Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied

Subject: Help with a Song: She sat 'neath the Lilacs
From: sr
Date: 02 Jun 99 - 10:36 PM

I've been trying to find the words and music to a children's folk song. The name I do not know but the song begins with "She sat 'neath the lilacs and played her guitar, played her guitar, played her guitar...." and goes on to tell the story of a courter who joins her but is ultimately rejected. Any ideas? Thanks.

Subject: RE: Help with a Song: She sat 'neath the Lilacs
From: campfire
Date: 02 Jun 99 - 11:22 PM

I'm pretty sure my father sings this one. I'll e-mail him and see if I can get the rest. Athough I think as he does it, people in the crowd get a chance to make up verses, too, and he "keeps" the good ones.

campfire

Subject: RE: Help with a Song: She sat 'neath the Lilacs
From: campfire
Date: 03 Jun 99 - 09:55 PM

There are actually two versions of this song right in the data base, but neither of them has her sitting " 'neath the lilacs". That threw me off, at first. Go to the Digital Tradition Search box at the top of the main page and type in "[smoked his cigar]" without the quotes. You'll get a choice of "Smoked His Cigar" and "Oh How He Lied" - basically the same song with a few variations. Your version, having her in 'neath the lilacs instead of him in his hammock is just one more...ain't folk music grand!

The version my grandmother did, and now my father does, is bits and pieces of both, with new verses made up when there's a good group 'round the campfire. Enjoy!

campfire

Subject: RE: Help with a Song: She sat 'neath the Lilacs
From: Alice
Date: 04 Jun 99 - 12:39 AM

sr, the lyrics you are looking for are in the Women's Song Circle, on the post of 18-Sep-97, submitted by Speed-1. click here

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The Mudcat Café ^TM
Thread #2801   Message #12461
Posted By: Speed-1
18-Sep-97 - 01:07 AM
Thread Name: Women's Song Circle
Subject: Lyr Add: OH, HOW HE LIED

How about this under the category of girl falls for boy, boy turns out to be a slug, boy gets his. (Excuse my space bar, either it doesn't work, or puts out two spaces!)

She sat 'neath the lilacs and played her guitar,
Played her guitar, played her guitar.
She sat 'neath the lilacs and played her guitar,
Played her "Gi - tah - hah - hah - har"

He sat down beside her and smoked his cigar,
Smoked his cigar, smoked his cigar,
He sat down beside her and smoked his cigar,
Smoked his "Ci - gah - hah - hah - har"

She said that she loved him and Oh, how she sighed!
Oh, how she sighed! Oh, how she sighed!
She said that she loved him and Oh, how she sighed!
Oh, how she "Si - hi - hi - hi'd"

He said that he loved her, but Oh, how he lied!
Oh, how he lied! Oh, how he lied!
He said that he loved her, but Oh, how he lied!
Oh, how he "Lie - eye - eye - eyed"

They were to be married but She up and died,
She up and died, She up and died,
They were to be married but She up and died,
She up and "die - eye - eye - eyed"

He went to the funeral, but just for the ride,
Just for the ride, Just for the ride.
He went to the funeral, but just for the ride,
Just for the "Ri-eye-eye-eyed"

He sat by her tombstone and Laughed 'til he cried,
Laughed 'til he cried, Laughed 'til he cried,
He sat by her tombstone and Laughed 'til he cried,
Laughed 'til he cried.

The tombstone fell over, and Squish, Squash he died,
Squish, Squash he died, Squish, Squash he died
The tombstone fell over, and Squish, Squash he died,
Squish, squash, he "Die-eye-eye-eyed"

The moral of this tune is "Don't tell a lie",
"Don't tell a lie", "Don't tell a lie",
The moral of this tune is "Don't tell a lie",
"Don't tell a 'Lie-eye-eye-eye!'"

Speed

Subject: RE: Help with a Song: She sat 'neath the Lilacs
From: Barbara
Date: 04 Jun 99 - 01:49 AM

Interestin'. My mom sang this one, and in her version, it was:
He sat in the hammock and smoked his cigar
She sat down beside him and played her guitar

Then it's the same until the wedding where:
Then they got married and boo-hoo she cried
He fed her on ground glass, and she up'n died.
He went to her funeral, but just for the ride.
The he took a fever and he also died.

