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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bold Sir John (from the Two Ronnies) From: GUEST,Curious Clouseau Date: 06 Jan 06 - 01:52 PM Yes I have them somewhere. I'll post them up during the week. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: brass band medley two ronnies From: GUEST Date: 06 Jan 06 - 06:05 AM does anyone know the lyrics to this musical finale? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bold Sir John (from the Two Ronnies) From: GUEST Date: 30 Dec 05 - 04:27 PM |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE GAL WHO'S GONNA MARRY ME From: GUEST,Curious Clouseau Date: 17 Dec 05 - 11:06 AM "The Gal Who's Gonna Marry Me" She can sow, she can hoe She can read, she can write She can cook a man a breakfast in the middle of the night She can cut up a chicken She can cut down a tree Wow! That's the gal who's gonna marry me She can dig, she can jig She can juggle, she can jump She can drive a fella crazy with a wiggle of he rump She can stand in the saddle She can sit on your knee Wow! That's the gal who's gonna marry me She can joke, she can smoke She can drink a dozen beers She can move a grand pianner, she can move a man to tears She can pour out her heart or She can pour out your tea Wow! That's the gal who's gonna marry me She can roast, she can toast She can boil, she can bake She can cut a fella dead and she can cut a slice of cake She can cook a fellas goose and She can fry a fricassee Yep! That's the gal who's gonna marry me She can sweep, she can weep She can giggle, she can grin She can play a little poker, she can play a little gin She's as spicy as a pickle And sweeter than a pea Hup! She's the gal who's gonna marry me Hup! Hup! She's the gal who's gonna marry me |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bold Sir John (from the Two Ronnies) From: mooman Date: 16 Dec 05 - 11:16 AM Happy memories! I seem to remember another similar one they did. Could be a parody of The Pirates of Penzance? I think one of the rhymes went: The Navy has most efficient ships... Fish and chips! Anyone remember the rest (or correct words) of that? (or am I just imagining something as usual!) Peace moo |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bold Sir John (from the Two Ronnies) From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 16 Dec 05 - 10:16 AM Thanks for the link, Huw. I sat at the keyboard and laughed at this news item: The House of Commons was sealed off today after police chased an escaped lunatic through the front door during Prime Minister's question time. A spokesman at Scotland Yard said it was like looking for a needle in a haystack." Unfortunately, the purple background they have on their home page is just awful! So hard to read! WHY do they do it?! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bold Sir John (from the Two Ronnies) From: GUEST,Curious Clouseau Date: 16 Dec 05 - 09:28 AM Yeah I have the LP of The Two Ronnies "Jehosophat and Jones" which I recently got transfered to CD. I'll post up the full lyrics for "The Gal Who's Gonna Marry Me" soon. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bold Sir John (from the Two Ronnies) From: GUEST,Davis Date: 15 Dec 05 - 03:52 PM I've remembered the rest of one verst to 'She's the girl who's gonna marry me'..... She can cook, she can sew, she can drink dozen beers She can move a grand piano, she can move a man to tears She's as pretty as a picture, as fickle as a flea Yep, she's the girl who's gonna marry me. Can anyone remember this from Big Jim and Fat Belly? |
