Melanie wrote:
 One phrase in this song reads: "How the sweet san fairy ann can I know who you are?" I understand
 the meaning of the phrase but can anyone explain the meaning or origin of the words "san fairy ann"?
 Are the words correct? Thanks!

Several Offers are given including the sensible "Sans faire rien"

The Kingston Trio (not scholars, exactly) at  Clicky sing:
One night she caught King Henry, he was in the canteen bar. Said he, "Are you Jane
Seymour, Anne Bolyn, or Katherine Parr?
How the sweet san perryann do I know who you are with your head tucked underneath your
arm?"

But they also Americanize the football lines:  (ie, Processed)
The sentries think that it's a football that she carries in and when they had a few they shout,
"Is Army going to win?"
They that it's Red Grange instead of poor old Ann Bolyn with her head tucked underneath her arm.

Charles Colyer claimed to give the original words in a 27-Oct-97 post. Clicky   He used the British football words ("Is Ars'nal going to win?" They think it's Alec James Instead of poor old Anne Boleyn,)  & how the sweet san fairy ann  (this was several days after another posted how the sweet Sam Perryham.)

Anyway, I've listened to Stanley Holloway on my old LP 243 times now and I still can't be sure of this or the football lines.  I've also done a pretty good search by now.

So:  Can anyone fer certain verify the lines as sung by Holloway and/or as originally written.  Charles, seems believable but unfortunately didn't give his source.