In Mom's version, he went to Hades, and I don't remember a moral about not lying.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Help with a Song: She sat 'neath the Lilacs
From: GUEST,Paul Spencer
Date: 24 Jan 03 - 07:39 AM

I know a few of the later verses, including:

He (something, something) and laughed till he cried, laughed till he cried, etc.

The tombstone fell on him and squish-squash he died...

She went up to heaven and flip-flap she flied....

He went to the other place and frizzled and fried...

And I vaguely know the tune, which I wil try to render in Do Re Mi or ABC format next time.

Subject: RE: Help with a Song: She sat 'neath the Lilacs
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 24 Jan 03 - 11:22 AM

I wonder if it's related to

"She sits among the cabbages and peas".

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,here ya go!
Date: 21 Feb 09 - 11:32 PM

Never tell lies

She sat 'neath the lilacs and played her guitar,
Played her guitar, played her guitar.
She sat 'neath the lilacs and played her guitar,
Played her guitar ha-ha-ha.

He sat down beside her and smoked his cigar,
Smoked his cigar, smoked his cigar.
He sat down beside her and smoked his cigar,
Smoked his cigar ha-ha-ha.

He said that he loved her but oh how he lied,
Oh how he lied, oh, how he lied.
He said that he loved her but oh how he lied,
Oh how he lied ide-ide-ide.

They were to be married but somehow she died,
Somehow she died, somehow she died.
They were to be married but somehow she died,
Somehow she died ide-ide-ide.

He went to the funeral just for the ride,
Just for the ride, just for the ride.
He went to the funeral just for the ride,
Just for the ride ide-ide-ide.

He sat on the tombstone and laughed till he cried,
Laughed till he cried, laughed till he cried.
He sat on the tombstone and laughed till he cried,
Laughed till he cried ide-ide-ide.

The tombstone fell on him and squish-squash he died,
Squish-squash he died, squish-squash he died.
The tombstone fell on him and squish-squash he died,
Squish-squash he died ide-ide-ide.

She went to heaven and fluttered and flied,
Fluttered and flied, fluttered and flied.
She went to heaven and fluttered and flied,
Fluttered and flied ide-ide-ide.

He went to t'other place and frizzled and fried,
Frizzled and fried, frizzled and fried.
He went to t'other place and frizzled and fried,
Frizzled and fried ide-ide-ide.

Now the moral of this story is never tell lies,
Never tell lies, never tell lies.
Now the moral of this story is never tell lies,
Never tell lies ies-ies-ies.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,jeanette liverpool
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 12:04 PM

hello, i learned this at girl giudes years ago, the tune i know was same as Guest 21 feb, except for second verse, the version i know is

A MAN SAT BESIDE HER AND SMOKED A CIGAR, NOT HE?
made up to revist these old folk tunes, i did perfom this age 10 or eleven for my family, doing all the actions along with it, this was at home, belive me, the reaction to this was that nerly everyone laughed till they cried, seeing this bit of a kid acting out this song, and taking it all so seriously

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Mar 09 - 02:58 PM

I wonder what the name of the melody/tune/air is - it sure feels familiar. Meredith/Covell/Brown (Folk Songs of Australia, Volume 2, pages 130-131) notes that the tune for this is derived from "The Evening Stars," a waltz by Joseph Franz Karl Lanner (1801-1843, a contemporary -and competitor- of Johann Strauss) - but I don't know any tunes by Joseph Franz Karl Lanner, whoever HE is. Meredith/Covell/Brown say that other variants of this waltz are played by Joe Cashmere as "The Orphan Boy" and by Mick Pilley as "I've Got a Saviour That's Mighty to Keep."
Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry (which spells Lanner's name wrong):

Oh, How He Lied

DESCRIPTION: An "old villain" sits by a girl and smokes his cigar. She plays her guitar. "He told her he loved her but oh how he lied." They agree to marry, "but she up and died." She goes to heaven, he to hell ("sizzle, he fried"), listeners are warned against lies
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1928 (recording, Joe Foss & his Hungry Sand Lappers)
KEYWORDS: courting marriage music death lie Hell humorous
FOUND IN: US Australia
REFERENCES (4 citations):
Meredith/Covell/Brown, pp. 130-131, "Don't Tell a Lie" (1 text, 1 tune)
Pankake-PHCFSB, p. 257, "She Sat on Her Hammock" (1 text)
Silber-FSWB, p. 31, "Oh, How He Lied" (1 text)
DT, HELIED*
Roud #13621
RECORDINGS:
Joe Foss & his Hungry Sand Lappers, "Oh How She Lied" (Columbia 15268-D, 1928)
Pete Seeger, "Oh How He Lied" (on PeteSeeger31)
NOTES: Meredith/Covell/Brown notes that the tune for this is a waltz by Joseph Franz Karl Lanner. - RBW
File: FSWB031B