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Subject: RE: tune : Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: GUEST Date: 10 Nov 05 - 01:08 PM require backing to the song Bold Sir John by the Two Ronnies |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: GUEST,Davis Date: 09 Nov 05 - 03:35 PM I once had an LP of Big Jim and Fat Belly and regret mistakenly including it in a pile of LP's to go to a charity shop. The track I remember most was 'She's the gal who's gonna marry me' which included the line... 'She can move a grand piano, she can move a man to tears' Does anyone remember any more of this one? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: Tracey Dragonsfriend Date: 05 Oct 05 - 08:06 AM Perhaps we'll see a re-release of that album, as it doesn't seem to be available on CD, only old vinyl at collector's prices... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: GUEST,AndrewtheHat Date: 05 Oct 05 - 08:06 AM Anyone remember... "Oh what a pity the pubs in the City all close at half past ten! If I had the power they'd shut for an hour then open up again... OH! I could get chronic on vodka and tonic at any time I like - I'd wave at the p'liceman standing by my car, then nick his bike! And we'd all have a damn good time! (Barker) On peaches and cream! (Corbett) And vodka and lime!" |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: GUEST,Robin Madge Date: 05 Oct 05 - 07:42 AM I remember one of their songs was arranged so that one of them sang a verse and the last three sylables were repeated, music hall style, by the other. I can't remember any of them now except the one they changed. "Upon that far canal" had "fancy that" sung after it! Robin Madge |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: GUEST,AndrewtheHat Date: 04 Oct 05 - 09:27 AM The Jehosophat&Jones song that still makes me proud to be of the same genus as Ronnie Barker is the immortal stammering one - I can remember only one verse and a chorus: Oh Emmylou, I followed you Up on the Telephone To say thanks for coming to the dance with me and for lettin me take you home I'm sorry I seemed so nervous and s-started to s-stammer and s-sweat but it s-started ever since I saw you, and I aint got over it yet... (Chorus) I stared at your great big ber-b-b-berber b-b-b-b-blue green eyes I wondered if you'd fer f-f-fer fer flirt with all the guys When you smiled I nearly sher-sh-sh-sher sher shot right out the door Cos I'd never see such pretty little ter t-t-ter ter teeth before THere's another verse with the immortal their line "I get a funny feelin in my ber b-b-ber ber ber b-b-ber-b-brain" - can anyone fill in the rest? |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: DG&D Dave Date: 06 Apr 04 - 05:42 AM Splott Man; The C&W characters you refer to are 'Jehosophat and Jones' (Corbett and Barker respectively). I have the vinal somewhere and must get it transfered to CD for posterity. Dave. |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: GUEST,KB Date: 05 Apr 04 - 09:20 AM I laughed for hours at their "Spooner" sketch: Something like : "He's put dirtaliser on my failures"..... Still strikes me as one of the funniest things I ever heard. |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: GUEST,Tracey Dragonsfriend (no cookie here) Date: 05 Apr 04 - 07:49 AM Hey, all you Two Ronnies fans - if you have UK Gold, you're in luck. Next Saturday & Sunday, it's non-stop Two Ronnies from 5pm to 10pm! What a great way for you (or your video recorder!) to spend Easter... |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: Raedwulf Date: 27 Mar 04 - 10:18 AM That blicky doesn't work for me, I'm afraid. I remember a lot of Two Ronnies stuff (The Phantasm Raspberry Blower of Old London Town springs to mind...). I don't remember Bold Sir John, though, & I'd love to hear it! |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: Penny Price Date: 26 Mar 04 - 07:05 PM Thank you Guest Me - you've got it!! So grateful for the actual music which I'd got nearly right but not quite. Regards Penny |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: Splott Man Date: 26 Mar 04 - 03:43 AM A bit more thread creep, but my crusty memory seems to recall that the two Ronnies made a parody C & W album using top British bluegrass band The Orange Bloosom Sound as their musicians. I do know that they also worked with Benny Hill on an LP. They'd do anything for a laugh. Splott Man |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: GUEST,Me Date: 25 Mar 04 - 11:05 PM There's an MP3 of the Bold Sir John song ripped directly from the Two Ronnies TV show at http://homepage.ntlworld.com/keytops/The%20Two%20Ronnies%20-%20Morris%20Dancers.mp3 |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: Snuffy Date: 22 Mar 04 - 08:16 