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12 Apr 03 - 05:21 PM (#931983) Subject: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST,Hollowfox, at a friend's house Anybody know where to get this one? All my friend knows is: Auntie Mary had a canary Underneath her skirt. Her great grandma would start to sing it, and other members of her family would shush her up. It might be Scottish, it might be "alternative phrasing to another song", as she puts it. No other hints from this end. Any help? Thanks, Mary |
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12 Apr 03 - 05:31 PM (#931989) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: Malcolm Douglas Type auntie mary had a canary into the "Lyrics & Knowledge Search" box, which you will find at the top of the main Forum page. Hit "Search". You will be amazed. |
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12 Apr 03 - 05:40 PM (#931992) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: CraigS The tune is called "The Cock of the North", and is indeed Scottish |
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12 Apr 03 - 06:17 PM (#932021) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: Zany Mouse Gary and Vera Aspey collected 'playground' songs. They claimed this one as being from Lancashire but their words were: "Auntie Mary had a canary up the leg of her drawers". ZM |
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12 Apr 03 - 08:41 PM (#932093) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: Little Robyn A version in NZ goes- Aunty Mary had a canary Up the leg of her drawers, When she farted it departed Down the leg of her drawers. I always thought there should be more to it than that. |
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12 Apr 03 - 09:51 PM (#932120) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: mg I think there were several additional verses in the other threads.. the only ones I know.. Auntie Mary had a canary up the leg of her drawers While she was sleeping he was peeping Up he leg of her drawers Uncle Charlie had some barley Up the leg of his drawers If you don' t believe me you can feel me Up the leg of my drawers |
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13 Apr 03 - 12:17 AM (#932163) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST,Hollowfox's friend... Thank you all for taking the time to reply. Hollowfox said that this was a fun web site with great people-who, if anyone would know, it would be the people that use this site. I have been searching ten years for info that came back in less than a half a day. From the number of related threads info-I can see that a few other people have found this ditty to be "interesting". Thank you again... |
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13 Apr 03 - 04:54 AM (#932253) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST,Ewan McVicar This song occupied a chapter of my thesis for the School of Scottish Studies a few years ago. I identified over 40 variants of the rhyme - each with substantial differences of narrative, not just a word or two - yet Mary Garvey's version is new to me. The probable [polite] original has been performed by our Balding Prince Charlie, who perhaps learned it from his Scots grannie. It goes back to the Boer War, although a dodgy claim has been made for an earlier origin in the Second Afghan War. |
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13 Apr 03 - 07:17 PM (#932666) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: Hollowfox (back home again) Thanks, folks. Sorry I didn't do a DT search. Oh, me of little faith. |
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18 Oct 04 - 05:03 AM (#1299542) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST,speltownes@yahoo.co.uk up the leg of her drawers It wouldn't come down For half a crown last line forgotten by source |
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16 Jun 05 - 06:08 PM (#1502527) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST,Wee Malky Auntie Mary had a canary It whistled the Cock o' the North It whistled for 'oors And fliggit the Boers And won the Victoria Cross |
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16 Jun 05 - 06:12 PM (#1502532) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: Bainbo My memory of it is pretty much identical, but with a different last line: Aunty Mary had a canary Up the leg of her drawers. When she farted it departed To a round of applause. |
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16 Jun 05 - 07:02 PM (#1502573) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST,Liberty Belle My Auntie Mary had a canary, Up the leg of her drawers, While she was sleeping I was peeping, Up the leg of her drawers. |
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17 Jun 05 - 05:21 AM (#1502840) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: belfast In Ireland it was a skipping song with these words - Devalera had a canary Up the leg of his drawers Why Dev? Why not? |
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17 Jun 05 - 06:40 AM (#1502870) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: Crystal I've heard: Auntie Mary had a canary Up the leg of her drawers She Pulled the string and made it sing It whistled the Cock o' the North |
