Lyr Req: Eileen Jameson's Experience

Subject: ADD: Eileen Jameson's Experience
From: GUEST,Ilan E
Date: 05 Jan 26 - 08:57 PM

I can't find much information about this wonderful song that Marian McKenzie sings for the Three City Four. All I can find is that it's written by Alasdair Clayre, although he never seemed to have recorded it.

Also a few lyrics I can't quite identify. This is what I've got:

EILEEN JAMESON'S EXPERIENCE
(Alasdair Clayre)

Out of the frying pan and into the fire,
and [fed?] to the teeth with pleasure and desire,
I'm going to renounce them, and go and be a nun,
with my friend Sandra, it won't be fun,
(Refrain:)
but it's bound to be better than this,
I mean, Anything,
compared with this would be bliss,
practically...

This time last year, I cared about boys,
Sandra says my experience has given me poise,
but I've had men, there's either not enough,
or far too much and you [??] get rough,
(Refrain:)
I think old age would be better than this,
I think, Anything...

I kick lump stones as I slouch along the beach,
happiness is going to be always out of reach,
I'm going to renounce it, and go and be a nun,
with a sackcloth dress on, and my hair in a bun,
(Refrain:)
because it's bound to be better than this,
I mean, Anything...

Any information about the story behind it, or better guesses at the lyrics would be much appreciated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAw2ymXOtOo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eileen Jameson's Experience
From: Reinhard
Date: 06 Jan 26 - 06:37 AM

I found this entry in the Library of Congress’s Catalog of Copyright Entries on archive.org:

EILEEN JAMESON'S EXPERIENCE; w & m Alasdair Clayre. (In A cold wind blows & other songs. London, Clarion Photographic Services. p.9) © Nina Music; 1Sep66; EF31518.

And the booklet of the Three City Four's album noted on the song:

Alasdair Clayre, poet and songwriter, says this song, of the blasé
teenager who's seen it all and experienced it all, is based on a
conversation overheard on the top of a London bus.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eileen Jameson's Experience
From: GUEST,Ilan
Date: 07 Jan 26 - 07:21 PM

Wow thanks for that info. Any guesses on the lyrics?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eileen Jameson's Experience
From: Reinhard
Date: 08 Jan 26 - 02:45 AM

I'm not a native listener but I think your lyrics are fine so far. I hear "fed to the teeth" too, and "you ne’er’d get rough", i.e. a contraction of "you never would get rough".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eileen Jameson's Experience
From: Reinhard
Date: 16 Jan 26 - 12:19 PM

I just got a copy of Alasdair Clayre's book "100 Folk Songs and New Songs" but unfortunately, while it contains ten of his songs, this one is not among them.

Subject: ADD: Eileen Jameson's Experience (Alasdair Clayre)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Jan 26 - 01:47 PM

Hi, Ilan,
I think that your transcription is pretty good. I made a stab at it, but I'm not sure my transcription is any better than yours. Here's what I hear:

EILEEN JAMESON'S EXPERIENCE
(Alasdair Clayre)

Out of the frying pan and into the fire,
But fed to the teeth with pleasure and desire,
I'm going to renounce them, and go and be a nun,
With my friend Sandra, it won't be fun,
(Refrain:)
But it's bound to be better than this,
I mean, Anything,
Compared with this would be bliss,
Practically...

This time last year, I cared about boys,
Sandra says my experience has given me poise,
But I've had men, there's either not enough,
Or far too much and you [ne'er??] get rough,
(Refrain:)
I think old age would be better than this,
I think, Anything...
Compared with this would be bliss,
Practically...

I kick lump stones as I slouch along the beach,
happiness is going to be always out of reach,
I'm going to renounce it, and go and be a nun,
with a sackcloth dress on, and my hair in a bun,
(Refrain:)
because it's bound to be better than this,
I mean, Anything...
Compared with this would be bliss,
Practically...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAw2ymXOtOo

P.S. I added the title and YouTube link to your post.

Joe Offer, Mudcat Music Editor

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eileen Jameson's Experience
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 16 Jan 26 - 05:56 PM

I'm fed to the teeth
Your nerves get rough.

Mick