Subject: back of bus songs From: JudeL Date: 15 Jul 01 - 10:41 AM There seems to be a whole load of songs that don't tend to get sung except on the bus on trips away, and they're mostly the sort of songs that different people might come up with another extra verse that they remembered from another group. I'd all but forgotten about them, not having sung any since I was a kid & then I heard some of them again (very late in an after hours mammoth song session). one of the ones I know bits of is: Oh I have an aunty Anna and she plays the grand pianna she can also play the fiddle up the sides and down the middle Chorus Did you ever see? Did you ever see? Did you ever see such a funny thing before? Oh I had a brother Mike , and he road a motor bike he could take you round the Gower in a quarter of an hour Chorus etc until the verses run out another one like that is "the quartermasters store" - which I suppose must be an old forces song
Does anyone else know/remember them & can contribute extra verses?
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Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: Little Hawk Date: 15 Jul 01 - 10:52 AM This is slightly off topic, but there was a truly dreadful pop song in the 60's about some guy named Fred, sitting in the back of a bus, with all these girls kissing him, while the guy who is driving the bus is wondering why he can't be "like Fred". It was a good subject for parodies, but it was hard to come up with one more ridiculous than the original song. - LH |
Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: JudeL Date: 15 Jul 01 - 10:58 AM Yeah , Fred seems to have been a popular name to use about then - there was another song about a bunch of men trying to move a piano "right said Fred" that was very tongue in cheek, part of the chorus was - and we was gettin nowhere an so.....we had another cup of teas. Jude |
Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: GUEST,Denise:^) Date: 15 Jul 01 - 10:59 AM Oh--I always thought they were in a car... (Fred, the girls "kissin' & a-huggin'" with him, and the poor guy driving.) Guess I'd gotten the idea that they were on a double date, and Fred ended up with both girls. I may have to look that one up! Anyway, the Kitchen Musician has 2 "Back of the Bus" medleys on the midi section of the website... http://members.aol.com/kitchiegal/ They were written with hammered dulcimer in mind, but, "notes is notes..." Denise:^) |
Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: Little Hawk Date: 15 Jul 01 - 11:05 AM Hmmmm...maybe it was a car, Denise. I assumed it was a bus for some reason. - LH |
Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: JudeL Date: 15 Jul 01 - 11:09 AM nice site Denise - must revisit it when my son has persuaded my soundcard to stop sulking. |
Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: Mountain Dog Date: 15 Jul 01 - 11:23 AM There are a couple of infamously interminable songs I recall from my days in the back of the bus (usually a bus bearing our troop of Boy Scouts to or from a weekend of camping and improvised mayhem...) "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall", of course, headed the list, but it was closely followed by "The Ants Go Marching One by One". One of the great things about such singalongs was that it mattered not a whit whether or not one could carry a tune in order to participate at the top of one's lungs. Another was the ease with which even the rank novice (and many of our little heathen tribe were rank indeed, especially at the end of a weekend camping excursion!) could catch on to the lyrics. Of course, the best thing of all was watching the bus driver's head begin to spin like Linda Blair in a centrifuge after about Beer number 54 had been taken down from the wall and passed around... As far as songs from the back of the bus that I'd like to sing again, that will take some loooooooooooong thought... |
Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: Little Hawk Date: 15 Jul 01 - 12:33 PM Yes, it's really just a way of torturing bus drivers. We had one that stopped the bus and threatened to throw the singers off it one time...after about 48 choruses of 99 bottles. - LH |
Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: Snuffy Date: 15 Jul 01 - 12:52 PM The first one you quoted is COSHER BAILEY'S ENGINE. You could also do things like Lily the Pink, or the limerick song "That was a terrible song, sing us another one, just like the other one, sing us another one do. Wassail! V |
Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: GUEST Date: 15 Jul 01 - 01:00 PM JudL That song is "Cosher Bailey" in the DT. Very much South Wales Traditional. The test was to improvise verses for the occasion, in the pub or club those that could not improvise bought the round. Incidently, being nitty picky the chorus I learnt here in Caerphilly was -
Have you ever saw But I don't think this is the thread for discussions on that hybred dialect known as Swelsh - Now being submerged between Estuary English, and Godelpus, North (S4C) Welsh. Gareth |
Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: Mr Red Date: 15 Jul 01 - 01:59 PM I recorded the words from a couple of girl guides of the song "Shine Your Buttocks" they learned it from their guide mistress Miss Red (before she faded) told me she used to sing it with her school chums (on the bus I assume). I have since heard versions from folkies who would have sung it in the 60's. I would deduce it is post war but may have originated earlier as "Shine your Buttons" I put the words in a .PDF file along with assorted other collected bits on my website in the songs sectioncresby.com |
Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: Megan L Date: 15 Jul 01 - 02:21 PM Fred was definately in a car, but there was a bus song at about the same time that went "One more time around Picadilly Circus, Driver follow that bus. It's a shame the way the rich folk treat us. Everybody's rich bar us" |
Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: Noreen Date: 15 Jul 01 - 02:52 PM Seven Little Girls Sitting in the Back Seat recorded by Paul Evans in the 50s/60s (I thought it was older- my mum used to sing it to us four little girls, sitting in the back seat!) Noreen |
Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: mg Date: 15 Jul 01 - 02:57 PM Keep your mind on your driving. Keep your hands on the wheel. Keep your snoopy eyes on the road ahead. We're having fun, sitting in the back seat, Kissing and a-hugging with Fred. For some reason, the older girls at my grade school liked to start off the Sodality meetings with that song. Same bunch that decided to wear Panama hats and go around the playground singing "We Gotta Sink the Bismarck." mg |
Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull Date: 15 Jul 01 - 03:22 PM Anyone remember Day Trip To Bangor? |
Subject: Lyr Add: HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO WALES From: toadfrog Date: 15 Jul 01 - 03:31 PM Jude L. Pete Seeger used to sing a song very like that: HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO WALES(Traditional)Have you ever been to Wales, Where they brew the finest ales, If you want to drink on Sunday, You have got to wait 'till Monday. Did you ever see, did you ever see, did you ever see such a funny thing before? Crawshay Bailey's brother Norwich, He was fond of oatmeal porrige, But was sent to Cardiff College, For to get a bit of knowledge. Oh, I have an auntie Anna, and she plays the grand piano, She goes hammer, hammer, hammer, But the neighbors say, God bless her. Tony Eden .......................... But we'll get much nearer heaven, With our own Aneurin Bevin! When I was in England in the 1960's, I tried that on a bunch of young archaeologists, who assured me I had it all wrong; I had left out the 'F' words, and it wasn't "have you ever seen," it was "have you ever saw." Whatever. When I was in high school, we had some 3 and 4 hour bus rides, and you could hear the girls on the back singing all kinds of stuff, e.g. They call her flamin' Mamie, she's a - real hot baby, la de de da, the hottest baby in town! She's a corker, a real New Yorker, The way she burns them down! And when the firemen grow old, and they have to retire, They say that she's the hottest thing since the - Chicago fire! They call her flamin' Mamie, she's a - real hot baby, la de de da, the hottest baby in East Saint Louis,The hottest baby in town! And other stuff in the same vein, and yet more which must have been pretty wild, for they sang under their breath so you couldn't make out the words. Regrettably I was too naive, and too shy, to figure out what all that meant. For our European members, East Saint Louis, Ill. is known today primarily for its bitter poverty, corruption and poor santitation; then, it was known as the wildest and toughest wide-open town there was. |
Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: Bagpuss Date: 15 Jul 01 - 03:38 PM All our back of the bus songs are far too rude to repeat in such polite company! But a couple of the more respectable ones were "Geordie had a Pigeon" and "My Father's a Lavatory Cleaner". Can't be bothered to type out the words right now, but I will do if anyone cares.... Bagpuss |
Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: Amos Date: 15 Jul 01 - 04:12 PM It was a car. The song specifically sites "three little girls, sitting in the back seat, all of them in love with Fred! I said why don't one of you come up and sit beside me? And this is what the pretty girls said: Keep your mind on your driving, keep your hands on the wheel 'Least that's how I remember it!! A |
Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: Brían Date: 15 Jul 01 - 04:23 PM My favoorite was: HORSE MANURE |
Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: Noreen Date: 15 Jul 01 - 04:24 PM Amos, I posted a link to the words above, and it was seven little girls... that Fred musta been some chap! Noreen |
