My old mans a dustman

Subject: My old mans a dustman
From: DennisM
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 02:23 PM

He wears a dustmans hat and (sp) sounds like cor-blimey trousers - I always wondered what kind of trousers he wore and what the word means - is it english or irish.

Subject: Lyr Add: MY OLD MAN'S A DUSTMAN (from L Donegan)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 02:35 PM

Gee, I wish the forum search worked. I was sure this had been posted more than once. Oh, well. It's English - by Lonnie Donegan.

My Old Man's A Dustman
By Donegan/Buchannan/Thorn


(Piano intro)
(Spoken) Thank you Ada, thank you...

Now, 'ere's a little story. To tell it is a must
About an unsung hero that moves away your dust.
(Spoken) "Fair make that piano talk, you do."
Some people earn a fortune, others earn a mint.
(Tries to think of a rhyme for mint...I cant tell exactly what he says)
My old man don't earn much, in fact, he's flippin' skint.

Oh, my old man's a dustman, he wears a dustman's hat
He wears gor-blimey(?) trousers and lives in a gambrel flat.
He ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? boots
He ? ? ? to pull them up and he calls 'em daisy(?) roots

One day whilst in a hurry, he missed a lady's bin
He 'adn't gone but a few yards when she chased after him
"What game do you think you're playing?" she cried right from the heart.
"You missed me! Am I too late?" "No, jump up on the cart!"

Oh, my old man's a dustman, he wears a dustman's hat
He wears gor-blimey (?) trousers and he lives in a gambrel flat.
(Interruption.. something like) I say, I say, I say. 'ello,
'ello, 'ello. I say, I say, I say.)
How do you get milk from a coconut?
Use a very low stool.
Very funny! I say, I say...
How do you make a fruit cordial?
I don't know. How do you make a fruit cordial?
Be nice to me.

A nice old lady swore at Dad when he was on his rounds
She said' "You're drunk you awful man, you ought to be sent down(?)"
Dad said, "Well, you're so ugly, you ought to stand(?) a warning."
"One good thing about being drunk, I'll be sober in the morning!"

My old man's a dustman, he wears a dustman's hat
He wears gor-blimey (?) trousers and he lives in a gambrel flat.
I say, I say, I say, 'ello, ello, ello, I say, I say, I say,
'ello, 'ello, 'ello
I saw a Scotsman scr-r-r-aping off his wallpaper.
Oh, decorating?
Noooo, he was moving!
I say, I say, I say. And yet again, I say-
What's green, has eight legs and would kill you if it fell on you from out
of a tree?
I don't know, what's green, has eight legs and would kill you if
it fell on you from out of a tree?
A billiard table. He knows something...

A circus lady with a bear was moving from her digs
She put her rubbish in the bin, including several wigs.
She then chucked out the little bear, said "There, that ought to ?"
He said, " 'ere you win, I'll get it if you leave your bear behind."

My old man's a dustman, he wears a dustman's hat
He wears gor-blimey (?) trousers and he lives in a gambrel flat.
And if you see a dustman and 'e's lookin' all pale and sad
?pickin' up his dustbin, 'cause it might be my old dad


Transcribed from K-Tel Album, "Looney Tunes", 1976

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 02:42 PM

There is a better rendition of the lyrics in this thread.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Bert
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 03:37 PM

Gor Blimey is a Cockney expression. It is a corruption of the phrase "God Blind Me" and is usually an expression of amazement.

Oh My Ol' Man's a dustman, 'e wears a dutsmans 'at
'e wears Gor Blimey trouziz and 'e lives in a council flat.
'e looks a proper 'nana in 'is great big 'obnail boots
'e's got such a job to pull 'em up that 'e calls 'em daisy roots.

The song takes it's name from an earlier Music Hall song which went something like...

My Old Man's a dustman - Whadderya think of that
He wears a dustman's trousers and he wears a dustman's hat
He talks a dustman's language - Whadderya think of that.

The family of the author of the original song filed a copyright infringement suit against Lonnie Donnegan, which was settled out of court.

The trousers would usually have been grey woolen gaberdine and would have been worn with 'knee irons'. That's pieces of string tied around the leg at or above mid calf with the trousers pouched out a bit above the string somewhat like plus fours.

Bert.

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Robin McG
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 06:31 PM

Thanks Bert, I am constantly amazed by what I learn from these threads.

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Alex
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 07:25 PM

In Scotland, the "knee irons" were known as "nicky-tams" (there is a song about them) and they were used to keep the bottom of the pants out of the mud.

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 11:37 PM

Aha! Now I know where the Smothers Brothers got their song:

My old man's a fireman, now what d'you think about that?
He wears a fireman's suit, he wears a fireman's hat
He wears a fireman's raincoat, he wears fireman's shoes
And every Sunday morning, he reads the Fireman's News
And someday, if I can
I'm gonna be a fireman, just like my old man

Then they go through several more occupations, ending up with "My old man's a cotton-pickin' finger-licking' chicken plucker" who, after all the tongue twisting, "reads the New York Post." Isn't the folk process wonderful!