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The Ballad Index Copyright 2014 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

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You'll find a great recording of this on the Pete Seeger American Favorite Ballads box set, coming out April 21.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Mar 09 - 07:55 PM

From Bulletin of the American Library Association, Volume IV, No. 5, September, 1910, "Proceedings of the Масkinас Island Conference," subheading "The Post-Conference Trip" by F. W. F.:

College songs on some evenings furnished amusement for the younger members of the party, and doubtless helped to lull to sleep the rest. Especially pleasing was that little ditty—heard here by many of us for the first time—the plot of which was something as follows:

She sat in her hammock and played the guitar.
He sat beside her and smoked a cigar.
He told her he loved her, but Oh! how he lied!
She said she believed him, but 'm, 'm, she didn't.
They were to be married, but she up and died.
He went to the funeral, but just for the ride.
She went to Heaven, and flip-flop she flied.
He went to Hades, and sis-sis he fried.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: JeffB
Date: 28 Mar 09 - 09:00 AM

We sang this version in Queensland in the 1950s :-

She sat on a tuffet and played her guitar
He sat down beside her and smoked his cigar
He told her he loved her but oh how he lied
And then they got married but shortly she died
He went to the funeral just for the ride
He sat on her tombstone and laughed til he cried
The tombstone split open and he fell inside
He went to Old Nick and sizzled and fried
She went to heaven and flip-flop, she flied
The moral of the story is - don't tell a lie!

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: JennieG
Date: 28 Mar 09 - 07:47 PM

I remember singing this song in Tamworth (NSW country town) in the 60s, but I can't for the life of me remember where she sat - it was possibly 'neath the lilacs. I seem to remember
"She went up to heaven and flip flip she flied" and
"He went down below and he frizzled and fried".

So many years and so many songs later, I'm a bit hazy on what we actually sang.

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 28 Mar 09 - 07:58 PM

It may well be a composed waltz, but it resembles pretty closely 'Oh dear what can the matter be?'

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Mar 09 - 08:04 PM

Apparently, Lanner was hot stuff in Vienna in his time. He was a competed against the Strauss family in the waltz business, and performed constantly at the Prater amusement park and in town.
Alas, flip-flop he flied and was soon forgotten.
Strauss must have had better business sense...or maybe better music?
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: Rowan
Date: 29 Mar 09 - 01:29 AM

As we sang it in Melbourne, also in the 40s and 50s, it went

She sat in her garden and played her guitar
He sat down beside her and smoked his cigar
He told her he loved her but oh how he lied
She said she loved him but she did not lie
And then they got married but she up and died
He went to the funeral but just for the ride
He sat on her tombstone and laughed 'til he cried
The tombstone split open and he fell inside
He went to Hades and sizzled and fried
She went to heaven and flip-flop, she flied
The moral of this song is don't smoke cigars!

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: Rowan
Date: 29 Mar 09 - 01:32 AM

While I don't know the composer of the tune (or the author of the words in their original form), the tune we sang to bears no resemblance to the tune we used for "Oh dear, what can the matter be"; the scansion is different as well.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: JennieG
Date: 29 Mar 09 - 07:45 PM

I have remembered - we sang "She sat by the window and played her guitar".

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,Whitney
Date: 23 Apr 09 - 12:27 AM

I remember my aunt use to sing this song when she would come over I loved it the only difference though was..

She sat by her window and played her guitar
He went to her funeral on his motorbike
The moral of this story is never to lie

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: Amos
Date: 23 Apr 09 - 02:27 AM

Burl Ives recorded a version which just recites "There once was a lady who played a guitar...", no particular location.

The melody is simple, and has only two chords--the tonic and the dominant 7th.


A

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,Fleabag
Date: 07 May 09 - 04:00 PM

My nan used to sing this to me when I was small, I remember it being

She sat in her hammock and played her guitar
He sat down beside her and smoked a cigar
She said that she loved him and oh how she sighed
He said that he loved her but oh how he lied
They were to be married but she upped and died
He went to her funeral but just for the ride
He sat on her tombstone and laughed 'til he cried
The tombstone fell over and thats how he died
The vicar was passing and popped him inside
She went to heaven and flip flap she flied
He went to t'other place and frizzled and fried
The moral of this story is never tell lies....

