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Lyr Add: Jones' Musical Party (Harry Clifton)

27 May 10 - 01:03 AM (#2915106)
Subject: Lyr Add: JONES' MUSICAL PARTY (Harry Clifton)
From: Artful Codger

Jones' Musical Party is an unusual Harry Clifton song in that four song parodies are embedded between its verses (which share a common tune). I've prepared a MIDI of the entire piece, including piano accompaniment and bridges, but for "study" purposes, I've also prepared separate MIDIs of the various tunes used—except for "When Johnny Comes Marching Home", which I assume everyone knows.

First I'll present the song outline, then the lyrics (with Steve Gardham's notes), then the ABCs for each tune, and then some notes on the songs being parodied.

In the song outline, numbers in square brackets correspond to the numbering for ABC tunes and MIDI files.

Song outline
Piano introduction
Verse 1:
        [1] Basic tune (8 lyric lines)
        Reprise of first half of basic tune (using remaining 4 lyric lines)
        Piano break 1
Verse 2:
        Basic tune
        [2] "Oh would I were a bird" parody
        Piano break 2
Verse 3:
        Basic tune
        [3] "Oh if I had someone to love me" parody
        Piano break 2
Verse 4:
        Basic tune
        [4] "Oh, Jerusalem", short comic song
        Piano break 2
Verse 5:
        Basic tune
        "When Johnny comes marching home" verse
        Narrative conclusion sung to "When Johnny"
Brief piano conclusion


JONES' MUSICAL PARTY
   Written and sung by Harry Clifton. [ca. 1867]
   Arranged by Michael Hobson.

        [1st Verse.]
Mrs Jones gave a musical party,
   And friends she invited them all.
There was old Mr Bonner so hearty,
   And young Mr Jenkins so tall,
And singing young Ladies, they came by the dozen,
With half-a-crown copies tied up in a roll.
Handsome Miss Johnson, her bother and cousin,
And Bunker who prates of his musical soul.

And very queer songs they were singing,
   If I can remember a few,
As they are in ears ringing;
   I'll try and repeat them to you.

        2nd Verse.
After a deal of persuasion
   Miss Johnson consented to sing
A piece of her vocalization,
   Which doubtless she thought quite the thing.
She simper'd and whimper'd in such a queer manner,
And up to the instrument came with a swing;
And thumping five minutes upon the Piano,
For symphony, this is the song she did sing:

   "Oh would I were a bird,"
   Now was not that absurd
   To hear a lady singing,
She would like to be a bird.
   How very strange to see,
   Her perch'd upon a tree,
   And screwing up her mouth,
To whistle some new melody.
   Could she get any rest
   Tuck'd up in a nest,
And feeding on canary seed
And chickweed of the best?
   So I thought it so absurd,
   To wish she was a bird,
But that was not the only very funny song I heard.

        3rd Verse.
A tall sentimental young lady
   Was press'd very hard for a song.
Young--did I say on the shady side
   Of two score; perhaps I am wrong.
She twisted her mouth in a curious fashion,
Her hands on the instrument came with a bang,
Went over the keys in a style she thought dashing,
And this was the style of the song that she sang:

"Oh, if I had someone to love me"--
   I though it would be a hard case.
If she ever found someone to love her,
   She made such a funny grimace.
She wanted someone to share trouble;
   Their care to the winds she would fling
And change her from single to double,
   So she continued to sing,
"Oh if I had someone to love me"--
   I thought, tho' it may be too bad,
If 'twould put an end to her singing,
   We'd be satisfied if she had.

        4th Verse.
Young Tomkins, who's just one and twenty,
   Consider'd a nob and a swell,
If cheek constitutes, he had plenty
   And self estimation as well.
He said, "he would give us a comical ditty,
If we'd join in the coal-box": that was his slang.
I cannot acknowledge 'twas wonderfully witty;
Judge for yourselves by the song that he sang:

Oh! Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
Oh! Jerusalem, the costermonger's donkey.
Oh! Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
Oh! Jerusalem, the costermonger's donkey.

