Lyr Req: Greensleeves - parodies

Subject: Parody of Greensleeves
From: PoohBear
Date: 05 Jul 00 - 02:21 AM

I'm looking for lyrics to what I think is an SCA filk of Greensleeves. What I know the the lyrics follows:

Alas, my love, you've done me dirt You've sewn green sleeves on my purple shirt And then you did the worst of all, You made me go out and wear it.

Does anyone have the rest of this?

Cheers!

PoohBear

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Pene Azul
Date: 05 Jul 00 - 02:31 AM

The lyrics are on this page (click).

PA

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Jul 00 - 03:33 AM

There was one that went:

Green stamps were all she gave
Green stamps were all I took
Green stamps were all she gave
And I pasted them all in my green stamp book.

...not that one, huh?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: gatyamgal
Date: 05 Jul 00 - 06:11 AM

Joe, I remember the Green Stamp one. Is there full lyrics to that someplace? thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: L R Mole
Date: 05 Jul 00 - 11:05 AM

Verse to that one went"I found my love in a grocery shop/Selling eggplant and pickles and bottles of pop/She offered me some asparagus tips/And I fell for the smile on her ruby red lips." Also, in the third line of the chorus "I saved" substitutes for "she gave".I remember this by the Brothers Four of the Lettermen or someone like that, probably making fun of folkies (remember "The Smothers Brothers: Think Ethnic!"?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Jul 00 - 05:04 AM

Sorry, Gatyam Gal - last time I heard that song was in 1966, and I have to say I was paying more attention to how gorgeous the young women were who were singing the song.
-Joe Offer-

---

Ah, but the Web doesn't get distracted by such things. Here's what I found in a Web search:

GREENSTAMPS
Hey! that looks like the Digital Tradition. Guess I should have searched there, instead of the Web.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: JennieG
Date: 06 Jul 00 - 06:07 AM

There is another parody of Greensleeves that I would like to get the words to - it starts off:

My Granny died and in her will...........
it then goes on to list what was left in the will and ends with the words:

And a little machine that played Greensleeves.

It refers to the ice-cream vans that drive around playing Greensleeves to attract customers!

Cheers

JennieG

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Morticia
Date: 06 Jul 00 - 11:10 AM

Pene.....loved that link, great songs.....who are the SCA though?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Pene Azul
Date: 06 Jul 00 - 11:24 AM

Morticia,

According to this page (click) it stands for Society for Creative Anachronism. They have some .zipped info pages on that page. I only found them by searching for your lyrics. They do have some cool songs there.

In case you don't have one, you can get a free unzipper here (click).

PA

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: GUEST,Kingst Street Smith
Date: 13 Jul 00 - 12:58 PM

As I awoke one Sunday morn, just about the break of dawn,
I got up and got out of bed, with a terrible urge to paint the shed,
I would paint it with green creosote, so I put on my old overcoat,
Climbed the ladder, then tripped and fell,
And thats how my jacket got Greensleeves...

(We used to sing this as children in Birmingham, England, in the '50's - for all I know they still do.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Lanfranc
Date: 13 Jul 00 - 06:42 PM

Or the old "1812" version:

"My darling you look a bit of a mess
When you wipe your nose on the sleeve of your dress
It's most unhygenic you must confess
It's no wonder the boys call you Greensleeves"

I once put together a set comprising every version or reference to Greensleeves I could think of. Including Leonard Cohen's version, Flanders & Swann's "And the Royalties went to Royalty" and Jacques Brel's "Port of Amsterdam". It went down quite well for a while, I might revive it sometime.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Susan of DT
Date: 13 Jul 00 - 07:54 PM

Advanced search technique: Since all of the parodies have the same tune, you can search for the tunefile name.
1) Search for Greensleeves.
2) Go to a standard looking version of the song.
3) Look at the bottom of the listing for the tunefile name, in this case GRNSLVS (yes, it is DOS, with an 8 letter limit)
4) Search for *GRNSLVS. You need the * in front of (never mind why, but you do for tunes)
Happy hunting

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 14 Jul 00 - 12:30 AM

Nobody's mentioned the honorable Allan Sherman. I learned Sir Greenbaum from his album "My Son the Folksinger" when I was about nine, long before I ever knew the original. I sang it for my Cub Scout pack once, but they didn't get it. So it goes. (At least it's in the DT. That's vindication of a sort.)

