Tune Req: Name of tune used for Gasman Cometh?

Subject: Tune Req: Name of tune used for Gasman Cometh?
From: SingsIrish Songs
Date: 17 May 10 - 10:02 AM

Anyone know the name of the tune used for The Gasman Cometh (Flanders and Swann)?

Thanks in advance!

Mary

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Name of tune used for Gasman Cometh?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 17 May 10 - 10:06 AM

Surely its Donald Swann's own composition ? Though I agree there are 'bits' of older tunes in there .

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Name of tune used for Gasman Cometh?
From: GUEST,Noreen
Date: 17 May 10 - 10:25 AM

I feel that Mr Swann was inspired by the rhythm and melody of Charlie, He's My Darling, starting as it does with 'Twas on a Monday morning... The whole of it though is his own composition.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Name of tune used for Gasman Cometh?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 17 May 10 - 10:27 AM

......bits sound like 'Dashin' away with the smoothing iron'!

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Name of tune used for Gasman Cometh?
From: Noreen
Date: 17 May 10 - 10:45 AM

Yep, that too, Mr Happy! :)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Name of tune used for Gasman Cometh?
From: Bernard
Date: 17 May 10 - 12:13 PM

Donald Swann had the uncanny knack of writing an original melody you could swear you'd heard before...!

I do believe it was inspired by 'Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron', though.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Name of tune used for Gasman Cometh?
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 17 May 10 - 06:11 PM

Just in passing - Stephanie Flanders, the BBC economics editor, is the daughter of Michael Flanders. No wonder she is so articulate.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Name of tune used for Gasman Cometh?
From: Gurney
Date: 17 May 10 - 09:34 PM

Surely only the first line is similar to 'Dashing Away?' I have to agree with Bernard about the way Swann's music sounds so familiar.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Name of tune used for Gasman Cometh?
From: Anglo
Date: 18 May 10 - 12:49 AM

I too don't really hear the similarity to Smoothing Iron. The first line is similar in text, but not in tune, at least not the way I learned it in school.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Name of tune used for Gasman Cometh?
From: bubblyrat
Date: 18 May 10 - 06:13 AM

Nope, sounds entirely original to me ! ( Unlike one of John Lennon's efforts, which sounded VERY much like "Stewball Was A Racehorse "-----you know which one I mean !).

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Name of tune used for Gasman Cometh?
From: SingsIrish Songs
Date: 14 Jun 10 - 10:39 AM

Thanks for the feedback, I'll pass the info on to my friend!

Subject: ADD: The Gasman Cometh (Flanders & Swann)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 May 22 - 03:44 PM

The Gasman Cometh
(Michael Flanders / Donald Swann)
It was on the Monday morning when the gas-man came to call
The gas tap wouldn't turn, I wasn't getting gas at all
He pulled down all the skirting boards to try and find the main
And I had to call a carpenter to put them back again
Oh it all makes work for the working man to do
It was on the Tuesday morning the carpenter came round
He hammered and he chiselled and he said, Look what I've found
The floors are full of dry rot but I'll put them all to rights
Then he hammered through a cable and out went all the lights
Oh it all makes work for the working man to do
It was on a Wednesday morning the electrician came
He called me Mr. MacIntyre which isn't quite my name
He couldn't reach the fuse box without standing on the bin
And he put his foot through a window so I called the glazier in
Oh it all makes work for the working man to do
It was on the Thursday morning the glazier came along
With his blowtorch and his putty and his merry glazier's song
He put another window in, it took no time at all
So I had to get a painter in to come and paint the wall
Oh it all makes work for the working man to do
It was on a Friday morning that the painter made a start
With undercoats and overcoats he painted every part
He painted every corner but I found when he was gone
He'd painted over the gas tap and I couldn't turn it on
Oh it all makes work for the working man to do
On Saturday and Sunday they do no work at all
So it was on the Monday morning that the gasman came to call

(as sung by Iain MacKintosh)

Source: http://mysongbook.de/msb/songs/g/gasmanco.html

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Name of tune used for Gasman Cometh?
From: GUEST,MichaelKM
Date: 03 May 22 - 05:43 PM

This version, being sung by Iain MacKintosh, has the electrician call him 'Mr. MacIntyre'. As I recall the original, the electrician calls the singer (Michael Flanders) 'Mr. Sanderson'. I guess this is a play on 'Flanders and Swann'.