        5th Verse.
Of their singing and shouting, quite tired
   I was, when a gentleman cried
In a song that is always admired
   Whenever to sing it I've tried.
It certainly was not a drawing-room ditty.
I'll try and remember a verse if I can.
He claim'd our indulgence as well as our pity
And clearing his throat--"Ahem"--in this style he began:

1. When Johnny comes marching home again,
   Hurrah! hurrah!
We'll give him a hearty welcome then.
   Hurrah! hurrah!
The girls will sing and the boys will shout
And neighbours say, "They'll all turn out,"
And we'll all feel gay
   When Johnny comes marching home.
And we'll all feel gay
   When Johnny comes marching home.

2. They shouted out till they were hoarse:
   Hurrah! hurrah!
Discordant voices loud and coarse:
   Hurrah! hurrah!
Unobserv'd I slipp'd away
Well satisfied with ev'ry lay,
Tho' I cannot say, "that I felt gay
   Till I was safe at home.
Tho' I cannot say, "that I felt gay
   Till I was safe at home.


Source: Period sheet music published by Hopwood and Crew, serial number 1117
Lyrics and MIDI transcriptions by Artful Codger.

Notes by Steve Gardham:

Cover I
JONES' MUSICAL PARTY
(THE COMICAL CONCERT)
A SONG OF SONGS
BY
HARRY CLIFTON,
AND SUNG BY HIM AT HIS POPULAR CONCERTS
IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
London, HOPWOOD & CREW, 42 New Bond St
Litho by Maguire, monotint beige with HC in foreground looking very bemused at demented woman playing piano and singing. All take place in posh drawing room with 7 other bemused spectators all standing.

Cover II
JONES' MUSICAL PARTY
         A
SONG OF SONGS
       BY
HARRY CLIFTON
AND SUNG BY HIM AT HIS POPULAR CONCERTS
IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND
LONDON, HOPWOOD & CREW
42 New Bond Street W
Litho a poor imitation of the above but in colour and signed by Maguire. Clifton's figure stands out much more in a black suit with the background more faded. There is les detail in this litho than the other.

Both of these are cover only.
The score is from a Metzler edition

Other info gleaned from various sources.
Hopwood & Crew serial H & C 1117
Metzler serial M 3890
Written and sung by HC, arranged by M(artin) Hobson.
Copies in OLIS Bodleian, Harding Mus. R656/R657 dated 1867
Broadside By Glasgow Poet's Box dated 1867


27 May 10 - 01:22 AM (#2915110)
Subject: Tune Add: JONES' MUSICAL PARTY (ABCs)
From: Artful Codger

ABC transcriptions
You should be able to copy everything below this paragraph as a single multi-tune ABC file. Alternatively, separate at the dotted lines, making sure to retain a blank line after each tune. To create scores in PDF form, try using the ABC converters at Concertina.net or folkinfo.org.


X: 1
T: Jones' Musical Party (1)
T:   Verse 1
C: Written and sung by Harry Clifton.
C: Arranged by Michael Hobson.
S: Period sheet music published by Hopwood and Crew, serial number 1117
Z: by Artful Codger
M: 3/4
L: 1/4
Q: 1/4=160 "Tempo di Valse"
K: Bb
%
%    First half
B/ B/ | A ^G A | c G> A | F B2 | z z A | G G G | c c> B |
w: Mrs_ Jones gave a mu-si-cal par-ty, And friends she in-vi-ted them
A3- | A z F/ F/ | d (^c d) | e A> G | F d2- | d z d |
w: all._ There was old Mr_ Bon-ner so hear-ty_ And
d c> G | B A> F | B3- | B z F | F F F | G G G |
w: young Mr_ Jen-kins so tall,_ And si-nging young La-dies they
A B c | c B> F | F F F | G G G | A G A | B2 z |
w: came by the do-zen, With half a crown co-pies tied up in a roll.
%
%    Second half
F F F | G G G | A B c | d B (B/c/) | d e> d | d c G |
w: Hand-some Miss John-son, her bro-ther and cou-sin, And* Ban-ker who prates of his
A G> A | B2 || B | A ^G A | c G> A | F B2 | z z (B/A/) |
w: mu-si-cal soul. And ve-ry queer songs they were si-nging If*
G G G | c c> B | A3- | A z F/ F/ | d ^c d | (e2 G) |
w: I can re-mem-ber a few,_ As they are in my ears_
F d2 | z z d | d c> G | B A> F | B3- | B2 ||
w: ring-ing, I'll try and re-peat them to you_
%
%    Return to part A (for verse 1 only) omitted