PM Look here, Steve, for previous discussion of that gem |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: Schantieman Date: 22 Mar 04 - 05:13 PM I am reminded of an apparently rude song that we used to find amusing at school. I don't suppose the Two Ronnies would have ventured anything quite so apparently crude. (The crudity is of course, all in the ear of the listener....) A sol-, a-sol, a soldier I will be, Two pis-, two pis-, two pistols at my knee, I'll fight for the old count- fight for the old count- fight for the old country! A girl I knew (I think it was Samantha from I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue asked for an example of a double entendre so I gave her one. S |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: HuwG Date: 21 Mar 04 - 07:52 PM Here is a blue clicky to an unofficial but good site for the Two ronnies. |
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Subject: Tune Add: BOLD SIR JOHN (from the Two Ronnies) From: GUEST,Jon Date: 20 Mar 04 - 10:11 AM Copied over from folkinfo where Panny's original question and this thread refresh stemmed from... OK, Penny has kindly supplied us with the tune as she remembers it and Pip has provided an abc based on a scan (please note that some bars do not quite add up but that is a minor detail we opted not to correct and perhaps caused by our reading of the scan). It's not a tune I recognise. An abc follows: |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: HuwG Date: 19 Mar 04 - 10:40 AM The "Two Ronnies" are indeed immortal among British comedians. Their shows often featured a spoof private eye adventure, with Barker as "Piggy Malone" and Corbett as his assistant, "Charley Farley". To an extent, their short sketches could become a little repetitive, but some were remarkably refreshing. I recall Corbett as an extremely shortsighted man in an equally myopic optician's. Barker keeps trying ever larger test cards. Barker: Can you read the top line on this chart, sir ? Corbett: No. Barker: (pulling back a blind to reveal a letter 'A' covering almost an entire wall) Then, can you read this one ? Corbett: Er, "A" ! Barker: Ah ! Well, that's at least something. (moves to replace the blind) Corbett: Er, "I" ! Barker: No sir, that's a hat stand. Corbett: Er, "H" ! Barker: No, that's a bookcase. Sir, you're reading all the furniture. The sketch continued with the two stumbling around until by accident they put on each others' glasses, and found they could see perfectly. Barker's series, "Porridge" didn't survive the trip across the Atlantic. Barker's character, "Fletcher", was a burglar who had been convicted many times and finally sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, the maximum for his offence. When the show was taken to US producers, they didn't think such a character would go down too well. They said, "Couldn't he be wrongfully convicted ?" Eventually, Barker made a follow-up series, "Going straight", which followed Fletcher's adventures once released. It didn't go down quite as well as "Porridge", although it was pleasant enough. Only one series was made, due to the tragically early death of actor richard Beckinsale, who played Fletcher's cell-mate (and later son-in-law), Lennie Godber. |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: Fiolar Date: 19 Mar 04 - 09:27 AM To appreciate the "Four Candles" sketch you really need to see it. What impressed me was the incredible realism of the shop. It was the exact replica of an old fashioned hard-ware store where a person could buy anything from a few nails to an anvil. Thanks to Tracey for the script. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: FORK HANDLES / FOUR CANDLES (Two Ronnies) From: GUEST,Tracey Dragonsfriend (no cookie here) Date: 19 Mar 04 - 08:29 AM Here you go (hoping th breaks come out): In a hardware shop. Ronnie Corbett is behind the counter, wearing a warehouse jacket. He has just finished serving a customer. CORBETT (muttering): There you are. Mind how you go. (Ronnie Barker enters the shop, wearing a scruffy tank-top and beanie) BARKER: Four Candles! CORBETT: Four Candles? BARKER: Four Candles. (Ronnie Corbett makes for a box, and gets out four candles. He places them on the counter) BARKER: No, four candles! CORBETT (confused): Well there you are, four candles! BARKER: No, fork 'andles! 