Lyr Req/Add: Dear Matilda? / Dear Mathilda

Subject: LYR REQ: Dear Matilda, how I loves ya...
From:
Date: 31 Jul 97 - 01:41 AM

The chorus goes:

Dear Matilda, how I loves ya And I've found a happy home With a cowshed and a pig sty Full of cows and pigs and that reminds me Darlin', how's your father, how's your mother I hope they're fine you know I send no kisses, I've been eating onions Yours sincerely, Joe

But what are the verses? from steve ([e-mail])

Subject: Lyr req: Dear Matilda
From:
Date: 18 Mar 98 - 04:44 AM

It's a comic song. The chorus goes:

Dear Matilda, how I loves ya

And I've found a happy home

With a cowshed and a pig stye

Full of cows and pigs and that reminds me

How's your father? How's your mother

I hope they're fine you know

I send no kisses, I've been eating onions

Yours sincerely, Joe

Hope it rings a bell with someone.

Subject: LYR REQ: Dear Matilda
From:
Date: 28 Mar 98 - 03:42 PM

Seems every six months I ask if anyone knows...

It's a English-sounding pub-like song. The chorus goes:

Dear Matilda, how I loves ya
And I've found a happy home
With a cowshed and a pig stye
Full of cows and pigs and that reminds me
How's your father? How's your mother?
I hope they're fine you know
I send no kisses, I've been eating onions
Yours sincerely, Joe

Hope it rings a bell with someone.

Subject: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: steve in ottawa
Date: 22 Mar 04 - 06:29 PM

Does the following one ring a bell with anyone?
(The hits in the forum are just mine, asking away back in the past.
It doesn't get hits with "dear matilda" "cowshed" on either google or google-usenet.)

Dear Matilda, how I loves ya
And I've found a happy home
With a cowshed and a pig sty
Full of cows and pigs and that reminds me
Darlin', how's your father, how's your mother
I hope they're fine you know
I send no kisses, I've been eating onions
Yours sincerely, Joe

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Mar 04 - 07:02 PM

Yours sincerely,
Love forever,
Joe.

Mate sings it, dont have full lyrics, yet.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: breezy
Date: 22 Mar 04 - 07:04 PM

Artisan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: steve in ottawa
Date: 22 Mar 04 - 08:15 PM

Group: Artisan
Album: Rocking at the end of time
Track: 8
Title:Dear Mathilda

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: steve in ottawa
Date: 22 Mar 04 - 08:21 PM

Hit "submit" by mistake there.
Also wanted to mention: song is listed as "traditional".
Never got nearly this far with this request before.
No rush with the lyrics. I will check back *forever* until they appear. :-) Or heck, if all else fails, I can order the CD :-)
Thanks guest and Breezy :-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: breezy
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 06:32 AM

Well thats an idea

young joe turneycock, he got an awful shock ,when into love he fell.
But he was loved as well
How matilda loved his courtin
joe put out his chest,went to find, a nest aplace to call his own,
And soon Matilda got a letter from , the farmers boy that said

'Dear matilda, how I loves you, and I've found a happy home
With a cow shed , and a pigsty, with cows and pigs
and that reminds me
hows your father, hows your mother?
I hope they're well you know
I send no kisses I've been eating onions
I remain yours forever
Joe'


before I go any further, do you know the tune?

Are the geese making a noise on the river.

I was in Ottawa 3 octs back.

Is there snow there today?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: steve in ottawa
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 01:22 PM

I know the tune cold. I've heard it about twelve times but am embarrassed to admit, I'm just terrible at learning lyrics without repetition at least once a week.

Two weeks ago all the snow went away HOORAY! But it's snowing in little dribs and drabs this week. Great big flakes around 11:00AM. Brushing off the cars two mornings in a row. Can't walk at full speed on the sidewalks again. Rats.

Geese? We have some perma-geese and perma-ducks in a few areas (storm sewer outlets?) that don't seem to freeze. Some people seem to take immense pleasure in feeding them. There's one place by the Ottawa River (Des Chenes Rapids, Ottawa side) where, I estimate, some people spread out at least fifty pounds of feed every day, all winter long. Lots of Mallard Ducks and Canada Geese. Curriously, there aren't any perma-gulls in the area -- I guess they can't withstand the cold as well.

As for real geese. I haven't noticed any. Or robins. But Blue Jays and Cardinals, yep. But then, they might be perma-birds as well.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: breezy
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 01:30 PM

then have you learnt the 1st verse yet?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 11:04 PM

What do you mean, you haven't noticed me?

