Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs

Subject: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Fay
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 10:05 AM

Hello,

Can anyone tell me songs which include examples of cockney rhyming slang? They don't have to be fantastic songs for me to add to my repertoire, they're to be used as examples for an essay in vernacular linguistic cultures.

Ta xx

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 10:20 AM

Tottie, as done by Terry Yarnell. Recorded on Sweet Thames Flow Softly (Critics). I have it on tape and could transcribe it for you. However, if Kevin Sheils is about he give give you the lyrics straight away as he was singing it only last week.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: DMcG
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 10:40 AM

This is Tottie, as best I remember it:

As she walked along the street,
On her pretty plates of meat,
With the summer sunshine shining
On her golden barnet fair
Bright as angels from the skies
Were her dark blue mutton pies
Through me (?) old Cupid
Shot a shaft and left it there.

She'd a Grecian, I suppose,
And of Hampsted Heath two rows,
In her North and south they glistened,
Like two pretty strings of pearls.
Down upon me bended knees
Did I drop and murmur, "Please
Be me storm and strife, dear Tottie
With your golden barnet fair."

Then a bow-wow, by her side
Which till then had stood and tried
A Jenny Lee to banish,
which was on its Jonah's whale,
Gave a hydro-phobic bark
She cried "What a Noah's ark!
As through me rank and risches
Did me cribbage pegs assail.

Ere her bow-wow I could stop
She had called a ginger pop
Who cried "What the Henry Meville
Do you think you're playing of?"
And I heard as off I slunk
"Why the fellows jumbo's trunk!"
And the Walter Joyce was Tottie's
With the golden barnet fair.


This was composed, I believe, as an entry in a write-a-song-in-Cockney competition.

Subject: Lyr Add: TOTTIE
From: Fay
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 10:41 AM

Thats great, found a transcription in another thread. got any history about it? where does it come from, what kinds of places has it been sung and by whom?


TOTTIE

(Transcribed from the singing of Terry Yarnell on Argo SPA 307)

As she walked along the street with her little plates of meat,
And the summer sunshine falling on her golden Barnett Fair,
Bright as angels from the skies were her dark blue mutton pies,
In me East and Westend Cupid shot a shaft and left it there.

She'd a Grecian I suppose, and of Hampstead Heath two rows,
In her sunny South they glistened like two pretty rows of pearls.
Down upon me bread and cheese did I drop and murmur: "Please
Be me storm and strife dear Tottie, Oh you darling Easter girl."

Then a bow wow by her side, which until then had stood and tried
A Jenny Lee to banish which was on his Jonah's whale,
Gave a hydrophobia bark, She cried "What a Noah's Ark",
And right through me rags and riches did me cribbage pegs assail.

Ere her bulldog I could stop, she had called a ginger pop
Who said "What the Henry Meville do you think you're doing there?"
And I heard as off I slunk, "Why, the fellows jumbo's trunk."
And the Walter Joyce was Tottie's with the golden Barnett Fair.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Fay
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 10:45 AM

DmcG - thanks very much

any more info about that competition? whenish and instigated by whom?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: DMcG
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 10:48 AM

Thanks for the other transcription - it fixes a few of my mistakes. I think the 'darling Easter girl' should be 'darlingest of girls', though, and "North and South" is the standard cockney - in so far as there is such a thing - for mouth, rather than "sunny South".

I can't remember where I got it, but it was definitely not Terry Yarnell.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Fay
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 10:53 AM

Is this right for rhyming slang anyway - I thought the point of it was to just use the first of the rhyming pair as substitution - like not putting the words meat and fair in at all...

Am i mistaken? This seems like an ttempt at cockney from someone who odesn't understand it (say's me - someone else who doesn't understand it!)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 11:04 AM

Reggie Perrin (1970s UK TV series)has a lot to answer for. Fake rhyming slang such as 'dustbins' for 'kids' (lids) originated from there.

Once I was touring in Europe with a French Canadian (don't ask!) where we used to confuse the hell out of locals by calling things like 'feet' (plates of meat) 'assiettes' or 'Platter'.

But I don't think this helps in helps your essay...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Fay
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 11:24 AM

Not much, but it made me giggle which is always helpful. Thanks xx

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: The Shambles
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 11:24 AM

I know what you mean but I am not too sure that I really accept the concept of fake rhyming slang. It is very much a living language that - like all of them - simply develops over time.

Most times it is used in everyday speech folk don't are not aware that they are using it. One of my favourites of its conscious use, is Del Boy's use of 'Ruby Murray'........

