The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #113776 Message #2421708
Posted By: Matthew Edwards
25-Aug-08 - 09:16 AM
Thread Name: Liverpool Children's Rhymes
Subject: Liverpool Children's Rhymes
After adding to the Seth Davy/Whisky on Sunday thread I remembered that the author of the song, Glyn Hughes, was at one time joint "curator" of the Scouse Museum with Frank Shaw. Frank Shaw published a booklet of children's rhymes You Know Me Anty Nelly? in 1969 which captures the real flavour of childish cheek and humour.
Samples:
Me Uncil Joe
Me Uncil Joe He was a savidge, He dipped his nose In pickled cabbidge, He ate the meat, An' chewed the gristle an' That is how he learnt to Whistle.
The Ould Feller
Never light the fire wid yer father's wooden leg, Never strike a match on yer ould feller's baldy patch... Don't throw stones at yer father ---- Throw bricks at yer mother instead.
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside the green grass grows, And there little Mary washes her clothes, She danced and she sung so sweet She called her sweetheart down the street. Sweetheart, sweetheart, will you marry me? Next Monday morning the wedding will be, Iced cakes and cheese cakes are all for tea, We shall have a baby at half past three.
As an extra treat the wonderful BBC TV documentary Morning in the Streets features some scenes of children at play in Liverpool from 1959. This programme was made by Denis Mitchell and Frank Shaw and has only recently been re-released by the BBC as part of their policy of making their archives available online.