The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #147400   Message #3415777
Posted By: Owen Woodson
07-Oct-12 - 06:16 AM
Thread Name: Jollopy Tea. What is It? [in song: Any Complaints]
Subject: Lyr Add: ANY COMPLAINTS
In verse three of the song Any Complaints, there is a reference to "Jollopy Tea". Does anybody know what jollopy means?

Many thanks.

ANY COMPLAINTS

When I joined the army a few weeks ago,
I left a good home to come here;
I just couldn't eat any breakfast at all,
My stomach was feeling so queer;
For the sight of those browned ham and eggs on the plate
Filled me with loathing, I fear,
But if I had known then, chum
Just what I know now,
I'd have eaten enough for a year.
Tell me, boys, have you any complaints?

The very next morning they bunged us some fish
And, believe me, boys, that fish was cute,
For that so-and-so fish it stood up in the dish
And it gave us the fascist salute;
Well, the fellas turned pale as they rose from their seats,
Some of them more than half dead,
You can take it from me that the war would have stopped
If they'd given it the Nazis instead.
Tell me, boys, have you any complaints?

Every Monday, for dinner, they give us 'brown stew'
And on Tuesday as well for a treat,
We get stew so often, chum, that we thank God
That there's only seven days in a week.
For the stew is 'browned stew' and there's jollopy tea,
They've all fancy names for the scoff;
It would be far more honest to say that 'browned stew'
Was stew that was bloody browned-off.
Tell me boys, have you any complaints?