I still sing it now with my guitar, when I'm in the hammock in the garden hee hee but it's sooooo darn long!!!

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,meesecheese
Date: 23 May 09 - 07:48 PM

Hi, my Mum, Dad and I used to sing this song in the car on road trips!
I remember this tune so well but didn't know all the lyrics and we always sung it that she sat on her window. But then my families not the best at remembering lyrics. Well song definately brings back memories. And i like the last verse. I think we use to skip that one out. :)

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,meesecheese
Date: 23 May 09 - 08:05 PM

Hi did a bit of looking around and i found what we use to sing here it is

Smoked His Cigar

He sat by her window and played his guitar,
Played his guitar, played his guitar.
He sat by her window and played his guitar,
Played his guitar.

She smiled coyly and smoked her cigar...
(She sat down beside him and played his guitar)

He told her he loved her, but my how he lied...

They were to get married but somehow she died...

He went to her funeral just for the ride...

He sat on her tombstone and laughed 'til he cried...

The tombstone fell over and squish-squash he died...

She went to heaven and flip-flop she flied...

He went to hades and frizzled and fried...

The moral of the story is never tell lies...

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: Weasel
Date: 24 May 09 - 03:45 AM

Has anyone sent you the tune yet? If not, send me a private message with an email address and I'll send you a sound file.

Cheers

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: Weasel
Date: 24 May 09 - 07:16 AM

By the way, we always sang "flip-flap she flied", not flip flop.

As a very young kid when I was in the "cubs" (the junior version of the boy scouts, to which I never progressed) we used to sing this every year in the "gang show" (sorry, I'm putting all these terms in inverted commas because I don't know if such things exist over in the states) "Flip-flap she flied" was, for some reason, always our favourite verse.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,Karen
Date: 27 Jul 09 - 10:08 AM

My child came back from Girl Scout singing this and the last verse was, "The moral of the story is never trust guys (they lie), never trust guys, they lie...never trust gu-eye-eye-eyes..."

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,Ezekiel
Date: 20 May 10 - 04:08 PM

The version I remember ends:

The moral of this is he shouldn't have lied
(Shouldn't have lied, shouldn't have lied)
And those who tell lies should expect to be fried
(Expect to be fri-i-i-ied>

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 08:42 PM

We used to sing this with some slight variations, such as "She sat on her porch and played her guitar," "She got lumbago and she up and died," and "He went to hell [we kids were thrilled to get away with a 'swear word']and oh how he fried." And, yes, we did like the line, "She went to heaven and flip-flop she flied."

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,eliza c
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 10:11 PM

So weird...my Dad used to sing this to me, and we just recorded it. Haven't heard it for years. I like the "somehow she died" bit.
xe

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 08 Aug 10 - 12:53 AM

Minor variants:

In my childhood, it was "a veranda" she sat on; and in Heaven she "fluttered and flied. Otherwise a clearly related version to all the gardens, windows, hammocks, lilacs, &c, above.

~Michael~

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 08 Aug 10 - 01:18 AM

BTW, this has always struck me as an American student-y, Yale·Song·Book, sort of song, in the same mould/mode as "Riding Up From Bangor". Is this the case; or otherwise does anyone know its provenance?

~Michael~

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 07:25 AM

i thought it went
"He brought a revolva and that's how she died.
That's how she died, that's how she died.
He brought a revolva and that's how she died.
That's how she die-eye-eye-ied"
haha

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,JMS
Date: 26 Oct 10 - 07:56 PM

I must have had a twisted Girl Scout troop. We sang:

She sat on her hammock and smoked her cigar
Smoked her cigar
Smoked her cigar
She sat on her hammock and smoked her cigar
Smoked her cigar
Yes she did.

He sat down beside her and played his guitar...
He said that he loved her, but oh, how he lied...
They planned to get married, but she up and died...
He went to her funeral, but just for the ride...
He sat on her tombstone and laughed till he died...
He went down to mm-mm and sizzled and fried...
She looked down from heaven and spit in his eye...

(And the last verse)

Now that is my story and don't say I lied
Don't say I lied
Don't say I lied.
Now that is my story and don't say I lied
Don't say I lied -
Yes, I did!