Robin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 08:04 AM

Here are the liner notes, copied from Artisan's website

DEAR MATHILDA
This song was given into our keeping by the late Tom Brown, a traditional singer from East Anglia. Having no children to sing his songs, Tom parcelled them out to friends to keep them alive. (Trad. arr. Bedford with additional verse by Brian Bedford) Vocals – Artisan

Breezy, are the lyrics you've posted complete? Your remark "before I go any further" seems to imply there is more.

This is a very odd song to be called "traditional." It doesn't seem to have a regular rhyme scheme or metrical structure (but then, I don't know the song; I only have the posted lyrics to go by). I wonder if it could be an old music hall song?

And Steve, why aren't Canada geese considered real geese?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: breezy
Date: 25 Mar 04 - 09:08 AM

another 2 verses, but stewie is a slow learner of words so I aint rushing him

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: steve in ottawa
Date: 27 Mar 04 - 03:09 PM

Very slow learner. Been AFK a few days too.

Check out other thread -- voice shot all to...well, not too awful, but kinda crumby from a mild reguritated stomach acid condition(LPR)...which I *think* seems to be healing but it's going kinda slow...

Still, if I return to song circle two or three months from now with this one under my belt, that'd be sweet.

And hey, Robin, do you already know about the Ottawa Song Circle? Should I add you to their e-mail list? Have I made an utter fool of myself by forgetting that we've been introduced?

Jim, it doesn't sound traditional to me either, reminds me of: My Brother, Sylveste, and either the local singer (who, yes, has refused to write it down, though he otherwise seems like a considerate guy) has utterly changed the pauses or Breezy has put commas into...odd...places. "Went to find, a nest" has NO pause the way I know the song.

Canada Geese are real geese, sure, but when I hear "geese" alone, I think of those giant snow white, orange-billed duck-like things, one or two of which always seem to find their way into urban aquatic bird gatherings.

Personally, I think Breezy just hasn't had a chance to check in with his mate who sings this yet. Anyway, I must away to some chores! Vrooom, vroom...vacuuming is a good background to singing, ain't it?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: breezy
Date: 29 Mar 04 - 07:43 AM

what mate .I'm waiting on you?
you got me reviving this song now.
Tell me when your ready for the next lesson or have you got it?


no comma after 'find' my fingers slipped!!


next 2nd verse satrts

'Jo so seldom wrote, that when she got the note'
She thought that it must be,
A letter from some chinee.
Wrote in french and spelt in russian.
She tried splitting it,
Even tried knitting it,
She gave up in dismay,
She put it on a gramaphone , and it began to play../..


Dear Mathilda etc

verse 3 to come

i think I got the commas right this time teach!

helps with revision

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: steve in ottawa
Date: 29 Mar 04 - 11:08 PM

That's my favourite verse.

Thanks, Breezy!

Oddly nice nice gettin it in little pieces.
I'll let y'all know Wednesday if'n verse 2's b'n memorized all proper-like. I only got the one word wrong on verse 1: "thrust out" instead of "put out". Wouldn'a been 'orrible folk-drift.

And for concerned minds who want to know:

The weather was fantastic in Ottawa today. Even saw a sleeveless top on one woman and a short skirt on another. Outside! Really! The ice is out of the river except along the edges and the bays. In Russell, just south of Ottawa, on Sunday I saw about 100 Canada Geese and about eight robins (but not all at once). Going down to 4 degrees C tonight (39F). The brass monkeys are safe.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: JudeL
Date: 30 Mar 04 - 12:27 PM

Been a nice sunny day here too.

Are you ready for the last verse yet?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: breezy
Date: 30 Mar 04 - 12:33 PM

dont rush him, but go ahead if you cant restrain yourself.

'Support yor local folk club'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: steve in ottawa
Date: 30 Mar 04 - 03:02 PM

Ya see, I don't believe anything is memorized unless I remember it a few days later. Hence, the "I'll let y'all know Wednesday." But yeah, I think I've memorized verse 2.

Sometimes I apply the "it's not memorized until you've screwed it up in front of an audience" rule. Messing up always seems to cement all the lyrics in place. Unless your audience is your dog, who never seems to care one way or the other whether you got the words right.

I'll test my memory out on my friend, Kathy, but she's seen me in so me in so many much more embarrassing situations that the rule might not hold.

Cheers,
Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: breezy
Date: 30 Mar 04 - 06:53 PM

Tell me when your ready for v 3 then.

thanks for the weather report.

Do you sing acca or do you play guitar?

Tell us about the folk/song scene in Ott

have you come across Ian Robb?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: steve in ottawa
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 03:54 PM

Got 'em memorized.

