Lyr Add: Monk of Great Renown, The

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MONK OF GREAT RENOWN
From: Charley Noble
Date: 15 Oct 04 - 10:11 AM

There is some discussion of this old bawdy song in the threads and at least one version described. Here's another version that Richard Dyer-Bennet used to sing back in the early 1950's when visiting my family, as remembered by my mother. He also recorded a different version called "The Friar of Great Renown" in an album titled 1601.



MONK OF GREAT RENOWN, THE

(As sung by Richard Dyer-Bennet in the early 1950's as remembered by Dahlov Ipcar
Traditional bawdy song)

There was an old monk of great renown,
There was an old monk of great renown;
He fucked all the maidens of Camden town..

Chorus:

The old sod, the old sod,
The dirty old sod he did, he did;
The dirty old sod he did!

He took them all into his lily white bed,
He took them all into his lily white bed;
And one poor maiden he buggered her dead. (CHO)

The other old monks cried out, "For shame!"
The other old monks cried out, "For shame!"
So he fucked her back to life again. (CHO)

The other old monks to end his frolics,
The other old monks to end his frolics;
They took a big knife and they cut off his bollocks.

New Chorus:

The old sods, the old sods,
The dirty old buggers they did, they did;
The dirty old buggers they did!

And now I come to the end of my tale,
And now I come to the end of my tale;
They carried his bollocks away in a pail. (CHO)

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Monk of Great Renown, The
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Oct 04 - 10:18 AM

Made 'em into Rocky Mountain Oysters and et them up, did they, Charley?**bg**

kat

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Monk of Great Renown, The
From: GUEST,Vic Gammon
Date: 02 Aug 13 - 04:03 AM

Pepys ballads 3.43

THE
Lusty Friar of Dublin:
With an Account how he was catch'd a Bed with another Man's Wife, and for
that Cause was adjudg'd to part with his Codlings to his great Grief.
To the Tune of Old Simon the King. Licensed according to Order.

This is the same plot as 'Monk of great renown' -
though much more extensive and elaborate.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Monk of Great Renown, The
From: Lighter
Date: 02 Aug 13 - 04:55 PM

Gordon collected a brief version of the modern song sung to the shanty "A-Rovin'" in the 1920s. Presumably it was sung at sea around 1890.

It's tempting to see the later version as a descendant of Pepys's song, but perhaps they are related only by the theme.

Note that in 20th century versions, the woman is sometimes brought back to life.

Subject: Lyr Add: THERE WAS A MONK OF GREAT RENOWN
From: Joe_F
Date: 02 Aug 13 - 08:16 PM

THERE WAS A MONK OF GREAT RENOWN

(As sung at St Andrews University, ca. 1959)

1. NARRATOR (sings): There was a monk of great renown, (3x)
                      Who bought a whore for half a crown.

CHORUS
CONGREGATION (speaks): The sod!
                        The dirty sod!
                        The bastard deserves to die.
NARRATOR (speaks): How shall he die?
CONGREGATION (shouts): Fuck him!
                        (After 2. also:) Double-fuck him!
                        (After 3. also:) Triple-fuck him!
                        (After 4. also:) Quadruple-fuck him!
NARRATOR (whispers): Shhhh! Here comes the vicar.
VICAR (speaks): A prayer for those in trouble.
CONGREGATION (shouts): Abortion!
VICAR (speaks): A prayer for the frustrated.
CONGREGATION (shouts): Fuck!
VICAR (speaks): A prayer for the constipated.
CONGREGATION (shouts): Shit!
VICAR (speaks): A prayer for the castrated.
CONGREGATION (shouts): Balls!
VICAR (speaks): Gentlemen! What have we said?
                Let us pray for the soul of Brother Banglestein.
CONGREGATION (sings): Glory, glory, hallelujah!
                      Balls for Brother Banglestein,
                      Banglestein, Banglestein,
                      Balls for Brother Banglestein,
                      Dirty old man!
                      For he keeps us waiting
                      While he's masturbating,
                      So balls for Brother Banglestein,
                      Dirty old man!

