happy?

Subject: RE: happy?
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 01 Jun 01 - 06:20 PM

Thanks, Abby!

Subject: RE: happy?
From: Abby Sale
Date: 31 May 01 - 08:43 PM

Susanne: Check the online record stores (eg CDNow.com) underthe song title. Also, some Stanley Holloway in being reissued. My own LP with it is "Stanley Holloway - His Famous Adventures with Old Sam and the Ramsbottoms." This was a reissue of his 1934 78 rpm. I'm sure he recorded it other times too. Oop! I just checked CDNow, myself. They have it on "Stanley Holloway : Pick Oop Tha Musket." $15.49. Enjoy.

Subject: RE: happy?
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 31 May 01 - 05:35 PM

Happy? Certainly! Thanks, Abby!

I'd be even happier, though, if someone could point me in the direction of an available recording! (Or would I have to buy the collected Kingston Trio to get it?)

Subject: RE: happy?
From: Abby Sale
Date: 21 May 01 - 04:11 PM

Walrus: Thank you. I have Partridge' Dict. of Slang and Unconventional English. I forgot to look in it! It agrees with your citation, of course. Two other issues - Putting "Sweet" in front does confuse things and make it look like some variation on 'Sweet F.A,' as fat noted. It doesn't sound at all like that, though.

What I really meant, though, was we don't know for certain what Holloway actually sang or ever had a report that anyone saw the original sheet music. I'd like to know what Weston & Lee put to paper.

Subject: RE: happy?
From: fat B****rd
Date: 20 May 01 - 02:17 PM

To vulgar people like myself sanfairyann is usually spoken as Sweet F**k All or in politer circles Sweet Fanny Adams. Referring to the latter I remember vaguely that Fanny Adams was a child murdered and dismembered by Frederick Baker in Alton, Hampshire and hanged in August 1867. Sailors shortly after would remark something to the effect of "We may as well be fed Sweet Fanny Adams" when complaining about rotten food in the Navy. I do believe there's truth in all of this somewhere. All the best from £fB

Subject: RE: happy?
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 19 May 01 - 06:34 PM

Thanks, Abby, this will be a juicy tidbit to bring back to school on Monday. Favorite song of the year!

Subject: RE: happy?
From: The Walrus
Date: 19 May 01 - 05:50 PM

Abby,

"....BTW, we're still not quite sure, but the one mysterious line seems to be: 'how the sweet san fairy ann do I know who you are' which may or may not be WW I Englishified French, "ca ne fait rien" ('it means nothing.')

The existing discussion is at Mudcat discussion up to last year but still no actual authoritative text....."

What do you consider an authoritative text?
"San Fairy Ann/San Fairy Anna" certainly appears as an entry in "The Long Trail" by John Brophey and Eric Partridge with the above meaning (I can't lay hands on my copy at the moment or I'd quote the entry), but as Partridge was a professional lexicographer is this an authoritative source?.

Just found my copy of "Slang To-day and Yesterday", again by Eric Partridge (1st Pub 1933,1979 reprint ISBN 0 7100 6922 7).
"Sanfairyann. It doesn't matter! Why worry?! G.W.+. French ça ne fait rien."

Walrus

Subject: RE: happy?
From: Amergin
Date: 19 May 01 - 05:12 PM

Yeah I always look forward to these! Thanks Abby!

Subject: RE: happy?
From: sian, west wales
Date: 19 May 01 - 02:40 PM

whenever I see "happy" my heart gives a little jump - it's Abby with one of her historical tidbits!

My gran used to sing with-er-ed-tooked all the time when we was kids!

Thanks Abby

sian

Subject: RE: happy?
From: InOBU
Date: 19 May 01 - 01:20 PM

Abby Abby Abby... From that heading... HOW is anyone going to know this is a good post about Anne Bolin! I was just going to give a one word answer, No, but I am quiet chuft! So... for those who wish to be truely happy, Go to http://sorchadorcha.com, the happyest web site left of Pinewoods... Larry

Subject: happy?
From: Abby Sale
Date: 19 May 01 - 10:51 AM

The mother of Queen Elizabeth of England, Anne Boleyn was beheaded
May 19th, 1536
(born 1507)

But we know that wasn't the end of it at all..

 In the Tower of London, large as life,
 The ghost of Anne Boleyn walks, they declare.
 For Anne Boleyn was once King Henry's wife,
 Until he had the headsman bob her hair.
 Oh, yes, he did her wrong long years ago,
 And she comes back at night to tell him so.

 Chorus: With her head tucked underneath her arm
              She walks the Bloody Tower
              With her head tucked underneath her arm
              At the mid-night hour

                       "Anne Boleyn," R.L. Weston and Bert Lee
                        & sung by you know who, 1934
 
 

BTW, we're still not quite sure, but the one mysterious line seems to be:
'how the sweet san fairy ann do I know who you are'
which may or may not be WW I Englishified French,
"ca ne fait rien" ('it means nothing.')

The existing discussion is at  Mudcat discussion up to last year but still no actual authoritative text.