Subject: Job's worth,It's more than me job's worth (Ly From: John Date: 11 May 97 - 08:38 PM I have heard this song only once, but it has stuck with me for a lot of years. It tells the tale of how British workers make excuses for not striving for that extra yard on the basis that it would cost them their job. It comes from the English satirist who wrote "Prawns in the Game." I can't recall his name but he was deported from Sth Africa for penning anti Apartheid songs, circa early 70's. Just remembered, it was Jeremy Taylor. Any help please? John
|
Subject: RE: Job's worth,It's more than me job's worth (Ly From: John Date: 10 Jun 97 - 03:08 AM Thought that I might re-post this and try again, Thanks John |
Subject: LYR REQ:Job's worth,It's more than me job's worth From: John in Brisbane Date: 02 Apr 98 - 06:59 PM Still searching please. I'm very impressed at how efficient the Filter Search function is to retrieve old threads. Regards John |
Subject: RE: Job's worth,It's more than me job's worth (Ly From: RayBanks Date: 06 Apr 98 - 07:13 PM I heard Jeremy Taylor sing this in English folk clubs back in the early seventies. I just remember the chorus:- Jobsworth, Jobsworth, Its more than me job's worth I don't care if it rains or snows, Whatever you want, the answers NO. I could keep you waitin' four hours in a queue And if you don't like it, well you know what you can do! I anyone out there knows the verses, I'd love them. Jeremey Taylor is a very funny man, and a good singer. |
Subject: RE: Job's worth,It's more than me job's worth (Ly From: Bob Bolton Date: 06 Apr 98 - 08:51 PM Jobsworth: I heard Jeremy Taylor sing this song, among many other beaut songs, when he toured Australia in the 70s. I particulary loved this one - it could be the anthem of any working musician who has had to deal with entrenched Jobsworths (or anyone else who has tried to get sense and work out of people securely ensonced under their official hat or behind the official desk). I have it on one or two tape recordings of his concerts but I have never bothered to type the words out, since I quickly memorised them. If needed, I could get around to typing them out, as it is a song that needs a bit of a revival just now. I haven't tried my hand at writing out tunes in ABC but we have a local guru, so perhaps I will look into this as an economical way to pass on dots. Let me know and I will post the words - after Easter and our National Folk Festival, in Canberra. regards, Bob Bolton |
Subject: RE: Job's worth,It's more than me job's worth (Ly From: Bob Bolton Date: 20 Apr 98 - 07:31 PM G'day all, I'm slowly surfacing after the (Australian) National Folk Festival. I see nobody else has popped up with the words of Jeremy's beaut song. I was listening to my tape of his 1979 Perth and Adelaide concerts as I drove down to Canberra. He is a witty performer - no wonder the South Africans did not like to hear his trenchant views of apartheid. After exile, he took a little while to refocus on Britain but "Jobsworth" shows that he did so with a vengeance. I will finish transcibing the words and get back soon. Regrads, Bob Bolton |
Subject: Lyr Add: JOBSWORTH (Jeremy Taylor) From: Bob Bolton Date: 21 Apr 98 - 07:59 PM G'day again, I have sat down at typed the whole lot out - as performed by Jeremy Taylor on his 1979 Australian tour.
JOBSWORTH
Now, I was just an ordinary English man,
CHORUS: Jobsworth, jobsworth; it's more than my job's worth.
When you're trying to see, what the butler saw, Spoken: (Yes, well, I died in the last war for people like you ... don't you forget it!)
Fishing in the river, on a summer's day,
CHORUS: Jobsworth, jobsworth; it's more than my job's worth.
Mornin' Skipper, what can we do for you? (Recitative)
CHORUS: Jobsworth, jobsworth; it's more than my job's worth.
When you get back home, you will heave a sigh,
CHORUS: Jobsworth, jobsworth; it's more than my job's worth.