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: PoohBear
Date: 24 Jul 00 - 12:04 AM

Hi Pene! thanks for the lead on Greensleeves lyrics. that pagan site is great...

Morticia, the SCA is a medieval research and recreation society that started 20+ years ago. the biggest event is Pennsic War - loser keeps Pittsburgh! I've been out of it for a while due to lack of interest from my other half but they are, in general, a wonderful group of people scattered across the world. If you have a chance to attend an event, take it! I think you'd enjoy yourself.

Cheers!

PoohBear

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 24 Jul 00 - 05:00 PM

There was a version of the 'what child is this' words - something on the lines of

What child is this that screams so loud,
A noise to make a banshee proud....

Wish I could find the rest of it.....

LTS

Subject: Lyr Add: Parody of Greensleeves (Ice Cream Song)
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 08 Apr 03 - 05:57 AM

Similar to the version requested by JennieG:

GREENSLEEVES (The Ice Cream Song)
(Author unknown)

Alas good folk you do me wrong
To show such animosity,
You ate my food now despise my song —
The beautiful evergreen Greensleeves.

Sweet and pure was the tune I played
As I passed each road, with my ice cream load,
That noise I made was my mark of trade
I was known by the tune of Greensleeves.

The housewife cheered when I first appeared
And she went no more to the corner store
Now angry cries stop my enterprise
And my little machine that plays Greensleeves.

A year ago there was wild acclaim
And the children ran to my ice-cream van
But the Beatles came and, I fell from fame
With my 16th century Greensleeves.

At last the 'News' aired the people's views
Ice cream shops swear I played unfair,
With much debate councils sealed my fate
Put an end to my playing of Greensleeves.

With a bit of luck I can sell each truck
And a rival team buys unused ice cream
But it's really hell when you're trying to sell
One hundred machines that play Greensleeves.

Notes: To the obvious tune; this version was copied from the 'Bangor Song Book', produced by the Scout & Guide club of the University college of North Wales (published 1970)

NP

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: JennyO
Date: 08 Apr 03 - 10:38 AM

Jennie G, that song you seek is called "Creamsleeves". I found it on the Dave Alexander "Singer at Large" CD. It was written by that ubiquitous writer known as Anon.

I know the words. I sometimes annoy people in singing sessions by singing it. If you like, I will annoy you too and sing it at one of the singing sessions at the National. I'll write the words down for you too if you want them.

See you there, Jenny.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Apr 03 - 01:30 PM

There was a parody which is about two prostitutes, one lovely, and one plum ugly. The gruesome one was cheaper, and gave Green Shield stamps, so the singer patronises the bargain bonk, and then the last verse ends:-
Green Stamps were all she gave
Green stamps were all I saved
I took her green stamps every one
And cashed them all in with the pretty one.

Slainthe

Giok

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: katriana
Date: 08 Apr 03 - 08:07 PM

The song that PoohBear was looking for was originally known as Grinsleeves and was written by Telbyrne Morningstar from Ansteorra (roughly Oklahoma & Texas)

katriana

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Chip2447
Date: 08 Apr 03 - 09:34 PM

While not quite a paradoy of Greensleeves, this song starts off as a semi traditional version of it, and rapidly puts an entirely different spin on things.

Shakespeare blues


Chip2447

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 08 Apr 03 - 11:54 PM

While they're not strictly speaking parodies, there were a raft of songs written to that tune (often called "Which Nobody Can Deny".

One of my favorites (from the Beggar's Opera is:

Tho' laws were made for every degree
To curb vice in others as well as me
I woner I haven't better company
On Tyburn tree.