'Andles for forks! (Ronnie Corbett puts the candles away, and goes to get a fork handle. He places it onto the counter)CORBETT (muttering): Fork handles. Thought you said 'four candles!' (more clearly) Next? BARKER: Got any plugs? CORBETT: Plugs. What kind of plugs? BARKER: A rubber one, bathroom. (Ronnie Corbett gets out a box of bath plugs, and places it on the counter) CORBETT (pulling out two different sized plugs): What size? BARKER: Thirteen amp! CORBETT (muttering): It's electric bathroom plugs, we call them, in the trade. Electric bathroom plugs! (He puts the box away, gets out another box, and places on the counter an electric plug, then puts the box away) BARKER: Saw tips! CORBETT: Saw tips? (he doesn't know what he means) What d'you want? Ointment, or something like that? BARKER: No, saw tips for covering saws. CORBETT: Oh, haven't got any, haven't got any. (he mutters) Comin' in, but we haven' got any. Next? BARKER: 'O's! CORBETT: 'O's? BARKER: 'O's. (He goes to get a hoe, and places it on the counter) BARKER: No, 'O's! CORBETT: 'O's! I thought you said 'O! (he takes the hose back, and gets a hose, whilst muttering) When you said 'O's, I thought you said 'O! 'O's! (He places the hose onto the counter) BARKER: No, 'O's! CORBETT (confused for a moment): O's? Oh, you mean panty 'o's, panty 'o's! (he picks up a pair of tights from beside him) BARKER: No, no, 'O's! 'O's for the gate. Mon repose! 'O's! Letter O's! CORBETT (finally realising): Letter O's! (muttering) You had me going there! (He climbs up a stepladder, gets a box down, puts the ladder away, and takes the box to the counter, and searches through it for letter O's) CORBETT: How many d'you want? BARKER: Two. (Ronnie Corbett leaves two letter O's on the counter, then takes the box back, gets the ladder out again, puts the box away, climbs down the ladder, and puts the ladder away, then returns to the counter) CORBETT: Yes, next? BARKER: Got any P's? CORBETT (fed up): For Gawd' sake, why didn' you bleedin' tell me that while I was up there then? I'm up and down the shop already, it's up and down the bleedin' shop all the time. (He gets the ladder out, climbs up and gets the box of letters down, then puts the ladder away) Honestly, I've got all this shop, I ain't got any help, it's worth it we plan things. (He puts the box on the counter, and gets out some letter P's) How many d'you want? BARKER: No! Tins of peas. Three tins of peas! CORBETT: You're 'avin' me on, ain't ya, yer 'avin' me on? BARKER: I'm not! (Ronnie Corbett dumps the box under the counter, and gets three tins of peas) CORBETT (placing the tins on the counter): Next? BARKER: Got any pumps? CORBETT (getting really fed up): 'And pumps, foot pumps? Come on! BARKER (surprised he has to ask): Foot pumps! CORBETT (muttering, as he goes down the shop): Foot pumps. See a foot pump? (He sees one, and picks it up) Tidy up in 'ere. (He puts the pump down on the counter) BARKER: No, pumps fer ya feet! Brown pump, size nine! CORBETT (almost at breaking point): You are 'avin' me on, you are definitely 'avin' me on! BARKER (not taking much notice of Corbett's mood): I'm not! CORBETT: You are 'avin' me on! (He takes back the pump, and gets a pair of brown foot pumps out of a drawer, and places them on the counter) Next? BARKER: Washers! CORBETT (really close to breaking point): What, dishwashers, floor washers, car washers, windscreen washers, back scrubbers, lavatory cleaners? Floor washers? BARKER: 'Alf inch washers! CORBETT: Oh, tap washers, tap washers? (He finally breaks, and makes to confiscate his list) Look, I've had just about enough of this, give us that list. (He mutters) I'll get it all myself! (Reading through the list) What's this? What's that? Oh that does it! That just about does it! I have just about had it! (calling through to the back) Mr. Jones! You come out and serve this customer please, I have just about had enough of 'im. (Mr. Jones comes out, and Ronnie Corbett shows him the list) Look what 'e's got on there! Look what 'e's got on there! JONES (who goes to a drawer with a towel hanging out of it, and opens it): Right! How many would ya like? One or two? (He removes the towel to reveal the label on the drawer - 'Bill hooks'!) |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: clueless don Date: 19 Mar 04 - 08:20 AM Now I'm curious! How did the "four candles" sketch go? Don |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: Tam the Bam (Nutter) Date: 19 Mar 04 - 07:39 AM I rember the four candles one, that to me is the best. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: BOLD SIR JOHN (from the Two Ronnies) From: GUEST,Wyziwyg Date: 19 Mar 04 - 06:33 AM Hi, folks: The following are the exact words from a video recording of the original broadcast. BOLD SIR JOHN 1. Oh! bold Sir John was young and fair, And bold Sir John was gay. He said, "I'll tread the morning dew, To take the air and listen to The twittering of the birds all day, The bumblebees at play, The twit, the twit, the twit, the twit, the twittering of the birds all day, The bum, the bum, the bum, the bum, the bumblebees at play." 2. So bold Sir John, he went his way, Observing nature's farce. "Kind Mother Earth, oh! tell me, pray, Why elephants live so long, they say, Your flies live but a day, Then they drop dead upon the grass, Your flies, etc. Drop dead, etc." 3. Now bold Sir John, he met a maid, As on her back she lay. "Please show respect, and come not near, For I've seen many a maiden here Get lost among the new-mown hay, So doff your hat I pray, Get lost, etc. So doff, etc." 4. When bold Sir John return-ed home, They gave him gin to try. "Nay, fill me not with liquor up, Nor give me grape or grain to sup. Pour cowslip's dew into my cup. A puritan am I. Pour cow, etc. A pew, etc." When I do this one at folk clubs, I add one extra verse, which I wrote. This one becomes verse 4, following So Doff, and goes after this fashion: - 5. Then bold Sir John assured the maid, He was just passing by. He said, "Fair maid, now fear me not, For, though me blood be wild and hot, Addicted to love's ways I'm not. No cocksure rake am I. Adic, adic, adic, adic, addicted to love's ways I'm not. No cock, no cock, no cock, no cock, no cocksure rake am I. It seemed to me that the song needed some extra to round out the story, and that verse gets a lorra, lorra laffs chuck. I'm not quite sure what this says about us folkies, but I like it anyway. Anyone wanting to use the song, feel free to include my bit, or not, as you choose. Enjoy Don "Wysiwyg" Thompson |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: Schantieman Date: 18 Mar 04 - 02:25 PM Ronnie Barker is one of the all-time greats of British comedy, right up there with Tommy Cooper, the Goons, Python etc. If either Open All Hours or Porridge doesn't win this Best British Sitcom award there ain't no justice. The Two Ronnies was absolutely hilarious. I remember as a teenager literally laughing till I cried at some of the sketches and, unlike some (notably Fawlty Towers) they still bear repeating. I seem to remember him announcing when he retired several years ago that he wasn't going to come out of retirement for anything. In the last few years, however, he's kept on popping up to promote this, that or the other but I'd be surprised if he actually made any more programmes. He surely can't need the dosh! 'Four candles' was indeed his finest hour. Steve |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: clueless don Date: 18 Mar 04 - 01:21 PM Jumping on the thread creep bandwagon, I saw a little of the Two Ronnies many years ago when their show appeared on PBS stations here in the USA. One of my favorite bits went something like this (I've forgotten the exact words): Ronnie Barker is standing there with a large (maybe 8.5" by 11", or perhaps a bit larger) replica of a postage stamp. He says something like "The [insert official name of the British postal authority] announced today that they were recalling this stamp because of a printing error. Can you see what's wrong?" He then waits for a couple of beats, and then says "That's right! It's too big to put on an envelope!" Great stuff! Don |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: lady penelope Date: 