The Ratcatcher's Daughter

Not long ago, in Westminster
There lived a ratcatcher's daughter
But she didn't quite live in Westminster
Cos she lived t'other side of the water
Her father caught rats, and she sold sprats
All around and about that quarter
And the gentle folks all took a fair vouch
For the pretty little ratcatcher's daughter

Do dul dee
Do dul dum
Dye dum do dul da

Now rich and poor, both far and near
In matrimony, sought her
But at friends and foes, she turned up her nose
Did the pretty little ratcatcher's daughter
But there was a man, sold lily white sand
In cupid's net that brought her
And right over head and heels in love
Went the pretty little ratcatcher's daughter

Do dul dee
Do dul dum
Dye dum do dul da

To ratcatcher's daughter, he ran in and said
He couldn't tell what he was after
So instead of crying "do you want any sand?"
He cried, "do you want any ratcatcher's daughter?"
His donkey cocked his ears and laughed
And he couldn't think what he was after
When he heard his lily white sandman cry
"Do you want any ratcatcher's daughter?"

Do dul dee
Do dul dum
Dye dum do dul da

They both agreed to married be
Upon next Easter Sunday
But ratcatcher's daughter, she had a dream
That she wouldn't be alive on Monday
She went once more to buy some sprats
And she tumbled into the water
And down to the bottom all covered in mud
Went the pretty little ratcatcher's daughter

Do dul dee
Do dul dum
Dye dum do dul da^^

A tragic ditty telling of love between a seller of sprats and a vendor of white sand (used for cleaning knives, lining bird cages, and other purposes). The lyrics are by a clergyman, the Rev. E. Bradley, and the song was first performed by the popular singer Sam Cowell. In 'Out of Season' Charles Dickens notices the sheet music for the Ratcatcher's Daughter in a music shop 'having every polka with a coloured frontispiece that ever was published'. The original is in cockney dialect.

You can here a real audio of the song here

I'm sure that there should be a couple more verses, maybe someone else can help.

Ed

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Click to play