Subject: RE: BS: back of bus songs From: jaze Date: 15 Jul 01 - 06:03 PM Sippin' Cider Through a Straw |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: Mr Red Date: 16 Jul 01 - 05:47 PM Bagpuss "Father's a Lavatory Cleaner" is out of the same stable (stall?) as "Shine your Buttocks" - yes I would like another version please. PM me here if you are too shy to type in public (as it were). jaze Sipping Cider through a Straw sounds interesting - any chance of the lyrics. Didn't Lonnie Donnegan release a version of "Seven Little Girls"? |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: jaze Date: 16 Jul 01 - 06:01 PM Mr. Red, the lyrics are in the DT--sorry I'm not adept at blue clicky's. |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: JulieF Date: 17 Jul 01 - 03:40 AM Bus songs from my youth You cannie throw your granny off a bus I ate a peanut ( a song that went on ofr several miles about the consequences of eating a peanut) Julie |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: Grab Date: 17 Jul 01 - 09:37 AM "The day we went to Blackpool" is rather more memorable. And also rather less printable. "Two little boys" is popular when the ppl on the back seat are coming back from the pub, drunk. :-) Graham. |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: jeffp Date: 17 Jul 01 - 09:55 AM And of course, the song we always sang as the bus pulled into the lot at the end of the journey: To the tune of Auld Lang Syne: We're here because we're here because we're here because we're here The bus drivers had a love/hate relationship with that one. They hated the song, but knew it was the last one they'd have to endure. jeffp |
Subject: Lyr Add: SIPPIN' CIDER THROUGH A STRAW From: GUEST,Margie Date: 17 Jul 01 - 10:14 AM I remember from my girl scout camp days, we always sang 'Sippin Cider through a Straw' Goes like this:
The prettiest girl, I e'er did saw,
I said to her, "Whatcha doin' that fer?",
The moral of, this little joke,
Hope this helps you out. |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: pavane Date: 17 Jul 01 - 10:17 AM I remember a bus trip in Saudi Arabia where everyone was singing Hava Nagila. A kind of protest, really. (Those who've been there will know what I mean) |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: Jim Cheydi Date: 17 Jul 01 - 10:43 AM On our bus trips, we always sang a traditional Bedfordshire song that goes:
'We hate Watford
It's as true today as it was then. |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: BobP Date: 17 Jul 01 - 11:25 AM Anyone remember these Seegerisms? There was an old lady who swallowed a fly" or, the best make-up-a-verse-on-the-spot song . . . Hey Lotte, Lotte, Lotte, Hey Lottie Lottie-O
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Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: Snuffy Date: 17 Jul 01 - 07:42 PM Have you got a tune for that, Jim Cheydi? |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: Brían Date: 17 Jul 01 - 10:39 PM I hadn't considered how much the songs I sang on the back of the bus influenced my taste for folk music.The are both full of gory details and references to body fluids. Brían. |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: catspaw49 Date: 17 Jul 01 - 10:42 PM "In old Ohio, there's a band That's known troughout the land. One hundred twenty marching men All brass and drums so grand. And when the ramp is over The cheers will reach the sky Ohio's field will hear the sound Of the Buckeye Battle Cry." I offer that prelude to the "Buckeye Battle Cry" as a footnote to the days before PC and assorted gender situations, when the OSU Marching Band was all brass and drums, and mainly ALL MALE!!! The bus songs of this group are legendary such as their rendition of the "12 Days of Christmas" ..........12 twats a twitching, 11 lesbians licking, 10 turds a tumbling, 9 nipples dripping, 8 assholes oozing....you get the idea. The harmony was great, especially when the 5 verse came up....."Five Mother Fuckers".....complete with crescendos and decrescendos. There was also a nice harmony piece to the Mickey Mouse Club theme......"S, I, T.....O, N, M.....Y, F, A, C, E........sitonmyface." Alas, they were overtaken by the kinder and gentler world (although I would remind you that a lot of these guys over the years were teaching music to YOUR kids in schools across the country. Spaw |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: JohnB Date: 17 Jul 01 - 11:07 PM We had a tradition on any of our school trips to sing without stopping ALL the way home. This is where I learned many folk songs, also many loonnggg back of the bus songs:- One man went to mow, 99 bottles of beer on the wall, I'll sing you one Oh, Green grow the rushes oh, Cosher Bailey, The Engineers song(really filthy), The limmerick songs(also filthy), Eskimo Nell(same again), Ball of Kerrimuir, We're all queers together, Sine up your buttons with Brasso, Lilly the Pink, The Music Man(with actions), Swing Low Seet Chariot(with actions again). I will stop now before I get bored, I just wish I could remember all the words to them all as well. On the Kissin and Huggin with Fred song, "De doody dum dum, de doody dum dum, de doody dum dum dum" JohnB |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: JudeL Date: 18 Jul 01 - 03:29 AM Gee thanks JC - nice to know who your mates really are Jude (who lives in a village 4 miles from Watford!) |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: pavane Date: 18 Jul 01 - 04:20 AM JohnB, you can find lots of them here Smutty Songs, Dirty Ditties ... and here Squaddie Songs |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: Mr Red Date: 18 Jul 01 - 03:12 PM **correction*** apparently I linked to the wrong file but the "Shine your Buttocks" song should appear now at cresby.com |
