The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #82346   Message #1823371
Posted By: Billy Weeks
31-Aug-06 - 05:52 AM
Thread Name: Origins: 'The Country Vicar' can be dated to 1888
Subject: RE: Origins: 'The Country Vicar' can be dated to 1
The two versions I know start:

Ring the bell verger, ring the bell, ring
Perhaps the congregation will condescend to sing.
Up in the belfry the bellringer stands
Jerkin'his gherkin with both ferkin' hands.

- this to a tune not unlike Guest Joe F's.

Another version was sung to the triple time tune of 'Up in a Garret, away from the din, someone is playing an old violin':

Up in the belfry the bellringer stands
Jerkin his gherkin with both ferkin hands;
Down in the pulpit the vicar he yealls:
'Stop jerkin yer gherkin and jerk ferkin bells'.