Lyr Req: Picking All the Big Ones Out

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Picking All the Big Ones Out
From: vectis
Date: 15 Jan 21 - 07:42 PM

I've been singing this version for about 40 years

THE WINKLE SONG

As I was coming home to tea
I thought I'd take some company
Went into Old Mother Winkle's
Bought myself a pennyworth of winkles
Went on home to tea as happy as could be
Went upstairs met all the family

They was picking all the big ones out
Picking all the big ones out
You should have seen my face full of wrinkles
When I saw my pennyworth of winkles
All the big ones gorn It made me rave and shout
'Cos there sat the wife and 7 kids
Picking all the big ones out.

Singing,
I can't get my winkle out with an old bent pin
The more I tries to get it out the further it goes in
I can't get my winkle out isn't it a do'er
If I can't get it out with an old bent pin
Has anyone here got a skewer?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Picking All the Big Ones Out
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 14 Jan 21 - 11:27 AM

Two songs by Stanley Holloway, the first is "Liza Johnson", the second, starting at about 1 min 30s is "Picking All The Big Ones Out"

Picking All The Big Ones Out

LFF

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Picking All the Big Ones Out
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Jan 21 - 11:05 AM

Great fun reading this. The lyrics are credited to the Mockney Chas and Dave. My father never heard them having died before they appeared. Lucky man ! He used to sing this when we had our Sunday Tea back in the early 50s. Sounds more like a Harry Champion song to me. I can imagine him singing it very rapidly as was his style.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Picking All the Big Ones Out
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 24 Jan 17 - 06:27 AM

For many years, my annual visits to the Swindon Folksingers Club were brightened by the presence of one 'Lucky' Luckhurst. The song was certainly in his repertoire, and I would think learned orally along with many other 'Cockney' songs.
Lucky was a Londoner, born in 1917, and a regular at the Swindon club from his arrival in the town in 1962- he died some years ago.
I have an excellent cassette tape from 1993, recorded at the club and issued by Wild Goose at the time, with notes by Mick Ryan.
I doubt if it was ever put onto CD format, but you'll find Lucky's version of the song on the cassette.
ps
I once heard no less than John Foreman refer to Lucky as 'the guvnor'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Picking All the Big Ones Out
From: GUEST,JeffB
Date: 23 Jan 17 - 11:49 AM

Oh, I can't get my winkle out, isn't it a sin,
the more I try to get it out it just goes further in.
Oh, I can't get my winkle out, isn't it a doer,
I can't get it out with an old bent pin, has anybody here got a skewer?

From "John's Songs - A Day with a Music Hall Master", (John Foreman) on Radio 4 today.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Picking All the Big Ones Out
From: GUEST,dolton
Date: 20 Dec 12 - 08:10 PM

this song has been passed through my family for generations but nowhere online has te version we sing.

As i was walking home for tea,
I thought id have a luxury,
so off i went to mother McCrinkles,
bought myself a penny worth a winkles

took them home,
put them on a plate as happy as can be,
i went upstairs to change my clothes and all the family were...

Picking all the big ones out,
picking all the big ones out,
you should'a seen my face full of wrinkles,
when i say my penny worth of winkles,
all the big ones gone,
it made me rave and shout,
cos there was the missus and the 17 kids,
Picking all the big ones out

Quite different to other, but i could be Chinese whispers

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Picking All the Big Ones Out
From: Flash Company
Date: 27 Mar 07 - 10:59 AM

Heard this sung by Frank Muir on a repeat of My Music from about 1993 on BBC Radio 7 the other night, Straight after Round the Horne!
Magic stuff!

FC

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Picking All the Big Ones Out
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Mar 07 - 11:16 PM

PICKING ALL THE BIG ONES OUT is sung by Chas & Dave on their albums "Chas and Dave's Knees up Jamboree Bag No. 2" (2001) and "Double Bubble" (2005).

Subject: Lyr Add: PICKIN' ALL THE BIG ONES OUT
From: GUEST,Chris Murray
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 08:40 AM

One Sunday night for tea
I fancied a luxury
So off I went to Old Mother Wrinkles
Bought myself a penny-worth of winkles.

Took them home,
Put them on a shelf
As happy as can be.

Then my old woman and her seven kids,
And all her family,
Were pickin' all the big ones out,
Pickin' all the big ones out.

Talk about fishcakes covered in wrinkles
When I saw my pennyworth of winkles,
All the big ones gone
It made me scream and shout.

When my old woman and her seven kids
Were pickin' all the big ones out.
Pickin' all the big ones right out.

This was taught to me by a Cockernee. I've never seen it written down.

Subject: Lyr Add: PICKING ALL THE BIG ONES OUT
From: Mark Dowding
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 08:35 AM

Someone requested this on the Folk North West website some time ago and I got the following words from someone:

Picking All The Big Ones Out

As i was going home to tea
I thought I'd have a luxury
So off i went to mother macspinkles,
Bought myself a pennyworth of winkles

Went back home and put 'em on a plate as happy as can be
And then i went upstairs while all the fa-mi-ly ...
Were picking all the big ones out
Picking all the big ones out

D'y'ever see a man's face so full of wrinkles
As when i saw my pennyworth of winkles
All the big ones gone it made me rage and shout
To see the missis and the seven little nippers all
Picking all the big ones out

Don't know if there's any more of this or what the tune is.

Cheers
Mark

Subject: Lyr Req: Picking All the Big Ones Out
From: Colin B
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 06:21 AM

Does anyone know this one ? I beleive the chorus included the words 'tehre was the wife and the family, picking all the big ones out'. The objects referred to are, I believe, winkles. I think it is a different song from 'I can't get my winkle out'