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18 Jun 05 - 01:35 AM (#1503482) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST,Bill the Collie From faint-remembered parties (which in our house were called Drunken Aunty Parties - can't remember why) I always thought the first line was Auntie Mary hid a canary up the leg o her drawers. Just puts a different slant to it. We always sang it to our Aunty Mary. We also had a cousin called Peggy Maguire, who naturally was accused of peeing in the fire. |
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07 May 07 - 04:15 PM (#2045430) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST,Timothy Gumble MY AUNTIE MARY HAD A CANARY UP THE LEG OF HER DRAWERS WHEN SHE FARTED DOWN IT DARTED LIKE A RACING HORSE |
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08 May 07 - 11:55 AM (#2046191) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST,edthefolkie Another couple of verses from my grandma (or more likely grandpa - long time ago) Oh we've got some chickens in our back yard We feed 'em on indian corn Some lays eggs, and some lays pegs, And some lays nowt at all Cock a Doodle, Cock a Doodle Lost a leg of my drawers If you find 'em, wash 'em and iron 'em Stitch 'em onto yours |
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08 May 07 - 03:08 PM (#2046344) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: Andy Jackson Alex Campbell sang Auntie Mary had a Canary Up the leg of her drawers She lit the gas, burnt her ass, And that's the end of the war. Andy |
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09 May 07 - 08:30 AM (#2046924) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh Nothing to do with Auntie Mary, but I haven't found this set of words in any of the Links related to this group of threads: Her faither forbade, her minnie (mither) forbad, Forbidden she wadna be; She didna think the brew she browst Wad taste sae bitterlie. The Lang Lad they ca Jumpin John Beguiled the bonnie lassie... (bis) In one volume of the SMM, or among the songs attributed to Burns, this is set to The Cock of the North ("lass-IE" would have to be accented thus, with the stress on the second syllable, but you can get around this infelicity by simply substituting, "Beguiled the bonie wee lass") |
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16 Nov 07 - 04:55 AM (#2195128) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST,Christine west lothian Aunty mary had a canary up the leg of her drawers it would nae come down for half a crown so up went uncle george ... thats my version that i learned years ago working in a nursing home. many years ago.. |
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27 Feb 08 - 01:39 PM (#2273916) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST,Jock Tamson's bairn The version I remember from the east side of Glasgow many years ago is: My auntie Mary had a canary up the leg o' her drawers. It widnie come doon for hauf-a-croon, O, a'm the Cock o' the North. |
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27 Feb 08 - 01:49 PM (#2273922) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST,The Mole Catcher's unplugged Apprentice There is this one, I found recently on another bulletin board...:-D Aunt Mary had a canary Up the leg of her drawers She pulled the string to hear it sing And down came Santa Claus Uncle Jock, he had a sock Up the pleat of his kilt When he was a-sleepin, we were a-peepin To see how well he was built Chase me Charlie, I've got barley Up the leg of me drawers If you don't believe me, come and feel me Up the leg of me drawers Cousin Minnie wore a bikini Underneath her shirt A handsome guy he tried to spy And she kicked him where it hurt. Charlotte (the tune plays wonderfully on the piano) |
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27 Apr 08 - 04:50 PM (#2327101) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST,Sandra |
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27 Apr 08 - 04:51 PM (#2327105) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST,sandra My granny used to sing to me the following: Auntie Mary had a canary up the leg of her drawers She pished her breeks for sixty weeks Then gave the canary a wash enjoy Sandra |
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20 May 08 - 05:25 PM (#2345526) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST I'm from Lancashire originally and as a kid in the 60's we used to sing: Auntie Mary had a canary up the leg of her drawers, It whistled for hours amoung the showers under Victoria Falls. Not sure if my Dad taught me that one or his Dad:) |
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16 Jul 08 - 04:33 PM (#2390918) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST,PB This lyric has featured a couple of times on Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show on BBC Radio Four. After having too much to drink, Arthur can occasionally be heard singing this song: Auntie Mary had a canary up the leg of her drawers It wouldn't come down for half a crown... That's normally about as far as Arthur gets |
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17 Jul 08 - 05:53 AM (#2391225) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST,erinmaidin You can see "Great Big Sea" performing this number on youtube if you just enter "Auntie Mary Had a Canary" in the box and scroll down after the suggestions are given. |
