The first time I heard the tune was sometime in the 1950s. Phil Harris (bandleader and comic on The Jack Benny Show for years, and later, one-half of The Phil Harris – Alice Faye Show) came out with the novelty song, "The Thing." Got a lot of play on radio and on juke boxes.

Next time I heard it, shortly thereafter was Richard Dyer-Bennet singing "The Lincolnshire Poacher." Then, a friend of mine, Ken Manus, singing "The Chandler's Wife."

Here's Phil Harris with "The Thing."

Don Firth