An absolute must.


THE CAROL SINGERS
Words by Charles Hayes, music by T.C. Sterndale-Bennett, ©1921.

"In our village , Christmas time, I sez to several mates.
"Look 'ee lads, I sez,sez I. What about some waits?"
We gets a carol, learns it up and on one evenin' wintry.
We muffles up an' sallies forth to try it on the gintry.
"Good King Wenceslas look'd out", sings we with splendid power.
Sev'ral neighbours look'd out too. To see what all the row were.
We sings forte, sounded like a hundred.
Even in the best bits 'ow we thundered.
Bill, our base 'e 'urt 'is face, we thought that it were torn.
But all agree there were none like we to 'ail the 'appy morn.

Perkins took the treble line, a lovely voice 'es got.
I were tenor, Bill were base an' Fred were all the lot.
'E wandered up an' down the scale but still 'e rather marred it.
Becos 'e never know'd no words, an' so 'e la-la-la'd it.
{"La-la-la-la-la- look'd out", the scene it was quite graphic.
Such was our 'armonia it almost stopped the traffic.
Then a grey mare ridden by a big toff
Shied, bolted an' tossed 'im in the 'orse trough.}*
Every verse got worse an' worse but though we all felt worn.
Yet all agree there were none like we to 'ail the 'appy morn.

Still we never got no cash which didn't seem quite just.
See-in' we'd stood there for 'ours, singing fit to bust.
The our p'liceman, Ole Bob Bates comes a a-scowling proper.
"Good Old Bob", young Perkins sez, "At least we've got a Copper!"
"Good King Wenceslas look'd out", we still keeps on recordin'
Bob sez, "Yes. You look out too. It's seldom I've 'eard more din".
Then a change came on the situation.
Bob got nasty an' took us to the station.
"Look 'ere Bates, we're Christmas waits", I sez to 'im with scorn.
'e sez with a sneer, "Well wait in 'ere an' greet the 'appy morn!!"


* (My words for "Elsie's Band" since it is a repeat of verse 1)