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From:
Date: 28 Apr 99 - 02:44 PM

I'm not so sure about "knee-irons" (or "nicky-tams") being used to keep the bottom of the trousers out of the mud (after all, one could simply roll up the leg), I seem to recall seeing the same technique being used in old photographs of harvesting. I was told, when I was a lot younger, that it was used to stop startled vermin (rats etc) running up the trouer leg (of couse, the uncle who told me could have been winding me up).

Good Luck

Tom

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 29 Apr 99 - 07:39 AM

I've heard the "vermin" version too, in a few places. Someone also told me he didn't know "whether it was to stop rabbits running up your leg or weasels running up your leg, but anything that stops 'em meeting in the middle has to be a good thing!"

Steve

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Ian
Date: 29 Apr 99 - 08:06 AM

Leather straps or bits of bootlace called "Lallygags" were used in Cambridgeshire up until about WW2 to stop mice running up the trouser legs when working on the (corn) stacks. I've never seen a rabbit going up anyone's trousers though I'd think a rat might manage it (very nasty).

As far as I know, ferrets are put down the trouser legs (but only during competitions).

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Bert
Date: 29 Apr 99 - 09:24 AM

Actually mice are a lot more prone to biting than rats. I used to keep both, and have been bitten many times by mice but NEVER by a rat. Rats are friendly, just like little puppy dogs.

Bert.

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 29 Apr 99 - 12:14 PM

Bert, what were you doing letting mice into your trousers?
Ian, that shows how effective it is against rabbits, doesn't it?
Anyone remember the bloke in The Fosdyke Saga whose dogs were trained to attack weekday trouser strings but ignore Sunday trouser strings, thus engendering a proper sense of respect in his underlings?

Steve

Subject: why is this site so crap?
From: GUEST,rachael
Date: 31 May 03 - 05:20 AM

hi i hate this site its boring but ive got some tips give it some colour games and exciting things thats just a few suggestions!

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Billy the Bus
Date: 31 May 03 - 06:54 AM

Downunder (Aus/NZ) the 'knee-irons' were called 'bowyangs'. Just a bit of string, not the 'half-chap' you'll get as 2nd hit on a Google search on "bowyang". They were used by shearers and bushmen (lumberjacks). The primary function was to stop various beasties shinning up your shin - there's nothing worse than a WETA in your crutch - they have spiny legs - so it gets wetter and wetter as the blood drips!

i'm not sure abou Aus, but in NZ the term "Bowyanger" reffered to any of us 'country hicks'.

Anyway, back to the tune! In 1960'ish, when NZ thrahed the Aussies at RUGBY, the Howard Morrison Quartet had a fine parody of the Donnie Lonnigan song called 'My Old Man's an All Black.

Umm.. I'll leave it there!

Bowyangers of the world UNITE!

Cheers - Sam

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Billy the Bus
Date: 31 May 03 - 07:18 AM

Aw shucks - GUEST Rachael snuck in first, with suggestions of livening up the Mudcat site with 'colour games' (she's not American) - sorry to be boring, talking of Rugby (which I never bother watching anymore) - AND the most colourless Rugby Team (ALL BLACKS)...

Take me back to 1958 - I'm lost!

Y'know what I did then?

Right on topic! When Lonnie sang his song - I was a 'Dustman'!

Ummm...

There's some yarns to be told!

The team on the rubbish truck loved the song. Within a couple of weeks of MOMaD hitting the Hit Parade, we did have a lady screaming out "Am I too late?"

Being good Kiwi refuse disposal operaters, my mate and I chorused out...

"Nah, Jump up on the Cart!"

TRUE!

Sam

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 31 May 03 - 08:15 AM

You can sing this song to the tune of 'Sweet Nancy' if you feel that way inclined!

Sal

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Rapparee
Date: 31 May 03 - 10:21 AM

I remember the Smothers Brothers version quite well:

My old man's a sailor, now waddaya think about that?
He wears a sailor's collar, he wears a sailor's hat
He wears a sailor's raincoat, he wears a sailor's shoes,
And every Saturday evening
He reads the Sunday news.
And some day, if I can,
I'M gonna be a sailr, the same as my old man.

Tossing in, of course, other occupations for "sailor. I've always liked Dick Smothers singing the first line with the "chicken plucker" occupation and Tom saying, "You'd better not make a mistake!"

Try singing it with the occupation

My old man works at the World's Fair: he's in the Provision Division of the Brazilian Pavilion.

I think that this occupation was in "Broadside" or "Sing Out" back in the '60s.

