Lyr Req: Mr. Bear (Johnson/Blaney)

Subject: Searching for
From:
Date: 14 Jul 97 - 03:23 AM

Ok, I've got a challenging (I think) song search for you. Does anybody know the origins or have a complete set of music and lyrics to the following:

Have a care, Mr. Bear
Don't you dare to take a bite of me
I shall scream so loud and quick
My Poppa shall fetch a stick
And he's not afraid of bears, not he.

Etc, etc. I don't know if this is chorus or verse. Sounds like English, or perhaps Irish Music Hall material to me. Anybody know this gem?

Thanks - Tim

Subject: Lyr Add: GOD'S OWN DRUNK (Jimmy Buffett)
From: Tilell
Date: 16 Jul 97 - 10:36 PM

Hmmmmm... nope, the only song I know with the words "MR. Bear" in it is "GOD'S OWN DRUNK" by Jimmy Buffett. If you've never heard it... it's a must listen! It's mostly spoken and can be found on the "Livin' and dyin' in 3/4 time" album. Goes something like this (My apologies Jimmy if I mess it up... but here goes)

Well, as I explained to you all before, I ain't no drinkin' man. Nope. Tried it once before and it got me HIGHLY irregular.

BUT, my brother asked me to watch his still one night while he went into town to vote. It was right up there on the mountain where the map said it would be. And God's little lanterns just a twinklin' on and off in the heavens. And that great yellow moon shinin' like a GREAT golden omen! Now, as I explained to you all before, I ain't no drinkin' man ... but temptation got the best of meeeeeeee,

And I took a slash.

Whew!

Had yellow whiskey runnin' down my throat like honeydew vine water! And I took another slash! Took another and another and another and before I knew it, IIII waaaas drunk!

Now I ain't talkin' 'bout any old slip-slidin', wall-climbin', Reggie Young'un, road huggin' drunk... I was GOD's OOOWWNN Drunk! And a fearless man!

Well, I decided to sit down and take a little rest then and there... God's little lanterns just twinklin' on and off in the heavens, and the old yellow moon shinin' on the cool clear evenin'. And I took a nap.

Well, I woke up and right along that time this old bear came amblin' up over the hillside. And he came right up to me and he looked me in the eye and my eyes was a LOT redder than his was, it hung him up! He's sniffin' all around my body trying to smell fear, but I'm God's own drunk and a fearless man! And I took that bear by one of his island sized paws and I said:

"Mr Bear...I want you to be my buddy. Buddy Bear."

And I led him over to that still, and he's smellin' something good snffin' everywhere. Gave him a barrel of that moonshine whiskey and he downed it upright. Looked just like one of those trained Bears in the circus sippin' sarsaparilla in the moonlight. He drank another and another and another and before I knew it he'd downed eight of them and commenced to do the Bear Dance. Two jigs, a sniff and a turn, and it was soooo simple, like the jitterbug, it plum evaded me.

And I said "Now, Mr Bear.... I love every hair on your twenty seven-acre body! and I know you got a lot of friends over on the other side of the hill: Rare Bear, Tall Bear, Small Bear, Pretty Bear, Jelly Bear, Smelly the Bear.... and I want you to tell them that I love each and every one of 'em like a brother and a sister. BUT! If they give me ANY TROUBLE TONIGHT! I'll run every goddamn one of them offa this hill!"

I may have missed a bit, but that's the gist. Of course, it's been about six years since I heard it sooooo. I hope it amuses!

Greg

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mr. Bear
From: GUEST,Linda Slingsby
Date: 24 Oct 15 - 08:58 AM

My grandmother taught me this song when I was about four years old in the mid 1950s and I have been searching for it as I can only remember the first couple of lines. Did you manage to find the song as I would love to relearn the rest of it.
Linda

Subject: Lyr Add: "Mr. Bear? Are you there?"
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Oct 15 - 11:01 PM

This is quoted in a play, "Babies," by Jonathan Harvey, 1994, page 81:

Mister Bear? Are you there?
Don't you dare to take a bite of me.
If you do, I'll scream and quick
My ol' man'll fetch his stick
'Cause he ain't afraid o' bears, not he.
So if you want a little baby girl
And you're hungry
And you can't wait any more,
I can tell you where there's plenty.
Have a try at number twenty.
Yes, go and bite the little girl next door.
Go and bite the little girl next door.

