The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #187   Message #2387791
Posted By: Steve Gardham
13-Jul-08 - 11:47 AM
Thread Name: Origin: Farewell, My Bluebell? / Blue Bell
Subject: RE: Origin: Farewell, My Bluebell / Blue Bell
My grandfather sang a parody of 'My Own Bluebell'.

I entered into an alehouse, I entered the Music hall,
The singer was singing 'Bluebell', you could hear him in Montreal.
The first and the second sang 'Bluebell' and so did the following one,
And when the fourth turn started, as soon as he came on,
He gave us 'Bluebell' and then he gave a yell,
For someone had hit him with a big dumb-bell.
Now he's an angel with a golden harp as well.
he can't play 'Bill Bailey' so he plays 'Bluebell'.

One day I went to the races, I thought I could make some tin,
I spotted a horse called Bluebell and everyone said it would win,
It being a public fancy, everyone had backed it well,
so I thought I'd go and chance it so I went and backed Bluebell.
When I backed Bluebell I went to see the start,
before half the race was o'er me mouth was in me heart,
Then someone shouted, 'Old Bluebell's gone and fell!'
Well, the laguage that followed it was bluer than Bluebell.

One night I went out burgling, I entered a house at dark,
And as I got into Bluebell's room, I fairly got a start,
For she had a loaded pistol and she held it against my head.
She said, 'Marry me or I'll fire,' but I looked at her face and said,
'Goodbye, old Bluebell, farewell, adieu,
I've seen better faces on the monkeys in the zoo,
When I first saw you I thought you was a beaut,
But if that's your face it's a damn disgrace, and for the Lord's sake shoot!'

I now sing the song myself on occasions, along with other songs from the family repertoire. This one is in typical later MH style, with it's 3 disconnected comic stanzas on a theme.