But gold from law can take out the sting
And if rich men, like me, were to swing
'Twould thin the lland such numbers to string
On Tyburn tree.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: JennieG
Date: 09 Apr 03 - 06:17 AM

Thanks Jenny! I'll take you up on that offer of writing down the words. I do enjoy a good parody, some of those are so gross that they are wonderful aren't they?

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 09 Apr 03 - 09:53 AM

Jennie & Jenny

Margaret or Jenny (JennyL that is) would have the words - Jenny typed up all of Dave's songs. I'll e-mail one of 'em & see if I can get hold of the words for distribution & posting


sandra

Subject: Lyr Add: CREAMSLEEVES (parody of GREENSLEEVES)
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 10 Apr 03 - 11:23 AM

As sung by the late & great Dave Alexander of Sydney - a mountain of a man "who will be remembered wherever songs are sung in unaccompanied chorus & harmony" The CD was compiled from recordings made in many places & times.

The liner notes of his memorial CD (put together by his friends from a mess of papers he left) says author is Anon.
"1962 in a coffee shop in Newtown - ah memories - The New World Trio (from a reccording Dave made of his "lighter" songs in 1997 for Anthony Woolcott)"

..............................
Creamsleeves   -

Oh Grandma died and in her will
She left me her love and her doctor's bill
A full set of notes on the use of the Pill
And a little machine that played Greensleeves.

I had an idea and quick as a wink
I bought an old van and I painted it pink
With a freezer that came from an ice-skating rink
And it only worked when I played Greensleeves.

My product was good, soon I owned a fleet
My vans went tinkling down every street
The jingle of money was oh so sweet
I'll bet the Pied Piper played Greensleeves.

Greensleeves when the roosters crow
The grocer's body swings to and fro
He was condemned, he had to go
For throttling a man who sang Greensleeves.

Last week they shot my best ice-cream man
Today they blew up my nineteenth van
For the shopkeepers formed their own Klu Klux Klan
And the robes that they wear all have Greensleeves.

Then the army came and they took all my vans
To send to the jungles of Vietnam
Australia's the envy of Uncle Sam
'Cause the Yanks don't have tanks that play Greensleeves.

But the army's got problems I'm telling you
They can sell pink tanks when the war is through
But what the hell will they ever do
With a million machines that play Greensleeves?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 11 Apr 03 - 06:14 AM

The immediately preceeding parody (which claims to date from a coffee shop in 1962) seems to have a similar basis to the one I quoted above, which was certainly in print by 1970 (also anon.)
However, that coffee shop claim may be spurious as the mention of Vietnam makes the date appear questionable.
"Nov 14-16 1965: First major military engagement between U.S. & N.Vietnam troops" (from This site.)
It seem that 1962 is to early to consider Vietnam a 'topical' reference.
Anyone with further details ?

Nigel

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 09:31 AM

Nigel, I'll check among Dave's friends to see if anyone knows more.

The file Jenny sent me gave a date of "1965?" And Australia didn't enter the war same day the US did.

sandra

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: rich-joy
Date: 10 Aug 03 - 04:31 AM

just found this thread ...


My c.1965 LP copy of "The Twiliters in Concert" (RCA Camden 117) has this song on it (the only version I ever knew) and it is credited to : "Maguire, Ferris and White", i.e. The Twiliters!!

Other songs are labelled "ARR. maguire, ferris and white", so I have no reason to doubt this info - well, that and the fact that they are West Aussie boys!!! (yes, my birthplace!!)

They were around in the early 60s, very entertaining, popular also in Sydney and made two albums (that I know of - and both of which I have) and their names were :
Jim Maguire (think he may be a psychologist or something now),
Greg Ferris (deceased) and
Kerry White (not sure about him).
Hans Stampfer was an earlier original member too, when my eldest Bro in Perth knew them in the late 50s/early 60s, probably hanging out in a "Coffee Lounge" called "The Quitapena?" ...

Murray Jennings - the WA folkie / ABC announcer / and bloke wot writ the sleeve notes - would be able to clear up any confusion - if anyone knew where he was!!??

Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: rich-joy
Date: 10 Aug 03 - 04:38 AM

ALSO just found data on the thread entitled : "camp grenada origin" - from 1998 - lyrics AND provenance of "Creamsleeves"
("sorry, malcolm"!!)

Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: rich-joy
Date: 10 Aug 03 - 05:24 AM

by putting "the twiliters" into the Australian Google, I found their cached webpages for "Reflections from "Dave's Place" by Ken Bradshaw - all about the ABC-TV show in the mid 60s hosted by the Kingston Trio's Dave Guard - shame I couldn't get the photos still ... makes VERY interesting reading though, for anyone reminiscing about those earlier days of "Aussie Folk"!!

Sadly though, it seems my "West Aussie boys" (see earlier post) were from Adelaide, Tasmania, and Ireland !!! - and Kerry White is also deceased ...

Cheers!
R-J

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 11 Aug 03 - 12:39 AM

G'day Nigel Parsons,

I'm intrigued by your dating of:

"Nov 14-16 1965: First major military engagement between U.S. & N.Vietnam troops".

By early 1963, Australia was conscripting her 18-year-olds (safely 3 years too young to vote). I know this well, as I was in "The Lottery" (birthdates were drawn from a barrel ... and all born on those dates conscripted) in the latter part of 1963. The nearest I can find to a reference book, here at work (The Macquarie Dictionary), has:

"Vietnam War, ... a war, 1959 - 75, between the Vietcong ... and the South Vietnamese Governament ...". The suppoprt of the North Vietnamese may well have started 6 years later ... but the war didn't.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 11 Aug 03 - 12:53 AM

G'day again,

Oh ... and I should also have mentioned that by 1962 I had heard esentially the same version of the first part of the song - sung in Sydney folk clubs ... although the opening lines were more like:

My grandma died, and in her will,
She left her love and her grocer's bill;
An old tom-cat that was always ill ...
And a little machine that played Greensleeves.

Unlike either version quoted, so far, I remember this as having a chorus ... something like:

Greensleeves - that lovely lay;
Greensleeves, played it night and day ...

But this isn't accurate - and certainly not complete. As I headed south to (comparatively) chilly Tasmania a year or two later, I didn't get hear many ice cream vans over the next 5 years ... and the song had vanished by the time I returned to Sydney, in 1970.

The other point I ought to have made in the previous post, is that I don't remember the Vietnam links in the first version of the song I heard - so I'm inclined to think they added themselves sometime about 1965/6.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Margret RoadKnight
Date: 11 Aug 03 - 01:02 AM

Rich-joy
Murray Jennings - currently an announcer/music presenter on Perth radio (don't know if it's the ABC)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 11 Aug 03 - 09:35 AM

Rich-Joy - you are a marvel!! and I dunno why I never consulted Bob in April when I was looking for the origin, silly me.

Isn't the folk-process wonderful?

I've forwarded the thread to Jenny L. & Anthony for their info. I suppose I might as well send it to Jennie & Jenny, too.

sandra

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: rich-joy
Date: 12 Aug 03 - 07:59 AM

Nay, it's MUDCAT that's the marvel !! It's brought all us far-flung Folkies together - what wonderful Synergy!!!!

Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Hrothgar
Date: 14 Aug 03 - 04:09 AM

On the 11th of November 1964, the Liberal Party introduced the National Service Bill in the House of Representatives. The first call-up took place in the latter half of 1965, in which 4 200 twenty year olds were drafted. From then on, there were annual call-ups, in which 6 900 young men were drafted.

Lucky me, Bob. I failed the medical.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 14 Aug 03 - 10:09 AM

G'day Hrothgar,

Bugger me ... I think I just failed the retrospective mental!

It was 20, wasn't it ... I knew, as I typed in 18, that it didn't add up - that I had left Sydney for Tasmania just after hearing I wasn't in the birthday list for 1965, when I turned 20. Quite a few of my mates were called up - and some never came back.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 14 Aug 03 - 03:18 PM

Bob:
I still feel this may have originated in the UK, the verse:
"Then the army came and they took all my vans
To send to the jungles of Vietnam
Australia's the envy of Uncle Sam
'Cause the Yanks don't have tanks that play Greensleeves."
clearly is post American involvement in the war, and possibly not immediate. However I grew up with ice-cream vans
playing "Greensleeves" as their theme tune throughout late 50's / early 60s.