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: GUEST,milk monitor
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 11:33 AM

I agree with Shambles and the whole continually evolving side of it.

I really did hear a man a couple of weeks ago in a London pub, asking his mate to " Get the Britneys in." ( beers.)

I haven't got the stomach for it, but if you googled 'Chas and Dave lyrics'.....they are bound to have thrown a few expressions in their repertoire.

And maybe Ian Dury too....I will try and have a think.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 11:34 AM

Rhyming slang used to be common in the Black Country too; 'saucepan lid' for 'kid', 'blue brick' for 'nick' (gaol), guzz-gog [goose-gog, i.e. gooseberry] for 'dog'.

Other local references included 'Cannock [Chase] for 'face' (CRS: 'boat race'), and 'Pat Collins [fair]' for 'hair' (CRS: Barnett [fair]). (Pat Collins was a funfair proprietor and a big benefactor to Walsall in the first half of the 20th C.)

As you may know, it originated as a sort of working-class patois, so you could talk in front of customers without being understood.

Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Fay
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 11:58 AM

I've also just been reading about the transportation of the language (or theory of it) to Austrailia. ANyone know any Aussie songs with Cockney style refferences? That would be really perfect for my essay!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 12:08 PM

Surely its "east and west" (breast) rather than "east and westend" ?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: GUEST,Jim Ward
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 12:51 PM

Here's a song I heard sung in London pubs in the 'fifties. There are more verses but this is all I remember.

I'm a Cockney born in Bow
An I tell yer what I know
I uses slang wiv every other word
Instead of saying "Up the stairs"
I sez "Up the apples an pears"
An what I say is true
You can take my dicky bird
I've always been contented wiv me 'umble love abode
An I knows where I'm going when I cross the frog an toad

Chorus-
Up the apples an pears
Through the rory o' moore
back - to - the dear old trouble an strife
On the Cane and Able, I - shall - see
A pair o' Jack the rippers and a cup o' Rosie Lee
What could be fairer than this
A little cuddle and kiss
Then you wonder why I never roam
An when all is done and said I tumbles into Uncle Ned
An blows out the old broom 'andle in me 'ome sweet 'ome

Subject: Lyr Add: WHAT A BRINGDOWN
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 01:00 PM

Here's a favourite of mine (unlikely source too):

WHAT A BRINGDOWN
Album: Cream Complete
(Ginger Baker)
Cream


Dainties in a jam-jar, parson's colour in the sky.
Water in a fountain doesn't get me very high.
Moby Dick and Albert making out with Captain Bligh.
So you know what you know in your head.
Will you, won't you, do you, don't you know when a head's dead?
What a bringdown!

Winter leader Lou is grownin' 'Ampsteads in the North.
Betty B's been wearin' daisies since the twenty-fourth.
Wears a gunner when there's one more coming forth.
And you know what you know in your head.
Will you, won't you, do you, don't you wanna go to bed?
What a bringdown!

There's a tea-leaf about in the family,
Full of nothin' their fairy tale.
There's a tea-leaf a-floatin' now for Rosalie,
They'll believe in ding-dong bell.

Take a butchers at the dodginesses of old Bill.
Aristotle's orchestra are living on the pill.
One of them gets very very prickly when he's ill.
And you know what you know in your head.
Will you, won't you, do you, don't you wanna make more bread?
What a bringdown!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Fay
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 02:50 PM

Thanks very much, interesting Cream song. Any more info on it?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Micca
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 06:46 PM

Fay, if you want a flavour of the Australian(almost) Cockney mentioned above try her "The Intro" It was written by CJ Dennis and Australian Poet who wrote several poems in a similar vein.
On the Cockney Rhyming slang front also there is
" What a mouf what a mouf'
what a North and South,
blimey what a mouth hes got"
For more of this Try here

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Bob Hitchcock
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 07:25 PM

I think the reference to "Devil" in the Tottie lyrics might be Henry Neville, at least that is what is listed in the Rhyming Slang Dictionary.

On a related note, I was on one of my trips back to UK some years ago when I found myself lost looking for a street just off Holborn. I asked a chap selling newspapers if he he knew where it was, and he replied: "Yah china, it's just down the Kermit"

Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: GUEST,celtaddict at work, using the term loosely
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 09:11 PM

Not a song, but a personal favorite (which I think I posted years ago somewhere else) from an Aussie musician friend is "Wellie" as in, "How about a Wellie?"
Wellie-->Wellington boot-->root-->term for sexual congress, for reasons I do not even wish to contemplate.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: DMcG
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 03:31 AM

According to this site, Tottie was written by "DAGONET" (G. R. SIMS) in _Referee_, 7 Nov. 1887. There are also a few other examples of cockney poems there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 04:20 AM

Ah, dear old George Sims! He was actulally quite witty at times, if you get beyond the fluffy style of his "proper" work.

