Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka

Subject: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's lost his penka
From: GUEST,Bridger
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 11:29 AM

Has anyone got all the words for 'Wor Geordie's Lost his Penka'?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's lost his penka
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 11:38 AM

Previous thread

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's lost his penka
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 11:43 AM

It's in the Digital Tradition.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's lost his penka
From: nutty
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 04:16 PM

You can get the definitive version from this site (in Directory3)

The Grand Catalog of Conrad Bladey's Beuk of Newcassel Sangs

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's lost his penka
From: An Englishman Abroad
Date: 22 Jul 05 - 10:05 AM

Sounds very much like the Black Country song. "Our kids lost his glarney" glarney being his marble.

Be interesting to see how close it is in the music.

all the best John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's lost his penka
From: GUEST,John from Tarneybackle
Date: 22 Jul 05 - 11:46 AM

There is a Glasgow version called "Wee Johnnies lost his jorrie"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's lost his penka
From: Tradsinger
Date: 22 Jul 05 - 02:35 PM

Bob Cann from Dartmoor used to sing "Johnny's last his marble".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's lost his penka
From: Celtaddict
Date: 22 Jul 05 - 05:52 PM

And we sang it "Wee Willie's lost his marley," yet another name for marble.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's lost his penka
From: GUEST,Betsy
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 02:07 AM

I used to sing this can't remember who I learnt it from possibly Ed Pigford or Mike Elliot .
I know the lost article SHOULD refer to a marble or glass alley ( and other such equivalents mentioned here , but I always had a sneaking feeling that penka was a derivation of penknife.
Geordie experts / historians - please advise

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's lost his penka
From: shepherdlass
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 06:24 PM

Betsy, I'm fairly sure the penker was the biggest marble in the set, (possibly the one that made the loudest "penk" when it hit the others?).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's lost his penka
From: Celtaddict
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 11:05 AM

I learned the more Scot-sounding version as "Geordie lost his panker" as it was spelled on the tape, but have never run across any penka, penker, or panker in any other context.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's lost his penka
From: IanC
Date: 25 Jul 05 - 08:33 AM

"Pinker"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's lost his penka
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 25 Jul 05 - 08:44 AM

I am almost sure there has been YET another thread on this (but I can't find it) in which I pointed out that the Wild Rover (occasional poster to this forum) has written a very amusing set of words to this tune about Michael Jackson - "Wor Jacko's lost his marbles".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's lost his penka
From: R. Padgett
Date: 25 Jul 05 - 02:12 PM

I believe Alison McMorland has a different version in English

No comment on what you should sing!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: GUEST,eddie byrom
Date: 18 Feb 06 - 09:51 AM

On the 'SPINNERS' record it is deffinately 'Wor geordie's lost his PENKA' and the singer was originally from Tyneside.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: Geordie-Peorgie
Date: 19 Feb 06 - 07:12 AM

It can be either 'Penker' or 'Panker' - Me Daa sang this tiv us when aah wuz a bairn ye knaa! Aah suppose it depends on hoo far north ye live as te hoo ye sez it.

Ye knaa it wuz on a 'live' album by Don McLean (the 'American Pie' blurk, not the 'so-caalled' comedian on Sunday mornin' wireless) - Truly international eh?

Me Mam and Daa used ter sing us loads of stuff that they learned at their Mother's knees - Apparently the owld 'geordie' wimmin used to have songs tattooed on their legs - Aah caal that daft but whee can argue wi' tradissun man!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: GUEST,Nev
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 04:52 PM

Penka,

I have always been of the unserstanding that Marbles are made of glass and a Penka is better described to non Goerdies as a large "metal" ball bearing. I Even had a good number of both as a kid that my grandfather brought from the glass works in Lemington.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: North/South Annie
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 07:40 PM

I've heard it as 'Panker', and this suposedly being a large metal ball bearing (from the ball bearing factory)that kids used as marbles.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 03:58 AM

Johnnie Handle sings ' penka '

eric

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: GUEST,Sparticus
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 05:22 AM

I always sang "plenka"

Is this correct or have I been a "plonka" all these years?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: Bagpuss
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 05:37 AM

It seems I am in the minority. The one I know is "Geordie lost his liggie" (and he thought he lost it down the netty in this version).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: leeneia
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 09:27 AM

yes, but what does "wor" mean?