You know what ... you ... can ... do! SPOKEN: Of course, that is the spirit that won the last war. When Hitler said: "I'm coming to invade you", we said, "Sorry mate; we're closed!" NOTE: Transcription includes asides (in brackets) that need not be part of any given performance
BRIEF GLOSSARY:
On my tape of Jeremy Taylor's 1979 concerts in Perth (mainly) and Adelaide are the following items: The first half are from Jeremy's South African days and the second half (all bar the penultimate item) come from his English exile period. "Lurv, California Style" is a screamingly funny (over here) tale of acculturation and sex, but may lose some of its point among natives of the U. S. of A. Enjoy: Bob Bolton |
Subject: RE: Job's worth,It's more than me job's worth (Ly From: John in Brisbane Date: 21 Apr 98 - 09:40 PM Bob, Yes I will enjoy and thanks very much. While my memory of the tune is only fair, I seem to recall that it was vaguely skiffle(ish) - similar to 'Any Old Iron' - if that helps any other readers. Regards John |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor) From: GUEST Date: 02 Feb 10 - 05:14 PM Saw J eremy Taylor with a Spike Milligan show many years ago in Liverpool. Brilliant! nel |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor) From: cptsnapper Date: 02 Feb 10 - 05:46 PM I used to have the live album of Jeremy & Spike's show but sadly it's gone astray. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor) From: ChrisJBrady Date: 02 Feb 10 - 06:07 PM See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz44_Sp0K8A CJB. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor) From: Nigel Parsons Date: 03 Feb 10 - 10:53 AM I used to have the live album of Jeremy & Spike's show but sadly it's gone astray. Now available on CD, See Here Cheers Nigel |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor) From: Cretzon Date: 03 Feb 10 - 11:13 AM Still got that original vinyl album recorded at Cambridge and bought around the same time. Still in good nick, too - although I've transferred it digitally to CD. I've bought a few of Jeremy's CD's directly from him over the last few years. You could try emailing him via his website - he might have a CD version of that LP. It definitely pops up on Ebay regularly. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor) From: Joe Offer Date: 29 Jun 20 - 05:45 PM needs some cleanup |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor) From: GUEST,Roger Date: 29 Jun 20 - 07:30 PM I remember Jeremy Taylor and his music well. He should be credited with introducing the word 'Jobsworth' into general usage in the English language. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor) From: GUEST,Gerry Date: 29 Jun 20 - 10:52 PM When I've heard it done, the audience joins in with a loud NO! at the end of the second line of each chorus. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor) From: GUEST,Ray Date: 30 Jun 20 - 04:29 AM As for introducing the word into the English language, he told me, many years ago, that he originally found the word in an article in the Telegraph. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor) From: banjoman Date: 30 Jun 20 - 06:08 AM Ithink that at least the chorus was used by Ester Ranzen & Co on "that's Life" When they exposed a Jobsworth each week. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor) From: GUEST,Ray Date: 30 Jun 20 - 06:46 AM I don’t remember that they gave any credit to the song on the “that’s life” programme. They simply stole the concept. The Jeremy/Spike record was eventually re-released on the famous cheapo label “Music for Pleasure” - I have a copy. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor) From: GUEST,Jerry Date: 30 Jun 20 - 07:44 AM I recall the term Jobsworth becoming a popular slang word amongst disaffected youths in the early 1970s, so yes it predates Jeremy Taylor’s song, although the song hit the folk clubs just as the word had become common parlance, hence its popularity. Other terms like Rip Off emerged about the same time in the UK, and is now regularly used in the Media. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor) From: Richard Mellish Date: 30 Jun 20 - 09:48 AM This revived thread gives me a lame excuse to tell a little tale that a friend/colleague told me, from an earlier time in his career. I forget what organisation he was working for at the time, but he needed some item for the job that he was working on, so he went to see the storeman. (Let's call the item a whatsit.) Can I have a whatsit, please. No. Why, haven't you got one? Yes I've got one. Well can I have it then? No. Why not? Somebody might want it. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor) From: dayvaitch Date: 03 Feb 21 - 12:38 PM I'd certainly never heard the term "jobsworth" until I saw him perform "Jobsworth". Late 60s I think. Pretty sure I've still got it on vinyl. |
Share Thread: |
Subject: | Help |
From: | |
Preview Automatic Linebreaks Make a link ("blue clicky") |