2. NARRATOR (sings): His brother monks were so annoyed
                      'Cos with a woman he had toyed,

3.                     They put an end to all his frolics,
                      For with a knife they cut off his ballocks,

4.                     And now, bereft of all desire,
                      He sings soprano in the choir,

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Monk of Great Renown, The
From: Charley Noble
Date: 03 Aug 13 - 06:10 PM

So nice to see some of the bits that were nipped off from this old song.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Monk of Great Renown, The
From: Lighter
Date: 03 Aug 13 - 06:45 PM

Ouch!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Monk of Great Renown, The
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 03 Aug 13 - 07:56 PM

Back in the mid-1940's, New York college kids sang this with the chorus:
(Building in intensity and volume)
The bastard!
The dirty bastard!
Fuck 'im!
Shit!
Weasel shit! (With Weasel drawn out and shouted)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Monk of Great Renown, The
From: Jack Horntip
Date: 20 May 25 - 08:11 AM

This song has two entries in the Ballad Index.

Entry #1: https://balladindex.org/Ballads/EM338.html

---

Balls to Mister Banglestein

DESCRIPTION: "Balls to Mister Banglestein, Banglestein, Banglestein, Balls to Mister Banglestein, Dirty old man. For he keeps us waiting While he's masturbating, So balls to Mister Banglestein, Dirty old man."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1960
KEYWORDS: bawdy nonballad
FOUND IN: US
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Cray-EroticMuse, pp. 338-339, "Balls to Mister Banglestein" (1 text, 1 tune)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Ach, Du Lieber, Augustin" (tune)
File: EM338

---

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography

The Ballad Index Copyright 2025 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Monk of Great Renown, The
From: Jack Horntip
Date: 20 May 25 - 08:14 AM



Entry #2: https://balladindex.org/Ballads/EM037.html

---

Monk of Great Renown, The

DESCRIPTION: A monk has sex with one or more women until his fellows abruptly put a halt to his misadventures.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1967 (Morgan/Green-RugbySongs)
KEYWORDS: bawdy sex death burial clergy
FOUND IN: Canada Britain(England) US(MW,SW)
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Cray-EroticMuse, pp. 37-42, "The Monk of Great Renown" (3 texts, 1 tune; a piece to a different tune but with the same sort of plot occurs on p. 265 under "Ditties")
Morgan/Green-RugbySongs, p. 91, "The Monk of Great Renown" (1 text)
Hopkins-SongsFromTheFrontAndRear, p. 184, "The Old Monk" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #10137
RECORDINGS:
Anonymous singer, "The Monk of Priory Hall" (on Unexp1)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Horse Shit"
ALTERNATE TITLES:
The Squire of Great Renown
File: EM037

---

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography

The Ballad Index Copyright 2025 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Monk of Great Renown, The
From: Robert B. Waltz
Date: 20 May 25 - 12:08 PM

Jack Horntip wrote: This song has two entries in the Ballad Index.

I would note that this isn't my opinion, really -- this was Ed Cray's area of expertise, not mine! He was the one who filed the two songs separately in his book, and also when he indexed The Erotic Muse for us.

Presumably Ed thought the "Balls to Mr. Banglestein" lyric was a floater, or something, in the "Monk of Great Renown" text. But I don't know. I do know that many versions of the "Monk" do not include that lyric -- e.g. Rugby Songs doesn't. So if forced to opine, I'd agree with Ed. "Balls" is a floater.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Monk of Great Renown, The
From: Jack Horntip
Date: 20 May 25 - 06:58 PM

The Monk of Priory Hall

[slowly]
There was a monk of Priory Hall
There was a monk of Priory Hall
There was a monk of Priory Hall
[quickly] Who bashed his balls against the wall

Spoken (one person):

The old sod.
The dirty old bastard.
The bugger deserves to die

Chorus (tune "Ach, Du Lieber, Augustin) (everyone!):

Balls to Mr. Banglestein, Banglestein, Banglestein
Balls to Mr. Banglestein,
Dirty old man
When he's not copulating
Then he's masturbating
So balls to Mr. Banglestein
Dirty old man.

[slowly]
He met a girl with jet black hair
He met a girl with jet black eyes
He met a girl with jet black eyes
[quickly] And jet black hair between her thighs.

Spoken (one person):

The old sod.
The dirty old bastard
The bugger deserves to die

Chorus (tune "Ach, Du Lieber, Augustin) (everyone!):

Balls to Mr. Banglestein, Banglestein, Banglestein
Balls to Mr. Banglestein,
Dirty old man
When he's not copulating
Then he's masturbating
So balls to Mr. Banglestein
The dirty old man.