I have a tape somewhere with "Tommy lost his miley" on it. It's Irish. The tune is the same as "Round and Round the Village."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: GUEST,Sparticus
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 09:42 AM

leeneia

"wor" = "our"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: North/South Annie
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 06:14 PM

Bagpuss in the version I heard he was supposed to have lost it 'down the cundie'. ? does anyone know this - does 'cundie' equate with 'netty' both meaning drain (the big square ones in the gutters at side of roads).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: leeneia
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 10:08 PM

Thanks, Sparticus.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: Bagpuss
Date: 13 Mar 07 - 05:29 AM

A netty is a toilet - so it would have ended up down the drain, but by a different entrance (if he had lost it there in the first place that is...).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: Scrump
Date: 13 Mar 07 - 08:24 AM

Bagpuss in the version I heard he was supposed to have lost it 'down the cundie'. ? does anyone know this - does 'cundie' equate with 'netty' both meaning drain (the big square ones in the gutters at side of roads).

I thought it was 'condie' (from 'conduit') - that's the version I learnt ages ago, form a Geordie!

(Yes, 'netty' = toilet as Bagpuss says.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: GUEST,eedjit
Date: 12 Aug 07 - 04:17 PM

In Sunderland, my Dad used to fetch the shiny ball-bearings from the shipyards where he worked, for us to play with, and the name we gave them was 'benker', as the heavy steel made a 'benk' sound as it bounced off the pavement where we used to play 'alleys'... many a happy hour was spent arguing over 'benker/bonker/ponker/penker, etc' depending on where you came from. The 'cundy' was the often metal-covered section of drain which ran from the bottom of rain-spouts out into the gutter. I first heard the song from Bob Davenport in the mid sixties, actually while I was at college in Liverpool, and he sang 'Benker' then, unless I'm much mistaken.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: GUEST,Geordie Lass from Gateshead
Date: 14 Mar 08 - 06:02 PM

My daughetr as just been singing this at school this week.
Penka (marbel)
Cundie (drain)
and another expression in the song from years back is

"doon tha midle rar"
Which is the back street (lane) of terraced houses which back on to easch other.

Subject: Lyr Add: GEORDIE'S PENKER
From: GUEST,Geordie Lass from Gateshead
Date: 14 Mar 08 - 06:06 PM

Geordie's Penker

Hey, wor Geordie's lost 'is penker(marble)
Hey, wor Geordie's lost 'is penker
Hey, wor Geordie's lost 'is penker
Doon the double raw(double row of houses)

Well, it ralled reet doon the koondy(storm drain)

Soo he's gone ta fetch a claes prop(clothes line pole)

And he rammed it up the koondy

But the claes prop would na' fetch it

So he's gone ta fetch a terrier

And he shooved it up the koondy

But the terrier wad nae fetch it

So he's gone ta get goon pooda(gun powder)

And he poured it up the koondy

Then he set fire to the pooda
And he's blon the double raw

Hey, wor Geordie's foond 'is penker

It was in his bloody pooket
It was in his bloody pooket
It was in his bloody pooket
And he's blon the double raw

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: GUEST,Poolietrev
Date: 07 Jan 09 - 05:02 AM

There was an alternative version, as sung by Newcastle rock group Geordie the "B" side of the 1973 single "Black Cat Woman". This was called "Geordie's Lost His Liggie". I understood a liggie to be a small (standard sized) marble and agree with the previous post that a penker was a large marble or "alley". Then,of course, there were "stickers" which were opaque marbles as opposed to the more common transparent ones with coloured centres.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: GUEST,Vactec
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 05:21 PM