18 Mar 04 - 01:18 PM All these classics are now available on video and DVD from the Beeb, on two volumes. Keep a spare set of underwear handy is all I can say.............. TTFN Lady P. |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: Fiolar Date: 18 Mar 04 - 09:45 AM A farther thread creep but remember Ronnie Barker as the butler serving the lord and lady. With such comments as "Your sweet, m'lady" and "Your nuts, m'lord" and "Your crackers, m'lord". Still cracks me up. |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: GUEST Date: 17 Mar 04 - 06:40 PM I remembered the bit about "So doff your hat I pray" and "Sod off..sod off...sod off") but very little else, so thanks to Dave Barns, etc, for supplying the rest. The Two Ronnies are actually due to make a comeback on British TV (BBC) soon, which is either very brave or very stupid considering it is many years (?25 or more) since they appeared together and Ronnie Barker retired some years ago, also he must be at least must be 70 or so. However the very best of luck to them from me (and from him). To Hipflask Andy, the sketch you refer to was about "Learning Swedish" (as RB said, "We are going to have a Swedish lesson, but this one is different - it is in Norwegian"). They used single letters to represent words (English words of course), which appeared on the screen as well as being spoken somewhat slowly by Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett. Following a pictorial introduction, eg " C T " (picture of a city), P T (picture of a crying child being comforted, ie PITY), there was a picture of a womans cleavage, which Ronnie Barker as the Swedish professor type introduced by saying "And here (slight pause) we have another picture for you" as "T T " came up on the screen. The main scene was in a restuarant with Ronnie Corbett as the customer and Ronnie Barker as the waiter. The main part started by RC saying "F U N E X" (HAVE YOU ANY EGGS?), followed by RB saying " S V F X " (YES, WE HAVE EGGS), "F U N E M" (HAVE YOU ANY HAM?), "S V F M" (YES, WE HAVE HAM), "F U N E T" (HAVE YOU ANY TEA?), "S V F T" (YES, WE HAVE TEA), THEN "L F X M N T" (I'll have Eggs, Ham and Tea)- not quite so sure about some of the last phrase, though it did end " X M N T". There was probably more, and it was funnier than it sounded on the page. I think Ronnie Barker as the waiter had a hilarious haircut (this probably gave rise to the expression "the lunatic fringe"). This however might have been in another restaurant scene with RC again as the customer (this time with his wife) and RB again as the waiter. Or perhaps both. The latter was in a Resturant where everything served was to do with Rook (a bird of the Crow family), such as "Rook and Raspberry Ripple" (Ice-cream), etc. The only joke I can remember was when RC said to RB something like "This is certainly not the place to come to do if you don't like Rook", whereupon RB said "Actually it is". RC: "Why?". RB; "Because we serve bloody awful Rook, that's why, old, tough and stringy". Seem to be experiencing slight thread creep again (this sounds like a problem Ronnie Corbett might have experienced with his colourful pullovers which he wore when pioneering "sit down comedy"), but I can't really add anything to the Bold Sir John saga. Why were knights of Old always Bold (perhaps it was a misprint for Bald?), or maybe because it rhymes with Bold. As someone once said, they were always looking for a damsel to distress. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: BOLD SIR JOHN (from the Two Ronnies) From: Tyke Date: 17 Mar 04 - 02:35 PM Just seen this thread. I've been singing Bold Sir John since about 1983. I collected by the use of a video recorder when they repeated some of the Two Ronnies programmes in a series called 20 Years of the Two Ronnies. I do not however use the same tune having devised my own in DADFAD. Having learned DADGAD and DADFAD tunings to stop people like Raggytash from borrowing my Guitar J. The original show was broadcast in the 70's and prior to the Morris Team, which included the Two Ronnies dancing a Morris Dance. The joke was, as first sight not politically correct as the Morris team included a last minute