Singing is great! Trying Three Score and Ten and Coal Town Road too.

And for the rest, I'll have to reply tomorrow :-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: breezy
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 03:57 PM

Good boy well done
Now do it front of the mirror
If your ready for v3 let me know
j

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: steve in ottawa
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 06:48 PM

Now Breeze, I wouldn'a said they were memorized if they weren't; I already sang enough today for my throat's condition (see stomach acids) including a couple of times through your verses, and I don't sing in front of mirrors...do other people do that?

Regarding ottawa folk scene...that seems to need its own thread; check it out.

Me? I can pick guitar without bar chords well enough. I'd like to play better, but it's hard to learn when I'm mostly interested in singing and I've already far surpassed my original guitar goals. Do I prefer accompanied songs or acca? Well, I can't imagine singing Mr. Bojangles without the guitar. On the other hand, Dear Matilda, The Coal Town Road -- I can't imagine them with guitar. Three Score and Ten -- that one oughta be totally dominated by voice, and although I haven't tried it, and although Gordon Bok accompanies with guitar, I suspect I'm not sophisticated enough to make that one sound better with guitar. So acca again.

Ian Rob? He attended a couple of Christmas parties I attended. He sings really well; adds a lot to a singing party, but I don't know him and didn't talk to him. He and Shelly Posen and Anne Downey have formed a little trio, Finest Kind (they had a main-stage spot at last year's Ottawa Folk Festival). I have two of their CDs and one of Ian's records. All very good...but sadly, I don't play my vinyl as much as I should.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: breezy
Date: 01 Apr 04 - 05:38 PM

move onto Cds now, i have a stash of vynils but they wont get played again.
Move on.
Do you do clawhammer?
Do you use a thumb and f-picks.
The songs are the front, the guitar is behind.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: steve in ottawa
Date: 02 Apr 04 - 12:39 PM

Breeze, you ought to have posted the final verse by now.

'Till then, I'll just be patient.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: breezy
Date: 02 Apr 04 - 06:57 PM

you hadnt siad 'Yes' so I've held back!!!

coming shortly.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: GUEST,Julie
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 06:01 PM

Been looking for these lyrics for AGES! Heard this song on the radio just ONCE about 15-20 years ago, and snippets of it have been buzzing around in my brain ever since - thank you!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: GUEST,Dave Roberts, Salt Town Poets
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 07:18 PM

It's definitely an old music hall song. Artisan sang it at Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival a few years ago and Brian Bedford told us all about it in his introduction. We had the pleasure of giving Artisan accomodation for the weekend and, as my partner is a Huddersfield lass, we talked long into the night about the myriad delights of that famous West Yorkshire town. I bought a copy of the CD on the strength of hearing 'Dear Matilda'just once. It's a classic.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: GUEST,Dave Roberts, Salt Town Poets
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 07:29 PM

BTW, the lyrics should read:

'....and that reminds me, darling.'

- otherwise it won't scan.

Cheers,

DR

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 08:56 PM

I'm like, totally and utterly and frustratingly confused. Can anybody put this whole thing together so we have a unified set of lyrics?
And if somebody wants to send me a MIDI to post, I'd like that, too.
-Joe Offer-
[e-mail]

Subject: Lyr Add: DEAR MATHILDA
From: GUEST,Dave Roberts, Salt Town Poets
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 02:53 AM

Well, if it's not treading on others' toes:

DEAR MATHILDA
(arr. Bedford)

Young Joe Turnicock, he got an awful shock
When into love he fell;
but he was loved as well,
How Mathilda loved his courting.
Joe puffed out his chest, went to find a nest,
A place to call his own,
And soon Mathilda had a letter from
The farmer's boy that said:

(Chorus)
Dear Mathilda, how I loves ya,
And I've found a happy home,
With a cowshed, and a pigstye,
Full of cows and pigs, and that reminds me darlin';
Hows your father? How's your mother?
I hope they're well, you know.
I send no kisses (I've been eatin' onions)
I remain yours forever, Joe.

But Joe so seldom wrote that when she got the note,
She thought that it must be
A letter from some chinee
Who wrote in French and spelt in Russian.
She tried splittin' it, even tried knittin' it,
She gave up in dismay;
She put it on the gramophone
And it began to play:

(Chorus)

She began to cry; thought she should reply,
She'd write to him that day,
But he'd forgot to say
Where the happy home he'd found was;
She was in despair. He'd think she didn't care.
It filled her heart with dread.
Then in walked Joe, her darling beau,
And this is what he said:

(Chorus)

DR

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dear matilda
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 03:00 AM

Thanks a lot, Dave. It makes a lot more sense now.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dear Matilda / Dear Mathilda
From: GUEST,Julie
Date: 27 Nov 04 - 04:23 PM

Thanks a million for that!