The Irish Rovers also recorded MOMaD.

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Snuffy
Date: 05 Jun 03 - 08:40 AM

Sal, I frequently do. Haven't you heard me?

WassaiL! V

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 05 Jun 03 - 10:51 AM

Not yet, can you do it at Bishop's Castke Folkweekend? It's only a week or so away now...eeek!

Sal

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 05 Jun 03 - 10:52 AM

Tch,tch, That should read 'Bishop's Castle', sorry Sir!

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Gurney
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 02:56 AM

Rat-strings are called Bowyangs in Warwickshire, too.

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Micca
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 07:45 AM

and you can sing this song to the tune of "The British Grenadiers" as I have been known to do!!... I'll get me coat...

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Schantieman
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 11:16 AM

I have a record at home (an old "45") of Lonnie Donnegan singing exactly this song. What's more, it's got his version of The Golden Vanity on the other side!

It's got some verses that aren't given above - if anyone's interested, I could post them.

Steve

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: RobinL
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 03:28 PM

I remember seeing the Lonnie perform this on stage. I think it was at the New Theatre in Cardiff, late 50's. At the time his bass player was Mickey Ashman, and they went through this routine where Mickey would lay down his double bass and storm off the stage in a huff, when he heard the opening bars of the song. (Ashman/Dustman - get it?)

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: RobinL
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 04:31 PM

Now I think more about it, I don't think they ever got past the first couple of bars while Ashman was with the Skiffle Group. Lonnie didn't record it until a couple of years after Mickey had moved on.

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Gurney
Date: 07 Jun 03 - 03:12 AM

Schantieman, I had that record too, and it was a good one. I wore it out, but it helped the folk revival along.

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 07 Jun 03 - 05:42 PM

Ms Lemon and Micca

The correct tune is of course, the White Cockade. But only after you've already sung the White Cockade, followed by Pinball Wizard....

There probably ought to be a song that starts, "Ever since I was a folkie I've drunk Sal's lemonade..."

Kitty

Subject: Lyr Add: MY OLD MAN'S A DUSTMAN (Lonnie Donegan)
From: clansfolk
Date: 08 Jun 03 - 05:09 AM

now this is the version we do - anyone noticed how "Uncle Joe's Mint balls" sound VERY similar? - Michael!

My Old Man's A Dustman Lonnie Donegan


Now here's a little story to tell it is a must
About an unsung hero that moves away your dust
Some people make a fortune other's earn a mint
My old man don't earn much
In fact....he's flippin'.....skint

Oh! my old man's a dustman he wears a dustman's hat
He wears cor blimey trousers and he lives in a council flat
He looks a proper narner in his great big hob nailed boots
He's got such a job to pull em up that he calls them daisy roots

Some folks give tips at Christmas and some of them forget
So when he picks their bins up he spills some on the steps
Now one old man got nasty and to the council wrote
Next time my old man went 'round there he punched him up the throat

chorus
(Spoken) I say I say Duncan! I 'er...I found a police dog in my dustbin
(How do you know he's a police dog?) He had a policeman with him

Though my old man's a dustman he's got a heart of gold
He got married recently though he's 86 years old
We said 'Ear! Hang on Dad you're getting past your prime'
He said 'Well when you get to my age it helps to pass the time'

chorus
(Spoken)I say I say I say! My dustbins full of lillies
(Well throw 'em away then) I can't Lilly's wearing them

Now one day while in a hurry he missed a lady's bin
He hadn't gone but a few yards when she chased after him
'What game do you think you're playing' she cried right from the heart
'You've missed me...am I too late?' 'No... jump up on the cart'

chorus
(Spoken)I say I say I say (What you again!) My dustbin's absolutely full with toadstools
(How do you know it's full) 'Cos there's not much room inside

He found a tiger's head one day, nailed to a piece of wood
The tiger looked quite miserable but I suppose it should
Just then from out a window, a voice began to wail
He said (Oi! Where's me tiger head) Four foot from it's tail

Oh! my old man's a dustman he wears a dustman's hat
He wears cor blimey trousers and he lives in a council flat
So next time you see a dustman looking all pale and sad
Don't kick him in the dustbin it might be my old dad

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Mr Happy
Date: 08 Jun 03 - 09:44 AM

in my local area, momad is sung traditionally with the tune of 'black velcet band'

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: BanjoRay
Date: 08 Jun 03 - 11:25 AM

I've always thought, and still think, that MOMAD is the worse thing Lonnie Donegan did, and probably did nearly as much to kill off skiffle as the Beatles - along with the Chewing Gum atrocity. His older stuff that he recorded for the love of it had a lot of soul and feeling, whereas the stuff he recorded purely with an eye to selling more records was total crap.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: clansfolk
Date: 08 Jun 03 - 12:35 PM

Banjo Ray - crap it may be...... but they are two of the most requested songs at skiffle nights..... and people enjoy them!!

sometimes I think it's good enough just to enjoy the songs even if they don't have any deep meaning.....    look at "wild Rover!"