[slowly]
He took her to his lily white bed
He took her to his lily white bed
He took her to his lily white bed
[quickly] And fucked her and fucked her 'til she was dead.

Spoken (one person):

The old sod.
The dirty old bastard
The bugger deserves to die

Chorus (tune "Ach, Du Lieber, Augustin) (everyone!):

Balls to Mr. Banglestein, Banglestein, Banglestein
Balls to Mr. Banglestein,
Dirty old man
For he keeps us waiting
While he's masturbating
So balls to Mr. Banglestein

[slowly]
He bowed his grief and pain
He bowed his grief and pain
He bowed his grief and pain
[quickly] So he fucked her back to life again

Spoken (one person):

The old sod.
The dirty old bastard
The bugger deserves to die

Chorus (tune "Ach, Du Lieber, Augustin) (everyone!):

Balls to Mr. Banglestein, Banglestein, Banglestein
Balls to Mr. Banglestein,
Dirty old man
For he keeps us waiting
While he's masturbating
So balls to Mr. Banglestein
Dirty old man.

1960. Transcribed from the singing of an anonymous person on The Unexpurgated Folk-songs of Men LP.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Monk of Great Renown, The
From: Jack Horntip
Date: 20 May 25 - 07:17 PM

MR. WINKELSTEIN.

The monk stood in the Priory Hall;
The monk stood in the Priory Hall;
The monk stood in the Priory Hal
        Bashing his balls against the all
The old BASTARD! The old SOD!
What'll we do with him? FUCK 'IM1
FUCK 'IM AGIN!
Glory, glory, Hallelujah!
SHIT!
Balls to Mr Winkelstein, Winkelstein, Winkelstein
Balls to Mr Winkelstein, dirty old man.
For he keeps us waiting while he's masturbating,
So balls to Mr Winkelstein, dirty old man
He ups 'em, he downs 'em, he fucks 'm, he drowns 'em
So balls to Mr. Winkelstein, dirty old man.

There passed a maid with downcast eyes (3)
        He flashed his hand between her thighs.
The old BASTARD! etc.

The other monks they cried with shame (3)
        And wished that they could do the same
The old BASTARDS! etc.

The bishop in repentance sat (3)
        Pulling himself into his hat.
The old BASTARD! etc.

The friar invited a girl to supper (3),
        And in a flash the bastard was up her.
The old BASTARD! etc.


[Hand written additions]

There as a monk called Thomas Aquinas (3)
        who always drank whisky out of vaginas.

The monks they though their life complete (3)
        because the nuns were always on heat.

There was a lady they called the Madonna (3)
        and all the bishops used to get on her.

1950s. From Obiter Dicta MS by Donald Laycock.



See here: https://archive.org/details/1979obiterdictadonaldclaycock/page/n17/mode/1up?q=bastard

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Monk of Great Renown, The
From: Jack Horntip
Date: 20 May 25 - 08:44 PM

BALLS TO MR BANGLESTEIN

1.        There was a Monk of great renown
        There was a monk of great renown
        There was a monk of great renown
        He screwd the girls for miles around
                He screwed the girls for miles around

Chorus! The old bastard! The dirty old sod!
        the dirty old dickie lisker.

         Fugim!         Fugim again!
                The bastard deseres to die!

        Brethren let us pray:

         Glory glory halleluia.
                
                Singing:
        
        Balls to Mr Banglestien, Banglestien Banglestien,
        Balls to Mr Banglestien, dirty old man
        Now he keeps us waiting while he's masterbating
        So balls to Mr Banglestien, dirty old man.

2.         He led her to his lily white bed
        He led her to his lily white bed
        He led her to his lily white bed
        And there he screwed her till she was dead.

3.        The other monks cried out "Oh shame"
        The other monks cried out "Oh shame"
        The other monks cried out "Oh shame"
        And then they went and did the same.

4.        Now this monk died and went to hell
        Now this monk died and went to hell
        Now this monk died and went to hell
        And there he buggered the devil as well!

(About all we can say about the tune is that the chorus follows
O Gu Lieber Augustine for the balls to Mr. Banglestien part while the
rest is a sort of chant. For the most part it takes a very serious
and classical tune. If you don't know it, try one out. It's probably
better than the one we use.)

1950s. Banglestien's Bar. Songbook with Korean War military songs and other drinking songs.


