Lyr Req: Abie My Boy (music hall song)

Subject: Lyr Req: music hall /pub song a-be my boy
From: rebecca7112000
Date: 18 Jan 08 - 07:47 AM

I was advised to try here with help to find lyrics to a song [from the books board on eBay]
My husbands Nana recently died aged 83 and she used to sing songs with my daughter [aged 7]
They used to sing things like Roll out the barrel and My old Man
We looked up my old man and realised it had a verse we had never heard so my daughter asked me to find their all time fave song a-be my boy [also have seen it written as Abie my boy and a-bie my boy]written by H.Rule and T.Mcgee music by L.Silberman and A.Grock in 1919
Nana's father used to do an act on stage in Manchester where he took off all the music hall stars and even one song required him to pretend he was a woman dressed as a man [must of been quite a sight a man pretending to be a woman pretending to be a man].He was a prisoner of war and lost part of his shoulder and suffered tremours [I think now he would be diagnosed as pts or shellshock]thanks fro reading my ramblings juliex

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: music hall /pub song a-be my boy
From: A Wandering Minstrel
Date: 18 Jan 08 - 07:58 AM

As best as I can remember (my rugby playing days are long long ago) it went something like this:

Abie, Abie, Abie my boy
What are you waiting for now

You promised to marry me some day in June
it's never too late and it's never too soon

All the family
keep on asking me
Which way, What day?
(I'm in the family way!)

so Abie, Abie, Abie my boy
What are you waiting for now

(at which point it segued in Roll a Silver Dollar)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: music hall /pub song a-be my boy
From: Billy Weeks
Date: 18 Jan 08 - 08:11 AM

The'family way' bit is a singer's modification, as I think must be the anachronistic segue into 'Silver Dollar'. The Silberman and Grock version has;

'Which day, what day,
I don't know what to say...'

The verse that precedes AWM's chorus goes:

'Abie courted Rachel
they were a loving pair
He promised he would marry her some day;
He promised her a ring
To have her for his own;
Said she, the only ring you ever give is on the phone'

There is (from memory) at least one more verse:

'Abie said to Rachel
Now when my ship comes home
I'll buy you lots of jewelry at Woolworths
And when my ship comes home
I'll take you round the town;
Said she,Oh no you won't
Because I know your ship's gone down

'Abie, etc'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: music hall /pub song a-be my boy
From: rebecca7112000
Date: 18 Jan 08 - 08:12 AM

That is it although I think Nana edited it a bit as I think it went
I don't know what to say for the I'm in the family way bit
But the family way bit sounds right for music hall
I have just been singing it through and can picture the 2 of them singing at full voice and now think they had a line on the end
Next pay day thats what I'm waiting for now or maybe that was a nana addition too

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: music hall /pub song a-be my boy
From: rebecca7112000
Date: 18 Jan 08 - 08:18 AM

Thank you so much for the verses
I think over time lots of songs end up as just the chorus and this is the bit I remember most about that song
My daughter will love singing it when she gets home
we were singing my old man coming home from school yesterday we walk the almost mile to and from school]I am sure people thnk we are mad

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: music hall /pub song a-be my boy
From: Billy Weeks
Date: 18 Jan 08 - 09:10 AM

Carry on being mad like that! It's the way songs survive.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: music hall /pub song a-be my boy
From: rebecca7112000
Date: 18 Jan 08 - 09:57 AM

We will have great fun singing songs and keeping the music alive
It is just staggering to think how people had to manage in times gone by
By all accounts Nanas father was a broken man physically and mentally but he hauled himself on to a stage and performed to earn a crust
One account nana used to tell was while he was a prisoner of war her mum paid the red cross money so he would get food this just seems mad it must have really annoyed her mother because nana wasn't born till after the war so she must have mentioned it once or twice [or a billion times] while she was growing up
thanks again julie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: music hall /pub song a-be my boy
From: Peace
Date: 18 Jan 08 - 10:05 AM

' Meanwhile, the Treasury issued "currency notes" of ten
shillings and rom 1914 to 1928, plus (in 1919 only) notes
for one shilling, half-a-crown (two shillings and six pence), and
five shillings. The signature on the Treasury Notes of 1914 to
1917 was that of John Bradbury, hence the enigmatic name at
the end of some versions of this song:

    "Abe, Abe, Abe my boy - what are you waiting for now?
    You promised to marry me some day in June:
    It's never too late and it's never too soon.
    All the family they keep on asking me,
    which day? what day? I don't know what to say!
    Abe, Abe, Abe my boy - what are you waiting for now?"
    "John Bradbury!"

e.g. with unnamed artiste/s, on Ariel Records # 4068 (78rpm).
"Can you tame wild Wimmen" and "Abe Abe Abe my Boy"
( see for example http://www.guysrugby.com/songs.asp
although this site gives a "rude" parody for the 5th line:
"which day? what day? I'm in the fam'ly way!" )
For anybody who doesn't quite get it, the young man
presumably thought he did not have enough money available
to undertake such a commitment.'

from

www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v06n10a04.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: music hall /pub song a-be my boy
From: Peace
Date: 18 Jan 08 - 10:07 AM

Roll A Silver Dollar
You can roll a silver dollar, down along the ground,
and it will roll, because its round
A woman doesn't know what a good man she's got,
until she puts him down, down down, down,
Listen, my honey, listen to me, I want you to understand,
That like a silver dollar goes from hand to hand,
so a woman goes from hand to hand,
Because a man without a woman,
Is like a ship without a sail,
he's like a boat without a rudder
is like a fish without a tail,
I say a man without a woman is like a wreck upon the shore
But if there's one thing worse in this universe it's a woman,
oh yes a woman, I said a woman without a man

Abe, Abe, Abe my boy what are you waiting for now
You promised to marry me some day in june
Its never too late and its never too soon
All the family they keep on asking me, which day? what day? I'm in the family way
Abe, Abe, Abe my boy what are you waiting for now


from

http://www.guysrugby.com/songs.asp

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: music hall /pub song a-be my boy
From: Snuffy
Date: 18 Jan 08 - 11:11 AM

Back in the late 60s this was part of the "sequence" sung at Cardiff University students union bar and similar places, consisiting of several old songs done in a sort of cod-barbershop/Black & White Minstrels style with lots of "adjustments" to the lyrics.

We were strolling along (We were strolling along)
On Moonlight Bay (on Moonlight Bay)
You could hear the voices singing
They seemed to say (What did they say? what did they say?)
You have stolen my heart (You have stolen my heart)
So don't go 'way (don't go a-way)
As we sang love's old sweet song
On Moonlight Bay (on Moonlight Bay)
The bells are [pause] ringing for me and my gal (scooby-doo, scooby-doo)
The birds are [pause] singing for me and my gal
Ev'rybody's been [pause] knowing, to a wedding we're [pause] going
And for weeks they've been [pause] sewing, ev'ry Susie and Sal (Ev'ry Susie and Sal)
They're congrega-a-ting for me and my gal (scooby-doo, scooby-doo)
The parson's wa-aiting for me and my gal
And someday (SOON) we're gonna build a little home for two or three or four or SIXTY FOUR
In lo-ove land for me and my gal (For me and my gal, 2-3-4)
Abie, Abie, Abie my boy, what are you waiting for now
You promised to marry me some day in June
It's never too late and it's never too soon (Boom, boom, boom)
All the family, they keep on asking me
Which way, What day? I'm in the family way!
Abie, Abie, Abie my boy, what are you waiting for now
I want a beer, just like the beer that pickled dear old Dad
It was a beer, the only beer that Daddy ever had
(Boom, boom, boom) Good old fashioned beer with lots of foam
It took six men to carry Daddy home
Oh, I want a beer, just like the beer that pickled dear old Dad
Roll over Mabel (Let's have it on the other side)
It's better in Blackpool (Let's have it on the other side)
Just like the dogs do (Let's have it on the other side)
A 69-er (Let's have it on the other side)
Good evening friends

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: music hall /pub song a-be my boy
From: rebecca7112000
Date: 18 Jan 08 - 11:39 AM

Nana used to clean in the University halls of residence for cardiff University until she retired at 64 and Grandad was a porter there
It always made me laugh because she said manchester people were friendlier than Welsh people but she never wanted to move back so we can't have been that bad and I know she loved working in the university
we sang our hearts out coming home and it made a grey day almost sunny
I bet we were no where near the right tune but it was still fun
I found some black and white clips of music hall songs on you tube of all places but the version of my old man was not one we were used to with lots of references to fighting and drinking I always thought the song was about a young lad being left behind but now realise it is the wife

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: music hall /pub song a-be my boy
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 19 Jan 08 - 02:59 PM

The catalog of the National Library of Australia says that A-BIE, MY BOY is included in a book called "Allan's Community Songs, Volume 4," Melbourne : Allan & Co., [194-?].

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: GUEST,roro7486
Date: 10 Apr 08 - 01:23 PM

does any know where i could get that song ?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 Apr 08 - 11:33 AM

Wikipedia, under "1919 in music" lists:
ABIE MY BOY, w.m. L.Silberman, A. Grock, Herbert Rule & Tom McGhee

The National Library of Australia lists:
A-BEE, A-BEE MY BOY [music] / words by H. Rule and T. McGhee ; music by L. Silberman and A. Grock. Publisher: Melbourne : Allan & Co., [between 1900 and 1930].

Google will reveal some places where you can purchase the sheet music.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: GUEST,Tracy - East Yorkshire
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 05:11 PM

My Mum used to sing this to my son to get him to sleep when he was a baby and it never failed!

Abe, Abe, Abe my boy
What are you going to do now
You promised to marry me one day in June
It's never to late and it's never too soon
All the family
Keep on Asking me
Which day, what day, I don't know what to say
Abe, Abe, Abe my boy, what are you going to do now

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: GUEST,Kate
Date: 26 Oct 08 - 10:53 PM

My Mum and Poppy used to sing us to sleep with this song - they are 79 this year and I bet they heard it from their parents as the song originates in 1919. They both grew up on the east coast of the United States. Here are the lyrics I remember;

(alto part) Abie, abie my boy what are you waiting for now?
You promised you'd marry me sometime in June
It's never too late and it's never too soon
So Abie, Abie my boy what are you waiting for now?

Baritone part)
It's just that I ain't got no money - M - O - N - E - Y
I'm busted disgusted financially embarrassed
i haven't got a solitary C - E - N - T
When I think of the old days - glory how I sigh
Cause I ain't got no money - M - O - N - E - Y!
Not one red cent.

(alto)(sometimes duet)
So - if you've a little bit
Hang on to it
Save it for your wedding day
Cause it's easy to spend it and it's easy to lend it
But it's doggone hard to get it again
Mmmmm
If you've a little bit hang on to it
Save it for a rainy day
My honey
Save it for a rainy day.

Or

Put every cent away, for a rainy day
Put a lock on that door
Cause it's easy to spend it...etc

this can get changed around some - for instance it's sometimes has

All my relatives keep on asking me
What time? What day?
I don't know what to say!

Plugged in to the first verse. My parents used to repeat stuff and fool around with it a lot - partly to put us to sleep, but we adored it. It's pretty damned topical at the moment and I think deserved a resurgence in popularity considering the global financial crisis.

I'd like to find the sheet music for it as I plan to sing the alto part to a friend's baritone for a christmas singing party in a month or two. Any help gratefully accepted!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: GUEST,Amy
Date: 08 Apr 09 - 04:35 AM

Ohhh my Granma used to sing this to me when i was a little girl.. except she changed it to Amy Amy Amy my girl.
The memories!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: GUEST,Andy H
Date: 18 May 10 - 10:03 AM

My Grandad too used to sing this song - infact it just came back into my head so I thought I'd google it to see if it had any origins...

Fascinating to read about The Family way lyric, though he only ever used to sing

Abie, Abie My Boy
What are you waiting for now?

Abie, Abie, my boy
What are you waiting for now?

Next pay Day, Next pay Day
That's What I'm waiting for Now

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Jun 10 - 08:50 AM

My dad who was born in the Old Kent Road in 1901 used to sing me this song, but with a Jewish accent -- eg. Vat are you vaiting for now? so I always thought it was a Jewish song. He valso used to sing one that went somethiung like this:

This is the story of poor no more.
His first name's poor, and his last name's more.
One fine day he passed away
At the age of 94.
There's a little tombstone which say:
Not lost but gone before.
So we'll hear no more
Of poor no more
'Cos poor no more's no more!

Does anyone know the full words?
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Jun 10 - 11:01 AM

To our last guest, James Gilman: If you want to discuss a different song (than A-BIE MY BOY) it's best to start a new thread. That way more people will see your request.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: GUEST,Martin
Date: 23 Aug 10 - 02:34 PM

Fantastic stuff - I too was curious about the song so Googled the bit I knew. My mum and dad sing it to their granddaughter, my little girl Caitlin, who's a year old. Amazing to think that a song written all those years ago and not made famous through a recording (are there any available?) will be passed down generations via verbal tradition.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: GUEST,rebecca7112000
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 11:15 AM

Just come back to this as researching some family history
Lovely to think people still sing the old songs
Recently been told that Grandad used to sing this in a jewish accent as well

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: GUEST,Diddy 11CG
Date: 14 Dec 10 - 09:01 AM

I see that this thread has been running a while but have only just come across it since I am compiling a list of family songs.

My Granny, nee Sophia Jane Wren, used to sing this at family parties. She died in 1974 aged 90 and learned them all at the music hall. We never ever knew any of the verses, only the chorus. Abie Abie was always sung with an East End Yiddish accent.

Abie, Abie, Abie my boy
Vat are you vaiting for now
You promised to marry me some day in June,
It's never too late and it's never too soon,
All the family, keep on asking me
Vich day Vat day?
I don't know vat to say,
Abie, Abie, Abie my boy
Vat are you vaiting for now?

Another of her songs, again only the chorus was again sung with a Yiddish accent.

Is Mister Izzy ill, Is he, Is he?
Has he got a chill, Has he, Has he?
The slightest cold often turns to flu,
Laryngitis, Pharingytis or Bronchitis too,
Has he made a vill, Has he, Has he,
Is he breathing still, Is he, Is he?
I am Izzy's lawyer and I've called aroung because,
I vant to know if Izzy's vorse or Is he as he vas.


She also used to sing a version of Whistling Rufus Blossom which I presume is even more politically incorrect than a Yiddish accent.
I can print the words of her version without prejudice if you like.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: Peter the Squeezer
Date: 14 Dec 10 - 02:28 PM

How about this one -

I'm going back to Himazas -
Never again to roam.
I'm going along, and singing a song -
A day's march nearer home.
There's a cottage so sweet
At the top of the street -
And it's number minety-four.
I'm going back to Himazas -
Himazas the pub next door.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Dec 10 - 03:32 AM

Really made me smile reading all of your comments.

My nan died 15 years ago now at 86 and my earliest memory of her is singing Abie My Boy with heavy Jiddish accent too....in fact my cousins and I started singing in on our way to the cremetorium. The driver must have thought we'd lost it!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: GUEST,lcbooks
Date: 19 Mar 11 - 01:04 AM

Just tonight, I had asked my mother to sing "Abie" and she said, "What? That old thing?" She remembers it from her mother and father's duets. Her father had sometimes performed in vaudeville-type shows; her mother had worked for a time singing to promote sales of sheet music.

What my mother sang was very close to the version posted by Guest,Kate.

Abie, Abie, my boy, what are you waiting for now?
You promised to marry me some day in June,
It's never too late and it's never too soon.
Abie, Abie, my boy, vot are you vating for now?

All my relatives keep on asking me,
Vot day? Vich day?
I dunno vot to say!
Abie, Abie, my boy, vot are you vating for now?

'Cause, I ain't got no money, m-o-n-e-y.
I'm busted, disgusted, financially embarrassed,
Haven't got a solitary c-e-n-t.
When I think of the old folks, ay-yiy, how I sigh
'Cause I ain't got no money, m-o-n-e-y.
Not. One. Red. Cent.

SOoooo - Put every cent away, for a rainy day,
And put a lock on the door.
'Cause it's easy to spend, and it's easy to lend,
But it's doggone hard to get it again.

SOoooo - If you've a little bit, hang on to it.
And try to get a little bit mo-o-ore.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: GUEST,Gerry Freedman
Date: 28 Jul 11 - 10:57 PM

My Grandmother used to sing it, and Ive found a version - people, thnak you. You led me here. Thnanks. G-d Bless, and Granny used to sing it in a Yididsh accent as well. I mis her.....XXXXX

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjvW-v-HHSw

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Feb 12 - 09:46 PM

abie abie abie my boy, what are you waiting for NOW
you promised to marry me one day in june
now its october and no honeymoon
all the familee keeps on asking me
what day which day i dont know what to say
abie abie abie my boy what are you waiting for NOW



sometimes the line with october in it is exchanged for-----
no its never too late and its never too soon

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: GUEST,Amy
Date: 15 Apr 12 - 11:52 PM

Aww my grandpa used to sing this to me, but instead of Abie my boy, he would sing "Amy my girl" :)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: GUEST
Date: 19 May 12 - 07:40 AM

My Mum and I got to talking about this song, my Mum heard it from her parents (we think my Nan) when she was growing up, and sang it to me and my sister growing up. We've loved reading all the posts and the history of the song and how its still being passed down - nobody I know has heard of it, but my family come from the East End of London originally, and the yiddish accent comes with the song! My Mum knows it this way:

Abey, Abey, Abey my boy, vot are you vaiting for nooow,
You promised to marry me one day in June,
It's never too late and it's never too soon,
All the family keep on asking me,
"Vich day? Vot day?" I don't know what to say!
Abey, Abey, Abey my boy,
Vot are you vaiting for noooow!

...and then this bit at the end which we can't work out! -

"Fine large shrimps, winkles and watercreaseeees!"

Has anyone else heard this bit or have any ideas why it's included?!?

Would love to find out.

Thanks,
Kerry

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A-bie My Boy (music hall song)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Oct 13 - 05:56 AM

I found a nice recording of the song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38KtFILtCuc

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Abie My Boy (music hall song)
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 30 Oct 13 - 07:29 AM

Re "Fine large shrimps, winkles and watercreases"; In the east end of London when I was growing up shrimps, winkles and watercress were a regular Sunday tea-time meal. Every Sunday a street vendor would come around the streets pushing a two wheeled coster's cart loaded with shrimps, winkles and whelks. Our regular vendor was known only as "Old Dark" with his cry of "shrims and winkles-ah".

This tradition seems to have died out and only a few weeks ago the last Jellied Eel stall the famous Tubby Isaacs in Whitechapel closed down forever.

We always sang Abie with the cod yiddish Vich, Vot and Ven

Hoot

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Abie My Boy (music hall song)
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jul 18 - 08:24 PM

I aint got no money m-o-n-e-y, busted, disgusted, financially embarrassed, i aint got one c-e-n-t, when i think of the old folks lordy how i cry, cause i aint got no money, not one red cent

Subject: Lyr Add: A-BE, MY BOY (Rule/McGhee/Silberman/Grock
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Jul 18 - 06:58 PM

I finally found viewable sheet music as a PDF at the website of York University (Toronto)


A-BE, MY BOY
Words by H. Rule and T. McGhee, music by L. Silberman and A. Grock. ©1921.

1. A - be courted Rachel; they were a loving pair.
He promised he would marry her one day.
He promised her a ring to have her for his own,
But Rachel said: "The only ring you give is on the 'phone.

CHORUS: "A - be, A - be, A - be, my boy,
What are you waiting for now?
You promised to marry me one day in June,
It's never too late and it's never too soon.
All the family
Keep on asking me:
'Vich day?' 'Vhat day?'
I don't know what to say.
A - be, A - be, A - be, my boy,
What are you waiting for now?"

2. A - be said to Rachel: "Now, when my ship comes home,
I'll buy you lots of diamonds at Woolworth's,
And when my ship comes home, I'll take you 'round the town."
But Rachel said: "You can't because I know your ship's gone down. CHORUS


[The sheet music has this note in small print on the cover:]

At a private Dance that H. R. H. the Prince of
Wales attended on Monday night, Lord
Louis Mountbatten requested Mr. Bert Howell's
Jazz Band De Luxe to play "Abe, My Boy," as
it was a favourite with His Royal Highness.
The Prince evidently shares in the general
appreciation of this splendid melody, as a
little later on the Prince himself asked Mr.
Howell if he would repeat "Abe, My Boy" as
an encore.

[Except in that note, the name is always printed with a hyphen: "A - be." I interpret that to mean that the 1-syllable name "Abe" is sung as 2 notes; it is not to be pronounced "Abie." But apparently not all singers agree.]