ADD:Shut/Close the Door(They're Coming through..)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shut the Door (They're Coming through...)
From: CapriUni
Date: 22 Jan 10 - 03:36 PM

(Sending this into a second page)

Charlie Noble --

I wonder if the kind of "novelty sound effect" used for "Them" influenced the way people visualize the beasties.

Do "Dried peas, rattled in a can," for example, make "Them" seem fiercer than a honking bicycle horn, or a human voice making a silly sound?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shut the Door (They're Coming through...)
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Jan 14 - 05:35 AM

from Laurence joseph
I was 6 when I first heard shut the door Dad had a wind up gramophone and used to put on comedy 78s inc A Railroad runs through the middle of the house, My September love sung by the famous Eccles (Goon shows) Col Bloodknocks Rock and Rollcall Band. Dad had Flanders and Swan records, American comic Bob Newheart, Woody Allen, Bernard Cribbins, songs. inc; Gossip Callipso, Get Your Hair Cut, Right said Fred, Hole in the Ground,ect. the lyrics to shut the door as far as I can remember on dads version are as follows.

I was watering the flowers out on the window sill
when I spied them coming over yonder hill
there must have been a million of every shape and size
so I said to everyone...you'd better get in side.

chorus;
close the door they're coming through the window
close the door they're coming up the stairs
close the door they're hanging on the ceiling
those da da da da da da are everywhere

they got into the kitchen they got into the sink
they went down in the cellar and poured themselves a drink
they got up on the piano and ran up and down the keys
and soon I was a- standin' in em' right up to my knees

chorus;

I ran into the playroom and grabbed a cricket bat
and every time I saw one I gave him this and that
that's how they drove me crazy and got me mystified
the more and more I knocked them down the more they multiplied

chorus;

now that all the fuss is over I sink into my chair
the house is all a shambles but really I don't care
i'm going to take it easy, and not try to think of them...
da da da da da da da da.....here they come again

chorus;

by the way do you remember Dora Brian singing
all I want for Christmas is a Baetle
or Bernard Bresslaw song You need feet.
Petter Sellars   a record in the top twenty pops.
In the wrods of Spik Milligna the well known typing error
"well dats all folks...ITS ALL FREE "and don't forget..............
"You gotta go OW" SAY IT EVERY MORNING ,SAY IT EVERY NIGHT, SAY IT UNDER WATER, AND EVERY THINGS ALL RIGHT, YOU GOTTA GO OWWWWW ECT...ECCLES...ECT.

I hope that I have stirred up some interest in a bit of fun from the 20th comedy century greats.
Laurence Joseph (Joe)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shut the Door (They're Coming through...)
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 04 Jan 14 - 10:22 AM

My dad used to sing " ...they're creeping up the stairs..." not   "...they're coming down the stairs..." . Somehow, creeping was far more scary, and drove my sister and me to utter terror. When we refused to go to bed at night, my mum put her foot down and banned the song altogether. The funny voice going "durdle-der-der-der-der" was a bit like the voice of Pinky and Perky.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shut the Door (They're Coming through...)
From: GUEST,oldtimer
Date: 04 Jan 14 - 04:32 PM

That was why they "put the Doggie in the window ".& adds further to the untimely demise of "This old House " on which there were no "Shutters & Doors " --------on a day like to-day ---or any other day" We can wash the time away with love letters in the sand."
xxx

Subject: Lyr Add: SHUT THE DOOR (THEY'RE COMIN' THROUGH...)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Aug 16 - 09:53 AM

From the sheet music at York University:


SHUT THE DOOR (THEY'RE COMIN' THROUGH THE WINDOW)
Words and music by I. Felix Austed
(New York: Shapiro, Bernstein & Co., Inc., ©1926.)

1. I know a certain feller by the name of Andy Gootch.
He went out and he drank up three quarts of home made hootch.
As he sat there on the curbstone what he said I couldn't tell.
I think it was a menagerie for I heard him loudly yell:

CHORUS: Shut the door they're comin' through the window.
Shut the window they're comin' through the door.
Shut the door they're comin' through the window.
Oh gosh, now they're comin' through the floor.

2. One night the boys were playing at a friendly game of crap,
When outside in the hallway there came a gentle rap.
In just about two seconds the place with cops was blue,
And as they hid beneath the chairs they sang this chorus through:

CHORUS, WITH LAST LINE: Oh gosh, all my money's on the floor.

3. Now Alawishus Murphy got married one fine day,
And far out in the country he went and moved away,
But ev'ry single weekend that one and only train
Would bring his wife's relations, then he'd sing this nice refrain:

CHORUS, WITH LAST LINE: Oh gosh, how I love my mother-in-law.

Subject: Lyr Add: SHUT THE DOOR, THEY'RE COMING THROUGH...
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Aug 16 - 10:08 AM

The lyrics make more sense, in my opinion, when they're laid out as a dialog, thus:
(You can hear this version taken from a 78-rpm record, on YouTube.


SHUT THE DOOR, THEY'RE COMING THROUGH THE WINDOW
As recorded by Roy Fox and His Band (at the Kit-Cat Restaurant, London), 1934

[INTRO] Be careful of your conversation on the telephone,
For other people may hear things just meant for you alone.
The other night the wires were crossed, and though it sounds absurd,
Here's a little earful of the things we overheard:

[1] —Hello! Hello! Is this the sheriff's office?
—Yeah, this is the sheriff speakin'.

—Say, I live up in Wigan in a house down by the sea.
—Oh, you live up in Wigan? Well, why blame that on me?
—There are twenty crooks around the house, so, sheriff, I need you.
—Now don't you get excited and I'll tell you what to do.
—Yes. —Shut the door. —Ah, but they're coming through the window.
—Well, shut the window. —Now they're coming through the door.
—Well, shut the door. —Yes, but they're coming through the window.
Oh, the room is full; it won't hold any more.

[2] Now money's very hard to get and harder still to keep.
I had a dream, and in my dream, I won the Irish Sweep.
A million friends I never knew came crowding round my stair.
I asked my wife what I should do; she said: "Give them the air.
Shut the door." —Oh, they're coming through the window.
—Well, shut the window. —Now they're coming through the door.
—Shut the door.—Oh, they're coming through the window.
Oh, I never had so many friends before!

[In the following dialog, Mr. Gooch is showing obvious signs of impairment.]
[3] —Hello! Is this the menagerie?
—Yes.
—This is Andy Gooch.
—Did you say Gooch or Hootch?
—Say, don't get sarcasm!

My room is full of elephants; they're colored green and pink.
Also purple monkeys, and I cannot sleep a wink.
—I'd like to take them from you, but there's no room in the zoo.
—They're bringing their relations now, so what am I to do?
—Shut the door. —They're coming through the window.
—Well, shut the window. —They're coming through the door.
—Well, shut the door. —But they're coming through the window.
Look! Now they're coming right up through the floor.

[4] Is that you, Mister Jimlyboob(?)? I'm scared as I can be.
I knew this house was haunted; my ghost has company.
The place if full of ghostesses; they're creeping round about.
My ghost has thrown a party. —Well, why don't you throw them out?
And shut the door. —They're coming through the window.
—Well, shut the window. —They're coming through the door.
—Aw, shut the door. —They're coming through the window.
Ev'ry ghost, his wife and kids and ma-in-law.

Subject: Lyr Add: SHUT THE DOOR, THEY'RE COMING THROUGH,,,
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Aug 16 - 07:22 PM

SHUT THE DOOR, THEY'RE COMING THROUGH THE WINDOW
As recorded by Billy Murray and Walter Scanlan, 1929.

[The intro, and first 2 verses are nearly the same as the intro and verses 1 and 3 of the Roy Fox version given above—except "Hackensack" is used instead of "Wigan." Then the following 2 verses are sung:]

[3] —Hello, Mister Newlywed? This is the doctor speaking.
—Ah, yes, yes, yes, doctor!

—I called you up to say a stork brought you a son and heir.
—Great! —Another stork brought you a girl. —Well, I don't mind a pair.
—I see more storks circling round, and think they're going to light.
—Oh, doc, do me a favor please! —I'll try with all my might.
—Say, shut the door. —Ah, but they're coming through the window.
—Well, shut the window. —Now they're coming in the door.
—Yes, but doctor, shut the door. —They're coming through the window.
Boy, you're in luck they only brought you four.

—Good night!

[4] Hello, Wall Street oh-oh-oh-oh?
—Yes, this is Takem and Skinnem, brokers.

—Say, you told me to tell all my friends to buy a certain stock.
I told 'em and they bought it, and now they're all in hock.
—Well, my advice to you, old man, is take it on the run.
—Gee, I'd like to, but they're all outside and each one has a gun.
—Well, shut the door. —Ah, but they're coming through the window.
—Yes? Well, shut the window. —Look! They're coming through the door.
—Ha! Well, shut the door. —Help! They're coming through the window.
[Both:] That's all there is; there isn't any more.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shut the Door (They're Coming through...)
From: CapriUni
Date: 17 Aug 16 - 12:31 PM

Thanks for these additions, Jim! They're great!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shut the Door (They're Coming through...)
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Aug 16 - 01:03 PM

The Stargazers' version is on Youtube. I've just listened to it, and I reckon that's the one my father used to sing to us (until mum put a stop to it!)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shut the Door (They're Coming through...)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 Aug 16 - 02:37 PM

How could I not know this song?

Subject: CLOSE THE DDOR SONG
From: GUEST,RJM
Date: 13 May 23 - 02:33 AM

was it about the cabbage white butterfly caterpillars invading our homes in the UK after eating all the green veg in the gardens. I do remember them in their millions on the Village vegetable gardens , on the cinema news reals too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDC6nHmXAuc
Jim Lowe, not Jez Lowe