Origins: They Don't Write 'Em Like That Anymore

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: They dont write em like That anymore
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 04 Nov 03 - 10:09 AM

Hi Pete

Glad you've found mudcat - why not become a member - it's free - then you won't have to be "Guest".

Did you ever get to the old Eston Folk Club at "The Cleveland Bay" in the late 60s ? I can remember some great nights there. I was very sad when Vin gave me the sad news about Fred Ingani's death some time back.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: They dont write em like That anymore
From: nutty
Date: 04 Nov 03 - 09:37 AM

Glad you've found Mudcat, Pete ...... You should post the lyrics of the rest of your wonderful songs.
It is great when songwriters take the time to make sure that posted lyrics are correct .....good on ye.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: They dont write em like That anymore
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Nov 03 - 06:49 AM

Hiya Susanne,

I'm abit late in replying !!!!
Re:- your question
A bold audience is watchin' while Tony is botchin' (?)
And missin' an easy card trick (?)

The verb " to botch " is probably slang.
Common usage is that a "botched job", is a job which has
not done very well, or skillfully .

Therefore Kenny ( not Tony) who actually could normally
perform interesting card tricks - but because of the
effects of TOO MUCH BEER was "botchin and messing-up
easy card tricks".

I hope that makes it clearer for you and thankyou very
much for your interest in the song - I hope it has given
you some pleasure .

Incidentally - I only found out about this web Site last night - hence the delay in replying to your query.

Cheers ,

Pete

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: They dont write em like That anymore
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Jan 00 - 02:08 PM

And Vin did a great version of it on "Tossing a Wobbler" (Topic Records Ltd, London 12TS385, 1978) - and in the album notes he writes:

"A great song written by my mate Pete Betts, about the good times that were had during his childhood in South Bank, near Middlesborough, after the pubs had closed. These were the days before the television took over the spot where the piano used to stand and people used to sing, rather than listen to records - like yourselves."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: They dont write em like That anymore
From: Captain Swing
Date: 23 Jan 00 - 12:03 PM

It was written by Pete Betts, along time friend of Vin Garbutt's from the Middlesborough area. I first saw him at one of Vin's gigs at Louth Folk Club in 1972. He had driven Vin to the gig but also did a floorspot himself. He was superb and was later booked in his own right.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: They dont write em like That anymore
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 22 Jan 00 - 05:48 PM

Ralf, mysongbook.de (will it work?) may be a help for other songs you may be looking for. It's much smaller than the DT and nowhere near complete, but any title in there without content you can get from me under [e-mail]. - Susanne

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: They dont write em like That anymore
From: GUEST,Ralf Weihrauch
Date: 22 Jan 00 - 06:48 AM

Thank you very much, Susanne and Bugsy. That was a big Help.

Ralf

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: They dont write em like That anymore
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 21 Jan 00 - 09:46 PM

Bothchin (or botching) to make a complete mess of. So presuamably he is trying to show off a card trick (like a magic trick with cards) and it's going all wrong...

Haven't heard this song since the early to mid 80's...

Jon

Subject: Lyr Add: THEY DON'T WRITE THEM LIKE THAT ANY MORE
From: Bugsy
Date: 21 Jan 00 - 09:15 PM

Only a couple of words differently in the version I sing:

THEY DON'T WRITE THEM LIKE THAT ANY MORE
(Betts)

Chorus:
And ee, how we could sing, what joy those nights would bring
Singing for hours on end
Once we found the key - oh what harmony
Those boozie voices could blend
Heart of My Heart, just for a start
Walkin' My Baby Back Home
When it comes to an end it's "let's sing it again"
They don't write them like that any more

Da's drunk again and he's brought lots of men
And their wives back home from the pub
They've got no beer but you need have no fear
Tam's gone round the back door of the club
Someone's playing a piano as if using a sledgehammer
Murdering There Goes My Heart
There's a burst through the door, and it's Bert and what's more
Hes' brought the beer, so we're ready to start

Ma's in the kitchen tryin' to knock up a snack
From the chicken we had this afternoon
Jack says, Where's the toilet, Ma says, "out the back,
And by the looks - not a minute too soon
Then a laugh shakes the whole house: Jack's fell in the coalhouse
Man, he's as drunk as a newt
But with his face coloured black he's not taken aback
He sings Mammy and the rest follows suit

Half past one in the mornin', and Dad's started yawnin'
He's got to be workin' at six
A bored audience is watchin' while Tony is botchin'
And messin' an easy card tricks
Ah but it's time to go now, and Dads got the knowhow
To make 'em all want to go home
"Cos when you're all full of beer the last thing you want to hear
Is a tune on his paper and comb

Cheers

bugsy

HTML line breaks added --JoeClone, 3-Jan-02.

Subject: Lyr Add: THEY DON'T WRITE THEM LIKE THAT ANY MORE
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 21 Jan 00 - 04:31 PM

This is how Arthur Johnstone from Glasgow sings it on his LP 'Generations of Change' (1985). The author is given as 'Betts'. I gather it was written in the States. Does anyone know more about him? And can anyone help with the two expressions I'm not sure about (see question marks). - Susanne

THEY DON'T WRITE THEM LIKE THAT ANY MORE
(Betts)

Chorus:
And oh, how we could sing, what fun those nights would bring
Singing for hours on end
Once we found the key - oh what harmony
Those drunken voices could blend
Heart of My Heart, just for a start
Walkin' My Baby Back Home
When it comes to an end let's sing it again
They don't write them like that any more

Da's drunk again and he's brought lots of men
And their wives back home from the club
They've got no beer but you need have no fear
Tam's gone round the back door of the pub
Someone's playing a piano as if using a sledgehammer
Murdering There Goes My Heart
There's a knock at the door, it's Tam in once more
Brought the beer, so we're ready to start

Ma's in the kitchen tryin' to make up a snack
From the chicken we had this afternoon
Jack says, Where's the toilet, Ma says, Roon' the back
By his look - not a minute too soon
Then a laugh round the whole house: Jack's fell in the coalhouse
Man, he's as drunk as a neut
With his face covered black he's not taken aback
He sings Mammy and the rest follows suit

Half one in the mornin', Da's started yawnin'
He's got to be workin' at six
A bold audience is watchin' while Tony is botchin' (?)
And missin' an easy card trick (?)
It's time to go now, he's got somehow
To get them all to go home
When you're drunk full of beer the last thing you want to hear
Is a tune on his paper and comb
^^

Subject: They dont write em like That anymore
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jan 00 - 03:07 PM

Does anybody have the complete lyrics?? This song was sung by Vin Garbutt a long time ago.