Here's a good palare website (idela for fans of Julian & Sandy!)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 06:23 AM

Having actually been born in Bow, I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned Harry Champion the music hall artist. In his song "Boiled Beef and Carrots" he included 'that's the stuff for your Derby Kell
Derby Kelly = Belly), makes you fat and keeps you well'. And of course his probably most famous song "Any Old Iron" the title of which refers to an 'Iron Hoof' = Poof (or Faggot for your transatlantic readers).

My father used rhyming slang quite a bit in his normal everyday speech, I was often told as a God Forbid (kid) to "hold your box of toys" normally shortened to "Hold yer boxer" if I was making too much noise.

The practice did seem to be dying out and I believe has only re-appeared due to TV soaps where I believe much of it was made up by script writers rather than taken from the tradition. I think for instance that Irish (Irish Jig) for wig makes more sense than Syrup (of Figs). And might I add Beer has always been Pig's Ear.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: GUEST,Observer
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 07:40 AM

There has always been two distinct dialects, one from north of the Thames and another from the south. Having been brought up in a family that were north and then moved south it became apparent that there were sometimes two phrases for the same thing or two similar phrases that meant different things.
Jonathon green's Book Cassell's Rhyming Slang (isbn 0 304 35513 5)
might help, I believe it also has references to more modern additions to the langauge. Not to teach granny how to suck eggs but it was developed so that the police (who were drafted in from the home counties, because locals didn't want the job) were unaware of what was being said right in front of them. To shorten it to the first word served to make it even more confusing. As for songs if you search for music hall songs I'm sure you should find some with references. Wotcha me old brown Son metions "come and have a tiddly at the old brown bear. Tiddly wink being drink so you get a bit tiddly.
Hope some of this helps.

Ob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 08:16 AM

I know it isn't a song but I also remeber as a child we used to listen to the programme "Round Britain Quiz", most of it was over our heads but it was quite amusing one evening to hear a couple of eggheads attempt translating the following into standard english:
"Nip down to the lolly on the Johnny, get me some Harry's and colney's. 'Ere's an oxford and don't forget the kitchen"

Give it a go. Almost impossible I would think for a non-Londoner of a certain vintage but what do I know?

'oot.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 08:24 AM

Go to the corner (Johnny Horner) shop (lollipop), get me some *** and (Colney Hatch) matches. Here's a (Oxford) bag and don't forget the (kitchen range) change.

Harry's???

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 08:39 AM

Countess, well done me old china.

Harry Wraggs (Fags), Harry was a well known jockey at one time.

Oxford Scholar (Dollar)= five shilling piece or Crown.

I believe the US dollar was 4 to the pound at one time, double today's rate in fact.

I'll leave it at that as it's time for me old Jim Skinner.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: The Shambles
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 08:51 AM

Are you going to have a 'Ruby'?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 10:23 AM

Hootenanny, a dollar was five bob (25p) in coins of any denomination when I was a lad (when it was a sum worth giving a name to). It was indeed offically four to the quid for very many years (before my time).

Can anyone quote from Ronnie Barker's rhyming slang sermon? BTW, I see RB 'isself is now RS for marker [pen].

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Fay
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 10:37 AM

I've been amazed at how much of it has crept inot common language. I'm from Yorkshire with few ties to the south, definatly none to Central London, and I use loads of this stuff without even realising it. Tiddly for example, I'm always getting tiddly!

Thanks again for the info, I'm looking into any old iron now. keep 'em comming...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: GUEST,milk monitor
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 11:10 AM

It is still alive and well in Sarf London anyways.......but like you said Fay, alot is probably used widely now.
Here they seem to have even shortened the slang, for the words used alot. And all the following are everyday expressions ...

"'ave you seen the boat on that?"...boat as in boat race for face.

"I spoke to 'im on the dog."...dog as in dog and bone for phone.

"He's got some gregory."...gregory as in gregory peck for neck.

"Lost yer bottle?"...bottle as in bottle and glass for arse.

It is necessary to drop all the t's and a few h's. I love hearing the newer ones used in context, Del Boy does have alot to answer for, but it is humourous.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 11:34 AM

Arfer Daley has much to answer for, too!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 05:51 PM

Milk Monitor,
Gregory Peck = Neck ?????? Not in Bow.

