorus. Maybe since then someone may have found the missing verses..... please
Jude

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 15 Dec 98 - 10:55 AM

Well, now you have the tune. Sorry I can't find the sheet music, ther are two or three verses, all of which I seem to have forgotten.

Steve

Subject: Tune Add: NOBODY LOVES A FAIRY WHEN SHE'S FORTY^^
From: alison
Date: 15 Dec 98 - 06:27 AM

Hi Barbara,

Here's the tune....... sorry I don't have any of the verses.

slainte

alison

MIDI file: NOBODYLO.MID

Timebase: 480

Name: Nobody loves a fairy when she's forty
TimeSig: 4/4 24 8
Key: C
Tempo: 140 (428571 microsec/crotchet)
Start
1440 1 64 048 0478 0 64 048 0002 1 67 038 0478 0 67 038 0002 1 64 041 0442 1 65 032 0097 0 64 041 0381 0 65 032 0084 1 62 035 0402 1 64 052 0034 0 62 035 0444 0 64 052 0019 1 67 030 0478 0 67 030 0022 1 69 042 0478 0 69 042 0010 1 72 042 0431 1 74 047 0038 0 72 042 0971 1 74 046 0031 0 74 047 2336 1 76 049 0031 0 74 046 0447 0 76 049 0052 1 74 042 0398 1 72 036 0080 0 74 042 0398 0 72 036 0067 1 71 044 0467 0 71 044 0002 1 72 038 0478 0 72 038 0002 1 74 045 0478 0 74 045 0002 1 72 038 0478 0 72 038 0002 1 67 032 0424 0 67 032 0018 1 66 042 0518 0 66 042 0000 1 65 057 3355 1 64 054 0031 0 65 057 0419 0 64 054 0035 1 65 038 0440 0 65 038 0002 1 65 030 0478 0 65 030 0051 1 65 050 0467 0 65 050 0002 1 65 042 0478 0 65 042 0002 1 69 050 0478 0 69 050 0002 1 69 049 0478 0 69 049 0002 1 69 042 0478 0 69 042 0002 1 69 037 0478 0 69 037 0002 1 65 042 0478 0 65 042 0002 1 65 038 0489 0 65 038 0019 1 65 036 0478 0 65 036 0018 1 65 036 0434 0 65 036 0002 1 69 053 1438 0 69 053 0002 1 67 040 0478 0 67 040 0002 1 66 040 0478 0 66 040 0002 1 65 042 0478 0 65 042 0002 1 66 042 0478 0 66 042 0002 1 67 044 0478 0 67 044 0002 1 69 057 0478 0 69 057 0002 1 68 037 0478 0 68 037 0002 1 69 050 0478 0 69 050 0002 1 72 045 0478 0 72 045 0002 1 71 049 0478 0 71 049 0002 1 71 037 0478 0 71 037 0002 1 69 044 0478 0 69 044 0002 1 69 041 0480 0 69 041 0027 1 67 042 1413 1 64 040 0014 0 67 042 0464 0 64 040 0002 1 67 041 0478 0 67 041 0002 1 64 042 0478 0 64 042 0002 1 65 053 0456 0 65 053 0019 1 62 038 0485 0 62 038 0000 1 64 052 0456 0 64 052 0019 1 67 045 0478 0 67 045 0002 1 69 044 0463 1 72 057 0015 0 69 044 0463 0 72 057 0019 1 74 047 0958 0 74 047 0002 1 74 044 1923 0 74 044 0002 1 74 054 0478 0 74 054 0002 1 76 038 0478 0 76 038 0002 1 74 039 0426 1 72 043 0113 0 74 039 0387 0 72 043 0034 1 71 040 0478 0 71 040 0002 1 72 036 0478 0 72 036 0002 1 74 045 0478 0 74 045 0002 1 72 045 0456 0 72 045 0068 1 67 044 0447 1 68 044 0031 0 67 044 0400 1 69 049 0038 0 68 044 3360 1 76 032 0014 0 69 049 0464 0 76 032 0002 1 74 049 0458 1 72 045 0064 0 74 049 0400 1 69 043 0014 0 72 045 0464 0 69 043 0018 1 65 031 0478 0 65 031 0068 1 64 052 0436 1 62 033 0047 0 64 052 0431 0 62 033 0002 1 64 049 0478 0 64 049 0002 1 65 036 0478 0 65 036 0002 1 67 043 0478 0 67 043 0002 1 67 048 0478 0 67 048 0002 1 66 035 0478 0 66 035 0002 1 67 040 0478 0 67 040 0002 1 70 033 0478 0 70 033 0002 1 68 038 1438 0 68 038 0002 1 69 038 0478 0 69 038 0002 1 69 040 0478 0 69 040 0002 1 68 036 0478 0 68 036 0002 1 69 032 0478 0 69 032 0002 1 76 029 0478 0 76 029 0002 1 74 044 0478 0 74 044 0002 1 67 037 0478 0 67 037 0002 1 74 038 0480 0 74 038 0028 1 72 042 1439 0 72 042
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:Nobody loves a fairy when she's forty
M:4/4
Q:1/4=140
K:C
E8|G2E7/4F5/2D3/2E/4|-E2G2A2c7/4d/4|-d4d4|
-d6e2|d7/4c9/4B2c2|d2c2G7/4^F9/4|F8|-F6E2|
F7/4F9/4F2F2|A2A2A2A2|F2F2F9/4F7/4|A6G2|^F2F2^F2G2|
A2^G2A2c2|B2B2A2A2|G6E2|G2E2F2D2|E2G2A2c2|
d4d4|-d4d2e2|d7/4c9/4B2c2|d2c9/4G7/4^G7/4A/4|
-A8|A6e2|-e8|d8|-d2c7/4A9/4F2|-F/4E7/4D2E2F2|
G2G2^F2G2|^A2^G6|A2A2^G2A2|e2d2G2d2|c8||

^^

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 10:45 AM

There are verses, as well! I can't remember much - it's not one I sing a lot now (I was forty a few yerars ago), but I'll try and find them at the weekend.

Steve

Subject: RE: Nobody loves a fairy
From: Barbara
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 09:58 AM

I need the tune,alison.

Subject: Lyr Add: NOBODY LOVES A FAIRY WHEN SHE'S FORTY
From: alison
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 08:51 AM

Hi,

Here you go,

Nobody loves a fairy when she's forty. Arthur Le Clerq

Nobody loves a fairy when she's forty
Nobody loves a fairy when she's old,
she may still have a magic power but that is not enough
They like their bit of magic from a younger bit of stuff
When once your silver star has lost it's glitter
And your tinsel looks like rust instead of gold
Your fairy days are ending when your wand has started bending
No one loves a fairy when she's old.

Let me know if you need the tune.

Slainte

alison

Subject: Nobody loves a fairy
From:
Date: 09 Dec 98 - 11:37 PM

Looking for the lyrics of a music hall song called "Nobody loves a fairy once she's forty"