replacement of one of the Morris men's sisters. Said buxom blonde danced about taking turns having her bottom spanked as part of the dance by the Morris team. Its first broadcast in the 70's was at a time when there was a certain amount of male chauvinism was being shown towards female Morris dance sides by some traditional male men. Some traditional sides were refusing to dance along side the female teams. The sketch was in fact a satire on this attitude. The jealous cavorting of the Two Ronnies around the young maiden and animosity created towards each other was then with a change of tempo transferred to the song. Whilst the leader of the Morris team sang the verse The Two Ronnies use the chorus to call each other names by placing emphasis on The Twit The Twit The Twit leaving the other to reply the The Bum The Bum The Bum and so on. Your flies was a suggestion that Ronnie Corbet's flies (trouser, pants, buttons) were undone. Dave Barn's recollection of the song is not bad at all however this is my version which I had the pleasure of performing and perfecting whilst travelling around the country as "Dab Hands Roadie". The trouble with comic songs is that you can overdo them if you sing them every week to the same audience. So the perfection of comic timing can be tricky. Here is my version which is mainly copy and paste of Dave Barn's version with a few changes. BOLD SIR JOHN Now Bold Sir John was young and fair, and Bold Sir John was gay. He said I'll tread the morning dew to take the air and listen to The twittering of the birds all day, the bumblebees at play. The twit! The twit! The twit! The twit! The twittering of the birds all day; The bum! The bum! The bum! The bum! The bumblebees at play. So Bold Sir John walked along observing natures farce. Oh Mother Nature, come tell me pray, why elephants live so long they say; But your flies live but a day then they, drop dead upon the grass". Your flies! Your flies! Your flies! Your flies! Your flies live but a day then they Drop dead! Drop dead! Drop dead! Drop dead! Drop dead upon the ground. Then Bold Sir John he met a maid as on her back she lay. Stand off stand off and come not near for I've seen many a maiden here Get lost amongst the new mown hay so doff your cap I pray. Get lost! Get lost! Get lost! Get lost! Get lost amongst the new mown hay. Sod off! Sod off! Sod off! Sod off! So doff your hat I pray. When Bold Sir John return'ed home, they gave him gin to try; "Don't fill my cup with liquor up, nor give me grape nor grain to sup; Pour cowslips dew into my cup, a Puritan am I". Poor cow! Poor cow! Poor cow! Poor cow! Pour cowslips dew into my cup. Up you! Up you! Up you! Up you! A Puritan am I. Poor cow! Poor cow! Poor cow! Poor cow! Pour cowslips dew into my cup. Up you! Up you! Up you! Up you! A Puritan am I. If anyone wants the tune "LIKE WOT I WRIT" Send me a PM or I could be persuaded to put it on a CD once I finished recording the project I am at present recording with Coblers Monday. Cheers George Clarke |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: GUEST,Steve Date: 16 Mar 04 - 01:42 PM The lyrics and much much more is in Ronnie Barker's book, the title is something like "All That I Wrote". The book is big and light blue. |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: GUEST Date: 16 Mar 04 - 12:42 PM F U N E X? S V F M N X And Bold Sir John was repeated quite recently |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: Flash Company Date: 16 Mar 04 - 10:58 AM Don't really remember 'Bold Sir John', but their C & W act was 'Big Jim Jehosophat (Ronnie C) & Fat Belly Jones (Ronnie B). They did a number called 'The Stuttering Bum' with lots of lyrics in the ' F-f-f-f-feel the way I do' style. I suspect Bob Williamson of Bolton may have had a hand in it. FC |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: MoorleyMan Date: 16 Mar 04 - 10:00 AM Hic Andy - sick gloria in transit (or camper van)? Too much celebrating all the deserved plaudits for the woodshed boys methinks - tut tut! |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: HipflaskAndy Date: 16 Mar 04 - 09:55 AM cusTomer! Bad enough, the typo - then to copy and paste it too! More brandy! HFA |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: HipflaskAndy Date: 16 Mar 04 - 09:54 AM Restuarant cusomer: I C U F M? Waiter: S, V F M Restuarant cusomer: F U N E X? ...and so on... A wee snippet, all I can remember, of another gem from them. Tt went on a good while - and included numbers as well as letters in the conversation. I also remember Barker sang among hay bales in a 'Hillbilly' parody - one line being .... 