How do you Sausage a Gregory ?   Answer: You cash a cheque.

As for being shortened it mostly always has been.

Steve Parkes:
A dollar was never 25p but 60d.

But where are the rest of the songs which was the question that started this thread?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 11:21 PM

I always sausaged my gregorys (gregories?) at the J. Arthur.

J. Arthur Rank - bank.

Seamus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: GUEST,david diamond
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 12:30 AM

In one of Richard Espy's books is a passage in rhyming slang - I can't find it myself, unfortunately, but I remember 'Down the Frog' as a lot of fun - I have no idea of the authenticity of "taking the cherry down the frog for ball o'", but I it was a lot of fun to read. Has anyone got the original text - it's only one paragraph.

I grew up using a lot of words which I had no idea were rhyming slang - I only found out later. In particular, (and you can save this up for the next coronation) 'take a butcher's at that titfer' used two that were routine, as was scarpa (which I used to spell scarper, assuming in my childish way, that it was a perfectly ordinary verb in english...)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 04:03 AM

Oh, come on, Hootenanny -- I was being kind to the Yanks! Mind you, "five bob" still sounds like enough to have a night at the pub followed by fish and chips and still leave enough for the tram fare home. I'm sure you'll be pleased to know I can still recite my pence table up to 100 pence is 8/4, and I can still do long division in Lsd. You try telling that to today's youngsters...!

Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: The Shambles
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 06:26 AM

A song for 'er indoors'.

Me old 'trouble and strife'.

Tried many things and I failed
Patched up the boat and I balled
But all through - my 'trouble and strife'
You were there to share my life.

Well I twisted and I turned
Touched the fire, got my fingers burned
But all through - my 'trouble and strife'
You were there to share my life.

Well I looked but not always found
Been a long way up and a long way down
But all through - my 'trouble and strife'
You were there to share my life.

Felt the pleasure, felt the pain
I fell off of that 'gravy train'
But all through - my 'trouble and strife'
You were there to share my life.

What ever the future brings
In my life, I wouldn't change a thing
For all through - my 'trouble and strife'
You were there to share my life.

Roger Gall 1997.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 08:23 AM

How could we forget:
There ain't a lady living in the land
As I'd swap for m dear old duch.

Duchess of Fyfe = wife

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: GUEST,Jim Ward
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 11:16 AM

Seamus Kennedy- I think you will find that a J.Arthur (Rank) was usually applied to something quite different from a bank!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 08:47 AM

But Kenneth Williams used to call that the Barclay's, Jim!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: The Shambles
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 09:09 AM

oops!

Patched up the boat and I balled. Should have read bailed....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Compton
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 11:29 AM

This is a great thread!!...For years I've been plagued by the tune of a song John Kirkpatrick toted around the clubs...dare I say Thirty Years ago...anyone tell me if it was "Totty" he sang??..It fits the tune I have in my head!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: GUEST,Florie Rawlinson
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 01:24 PM

Dutch =Dutch Plate, Mate

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 03:04 PM

Sorry Florrie,

Never heard anything other than China Plate. Where did you pick this up?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: pavane
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 03:51 AM

I did post a poem (song) in rhyming slang which Diz Disley performed some years ago here

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Compton
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 06:13 AM

Surely Dutch is simply short for Duchess ??

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: pavane
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 07:43 AM

Duchess of Fife = Wife - see above

In the thread I blickied above, there is a link to a site devoted to rhyming slang.

Was the Two Ronnies sketch the one about stepping on a "Richard the Third"? This turned out not to be what you expected.

Other songs include 'Green and Yeller' - a ?cockney parody of Lord Randall, which refers to

Where have you been Henry, my son
Where have you been, my currant bun

and

... Henry, my boy
... my Saveloy (a kind of sausage)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: pavane
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 07:48 AM

Found Green and Yella in the forum - here is a link
Green and Yella

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 12:21 PM

And "Todd" in that Diz Disley song is Tod[d] Sloan = own.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
From: pavane
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 03:32 AM

Clarification

'On your Todd (Sloan)' = On your own

As a Londoner, I always knew the phrase, but it was YEARS before I found out WHY it meant that.

One of those that isn't an obvious rhyme, like China, Duchess, Rosie, Butcher's, raspberry, titfer, or dicky (-dirt=shirt), where the second word is often omitted.

How about George? I heard it as George Raft = Draft (e.g. around the doorframe)

As well as J. Arthur and Barclays, I have heard Jodrell - that must be modern.