Subject: Lyr Add: MISTER BEAR (Johnson/Blaney)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Oct 15 - 08:38 AM

Found at http://theatremusicshop.com/dlg/cart/lyrics/misterbear302.doc:


MISTER BEAR
Words by Roy Frank Johnson, music by Norah Blaney, ©1913.

1. Daddy clicks the light off when he's coming to bed,
And he kisses me before he goes.
He says an angel keeps his darling while she sleeps,
But do you think the angel knows?
That every night when Daddy's gone and banged his study door,
There's a grumpy little noise upon the stair,
And I shiver in my byes as I shut my peepy eyes,
In a fright, 'cos it might, be a bear!

CHORUS: Are you there Mister Bear?
Don't you dare to take a bite off* me,
Or I shall scream and very quick,
My pa will fetch his stick,
And he's not afraid of bears, not he.
So if you want a little baby girl,
If you're hungry and you can't wait any more,
I can tell you where there's plenty more.
Have a try at number twenty.
Go and bite the little girl next door.
Go and bite the little girl next door.

2. Daddy says he couldn't do without his little girl,
So he'll never give me up to you,
But the family next door—
That's the Joneses—they've got four
Little girlies and a rabbit too,
And Freddie—that's their brother—
Only laughs at me and says
I'm a silly, but it really isn't fair,
'Cos Freddy Jones has got a little night light near his cot,
Else he might get a fright from a bear!


[* as I found it—but I suspect a transcriber's error.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mr. Bear
From: CupOfTea
Date: 26 Oct 15 - 09:43 PM

I've a strong memory of Ben Luxon singing the song Jim posted above, in a radio broadcast of a live show when performing as part of "Two Gentlemen Folk" with Bill Crofut. Possibly it was a Folkstage show? I recorded a couple of shows of theirs from WVLV in Cleveland, where the duo were very popular (Bill being a local originally)
It might even be part of some of their shows that have been posted on YouTube. I think he introduced it as 'Victorian' musichall silliness.   

Joanne in Cleveland

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mr. Bear
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Apr 16 - 03:03 AM

I know the first line as
Daddy clicks the light off as he tucks me into bed

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mr. Bear
From: GUEST,Jenny Wig
Date: 24 May 16 - 12:59 PM

My mother sang this to me in the late forties.
She sang

Daddy turns the light off as he tucks me up in bed
And he kisses me before he goes
He says the angel keeps
His darling while she sleeps
But do you think the angel knows
That every night when daddy's gone
And slams the study door
There's a grumpy little noise upon the stair
And I shiver in my byes
As I close my sleepy eyes
In a fright
That it might be a bear.

Are you there Mr Bear
Don't you dare to bite from me
For I shall scream and very quick
My papa will fetch a stick
And he's not afraid of bears. Not he.
So if you want a little baby girl
And you're hungry and you can't wait any more
I can tell you where there's plenty
Have a try at number twenty
Go and bite the little girl next door.

Verse 2 as above.

No one ever among my friends has heard of this song. I am 73. It would be a shame if it faded away.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mr. Bear
From: GUEST,liz
Date: 04 Jul 16 - 08:48 PM

Fade away, it will not! My mother sang this re-assuring little song to us, and I have sung it to my children and others. I could sing it today, and would sing it to you if I were computer literate enough to know how to post it. I am 68. I had five sisters and two brothers, so I am sure this song will have been sung to many children. Out of that lot I am the only one to have ever come close to any real bears, and yes, they are hungry and would eat little girls if they got the chance.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mr. Bear
From: GUEST,Alfie
Date: 25 Oct 16 - 10:03 AM