%-----------------------------------------------------------------
X: 2
T: Jones' Musical Party (2)
T: Verse 2: "Oh would I were a bird"
C: Words by Harry Clifton. Music by Charles Blamphin.
Z: by Artful Codger
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
Q: 1/4=120
K: Eb
%
%    Oh would I were a bird
B | e d c B | A3 F | d c B A | G2 z G | c B A G |
w: "Oh would I were a bird," Now was not that ab-surd To hear a la-dy
F F F> G | A> G A c | {=A}B2 z B | e d c B | A3 F |
w: sing-ing, She would like to be a bird. How ve-ry strange to see, Her
d c B A | G2 z G | F A A c | B3 =B | d/ d/ c A F/ F/ |
w: perch'd u-pon a tree, And screw-ing up her mouth, To whis-tle some new me-lo-
E3 z/ F/ | F B =A c | B3 z | G c =B d | c2 z c | c> c d e |
w: dy Could she get a-ny rest Tuck'd up in a nest, And feed-ing on ca-
e d d B | d c G A | B2-HB B/ B/ | e d c B | A3 F |
w: na-ry seed And chick-weed of the best._ So I thought it so ab-surd, To
d c B A | G2 z G | F A A c | B e e f | e d c d | e3 ||
w: wish she was a bird, But that was not the on-ly ve-ry fun-ny song I heard.

%-----------------------------------------------------------------
X: 3
T: Jones' Musical Party (3)
T: Verse 3: "Oh if I had someone to love me"
C: Words by Harry Clifton. Music by Frederick Buckley?
Z: by Artful Codger
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
Q: 1/4=96
K: Eb
%
%    Oh If I had someone to love me
HB2 | c B G E D E | G F2-F (FE) | D F A c B A | G3-G G A |
w: Oh if I had some-one to love me,_ I_ thought it would be a hard case._ If she
c B G E D E | G F2-F z E | D F A c B D | E3 z2 G |
w: e-ver found some-one to love her_ She made such a fun-ny gri-mace, She
G G G G A G | G c2 z2 c | =B A G F E D | C3 z2 F |
w: wan-ted some-one to share trou-ble, Their care to the winds she would fling And
F F F F G F | F B2 z (=AG) | (FG) F C E> D | B,3-HB, (G_A) |
w: change her from sin-gle to dou-ble So_ she_ con-ti-nued to sing_ Oh_
c B G E D E | G F2 z (FE) | D F A c B F | G3-G (GA) |
w: if I had some-one to love me, I_ thought tho' it may be too bad_ If_
c B G E D E | (F c2) z Hd c | B E F (G{B}A) D | E3-E2 x ||
w: 'twould put an end to her sing-ing We'd be sa-tis-fied if_ she had._

%-----------------------------------------------------------------
X: 4
T: Jones' Musical Party (4)
T: Verse 4: "Oh! Jerusalem!"
C: Existing comic song; origin unknown to transcriber
Z: by Artful Codger
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
Q: 1/4=120
K: Eb
%
%    "Oh! Jerusalem!"
|: LB2 z A | G> A B> G | F> G A> G | F> G A2 |
w: Oh Je-ru-sa-lem! Je-ru-sa-lem! Je-ru-sa-lem!
   LB2 z A | G> A B> G | E> F G> E | (F2 E) z :|
w: Oh Je-ru-sa-lem! the cos-ter-mon-ger's don-key.