Nigel

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Deckman
Date: 14 Aug 03 - 03:38 PM

I well remember one particular night, it was a hoot at Almar Lanczos' home in Seattle. The year was 1959. (my memory is downright scary). This one gorgous young lady had been attending several hoots and she was enthralled with "Greensleeves." Night after night, hoot after hoot, she kept requesting that DON FIRTH sing Greensleeves, and nothing else! Finally, in frustration and to be be rid of her, he did Greensleeves as a TALKING BLUES! Try it, it works ... "Alas my love, you do me wrong ..." She left and we never saw her again. (And I was just working up my courage to ask her for a date!). CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 15 Aug 03 - 09:16 AM

G'day Nigel,

I can assure you that the Mr Whippy ice-cream vans on the suburban streets of Sydney were playing Greensleeves! (I did mention a 5-year respite, while I was in Tasmania and/or perched on various mountains building Hydro schemes ... but Greensleeves was inescapable in Sydney before and after that period!

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 15 Aug 03 - 09:52 AM

Mr Whippy vans are still around (or maybe it's their remote descendents). They're still the same colour.

Unfortunately I didn't take too much notice when I saw it several months ago & I can't remember if was a Mr Whippy van, but it seemed to have the same type of ice cream.

Nostalgia & a fading memory.

sandra

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: Tobyjug
Date: 19 Jan 05 - 06:57 PM

New to Mudcat and just found this thread.
The prostitutes version was sung (and also composed as far as I know) by a guy called Rick Norcross, from Fort Lauderdale in Florida, who toured England regularly in the swingin' sixties. He also did a great round with Cripple Creek, and a fugue by getting the audience to sing a couple of different songs simultaneously.

What I remember of Greenstamps was:

There were two ladies of ill repute,
One was ugly, the other was cute.
The cute one, she charged quitw a lot,
But the ugly one, she gave green stamps.

Green stamps were all she gave,
Green stamps were all I got,
Green stamps for weeks I'd save
The I'd go to the cute one
and cash in the lot!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parody of Greensleeves
From: GUEST,scouser
Date: 11 Nov 08 - 07:31 AM

Does any one remember what kids program had greensleeves as its theme tune

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greensleeves - parodies
From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh
Date: 20 Dec 10 - 02:17 PM

"Greensleeves and Pudding-pies;
Mark my true love, where she lies;
I'll be at her ere she rise,
My fiddle and all together"

I think this is quoted by James Boswell, mid-late eighteenth century.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greensleeves - parodies
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Oct 12 - 05:26 PM

Just wondering, Joe, if you were saying that the Brothers Four recorded Green Stamps? I couldn't find it, but there is a song called Greenfields which does not use the same tune!

Cheers

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greensleeves - parodies
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Oct 12 - 05:29 PM

I had Greenfields on some 60s compilation^^^

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greensleeves - parodies
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Oct 12 - 06:18 PM

I also found out that the song 'A home on the meadow' is actually based on Greensleeves. Does anyone know where I could get a copy of it? Or was is only sung by Debbie Reynolds in a film? How the West Was Won?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greensleeves - parodies
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Oct 12 - 06:19 PM

There might have been other songs written to well known tunes by Sammy Cahn as well!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greensleeves - parodies
From: GUEST,Seonaid
Date: 25 Oct 12 - 03:53 PM

Not sure whther htis counts as a parody, but...
You can sing the words of "Jabberwocky" to the tune of "Greensleeves"!
:o)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greensleeves - parodies
From: GUEST,Seonaid
Date: 25 Oct 12 - 03:54 PM

(Sorry, my fingers can't spell today...)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greensleeves - parodies
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 19 Feb 18 - 10:09 AM

A little late to add it here, but:
Green Fees - A Golfer's Lament

and:
Football