(I don't remember any flip-flap or flip-flop verse.)

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,p fehrenbach
Date: 20 Jul 11 - 10:24 AM

In the version I remember, she sat on her veranda and played her guitar.

Also, after squish squash he died, I thought there were two other verses

She went up to heaven and flip-flop she flied, flip-flop she flied, flip-flop she flied
She went up to heaven and flip-flop she flied, flip flop she fli i i ied

He went down to mm-mm and sizzled and fried, sizzled and fried, sizzled and fired,
he went down to mm-mm and sizzled and fried, sizzled and fri i i ied.

The moral .....

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,Tattie Bogle
Date: 20 Jul 11 - 05:00 PM

We used to sing it in Girl Guides (Suffolk, England, 1960s): pretty much as "Here Ya Go" has given it, except that we also had the "Flip flap she flied" bit.
I suspect quite a few of our campfire songs had crossed the pond as we also used to sing such as "Land of the Silver Birch" and "My paddle's keen and bright" (another thread on this elsewhere).

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,Tich Frier
Date: 20 Jul 11 - 07:56 PM

The tune that sprung to mind as I read the words was that of a song called 'My Mother Said Not To Put Beans In My Ears", which was a minor hit for one of those Boy/Girl 10 piece squeaky clean groups from USA in the sixties. Not unlike the one in "A Mighty Wind". Zat any help?

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: Mo the caller
Date: 21 Jul 11 - 10:13 AM

Our version was
She sat neath the lilacs....
She went to heaven and fluttered and flied
he went to 'tother place and frizzle and fried.


Talking of guitars (actually, when I'd typed it meory altered it to a strumming banjo)

One-l-nl-ce I ha-la-la-d an ol-l-l-ld banjo-l-l-0
I pla-la-layed it on-lo-lon my knee-li-li-li-ly
But now-le-le-ow the strin-li-lings are bro-l-l-ken so
It no-lo-lo more u-l-l-use to me-li-li-li-li-ly

I to-l-look it to the me-l-l-nders sho-l-lop
To see-l-lee what he-l-lee could doo-loo-loo-loo-loo
And now-l-l-ow the stril-lings are mended and
It's quite-l-lite as goo-l-lood as new-li-li-li-li-lew

Well, something like that anyway. Which we used to sing at secondary school (1950s, Chiswick, London), sitting on the grass making 'banjos' by cutting the edge of plantain stems with a fingernail, then pulling the leaf gently to expose the strings.

Subject: ADD Version: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,Uke Player
Date: 06 Aug 11 - 04:29 PM

My father taught us this song over 60 years ago:

She sat on the hammock and played a guitar

He sat down beside her and smoked a cigar

He said that he loved her but OH HOW HE LIED!

They were to be married when she up and died

He cut up some onions and oh how he cried

He went to the funeral but just for the ride

Her soul went to heaven and FLIP-FLOP she flied

(and the last verse is our kids and grandkids fav..)

But his went below her and sizzled and fried!

Enjoy!

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: Mrrzy
Date: 06 Aug 11 - 04:41 PM

I didn't have those first few verses but I did have frizzed and fried - excellent thread!

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 06 Aug 11 - 04:50 PM

We sang "She sat under the lilacs..." etc. (not 'neath)

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 12 Aug 11 - 10:54 PM

in the one i learned he went to -cough cough- and sizzled and fried.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,mjfire
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 04:56 PM

In the version my grandmother sang to me (born 1919), it went as follows:
She sat 'neath the maple and strummed her guitar...
He vowed that he loved her but uh-oh he lied...
She got insomnia and uh-oh she died...
She went up to heaven and flip-flop she flied...
He went down below where he frizzled and fried...
The moral of this story is never to lie...

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,Kelly
Date: 18 Nov 11 - 02:09 PM

"She got consumption, and that's how she died,
that's how she died"

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: GUEST,Eske Rahn
Date: 22 Oct 14 - 08:27 PM

I have a version very close the one posted by "GUEST,Fleabag" above.

I was taught it in the 1980'ties when I was about 20 by an over 90 year old professor visiting from Birmingham that remembered it from when he was a kid, so it can't hardly be from the last century, but must be even older.

