Origin: Two Little Boys

Subject: Two Little Boys Civil War song
From:
Date: 09 Apr 99 - 09:30 AM

I am searching for information on a song probably civil war era. It was taught to be by my father, by his father and his father. I don't know how far back. The first stanza is: Two little boys had two little toys. Each one was a wooden horse. So gayly they played each summer's day, warriors were both of course.

One little chap had a mishap and boke off his horse's head. He weeped for his toy and cried with joy when his young little comrade said

Any way it goes on. I would really appreciate any information sch as title, date or especially sheet music info.

Subject: RE: Two Little Boys
From: Wolfgang
Date: 09 Apr 99 - 09:35 AM

go here

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Two Little Boys
From: AlistairUK
Date: 09 Apr 99 - 10:39 AM

My God! Rolf Harris invades the 'Cat!!

Subject: RE: Two Little Boys
From: catspaw49
Date: 09 Apr 99 - 10:48 AM

Sorry, just had to check up on this one. After the "Ten Little Girls for Frank" debacle, this type of post is always suspect.

catspaw

Subject: RE: Two Little Boys
From: Ferrara
Date: 09 Apr 99 - 12:32 PM

This song was recorded by The Country Gentlemen, in the 60's I think. I always assumed it was a fairly recent song and am pleased to learn differently.

Subject: RE: Two Little Boys
From: Ferrara
Date: 09 Apr 99 - 12:41 PM

At the following location, you will find links to "Standard Midi files on the net - Bluegrass":

http://www.aitech.ac.jp/~ckelly/midi/search/Bluegrass.html

Hope the tune is in there. Don't know where you would find the sheet music. If you have Noteworthy Composer, I could type it in for you and send you a sheet music file or a midi file. But check out this link first. - RIta Ferrara

Subject: RE: Two Little Boys
From: TequilaRon (inactive)
Date: 09 Apr 99 - 04:18 PM

My old friend, Gamble Rogers, does a fantastic version of Two Little Boys. Gamble adapted his version from The Country Gentlemen. The song can be found on Gamble's post-humously produced CD: Oklawaha County Laissez-Faire. The CD can be ordered from the Gamble Rogers web site. It is a wonderful collection of Classic Gamble Rogers songs and stories. For those who may not be familiar with Gamble, he is a legend in Florida Folk Circles. Gamble died about 1993 while trying to rescue a drowning tourist in the surf near Flagler Beach. The Gamble Rogers Folk Festival is held every year in May I believe. I encourage you to give him a listen. You want be disappointed. TequilaRon.

Subject: RE: Two Little Boys
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 10 Apr 99 - 03:00 PM

I second the Gamble Rogers reccomendation. Jeez that guy could pick! Also the Michael Smith song "Gamble's guitar". Well, while I'm here, Ferrara, I love the old "Country Gentlemen" and little birds and summer days and.......

Subject: RE: Two Little Boys
From: Pete
Date: 10 Apr 99 - 05:14 PM

Does anyone have the words to Billy Connoly's version of this song 'Two little boys in blue'??

Pete

Subject: RE: Two Little Boys
From: raredance
Date: 11 Apr 99 - 01:10 AM

Gamble Rogers could pick and sing, but mostly I loved his stories. He had a brilliant way with words. It's not everyday you hear a steam locomotive described as a "fire-breathing equipage"

rich r

Subject: RE: Two Little Boys
From: Banjer
Date: 11 Apr 99 - 02:04 AM

Right on! Gamble Rogers does tell one heckuva story. If you've never heard Still Bill or some of the stories about dogs, you owe it to yourself to get acopy of his cassette and listen. Don't have it handy right now, but will post title of the work in the AM. Seems there's also a story about a farmer birthin' a calve and a young lady who stopped to help....Wonderful humor....

Subject: Lyr Add: TWO LITTLE BOYS (parody by Billy Connolly
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 11 Apr 99 - 08:43 AM

Here's a reply that Bert gave me a couple of years back.
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Subject: RE: POST LYR: TWO LITTLE BOYS
From: Bert Hansell
Date: 13-Jun-97 - 10:12 AM

This is how he sings it on "Raw meat for the balcony"

Two Little boys had two little toys,
A whistle and a helmet too.
Though they're only wee, you could plainly see
What they'd grow up into.
They were kicking other wains and were bashing in their brains,
Shopping everybody too.
They didn't reform, now they're in uniform.
They're two little boys in blue.

CHORUS: Do you think I would leave you lying,
When I can lie my head off too?
If somebody squawks in the witness box,
I'll cover up for you.
We can tell a pack of lies, pull the wool over their eyes,
The way the sergeant taught us to
And before you count to three, we'll be off scot-free.
We're two little boys in blue

The duty sergeant said, "tuck the prisoners into bed,
But before you take their cocoa through,
Lock them in their cells and hit them where it tells,
But don't leave them black and blue.
You can hit them in the balls, bang their heads off of the wall,
Bash them in the kidneys, too.
Beat them on the legs and thighs, but don't give them black eyes,
Or you'll be a prisoner too."

CHORUS. So if you see them on the beat, as they swagger down the street
I've a piece of advice for you
Don't trust to luck, turn 'round and run like the clappers
From the two little boys in blue.

CHORUS

Bert.
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Subject: RE: POST LYR: TWO LITTLE BOYS
From: John
Date: 15-Jun-97 - 10:20 PM

Fantastic! Thanks Bert.

Regards John

Subject: RE: Two Little Boys
From:
Date: 14 Jul 00 - 12:12 PM

Say fellas, anyone know the chords to this ditty? -scott powell

Subject: RE: Two Little Boys
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 14 Jul 00 - 12:17 PM

John Otway did a storming punk version a few years back.

Skipjack

Subject: RE: Two Little Boys
From: john c
Date: 14 Jul 00 - 01:15 PM

I´m open to persuasion that there are decent versions of this song knocking about, but the only one that I know was a hit in GB in the sixties by the legendary warbling Aussi, Rolf Harris. God, it was bad......
Having said that, I heard him on the beeb once telling the story of the song and how his father and his uncle both ran off together to serve in the Australian army in the first world war and lied about their ages so they could enlist. I forget how it was but the uncle died in very tragic circumstances and the father came home alone. Anyway, the interviewer cracked up on the radio, Rolf Harris cracked up, and I suspect most of the listeners felt just a wee bit of a lump in their throats too.
Still think the songs crap, though!!
All the best,
J.

Subject: RE: Two Little Boys
From: GUEST,Mrr
Date: 14 Jul 00 - 01:16 PM

And to think that this predated Louima! Sad, yet funny, which is even sadder...

Subject: RE: Two Little Boys
From: GUEST,The Burren Ranger.
Date: 14 Jul 00 - 02:40 PM

What a sad world we live in to allow the pathetic Rolf Harris version of 'Two Little Boys' to be a massive hit in the UK...while the truly amazing Country Gentlemen Starday version (with the late John Duffey... and Deacon Brumfield on Dobro)from the early 60's goes mostly unheard and rerely..if ever..played on radio. The Burren Ranger.

Subject: RE: Two Little Boys
From: Davey
Date: 14 Jul 00 - 03:58 PM

The song also appears on an Irish Rovers children's album that my kids grew up with. Fairly decent version, but I haven't heard the Country Gentlemen sing it.

Davey... (:>)