See here: https://archive.org/details/1950s-banglesteins-bar/page/n1/mode/1up

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Monk of Great Renown, The
From: Jack Horntip
Date: 21 May 25 - 06:17 AM

Balls to Mr. Banglestein

There was a monk of Priory Hall
There was a monk in Priory Hall
There was a monk of Priory Hall
Who bashed his balls against the wall.

Balls to Mr. Banglestein, Banglestein, Banglestein
Balls to Mr. Banglestein
Dirty old man
When he's not copulating
Then he's masturbating
So Balls to Mr. Banglestein
Dirty old man

He met a girl with jet back eyes
He met a girl with jet back eyes
He met a girl with jet back eyes
And jet black hair between her thighs

Balls to Mr. Banglestein, Banglestein, Banglestein
Balls to Mr. Banglestein
Dirty old man
When he's not copulating
Then he's masturbating
So Balls to Mr. Banglestein
Dirty old man

He took her to his lily white bed
He took her to his lily white bed
He took her to his lily white bed
And screwed her 'til she was nearly dead

Balls to Mr. Banglestein, Banglestein, Banglestein
Balls to Mr. Banglestein
Dirty old man
When he's not copulating
Then he's masturbating
So Balls to Mr. Banglestein
Dirty old man

He took her down a leafy lane
He took her down a leafy lane
He took her down a leafy lane
And he screwed her back to life again [Spoken:] That bastard deserves to die!

Balls to Mr. Banglestein, Banglestein, Banglestein
Balls to Mr. Banglestein
Dirty old man
When he's not copulating
Then he's masturbating
So Balls to Mr. Banglestein
Dirty old man

1975. Transcribed from the LP Ribald Classics Vol. 5: Pheasant Pluckers.
The last in a series LPs giving unexpurgated drinking songs. Issued in
Australai by the AO [Adults Only] Record company.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Monk of Great Renown, The
From: Jack Horntip
Date: 21 May 25 - 06:32 AM

THE MONK

There was a monk of great renown,
There was a monk of great renown,(2x)
He fucked all the harlots around the town, (2x)

CHORUS:        The old bastard. The old sod.
        What will we do with him?
                                Fuck him.
        Let us spray[sic]-
                Glory Glory Allelujah-- shit.
        Balls to Mr Winklestein, Winklestein, Winklestein,
        Balls to Mr Winklestein, dirty old man
        For he keeps us waiting while he's masturbating
        So balls to Mr Winlestein, dirty old man
        He upsem, he downsem
        He fucksem, he downsem
        So balls to Mr Winklestein, dirty old man.

The monk stood in the prior hall, (3)
He fucked a nun against a wall. (2)

The other monks looked up in shame, (3)
And wished that they could do the same. (2)

There came a maid with downcast eyes, (3)
They bashed it in between her thighs. (2)

They buried her beneath the grass. (3)
Then dug her up and fucked her arse. (2)

1967. Fester 1967. Printed and published by the Society for
the Promotion of Immoral Impulses and the Stamp Out Virgins
Society, at their unregistered office, [ blanks space ], NewZealand.
A New Zealand mimeographed college songbook.


See here: https://archive.org/details/1967-fester-from-mb-in-new-zealand/mode/1up?q=winklestein

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Monk of Great Renown, The
From: Jack Horntip
Date: 21 May 25 - 07:04 AM

THE MONK OF PRIORTY HALL

There was a monk of great renown
There was a monk of great renown
There was a monk of great renown,
He fucked all the harlots around the town,
He fucked all the harlots around the town.

CHORUS:        The old bastard. The old sod.
        What will we do with him? Fuck him.
        Let us pray-
                Glory Glory Allelulah -- shit.
        Balls to Mr Winklestein, Winklestein, Winklestein,
        Balls to Mr Winklestein, dirty old man
        For he keeps us waiting while he's masturbating
        So balls to Mr Winlestein, dirty old man
        He ups 'em, he downs 'em
        He fucks 'em, he drowns 'em
        So balls to Mr Winklestein, dirty old man.

The monk stood in the Priory Hall, (3)
He fuck a nun against a wall (2)

The other monks looked up in shame (3)
And wished that they could do the same (2)

There came a maid with downcast eyes (3)
They bashed it in between her thighs (2)

They buried her beneath the grass. (3)
The dug he up and fucked her arse. (2)

1970s. Untitled Australian songbook. Received from Mal Johnson.


See here: https://archive.org/details/1970s-untitled-songbook-32pgs-from-mal-johnson