'Down in the barn where the oil lamp flickers I lost me heart and she lost her parasol' Grand comedy. Sadly missed. Brandy helps me remember. HFA |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: GUEST, Hamish, no cookie Date: 16 Mar 04 - 09:41 AM The Four Candles sketch has passed into our everyday conversation and still cracks us up every time. "'ose?" "Naow: 'O's" |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: Fiolar Date: 16 Mar 04 - 09:14 AM Nearly every one of the Two Ronniess' sketches were were marvellous. The above one was a classic there is no doubt and I wonder in today's politically correct TV world if some of their acts would ever have seen thre light of day. To end, who can ever forget the hilarious "Four Candles"? |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: DG&D Dave Date: 16 Mar 04 - 09:01 AM I was that Dave Barnes, posted when I first discovered Mudcat and before I was a member. Please don't send anything to the e-mail address that was included in my Guest ID as that was another life. These days you can just "PM" me! |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: GUEST,Penny Price Date: 15 Mar 04 - 06:36 PM Hello, Well, I've just found the words to this song, many years after this thread was posted! And what a rollocking good 'un it is. Worth singing at any good folk gathering that provides a lusty chorus! I'm just short of the exact melody of the third line of the verse so don't know if anyone here has got the music to it. Ronnie Barker tended to write parodies of songs - but it's difficult to trace the original of this song, so maybe he wrote the tune as well. What a clever and funny man! Regards Penny |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: alison Date: 30 Apr 98 - 07:32 PM Here you go Tony Refresh. Slainte Alison |
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Subject: RE: Bold Sir John - Two Ronnies sketch From: Hutch Date: 13 Jun 97 - 04:35 AM Dave - How wonderful are the sounds of you words to my ears, How marvelous technology, How great my undying gratitude, How deep and famthomles (tautology?) my thanks, How sincere my praise.... (very!) |
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Subject: Lyr Add: BOLD SIR JOHN (from the Two Ronnies) From: Dave Barnes dave.barnes@lis.co.uk Date: 13 Jun 97 - 03:39 AM Here are the lyrics as best as I can remember. BOLD SIR JOHN Now Bold Sir John was young at heart, And Bold Sir John was gay; He strolled the woods, the fields all round, A-heeding Mother Nature's sounds; The twittering of the birds all day, The bumblebees at play. The Twit! The Twit! The Twit! The twit! The twittering of the birds all day; The Bum! The Bum! The Bum! The Bum! The bumblebees at play. As Bold Sir John continued on, A-viewing natures ways; He asked the Lord, "Come tell me pray, Why elephants live so long, they say; Your flies live but a day then they, Drop dead upon the ground". Your Flies! Your Flies! Your Flies! Your Flies! Your flies live but a day then they; Drop Dead! Drop Dead! Drop Dead! Drop Dead! Drop dead upon the ground. As Bold Sir John walked on afar, He spied a maiden fair; "I beg you sir don't come too near, For I've seen many a maiden here; Get lost amongst the new mown hay, So doff your hat I pray". Get lost! Get lost! Get lost! Get lost! Get lost amongst the new mown hay. Sod off! Sod off! Sod off! Sod off! So doff your hat I pray. When Bold Sir John return'ed home, They gave him gin to try; "Don't fill me with strong liquor up, Nor give me grape nor grain to sup; Pour cowslips dew into my cup, A Puritan am I". Poor Cow! Poor Cow! Poor Cow! Poor Cow! Pour cowslips dew into my cup. Up You! Up You! Up You! Up You! A Puritan am I. |
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