When Daddy puts the light out he kisses me and says:
An Angel keeps his darling while she sleeps,
But does the angel know that every night when Daddy's gone
There's a grumpy little noise upon the stairs
And I shiver in a fright cos it might be a bear.
Are you there Mr Bear? Don't you dare
To take a bite of me for I shall scream and very quick, my Pappa shall fetch a stick
And he's not afraid of bears - not he.
So if you're hungry and you can't wait any more
I can tell you where there's plenty,
Have a try at Number twenty
Go and bite the little girl next door, go and bite the little
Girl next door

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mr. Bear
From: GUEST,Marcea
Date: 02 Dec 16 - 09:51 PM

This song has so much meaning! My grandmother sang this to every night when I was in the hospital getting chemo! It was the only thing that would get me to smile. I'm kind of sad I thought she made this song up. My two year old loves it!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mr. Bear
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Nov 17 - 07:22 AM

I sing this song to my Grandchildren. I learnt it as a small child.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mr. Bear
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Nov 17 - 07:21 PM

Daddy blows the light out when he tucks me in to bed
And kisses me before he goes
Daddy says the angels watch his darling while she sleeps
But do think the angels know?
Cos every night when Daddy's gone there's a rumbling on the stairs
I close my weeny eyes up tight cos I might get a fright from a bear!

Are you there Mr Bear?
Don't you dare to take a bite of me
I shall scream do very quick my papa will fetch a stick
Cos he's not afraid of bears, not he,
But if you're hungry and you want a baby girl
You're hungry and you can't find anymore
I'll tell you where there's plenty
Go and try at No 20 go and bite the little girl next door
Next door go and the little girl next door.

My Mum recited this to me at bedtime... scared the living daylights out of me. This was in the 1950's. I certainly remember it as a poem. I taught it to my niece who recited it at a Storytelling competition at the Sidmouth Folk Festival in the early 80's. It was judged by Packie Manus Byrne and she won the princely sum of ?7 . A fortune then to a five year old!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mr. Bear (Johnson/Blaney)
From: GUEST,Jean Robinson
Date: 12 Nov 17 - 04:30 AM

Listen to retired British baritone Benjamin Luxon singing it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh5Ny4hBCps

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mr. Bear (Johnson/Blaney)
From: GUEST,Angela
Date: 11 Jul 18 - 11:32 PM

First heard this song when I attended Ferndale Grammar school in the late sixties. Sung it to my daughter and now my twin baby gransons

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mr. Bear (Johnson/Blaney)
From: GUEST,Marie
Date: 18 Jun 21 - 06:41 PM

Loved this, as a child, my parents sang this to me as I went to sleep, I would sneak under the covers.
It brought back so many memories, thanks for posting.

Are we saying it is a folk song of nursery rhyme?

Also, does anyone know the Lyr Req: to another song called, "Hidden in the Dingle", near the very top.

There's a little pixie who keeps a pixie shop
Rowing boats? and nuts, dandelion cups, little pixie tables, fairy shoes and socks.
Early in the morning, when I am going to school, I can see the pixie by the Dingle? pool. Cleaning out her stockings, cleaning out her shop, I would like to help her, but I must not stop.

I think there is another verse. Does anyone remember this song! As I haven't been able to trace it yet. Loved it and I still do!??

Subject: RE: Hidden in the Dingle. Origin.
From: GUEST,Marie
Date: 20 Jun 21 - 03:47 PM

Some of the words above are wrong I put cleaning out her shutters, As I begin to remember some of the words.The origin of this nursery rhyme/poem/song must be from about the 1950s era or earlier.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mr. Bear (Johnson/Blaney)
From: GUEST,Graham
Date: 28 Jul 22 - 11:46 AM

I have the sheet music for this lovely number. Sang it to my daughter when she was a little girl and she loved it. I sang it again a couple of days ago as she has just returned from Australia as a suprise and she remembered it. Brought back lots of warm memories.

Regards

Graham