Subject: Lyr Add: MY FATHER'S A LAVATORY CLEANER From: Bagpuss Date: 18 Jul 01 - 03:37 PM Other ones I've just remembered are: "The back of the bus are in the huff (because they cannit sing like us)" - to the tune of Johnny I Hardly Knew ye, and "Oh you'll never get to heaven". I also have a vague memory of a yodelling song with lots of actions - anyone refresh my memory with that one? For Mr Red: MY FATHER'S A LAVATORY CLEANER
1. My Father's a lavatory cleaner
Chorus:
2. Some say he died of a fever (chorus)
3. Some say he's buried in gravel (chorus)
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Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: Gervase Date: 18 Jul 01 - 04:38 PM We used to sing a version of Mademoiselle from Armentieres about a fart. Blessed if I can remember all of it, but snippets were: The fart went rolling down the street, Knocked a copper off his feet. The copper drew his rusty pistol And shot the fart from here to Bristol... The Pope of Rome was drinking gin The fart flew down and fell right in. The fart went rolling down his spine And knocked his knackers out of line. Ah, such memories of such rubbish! |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: Brían Date: 18 Jul 01 - 04:39 PM This one was to a tune for a commercial selling canned pasta products: HORSE MANURE We're having horse manure, Found it in the sewer, Horse manure's really great, Makes you throw up in your plate, Hooray! For horse manure. Of course, growing up in rural New England, We would pronounce it Hoss man-OO-uh and SOO-uh which made the song more interesting. I'd like to think my taste in music has matured, but there wer some clever little ditties we sang back then. Brían. |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: Snuffy Date: 18 Jul 01 - 05:06 PM Gervase - you've come up with the ending I was missing here. Many thanks Wassail! V |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: Gervase Date: 18 Jul 01 - 07:18 PM Brilliant, now I've got the beginning of it - ta muchly. But maybe not one for the Middle Bar! |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: Mr Red Date: 19 Jul 01 - 06:56 PM Thanks Bagpuss not yet Miss Red was reading this thread and remarked on what sounded like lyrics to the tune of "On Top of Old Smokey" that she sang with her school chums on the way to play hockey. I have requested the lyrics so maybe in a day or two I can post some words. Quite respectable ones it would appear. |
Subject: Lyr Add: ON TOP OF SPAGHETTI^^^ From: Bagpuss Date: 19 Jul 01 - 07:06 PM To the tune of "On Top Of Old Smokey"
On top of spaghetti
It rolled on the table
It rolled in the garden
It caught the measles |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: bill\sables Date: 19 Jul 01 - 07:09 PM There were also clean songs when I was a kid like; I live to go a rambling , alonmg the Mountain track And as I go I love to sling my knapsack on my back Fal da ree etc. And the ever popular Oh the driver's got the wind up Bill |
Subject: Lyr Add: THE CLEAN SONG From: GUEST,JohnB Date: 20 Jul 01 - 01:00 PM There is one which is called THE CLEAN SONG somewhere I think in DT. The version I know until just near the end goes. The Tune is "Willikins and Dinah."
There once was a sailor who sat on a rock, JohnB |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: Lonesome EJ Date: 20 Jul 01 - 02:34 PM Well, we specialized in actual Folk songs (most of my Jr High and High School bus trips occurred during the 60s Folk Scare) like If I Had a Hammer, Michael Row the Boat Ashore, Puff the Magic Dragon and California Dreamin'. We got to be pretty good, actually. Some of the best harmony singing I've ever done was with that bunch of pimply 15 year olds. Our bus drivers actually encouraged us to sing. |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: mousethief Date: 20 Jul 01 - 02:36 PM JohnB, that's a lot like Sweet Violets, only the latter isn't nearly so dirty. I mean clean. Whatever. It's in the DT as Sweet Violets 2; here's the first verse:
There once was a farmer who took a young miss Sweet violets... (the chorus) ALex |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: Haruo Date: 20 Jul 01 - 06:40 PM If you miss me in the back of the bus, You can't find me nowhere, o-o-oh, Come on over to the front of the bus — I'll be ridin' over there! I'll be ridin' up there, oh,(When I saw the thread I assumed it was Freedom Rider type stuff. Maybe because my childhood travels were mostly by car and rest by train or ship, very little bussing.) Liland If You Miss Me at the Back Of The Bus |
Subject: RE: Back of Bus Songs From: Brían Date: 21 Jul 01 - 07:59 AM this is truly great stuff. I remember snippets of a lot of this stuff. As I said earlier, I think singing this stuff whetted my appetite for singing folk songs. Brían. |
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