27 May 10 - 02:15 AM (#2915121)
Subject: Jones' Musical Party: Tune notes
From: Artful Codger

First, let me confess ignorance about the origin of the main tune; in particular, I don't know if Clifton wrote it or not. If you know the tune by another name or source, please let us know.


Oh would I were a bird
Charles Blamphin wrote both words and music for the original song, which can be found online in the Lester S. Levy Collection:
Levy Call Number: Box 120, Item 034
Title: O Would I Were a Bird. Ballad.
Composer, Lyricist, Arranger: Composed by C. Bamphlin.
[Note that they've misspelled his name, so a search on "Blamphin" will fail.]

The tune is essentially as given in the Clifton song. A short sampling of the lyrics:

Oh would I were a bird / That I might fly to thee
And breathe a loving word / To one so dear to me.
How happy would I be, / Carolling all the day--
If only blest with thee, / Beguiling time away.


Oh if I had someone to love me
This title appears on several antiquarian bookseller lists associated with Frederick Buckley. Buckley was a contemporary of Clifton's, and several examples of his work can also be found in the Levy, for instance:
My Home Is on the Sea (1858)
Written by S.S. Steele. Music by Fredk. Buckley, Musical Director of Buckley's Opera Troupe, N.Y.


O[h] Jerusalem
Searching on the combination of Jerusalem and costermonger turned up one quotation of the lyrics, which was also exact:

Excerpt from the novel Tim (1891), by Howard Overing Sturgis, pp. 124-5:
Tim was writing his weekly letter to his father, but consented readily to accompany him [Tommy Weston, his school chum], if he would wait till he had finished ; and the concluding sentences were rendered even more laborious than usual to the scribe, by the distracting behaviour of his companion, who was occupying the interval with a sort of highland fling, while he sang to a well-known Scottish air, just then familiarised to Southern ears by the base uses of a comic song, these remarkable words—
        Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
        Oh, Jerusalem, the costermonger's donkey.
   ' Oh! please, Tommy, don't make that dreadful noise,' said poor Tim. ' How can I get done ?'
   ' Dreadful noise, indeed! it's a Sabbath hymn, you profane little wretch,' retorted the irrepressible, at the same time pulling Tim's inky pen upwards through his fingers, to teach him, as he said, proper respect to his elders.

Correction: The arranger's name is Martin Hobson, not Michael (as I've unfortunately written in several threads besides this one).


27 May 10 - 05:49 AM (#2915177)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Jones' Musical Party (Harry Clifton)
From: GUEST, Sminky

I suspect a slightly earlier date, perhaps, given its widespread popularity by early 1867.

The 'great comic song' was sung on Wed Jan 9th, 1867 in Bray, Ireland (Freemans Journal, Dublin), on the same day at Shipston-on-Stour, along with 'Shelling Green Peas' (Berrow's Worcester Journal) and on Tuesday 8th at Wrexham (Wrexham Advertiser).


27 May 10 - 03:15 PM (#2915480)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Jones' Musical Party (Harry Clifton)
From: Steve Gardham

Fred Buckley I think was a member of 'Buckley's (New orleans) Serenaders' a minstrel troupe. According to Kilgarriff they were formerley called The Congo Melodists est 1843 by James Buckley (1803-72)and his sons, Frederick (1833-64),R Bishop (1826-67), and George Swain Buckley (1829-79). Disbanded during the Civil War.

I have a later English song book of 'Buckley's Serenaders' so the troupe must have continued using that name in England after the Civil War, obviously without Fred, but presumably still singing some of his songs.


27 May 10 - 06:42 PM (#2915604)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Jones' Musical Party (Harry Clifton)
From: Joe Offer

OK, this is going to be interesting. I hope this works. If it does, the tunes are compliments of Artful Codger.
Thanks, AC.
-Joe-

Click to play (1)

Click to play (2)

Click to play (3)

Click to play (4)

Click to play (full)


27 May 10 - 06:52 PM (#2915611)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Jones' Musical Party (Harry Clifton)
From: Artful Codger

Bravo, Joe!