I can hear it in my head now! :oD

Cheers,

Julie
xx

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Dear Mathilda (how I loves ya)
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Dec 11 - 05:57 PM

does nayone have the music or tune

Subject: " Dear Matilda "
From: GUEST,Cylinder1
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 05:49 PM

Is anybody still interested in learning about " Dear Matilda ? " I've just found your forum, having today looked on the Internet for words of the song myself. I gleaned mine from listening to a recording of the song and wanted to check if I'd got the words right. They vary slightly to what I've been reading in the forum but I was delighted to find the third verse via the forum ( " She began etc. ) which isn't on my record. According to what I've discovered, the song was written by Stanley J. Damerell and Robert Hargreaves. I have it on a 1925 British 78 record on the Edison Bell " Winner " label. It is described simply as a " comic song " on the label. The singer is George Buck, who sings the song with a yokel accent pronouncing the lady's name as " Matilder. " It's really good and a great favourite of mine. If anyone is interested, I can type the lyrics as how they appear on this record. Let me know. By the way, i would be interested to know where the rest of you heard this old song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Dear Mathilda (how I loves ya)
From: Carol
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 05:54 PM

From Artisan and I think Brian Bedford wrote the last verse or it might have been Hilary Spencer

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Dear Mathilda (how I loves ya)
From: GUEST,Pete
Date: 15 Apr 13 - 06:51 PM

First heard this song performed by Charley Yarwood back in the 60s when he was singing with Ian Woods. Don't know what has become of this very fine pair of singers. Anyone have any ideas?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Dear Mathilda (how I loves ya)
From: GUEST,Irish guy
Date: 05 Oct 13 - 05:09 PM

My dad used to sing a version that was weighted with slightly more explicit sexual content (playing on the 'how's yer father' sexual reference) The chorus went something like

Dear Mathilda, how I loves ya,
And I must say it's a happy home,
With a cowshed, and a pigstye,
Full of cows, pigs, and that reminds me though;
Hows yer father??? ..... Err [performer sideways glance] and yer mother?
Oh I do hope we can be alone.
I want no kisses (yer taste of onions)
I remain yours forever, though ... I've got to go.

I can't remember it exactly but he said it was a music hall favourite - although you can never trust your parents on these things. I guess the point is that the song got popularised to make lots of different cultural references; hence different choruses. I always liked singing it as a kid and never understood the pretty explicit sexual and gender references until I was older.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Dear Matilda (how I loves ya)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 11 Oct 13 - 11:08 AM

Just to confirm what GUEST,Cylinder1 told us above:

The British Library has sheet music cataloged thus:

DEAR MATILDA [note spelling]
Written by: S J Damerell; R Hargreaves
©1924.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Dear Matilda (how I loves ya)
From: breezy
Date: 11 Oct 13 - 12:18 PM

O K I wont bother sending the 3rd verse wot waa rit by BB

Great thread fun

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Dear Matilda (how I loves ya)
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 08 Apr 14 - 01:13 PM

As a 74 year old I can remwember my Dad singing this song to me when I was little - a music hall song I believe. His version went:

Dear Matilda
How I love you
And I've bought a happy home
With a cowshed,
and a pig stye,
and that reminds me
How's yer father
and yer mother?
But I must go now you know.
I've put no kisses
'cos I've been eating onions.
Yours forever, Joe.

I can sing the tune but couldn't write it down

Chris

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Dear Matilda (how I loves ya)
From: GUEST,Clive Ball
Date: 06 Jul 16 - 03:33 AM

I remember this performed in a pantomime in West Wales around 1947 - we kids used to sing it for a while afterwards in the school playground (no telly then!). I didn't know anyone else further afield had heard it!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Dear Matilda? / Dear Mathilda
From: GUEST,Rafael
Date: 07 May 18 - 11:53 PM

hi, can anyone send me the song? i don t know how this song sounds like and i m very curious...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Dear Matilda? / Dear Mathilda
From: GUEST,Paul Guppy
Date: 31 Oct 24 - 07:14 AM

Dear Matilda song
I do know this one, though I can't remember all the lyrics.
First verse includes:
'Oh how Matilda loved his courting'
Second verse includes:

'... she thought that it must be
A letter from some Chinee
Who thought in French and wrote in Russian'

I know someone who used to sing it - I'll ask her