As a professional musician I have to give the public what they want - I can be self indulgent when I'm at home or slip the odd one on a CD!!! (they can always skip that track :-) )


the things we do for money

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 08 Jun 03 - 02:24 PM

"nana" - means "banana". Which is rhyming slang for "twit" - "banana split". ("Twit" is a worn down version of "half-wit", I think.) Another example of rhyming slang which most users never think of as rhyming slang. We had a thread about that fairly recently.

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 09 Jun 03 - 03:32 AM

BanjoRay, surely "World Cup Willie" was Lonnie's worst recording?

His comedy and cabaret stuff kept him performing long enough for his skiffle stuff to come back into fashion and his latter years' performances were closer to his roots. Whatever he did, he did 100%.

RtS

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Schantieman
Date: 09 Jun 03 - 06:33 AM

Clansfolk's version above is exactly the same as the one on the record except that the verse about him getting married is the last full verse (but before the 'coda' bit)

How about a MOMAD revival? We could all sing it at a club in the same week!

;-)

Steve

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: BanjoRay
Date: 09 Jun 03 - 06:49 AM

Schantieman, I could just about stand it if you sang it instead of Wild Rover, but if the two were sung the same evening, it would be the last time I ever went to a folkclub!
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: clansfolk
Date: 09 Jun 03 - 09:27 AM

what about...........................



My old man's a Wild Rover???

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: GUEST,noddy
Date: 09 Jun 03 - 12:08 PM

you think you got problems....my old mans a DUSTBIN

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Schantieman
Date: 09 Jun 03 - 12:18 PM

One of my old Cub Scout Leaders (now sadly, deceased) was generally known as 'Dustbin' - he used to finish off everyone's leftovers.

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: DonD
Date: 09 Jun 03 - 03:51 PM

My old man drives a dusty Land Rover.

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: GUEST,noddy
Date: 10 Jun 03 - 10:58 AM

now we are just being silly

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Schantieman
Date: 10 Jun 03 - 11:47 AM

My boss drives a Land Rover and gets very boring talking about all the different models.

Steve

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Phot
Date: 10 Jun 03 - 03:22 PM

Well actually I've got a prototype 110 V8 CSW, BLAHBLAHBLAHZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!

Time for a new thread??!!!

Cheers all, Chris:>]

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 11 Jun 03 - 12:27 PM

"Ever since I was a folkie I've drunk Sal's lemonade..."

Thanks Herga Kitty, maybe someone can work on some more words to that!

Sal

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: GUEST,bill
Date: 14 Apr 06 - 10:02 AM

anybody got chords for this song, and others. cheers

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My Old Man's a Dustman (Lonnie Donegan)
From: GUEST,Louise
Date: 21 Apr 06 - 01:03 PM

I think y version is better

My old mans a dustman
He wears a dustmans cap
He sold it for a shillin
too see a football match
Fatty past to skinny
Skinny past it back
Fatty took the final shot
And knocked the goaly flat
Were was the goaly the ball was in the net
Half way round the corner post
With his around his neck
Out came the stretcher
They put him on the bed
They rubbed his belly with a lump of jelly
but the poor ol' soul was dead

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 10:43 AM

MY old man's a dustman, he wears a dustman's hat, h e wears cor-blimey trousers, and he lives in a council flat, he looks a proper na na, in his great big cock nail boots, he's got such a job to pull them up that he calls them daisy roots!

some folks get tips at xmas, and some of them forget, so when he picks their bins up, he spills them on the steps, now one old man got nasty, and to the council wrote, next time my old man went round there, he punched him in the throat

oh, my old man's a dustman, he wears a dustman's hat..........

come on guys, i'm 19 years old and i know better

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Scrump
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 10:50 AM

"cock nail" should be "hob nail", unless I'm behind the times :-)

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 11:02 AM

If you go to the BBC website and 'listen again' option for Radio 2, you can hear Alan Dedicoat and Johnnie Walker singing along to this on Tuesdays 'Wake up to Wogan' show (6th March).

The Togmeister is on holiday again, and JW is sitting in. It's available until next Monday.

LTS

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: Scrump
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 11:06 AM

Adge Cutler's song "Champion Dung Spreader" was a riposte to "My Old Man's A Dustman" (this was confirmed by Adge in his introduction to his song on his first album, recorded live at the Royal Oak in Nailsea, Somerset, England, on 2nd November 1966).

Subject: RE: My old mans a dustman
From: GUEST,Terry McDonald
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 12:01 PM

I always thought it was originally:

My old man's a dustman, he fought at the battle of Mons
He killed ten thousand Germans with only fifty bombs....

Can't remember the rest!