This post is the closest I have found to a version that is in my head but for the life of me cannot remember from where or who or if it's even close. It goes something like this, remembering it is purely for kids:

Our kids lost his marley
Our kids lost his marley
Our kids lost his marley
down in granny's yard

It rolled up the drainpipe
It rolled up the drainpipe
It rolled up the drainpipe
down in granny's yard

He went and got a broomstick
He went and got a broomstick
He went and got a broomstick
down in granny's yard

He shoved it up the drainpipe
He shoved it up the drainpipe
He shoved it up the drainpipe
down in granny's yard

He couldn't reach it
He couldn't reach it
He couldn't reach it
Down in granny's yard

So he went and got a clothes prop
So he went and got a clothes prop
So he went and got a clothes prop
Down in granny's yard

He shoved it up the drainpipe
He shoved it up the drainpipe
He shoved it up the drainpipe
Down in granny's yard

He still couldn't reach it
He still couldn't reach it
He still couldn't reach it
Down in granny's yard

Repeat verses with "a hosepipe"
Then after "he still couldn't reach it":

He went and got some gunpowder
He went and got some gunpowder
He went and got some gunpowder
Down in granny's yard

He shoved it up the drainpipe
He shoved it up the drainpipe
He shoved it up the drainpipe
Down in granny's yard

He set a light to it
He set a light to it
He set a light to it
Down in granny's yard

He blew up the drainpipe
He blew up the drainpipe
He blew up the drainpipe
And half of granny's yard

It were in his pocket
It were in his pocket
It were in his pocket
All the bloody time

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 31 Jul 10 - 03:41 AM

Bagpuss: It seems I am in the minority. The one I know is "Geordie lost his liggie" (and he thought he lost it down the netty in this version).

That's the one I know, too.

Nev: I have always been of the unserstanding that Marbles are made of glass and a Penka is better described to non Goerdies as a large "metal" ball bearing.

I've always known a "penka" as a "plinka". They were, to me, large (triple size) ceramic marbles, often white but sometimes with colour swirls through them. A "liggie" was a normal sized glass marble with coloured swirls through it. A ball-bearing used as a marble, whatever size, was a "bolly". And the pure glass ones (often with a greenish cast, or with trapped air bubbles) liberated by vandalising the tops of old-fashioned "pop" bottles, and becoming increasingly rare even in my youth, were "alleys" or "glass alleys".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: alex s
Date: 31 Jul 10 - 07:37 AM

Geordie Lass - we sang a version just like yours but with the extra verse -
"So they sent for Slim Bob Johnson"...
(and he was "rammed reet up the cundy" also, poor feller, but "still he wadna fetch it....")

Geordie Lad (from the North bank of the Tyne)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: GUEST,Kelli
Date: 20 Aug 11 - 01:19 AM

Said double raa, refers to double row in seaton delaval. I learnt this at school in season sluice and performed it at beamish circa 2000.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: Rumncoke
Date: 20 Aug 11 - 07:05 PM

I have always sung plenka, and not sung it in public since I had a wee snit tell me that it was 'penka' not plenka.

I'd bet she never played mabs in her life.

A plenka (aka plenky) is a big coloured marble, usually quite coarse looking and not always smooth on the surface. Most were one colour, but some had a spiral of colour on the surface - they were not transparent like the ordinaries, but often rather dull colours. I had one that was bright blue, which was unusual, they were Spangles old english colours. (Spangles were square sweets sold in tubes and which came in different types of flavours/colours.

Large ballbearings are bollies, and I had quite a collection of those. I was quite good at marbles and won quite a lot - so many that I kept them in three separate bags, for ordinaries, plenkas and bollies.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wor Geordie's Lost His Penka
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Aug 11 - 10:19 AM

My mother, who grew up in the Ozarks, told me that the kids in her family made their own marbles out of clay. I remember seeing a few of these that she had kept—I wonder what happened to them.