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17 Jul 08 - 02:23 PM (#2391605) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: Azizi There are several responses on http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/450329 to the question: "Speaking of the name Mary, Does anyone know the nursery rhyme that went 'Aunty Mary had a Canary, she also had a duck?" Here's one response that included some hyperlinked citations. I'm reposting it here exactly as it is found on that website: by VSPrasad48 on Nov 2, 2007 at 8:17 pm Aunt Mary had a canary Up the leg of her drawers She pulled the string to hear it sing And down came Santa Claus Uncle Jock, he had a sock Up the pleat of his kilt When he was a-sleepin, we were a-peepin To see how well he was built Chase me Charlie, I've got barley Up the leg of me drawers If you don't believe me, come and feel me Up the leg of me drawers Cousin Minnie wore a bikini Underneath her shirt A handsome guy he tried to spy And she kicked him where it hurt. http://www.footstompin.com/forum http://www.sausagenet.org/nph-YaBB.pl One fine day, a bonnie bonnie day, I met my Auntie Mary; She gied me a penny, Tae buy whit I liked, So I bocht a wee canary. The wee canary flew awa' Auntie Mary caught it; She caught it by the tail An' flung it in a pail, Cheeky Auntie Mary. My mother said that I must go, Wi ma faither's denner-o; Chappit tatties, beef and steak, Twa reed herrin an' a bawbee bake. I went to the river an' a couldn't get across, I paid ten pound for an auld dun horse. I jumped on his back an' his banes gied a crack, An' I had tae play the fiddle till the boat came back. http://www.footstompin.com/forum Vaudeville (USA) -(UK) musichall became popular with a wider variety of entertainment & the minstrel shows began to wane although one of the variety acts would often be a comedy quartet. Songs both popular, classical and religion were parodied in keeping with events of the day not just by the singing acts but by the comedians too as short 1 or 2-line musical jokes. Oh we've got chickens in our backyard & we feed them on cod oil (repeat) But Aunty Mary's got a canary - he's the cock of the north (repeat) (Scottish traditional melody) http://labbs.org.uk/educ/resources/roots.html |
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17 Jul 08 - 02:54 PM (#2391638) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: Azizi Btw, it's interesting to find that "I went to the river and I couldn't get across" verse in that song/rhyme. That verse is found in a number of 19th century or earlier African American secular slave songs. Here's one widely quoted example I went to the river, And could n't get across; Paid five dollars For an old blind horse Dorothy Scaborough, On The Trail of Negro Folk Songs {Hatsboro, Penn.; Folklore Associates, Inc, 1963, p. 185, originally published, 1925, Harvard Univestity Press} Here's another one from that same collection: I went to the river And I could n't get across. Jumped on an alligator And thought it was a horse -snip- Since Vaudeville was mentioned in that response quoted in my previous post, and since one of the sources for Vaudeville was American minstrelsy {http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaudeville}, and and since the minstrel shows borrowed heavily from African American traditions, I believe that African American songs were the original source of the "I went to the river and couldn't get across" verse that may be found in "Aunt Mary Had A Canary" songs or rhymes. |
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17 Jul 08 - 03:23 PM (#2391658) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: Azizi Perhaps off-topic: Has anybody considered whether there's a connection between the phrase "Chase me Charlie" in that Scottish song and the line & title "You Can't Lose Me A-Cholly", an old dance tune that was performed by Leadbelly? "Cholly" is a nickname of Charlie. Sometimes the title of that song is given as "You Can't Lose Me Charlie." That said, the lyrics of the two songs are very different. But for the record, here's a link to Leadbelly singing that song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2cosGqxU18 Leadbelly - You can't lose me-a cholly |
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19 Jul 08 - 12:47 PM (#2392937) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST,Ewan McVicar I devote seven pages to versions of Auntie Mary in my 2007 book Doh Ray Me When Ah Wis Wee, but there are above a few variants / related lyrics above that are new to me! |
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09 Jul 09 - 06:17 PM (#2676079) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had A Canary From: GUEST Auntie Mary had a canary up the leg of her breeks, It wouldn't come down for half a crown, So it stayed up there for weeks. Fife - late 70's |
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21 Jan 10 - 07:38 AM (#2817444) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had a Canary From: GUEST,steph Auntie Mary had a canary. She also had a duck. She took behind the kitchen corner and taught it how to — FRY eggs for breakfast. Fry eggs for tea. If you drink a lot of water, it will make you — PETER had a boat. The boat began to rock. He fell off and a shark bit of his — COCKTAILS and whiskey, ten cents a glass. If you don't like it, stick it up your — ASK no questions. Tell no lies. I saw a police man doing up his — FLIES are bad, bugs are worse, And this is the end of my dirty little verse. |
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06 Apr 10 - 04:50 PM (#2880930) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had a Canary From: GUEST,Jimmy My dad from Ayreshire taught me Aunt Mary had a canary up the leg o' her drawers it wouldna come doon fer half a croon till the end o the wars |
