Origins: Why Can't it Always be Saturday?

Subject: Origins: Why Can't it Always be Saturday?
From: GUEST,Mike Yates
Date: 22 Sep 15 - 06:35 AM

I am currently writing the notes to a CD of the Sussex traditional singer Harry Upton, but am unable to trace this Music Hall song to a specific composer or singer. Any help would be appreciated.

Why Can't It Always Be Saturday? (Roud 1741)
There's one day in each week that all men loves best
One day they fancy far more than the rest
I've no need to tell you I can see you've all guessed
The day I allude to is Saturday
There's football for those who's fond of the sport
On that day the good things for Sunday are bought
Men finds his wife loves him far more than she ought
Just one day a week and that's Saturday

Chorus:
So why can't it always be Saturday?
Why can't it always be pay-day?
Oh, how happy we'd all be then
Wouldn't it suit all us working men?
If it was always Saturday
Wouldn't it be all gay?
We'd have money to spend, money to lend
If Saturday came every day

Just fancy a man who is fond of his beer
Get's one days relief from an autumney year
He makes it the rule to get full up to here
Just one day a week and that's Saturday
If he gets run in he has nothing to say
On Monday gets off from his work half a day
He peers at the Court and the fine there to pay
But he do's just the same thing next Saturday

There are certain places we shouldn't want to call
Where the three brass balls hangs on the wall
In fact there'd be no need for the pawn-shops at all
If every day was Saturday
No one would be rich, no one would be poor
We'd have no occasion to run up a score
We've plenty of pubs; we should want a few more
If every day was Saturday
And such things as poverty we need not know
So all sing this chorus, wherever you go