27 May 10 - 07:30 PM (#2915643)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Jones' Musical Party (Harry Clifton)
From: Artful Codger

Steve Gardham pointed out to me that the song "Oh Jerusalem" uses the same tune as the refrain of "Ka-Foozle-Um". The original sheet music for the latter can be found online in the Lester S. Levy Collection; search for "Ka-foozle-um", including the hyphens.

Jack Campin has just added (in a thread on "Ka-foozle-um"):
The tune is derived from "Katie Bairdie", which dates back to at least the Skene MS of the early 17th century (as "Kette Bairdie").

Katie Beardie in the DigiTrad, with (for once) extensive notes, but sadly, a broken tune link.


27 May 10 - 07:40 PM (#2915649)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Jones' Musical Party (Harry Clifton)
From: Artful Codger

I still think there is a hymn link between "Katie Beardie" and "Ka-foozle-um" (and particularly between "Katie Beardie" and "Oh Jerusalem", which I suspect to be a sibling of "Ka-foozle-um" rather than a derivative) which we have not yet uncovered.


27 May 10 - 11:57 PM (#2915768)
Subject: Kafoozleum
From: Artful Codger

If you're curious, Joe Offer and I have just posted the lyrics and a MIDI for the original "Kafoozleum" to this thread:
http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=50715#2915763

There are a number of other Kafoozleum threads, mostly using other spellings and devoted to bawdy "Harlot of Jerusalem" versions.


28 May 10 - 12:09 AM (#2915776)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Jones' Musical Party (Harry Clifton)
From: Artful Codger

In a "Please post tunes here" thread, Sorcha provided this ABC for "Katie Beardie":

X:1
T:Katie Bairdie, also spelled Katie Beardie
L:1/8
M:4/4
Q:1/4=160
K:D
A>B A>G F>G A2| E>F G>F E>F G2|
A>B A>G F>G A2| D2 F


(I've added an X: line for those less ABC-literate.)


28 May 10 - 01:57 AM (#2915806)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Jones' Musical Party (Harry Clifton)
From: Artful Codger

Thread on "Katie Beardie", with MIDIs:
http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=2085


01 Jun 10 - 06:18 PM (#2918591)
Subject: Lyr Add: JERUSALEM CUCKOO (from Bodleian)
From: Jim Dixon

Just to add to the confusion, here's another song about a donkey named Jerusalem. It also mentions Kafusalem.

The Bodleian library has 2 copies of this broadside: Firth c.26(204) and Firth c.26(296).


JERUSALEM CUCKOO

1. I am a donkey driver. I'm the best that's in the line.
There's no donkey on the road that can come up to mine.
Talk about Kafusalem and other donkeys too,
No donkey on the road can beat Jerusalem Cuckoo.

CHORUS: Shout, boys! Hurrah! My troubles they are few.
No donkey on the road can beat Jerusalem Cuckoo.

2. My donkey, 'tis a beauty, his colour rather pale.
His ears are long and graceful with a beautiful curly tail.
You have only got to whistle and he knows what he's to do.
A stunning ear for music has Jerusalem Cuckoo.

3. One day I took my donkey across to Brighton sand.
A lady she got on his back as they passed a German band.
The donkey he got frightened. The lady off he threw,
While loud above the band was heard the voice of my Cuckoo.

4. I thought my donkey smart enough to run in any race.
I took him to the Derby and backed him for a place.
The signal it was given, and off the horses flew.
First horse at the latter end was Jerusalem Cuckoo.

5. I always am contented. Not a cross word do I say.
I always get a bit of meat, and the donkey gives the bray;
And if he kicks the bucket, I'll tell you what I'll do:
I'll lay me down and die beside Jerusalem Cuckoo.


05 Jun 10 - 11:04 PM (#2921584)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Jones' Musical Party (Harry Clifton)
From: Artful Codger

See this thread ("Lyr Req: Jerusalem Donkey ???") for a bit more info on the song Jim posted.