Lyr Add: Old Tyme Dancing / Stately as a Galleon

Subject: Lyr Add: OLD TYME DANCING (STATELY AS A GALLEON)
From: Mr Happy
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 08:22 AM

^^OLD TYME DANCING (STATELY AS A GALLEON)
Words by Joyce Grenfell, music by Richard Addinsell, ©1969.
As recorded by Joyce Grenfell on "The Joyce Grenfell Comedy Collection" (2012)

My neighbour, Mrs Fanshaw, is portly-plump and gay.
She must be over sixty-seven, if she is a day.
You might have thought her life was dull. It's one long whirl instead.
I asked her all about it, and this is what she said:

I've joined an Old Tyme Dance Club. The trouble is that there
Are too many ladies over, and no gentlemen to spare.
It seems a shame. It's not the same, but still it has to be.
Some ladies have to dance together. One of them is me.

So, stately as a galleon, I sail across the floor,
Doing the Military Two-step, as in the days of yore.
I dance with Mrs Tiverton. She's light on her feet, in spite
Of turning the scale at fourteen stone, and being of medium height.

So gay the band! So giddy the sight! Full evening dress is a must,
But the zest goes out of a beautiful waltz when you dance it bust to bust.

So, stately as two galleons, we sail across the floor,
Doing the Valse Valeta as in the days of yore.
The gent is Mrs Tiverton, and I am her lady fair.
She bows to me ever so nicely and I curtsey to her with care.

So gay the band! So giddy the sight! But it's not the same in the end,
For a lady is never a gentleman, though she may be your bosom friend.

So, stately as two galleons, we sail across the floor,
Doing the dear old Lancers, as in the days of yore.
I'm led by Mrs Tiverton. She whirls me round and round,
And though she manoeuvres me wonderfully well, I never get off the ground.

So gay the band! So giddy the sight! I try not to get depressed,
And it's done me a power of good to explode, and get this all off my chest.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Stately as a Galleon:Joyce Grenfell
From: Charley Noble
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 01:24 PM

Where did this one come from? Is it old or contemporary?

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Stately as a Galleon:Joyce Grenfell
From: Banjo-Flower
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 04:58 PM

You mean you've never heard of Joyce Grenfell, Charlie?
what a sheltered life you've led

Gerry

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Stately as a Galleon:Joyce Grenfell
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 05:09 PM

A wonderful commedienne. Not too well known on the sunset side of the pond.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Stately as a Galleon:Joyce Grenfell
From: SussexCarole
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 05:17 PM

Charlie! If only I'd known....I'm a Joycie Grenfell fan & have been singing Stately as a Galleon for ** years.

Oh what you missed!   Perhaps next year eh?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Stately as a Galleon:Joyce Grenfell
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 08:05 PM

Have a look at this site.

http://users.bestweb.net/~foosie/grenfell.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Stately as a Galleon:Joyce Grenfell
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 01:28 AM

Joyce Grenfell site

Charlie, she was a wonderful writer & performer of monologues & worked in review & radio from the 40's. Her mother was American, and she toured in America.

I remember reading an interview where she described her experiences when she was booked by a southern religion-based college & how she was vetted by a member of the school to see that she would not wear immodest clothing! This college encourage early marriage & many students had young children, I can't remember now whether she performed her "George" sketches.

She was famous for her sketches of nursery school life & here's a bit from the back cover of "George, Don't do that ... Six of Joyce Grenfell's famous nursery sketches ...
UK, Macmillan (Futura p/b) 1978

Imagine a refined, upper class British voice -

Now, children I want you all to say 'Good Morning' to Mrs Hingle. Good morning, Mrs Hingle.

No, Sidney, not good-bye. Mrs Higle has only just come. You don't want her to go away yet?

No, she hasn't got a funny hat on, that's her hair.

So sorry, Mrs Hingle. Sometimes we ARE just a trifle outspoken. We try to encourage honesty, only sometime it doesn't always ...

And this is my friend Caroline, and Caroline is painting such a lovely red picture, aren't you, Caroline? I wonder what it is? Perhaps it's a lovely sunset? Or is it a big red orange?

It's a picture of Mummy! For a moment I thought it was a big red orange, but now you tell me, I can see it is a picture of Mummy.

Aren't you going to give her any nose?

No nose.

It's so interesting the way they see things ...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Stately as a Galleon:Joyce Grenfell
From: Flash Company
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 10:26 AM

Lovely lady with a wide musical knowledge, Wrote wonderful revue songs as well as her monologues, and always considered herself to be 'Just a gifted amateur'.

Fc

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Stately as a Galleon:Joyce Grenfell
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 11:09 AM

Don't forget her films, e. g., Bells of St. Trinian's- classic.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Stately as a Galleon:Joyce Grenfell
From: Cats
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 10:01 AM

I sometime stand in my classroom and have a 'Joyce Grenfell' moment when I can hear myself actually saying some of the lines from her monologues.. 'Don't do that, George'!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Stately as a Galleon:Joyce Grenfell
From: Charley Noble
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 10:24 AM

Well, that's why I ask questions on Mudcat! LOL

I have led a sheltered life, surrounded by people who only sang folksongs or bawdy drinking songs before I was even weened. I was just lucky when it came to college that folk music became a national craze and I had had a head start.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Stately as a Galleon:Joyce Grenfell
From: Mr Happy
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 11:46 AM

Was somewhat disappointed no decent clip on You Tube

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Stately as a Galleon:Joyce Grenfell
From: Mr Happy
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 11:48 AM

.......but good to know JG's fan club on here still has jolly following!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Stately as a Galleon:Joyce Grenfell
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 12:33 PM

I remember at the huge protest march in London on the eve of the attack on Iraq there was a lady carrying a banner saying "George, don't do that"...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Stately as a Galleon:Joyce Grenfell
From: GUEST,Terry McDonald
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 02:05 PM

I saw her in concert in Bournemouth c1960 and have always remembered her singing 'All the Pretty Little Horses', telling us that she'd learned it from her American mother.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Stately as a Galleon:Joyce Grenfell
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 05 Jun 07 - 01:28 AM

Charley, it's never too late to move out from your shelter & experience LIFE!!

sandra

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Stately as a Galleon:Joyce Grenfell
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 05 Jun 07 - 06:07 PM

Joyce Grenfell was a niece of Nancy Astor.

Maureen Lipman has uncannily impersonated Joyce in her Re: Joyce show (good acting, as Maureen grew up in a pub in Hull....)

Kitty

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Stately as a Galleon:Joyce Grenfell
From: GUEST,Guest: The Valkyrie
Date: 16 Jan 18 - 01:36 PM

I have always loved Joyce Greenfell. I had the complete set of her songs and monologues until my daughter 'borrowed' it and despite numerous enquiries as to it's current whereabouts, it has never been returned to me. So after 20 years I guess I shall just have to treat myself to a new album.