As sung in 1982 by Jimmie Gavin of Brooklyn, New York, this old song captures the spirit of the tenant/tenant hassle. Jimmie had a long history as an organizer, for many years working with the National Maritime Union and after retirement working to organize tenants. Jimmie had this to say about this song:

"This song was written by a pal of mine, Bill Rogers, back in 1935 while he was serving time in Sing Sing. Bill was a strong arm man for the Union. Many the time we'd be having a drink on the West Side and he'd sing this song."

FAMILY OVERHEAD, THE
(By Bill Rogers, circa 1935 as sung by Jimmie Gavin; tune traditional Irish "The Son of a Gambolier")

Upstairs there lives a family,
Gilhooley is their name,
And I haven't had a wink of sleep
Since in the house they came.

Chorus:

With their howling and their bowling,
They'd wake the f***ing dead;
They're a bunch of filthy bastards,
Are the family overhead!

The old man he comes raving home,
He pounds the bastard walls;
The old lady plays "Mavornian"   
Till she'd burst your f***ing balls.(CHO)

Oh, there's Norey and there's Corey
And the cursed Christ on Kate;
There's Ninnie and there's Denny
And they're never home till late. (CHO)

The other night I lay asleep,
I had a pleasant dream;
I dreamt that I was floating
In a lake so cool and clean;
You can swim right all around me now,
Dive from me f***ing bed,
For they've broke the bleeding waterpipe,
Them bastards overhead! (CHO)

Bet this one hasn't seen the light of day in a long time. It's from my working draft of the Housing Song Book.

Warm regards,
Landlady's Daughter, not to be confused with Charley Noble