Origins: Orderly Day

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Judy Magner
Date: 20 Aug 10 - 04:15 PM

I sang this song when in primary school "Penzance Primary School" Penzance Road, Glenwood, Durban South Africa. This song was in a book together with a lot of other songs such as oh no john no john. This book had a greyish cover. I will never forget these lyrics and the very catchy tune. l loved it! I would love to see this book again and all the songs therein.

Hope someone can shed some light on this.

Subject: RE: Orderly Day
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 01:49 PM

According to Roy Palmer, who published it in What a Lovely War, it was written by one G.E.H. Keesey in 1915. Palmer thinks it was possibly intended for university students, who acted as orderlies at a TA camp. According to him, the tune was taken from The Scottish Students Song Book.

The song was given to Palmer by Malcolm Speake, a singer from Birmingham. I'v no idea where Malcolm got it.

Subject: RE: Orderly Day
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 01:36 PM

In the "Slang Dictionary (1874), 'squish' is marmalade. (Entry in Oxford English Dictionary)
"butter the loaves and spread the squish"--
I would guess that it would apply also to other spreads put on the buttered bread.

Thanks for contributing this. Haven't seen it before. Not in "Kiss Me Goodnight, Sergeant-Major." Can't find much on orderly duty or 'kitchen police.'

Lyr. Add. OUR JAM
(Tune- Marching through Georgia

The jam, the jam, the glorious gooseberry jam,
The jam, the jam, the jam that was made for me,
The jam we spread on somebody's bed
    or on half a loaf of bread,
The jam that feeds a hungry mob like we.

p. 59, F. T. Nettleingham, 2nd. Lt., 1917, "Tommy's Tunes," Erskine Macdonald Ltd.

Subject: ADD: Orderly Day
From: GUEST,Malcolm Speake
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 10:30 AM

I wonder if anyone knows anything more about this song? All I know is that it was written at Catterick Army Camp in 1916, apparently squish is butter and tosh is toast, I wonder who wrote it? The lyrics are as follows:

ORDERLY DAY
(G.E.H. Keesey)

Six o'clock of a shiny morn we start our little day
We wash the mugs and wipe the jugs and clear the pots away
We stoke the stoves and butter the loaves and neatly spread the quish
And tenderly drop a porridge flop in every waiting dish

CHORUS
Oh orderly orderly oh the orderly day
Poor sore orderly tra-la-la la-la-la la-la-la la-la-la
Six o'clock of a shiny morn we start our little day
And all day long we're making meals or clearing meals way
It's orderly squish orderly tosh orderly tea this way
Oh who would be an orderly upon an orderly day

When breakfast's done we've just begun our weary round of work
And evils light upon the wight who tries his job to shirk
A ravening crowd that roars aloud we feed with might and mane
And when they've sploshed the plates we've washed we wash them all again

Now spotted dog's magnificent prog and so is Irish stew
I'm a regular glutton for roasted mutton when I haven't the washing to do
Still stains of tosh are easy to wash compared with stains of fat
I'd rather be fed upon cheese and bread than wash for a week of that

Now just one crumb of chilly comfort has the orderly got
That when the rest have done their best why he we can finish the lot
One cheery ray lights up the day when labour he would spurn
That when he's played the scullery maid the others can have their turn