Hi,

I've always known different lyrics to this. The Cream version seems to be the most often quoted, but this is the version I got from my mum, who got it from John Foreman (the Broadsheet King) when he used to play in their folk club, early 1960's. She's pretty sure it's word-for-word as John did it, including the pronounciation (which I've rendered as well as I can), some of which ("h-angel", "wanished" etc.) suggests someone like Gus Elen, maybe.

A mother was bafing 'er baby one night,
poor little fing was a terrible sight,
the mother was poor, and the baby was fin,
only a skelington wrapped up in skin

she only turned round for a minute,
to get the soap off the rack,
she only turned round for a minute,
but, when she, turned back,

'er baby 'ad wanished completely,
wanished completely away,
'er baby 'ad wanished completely,
but she 'eard, a h'angel, say....

Your baby has gone darn the plug'ole
Your baby has gone darn the plug
'E was much too small, to be bathed at all,
'e should 'ave been washed in a jug (or a mug)

Your baby is perfectly 'appy,
'E won't need no barfin no more,
Your baby is perfectly 'appy, my dear
Not dead, just gorn, before.

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The tune is different as well, but rather than attempt an ABC version, I'll post it on the net somewhere soon.