Origins: The Hole in the Elephant's Bottom

Subject: RE: Origins: The hole in the elephants bottom
From: Charley Noble
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 05:52 PM

Bettle-

Exactly! I really didn't have time this morning to type up the whole thing.

Now I am curious about earlier versions if people would like to post them.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: Lyr Add: THE HOLE IN THE ELEPHANT'S BOTTOM
From: Fred (Beetle) Bailey
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 05:36 PM

The version by Count Palmiro Vicarion, see the reference above, goes as follows, but with no melody or attribution:

My ambitions's to go on the stage,
From this you can see that I've got 'em
In pantomime I'm all the rage,
I'm the hole in the elephant's bottom.

Oh! The girls all think that I'm it,
As they sit in the stalls I can spot 'em,
And I wink at the girls in the pit
Through the hole in the elephant's bottom.

One night we performed in a farce
And they stuffed up the bottom with cotton,
But it split and I showed my bare arse
Through the hole in the elephant's bottom.

There are pockets inside in the cloth
For two bottles of Bass, if you've got 'em.
But they hiss and they boo when I blow out the froth
Through the hole in the elephant's bottom.

Now my part hasn't got any words
But there's nothing that can't be forgotten,
I spent all my time pushing property turds
Through the hole in the elephant's bottom.

Some may think that this story is good
And some may believe that it's rotten,
But those that don't like it can stuff it right up
The hole in the elephant's bottom.

Should the Japanese make an attack,
Then hundreds of bombs -- they will drop 'em,
But we'll keep 'em at bay with an Oerliken gun
Through the hole in the elephant's bottom.




enjoy!!

Subject: DTADD: The hole in the elephants bottom
From: BanjoRay
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 10:07 AM

Has anyone got a full set of verses they could let us all have? I have a probably incomplete version I learned in the 60s - I performed it at my Wedding party in '74.

Here's what I still remember:

The Hole In The Elephant's Bottom

I wanted to go on the stage
But at acting I simply was rotten
Now in pantomime I'm all the rage
As the hole in the elephant's bottom

Chorus
Ai, Ai, Ai-Ai
Ai, Ai, Ai-Ai-Ai
Over valley and hill there is no greater thrill
Than the hole in the elephants bottom

Now the eyes they are made of brown glass
Ventilation's completely forgotten
But you'd be surprised at the wind that can pass
Through the hole in the elephant's bottom

Oh there's plenty of room down inside
For bottles of beer if you've got 'em
The audience laugh as I blow off the froth
Through the hole in the elephant's bottom

Oh the audience think me a wit (suitable emphasis here!)
As they sit in the stalls I can spot 'em
And I wink at the girls in the pit
Through the hole in the elephant's bottom

A lady she chased after me
She said "You're a star, I can spot 'em"
I said "No Lady, thanks, I'm not Douglas Fairbanks
I'm the hole in the elephant's bottom"

Now I don't have to learn any words
There's no script to get quickly forgotten
I just sit in the back shoving property turds
Through the hole in the elephant's bottom

Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Origins: The hole in the elephants bottom
From: Charley Noble
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 08:54 AM

The manuscript I have is from a draft of Christopher Logue's BOOK OF BAWDY BALLADS subsequently published in 1962. He was editing a collection from his old "friend" Count Palmiro Vicarion.

The last verse is clearly of WW II vintage:

Should the Japs make an attack,
Then hundreds of bombs - they will drop 'em,
But we'll keep 'em at bay with an Oerliken gun
Through the hole in the elephant's bottom.

No reference to the King and the Queen or the Strand.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Origins: The hole in the elephants bottom
From: GUEST,banjoman
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 05:42 AM

I always thought this song was from the age of the Music Hall as one of the verses refers to walking down the Strand and meeting the Knig & Queen and shaking the King's hand thro' the Hole in the Elephant's Bottom.
Its a great song and always sure to get an audience laughing.
Is the Tommy Burton mentioned above the same one who was a regular on Pebble Mill at One?

Subject: RE: Origins: The hole in the elephants bottom
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 04:09 AM

I've heard it attributed to Harry Champion, but I can't give you anything to back that up. You could try the British Music Hall Society.

Steve

Subject: RE: Origins: The hole in the elephants bottom
From: Tyke
Date: 29 Oct 03 - 09:07 PM

I have found a version of this song in The Official Book of Bawdy Ballads First published in Great Britain by Futura Publications Limited in 1979 (ISBN 0 7088 1619 3) Composer is given credit in this compilation however the complation is copyright Futura Publications Limited 1979
Futura Publications Limited
110 Warner Road
Camberwell
London
SE5

Due to possible Copyright issues I'll PM the version used in this complation

Subject: RE: Origins: The hole in the elephants bottom
From: Jazzcat
Date: 29 Oct 03 - 06:52 PM

Not sure which of the lyrics are being used - An popular Jazz artist in the UK Tommy Burton sadly died some time ago and an old tape of his has been produced on CD with the proceeds going to the Guide Dogs which was one of Tommy's charities and we should acknowledge the composer on the CD but are unable to trace him/her.
Thanks
Jazz Cat

Subject: RE: Origins: The hole in the elephants bottom
From: Charley Noble
Date: 29 Oct 03 - 04:07 PM

The song's been around since at least the 1930's, in various forms. What lyrics are you using?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: Origins: Who wrote the following song
From: Jazzcat
Date: 29 Oct 03 - 03:21 PM

Hi there
Does anyone know who composed the song The Hole in the elephants bottom?
This is needed for a CD that we are creating with proceeds going to the blind dogs association in the UK.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers