Lyr Req: You've Got a Long Way to Go (Mills,Carter

Subject: Lyr Req: One day upon a donkey's back
From: GUEST,jahooley
Date: 21 Nov 09 - 11:14 AM

Hello, trying to collate a song book for my Dad's 70th at the end of Dec 09 of all the songs he sang as a child. This is proving really rewarding and also highly frustrating at the same time. Below is a song he sings but I can find no trace of it. Any ideas/more verses gratefully received
> One day upon a donkey's back
> I tried Dick Turpin's Ride to York
> When all at once the mote stopped dead, and I got
> off to walk,
> Twas miles out in the country, but he wouldn't
> budge an inch
> I asked a cop where London was
> "Well, Lord love a duck " said he
> "You got a long ways to go, you got a long ways to
> go"
> So I gave the old mote a Jerusalem whack, as I
> planted me boot in his Union Jack
> But he wouldn't budge an inch. The Policeman said
> "What ho,"
> "You'd better get hold of the donkey's rudder, You
> got a long ways to go"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One day upon a donkey's back
From: GUEST,999
Date: 22 Nov 09 - 12:11 AM

"When all at once the mote stopped dead,"

That is more likely to be "moke", which was a word for donkey way back. However, it don't help much because I'm comin' up with zip either way.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One day upon a donkey's back
From: GUEST,jahooley
Date: 22 Nov 09 - 11:21 AM

You're right
My Mum said moke too - that's me getting it wrong
It sounds to me like a music hall song and the reference to York and then London is odd but hey ho??
Thanks for looking anyway
Jahooley

Subject: Lyr Add: YOU'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO (Mills,Carter
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Nov 09 - 07:22 PM

From Songs of the British Music Hall by Peter Davison (New York: Oak Publications, ©1971), page 124:


YOU'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO
Written and composed by A. J. Mills and F. W. Carter; sung by Frank Coyne.
London: Francis, Day & Hunter, ©1898.

1. One morning in a little tailor's shop I saw
A pair of ladies' bloomers, seven and sixpence, ready made.
I took my daughter in next day. The fellow got his tape,
And murmured as he started putting it around her shape:

CHORUS: "You've got a long way to go. You've got a long way to go.
Oh, what a terrible lump of stuff!
The three-yard measure ain't large enough.
She's over ninety-five round her 'Seraglio.'
To find a pair of pants to fit her, you've got a long way to go."

2. Once on a donkey's back, I tried Dick Turpin's ride to York,
When suddenly the moke stopped dead and I got off to walk.
'Twas miles out in the country and he wouldn't move for me.
I asked a slop where London was. "Lord luv a duck," said he:

CHORUS: "You've got a long way to go. You've got a long way to go."
He gave the Jerusalem moke a smack,
And planted a pin in its "Union Jack."
He wouldn't move an inch. The copper said, "What ho!
You'd better get hold of the donkey's rudder. You've got a long way to go."

3. My wife ain't noted for her looks. Her chivvy chase, oh lor!
It's like a Chinese puzzle or the knocker on the door.
The kids all called her "Monkey Brand" in our locality.
To find out such a specimen of phi-si-og-no-mee—

CHORUS: You've got a long way to go. You've got a long way to go.
Talk of the girls at the Sandwich Isles,
With warts and pimples all round their dials!
I've seen some ugly mugs on view at Barnum's Show,
But to find a face like my old woman's, you've got a long way to go.

4. One day I saw a lady friend a-marching up the West
With such a goody, pious band in blue and scarlet dressed;
She banged upon the tambourine, and shouted to the lot,
"We're marching on to glory." Says I, "You're marching on to What?"

CHORUS: "You've got a long way to go. You've got a long way to go.
It's no use banging your blooming drum
And shouting 'Sinners, oh! will you come?'
I like to hear you say you're going to glory, Flo.
If you're only as far as Piccadilly, you've got a long way to go."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: One day upon a donkey's back
From: GUEST,jahooley
Date: 23 Nov 09 - 08:36 PM

Good Lord!
Thank you Jim
I'm both stunned and amazed!
Me ol' Dad's gonna love this
Thank YOU!!!