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18 Sep 10 - 12:14 PM (#2989255) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had a Canary From: GUEST,bec aunty mary had a canary she also had a duck took 'em behind the kitchen door and tought em how to..... fry a fish for breakfast boil an egg for tea but the more you eat the more you drink the more you want to.... peter had a boat the boat began to rock up jumped a crocodile and bit him on the... cocktails and gingerale forty cents a glass if you dont like it shove it up your.. ask no questions i'll tell no lies but i saw a policeman pulling down his... flys are bad mosquitos are worse they keep buzzing in my ear 'YOU MUST REPEAT THIS VERSE' |
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26 Oct 10 - 04:19 PM (#3016161) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had a Canary From: GUEST,Sheila D My mother's words for this were: Auntie Mary had a canary up the leg of her drawers. And when it came doon it whistled a toon, it whistled The Cock o' the North. The cock o' the north, the cock o' the south, the cock o' the east and the west. Of all the wee cocks that I hae seen, my ain wee cock's the best. |
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26 Oct 10 - 05:02 PM (#3016195) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had a Canary From: GUEST,Seonaid An English acquaintance used to sing only the standard single verse, but she added a chorus that somehow included repetitions of "How's your father?" Wish I knew where she was these days; I'd ask for more! I had an Irish friend who'd follow the canary ditty with a segue to: "Green grow the rushes-o, Blackbirds and thrushes-o, If ever you pish into the wind You're sure to wet your britches-o." I guess the connection was birds. |
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03 Feb 11 - 03:03 AM (#3087733) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had a Canary From: GUEST,Saywhat?! The one I knew as a kiddie growing up in the late 80s was similar to Bec's version: Aunty Mary had a canary She also had a duck She took them behind the kitchen door And taught them how to... Fry an egg and bacon And brew a cup of tea The more you eat, the more you drink the more you want to... Peter had a row boat The boat began to rock A shark came up the starboard bow And bit him on the... Cockle are great for fishing Mary's in the punt(Not 100%) The fishing line got tangled And caught on Mary's... Country girls are beautiful Lying in the grass They stick their heads between their legs And whistle up their... Ask your mum for sixpence To see the tall giraffe With buttons on his breast coat And pimples up his... Aunty Mary had a canary... (repeat from top) Or something akin to that... |
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20 Mar 12 - 06:02 PM (#3325897) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had a Canary From: GUEST I just know the children's version: Auntie Mary had a canary Up the leg of her drawers She pulled a string and made it sing And doon came Santa Claus Auntie Mary had a canary By the side of her bed The cat got in and had its din And now the canary is dead |
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16 Apr 17 - 09:26 AM (#3850705) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had a Canary From: Steve Gardham Hull, Yorkshire, 1950s onwards. We keep chickens in our backyard We feed em on Indian corn One's a bugger for giving the other a piggyback over the wall Chase me, Charley, chase me, Charley I've lost the leg of me drawers Chase me, Charley, chase me, Charley, Will you lend me yours? Cock o' the North A&B music. |
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16 Apr 17 - 08:01 PM (#3850771) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had a Canary From: Gallus Moll not had time to read through all the posts - but there are / were a number of 'Seceder' songs which were doggerel versions of Psalms (and hymns?) that church choirs would rehearse on weekdays, it being thought very wrong to sing holy materiel other than on a sunday. Some of the words were to my ear quite - disrespectful? racy even?! Sorta defeating the purpose - -- !!!! I only know one or two but there are bound to be more- - - (eg the Auld Seceder Cat) |
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17 Apr 17 - 02:38 AM (#3850788) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had a Canary From: Thompson That's fascinating about the seceder songs (how ludicrous are the ways that people stymie themselves with religion, by the way - irreverent to sing a sacred song?) - and it deserves its own thread. Why not start one? |
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08 Sep 17 - 04:04 PM (#3875960) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had a Canary From: GUEST Aunty Mary had a canary Up the back of her drawers When she farted, it departed With a round of applause |
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14 Oct 17 - 02:01 PM (#3882260) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Auntie Mary Had a Canary From: GUEST This is the version my Granny from Forfar sang to me Auntie Mary lost her canary Up the leg of her drawers When she farted, it departed Down the leg of her drawers It whistled for oors (Hours) and fleggit the Boers. (Scared the Boers) And won the Victoria Cross |