She sat on t'veranda and played her guitar
He sat down beside her and smoked his cigar
She said that she loved him and oh how she sighed
He said that he loved her but oh how he lied
They were to hav'been married but she upped and died
He went to her funeral but just for the ride
He sat on her tombstone and laughed 'til he cried
The tombstone fell over him and splish splash he died
The vicar was passing and popped him inside
She went to the heaven and flip flap she flied
He went to t'other place and frizzled and fried
The moral of this story is you'shd never tell a lie....

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 23 Oct 14 - 11:08 AM

The variations in the detailed text can go on forever,
I guess, but in my misspent youth in Minnesota, in the 30's,
we used the partial lines below:

"sat in her hammock and played her guitar"
"He sat down beside her and smoked his cigar"
"he told her he loved her"
"she got consumption and she ups and died"
      or sometimes
"they were to be married, but she ups and died"
"he sat on her tombstone and laughed till he cried"
"she went to Heaven, and flip-flop she flied"
"But he went the other place, and sssss-led and fried"
"moral of this story is, never tell-lies"
    (This last was said or sung as one word, "telllize" to meet
    the scansion.)

I don't recall the song having any account of just how he
died. (This was, after all, seventy-plus years ago.) And
we didn't do the triple-echo thing at the end of the verses.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: Stewart
Date: 23 Oct 14 - 12:10 PM

......
He went down below her and sizzled and fried
The moral of this tale is never to lie
Or you, too, may perish, and sizzle and fry

from The New Song Fest by Best and Best

Cheers, S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: Mrrzy
Date: 23 Oct 14 - 01:21 PM

Wow, fascinating. My dad's version started with the oh how he lied verse, skips his death, she went to heaven and flip-flop she flied, he went the other way and frizzled and fried, no moral.

I love this place.

I always figured that he lived to a ripe old age and then, eventually, frizzled.

I also loved the idea of going to the funeral "but just for the ride" as if he had either been heading somewhere and that got him partway there, or he enjoyed cars as if they were roller coasters.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 23 Oct 14 - 02:47 PM

Looking back through the thread it seems that Jim's reference from 1910 is the earliest. Up to that point I was beginning to think typical Frank Proffit/Frank Luther/Lesley Sarony material, but Mike might be right in his guess as American college song. However the fact that it has become so widespread with not a lot of variation smacks of an actual popular recording perhaps on the first 78s, although pre-1910 might have been cylinders.

Subject: Lyr Add: OH HOW HE LIED (Rust College Quartet)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Oct 14 - 05:23 PM

This seems to be the oldest recording. It is sung by a 4 male voices in harmony, a cappella, at a faster tempo, and a different tune than the one Pete Seeger used. It was recorded on a 78-rpm record, Columbia 14307D, in 1927. It is also on "Vocal Quartets, Vol. 5: M/N/O/R" (Document Records, DOCD-5541), which you can hear on Spotify:


OH HOW HE LIED
As recorded by the Rust College Quartet

1. He sat in the window and smoked a cigar,
Smoked a cigar, smoked a cigar.
He sat in the window and smoked a cigar,
Smoked a cigar.

CHORUS (SAME MELODY):
He told her he loved her but, oh, how he lied!
Oh, how he lied! Oh, how he lied!
He told her he loved her but, oh, how he lied!
Oh, how he lied!

2. He sat in the window and picked a guitar, etc. CHORUS.

3. She fell for his music and oh, how she sighed, etc. CHORUS.

4. He wrote her a note but it was a joke, etc. CHORUS.

5. She baked him a cake but it was a fake, etc. CHORUS.

6. She was ... and ugly beside, etc. CHORUS.

7. She promised to marry but she up and died, etc. CHORUS.

8. He went to the funeral but just for a ride, etc. CHORUS.

9. She went up to heaven and flip-flop she flied, etc. CHORUS.

10. He went out a sh——, oh, how he fried!
Oh, how he fried! Oh, how he fried!
He went out a sh——, oh, how he fried!
Sh——, sh——, he fried.

[No chorus after verse 10.
Also note there is a word or phrase in verse 6 that I don't understand.
Also, I can't imagine what "sh——" means in verse 10.
It's possible they're singing "He went on a sh——" or something similar.]

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Oh How He Lied
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 23 Oct 14 - 05:34 PM

Re American college -- It always feels to me in the same sort of genre as Riding Up From Bangor; certainly an American student song.

There seems actually to be quite a lot of minor variation thru the thread -- as to whether she sat in a veranda or a hammock &c, whether he frittered or frizzled & fried, & so on.

≈M≈