Kenneth Williams

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 06 Sep 00 - 08:19 PM

I was told that Kenneth played guitar himself for the songs. If so, it's really fine finger-picking and superb chording on a nylon string-guitar. I don't think he could have made such fun of the genre without knowing it very well. All the best. Seamus

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Art Thieme
Date: 06 Sep 00 - 10:47 PM

the Waltzing Matilda parody is on a cassette I made a while ago of some favorites from diverse sources---"The Bogle Clencher" too and "Nadgers". I taped 'em off of WFMT-FM radio out of Chicago over 40 years ago---the show called THE MIDNIGHT SPECIAL that's still on the air with Rich Warren as host. You can hear it on the web. Ray Nordstrand and Norm Pellegrini used to do that show and played excerpts from the LP all the time. It's great to know some more about Mr. Williams. Rick, could you tell us something of the down side of his life??? I'd be fascinated to know some of the things you referred to.

Art

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 07 Sep 00 - 12:35 AM

Well, the diaries are fascinating, simply for the fact that he'd change his opinions on his work, his friends, his goals, and his own person almost daily. One thing that didn't change was his resolve to commit suicide. Hardly a week goes by for forty years without him mentioning it.

Seamus. I'd be very surprised if Ken played guitar. There's absolutely no mention of it in the many things I've read about him. But....this is a great question....who DID play the accompaniments? Anyone have a clue?

Rick

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Patrish(inactive)
Date: 07 Sep 00 - 06:13 AM

http://freespace.virgin.net/a.del-manso/RamblingSyd'sGanderbag.html
Above is the URL of a site where you can get lyrics and introduction material of syds. below is an attempt to provide a blue clicky link.
Patrish

some lyrics of Rambling Syd

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: GUEST,Tony
Date: 07 Sep 00 - 11:12 AM

Refresh - Kennith Willians was one of the best

Subject: Lyr Add: SONG OF THE BOGLE CLENCHER (Took, Feldman
From: Snuffy
Date: 07 Sep 00 - 03:07 PM

SONG OF THE BOGLE CLENCHER
(Words by Barry Took & Marty Feldman)

Now I should like to burst forth ... with a traditional Lincolnshire air. 'Tis the song of the Bogle Clencher, and goes after this fashion:

When I was a clencher's bogleman in famous Lincoln town
I often clenched my bogling fork for less than half-a-crown
And I would joggle and nurk, my boys, as I shall quickly tell
Oh, 'tis my delight on a shiny night, on a foggy night as well.

Oh, once I took my moulies and set them in a snare
'Twas there I spied a scroper's man a whirdling a hare
But I was not afeared, my boys, of that there is no doubt.
Oh, 'tis my delight on a shiny night when the coppers aren't about

Although I'm over 80 now, my boggles still I clench
And I will flutter my artefacts at any passing wench
I've tickled many a screebling nut as on my way I go
Oh, 'tis my delight on a shiny night at one-and-nine a throw.

Tune: Lincolnshire Poacher

Wassail! V

Subject: Lyr Add: SUSSEX WHIRDLING SONG (Took, Feldman)
From: Snuffy
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 12:30 AM

SUSSEX WHIRDLING SONG
(Words by Barry Took & Marty Feldman)

Well, I've been dipping into my old ganderbag and I've come up with a a very tender and furtive madrigal, which has been passed down from father to son until the handle dropped off. It is an old Sussex courting song and tells the story of a swain who stands beneath his loved one's bower.

He's a very small swain, but then she's got a very low bower. It's the prevailing winds, you see. Anyway, he stands there in the full moonlight, a-plighting his troth. It's best to plight it where you can see it, otherwise you're liable to make a dog's breakfast of the whole rigmarole. So there he is, a-plighting his troth ...

A troth, by the way, is a small furry creature with fins. It's a cross between a trout and a sloth or slow-th, and it's a curious match. I often wonder what they saw in each other in the first place, though I suppose the sloth, hanging upside down, tends to have a different slant on things.

Anyway, nowadays people do say that they're extinct. But I believe they're hanging about somewhere, and that they'll come round when they're hungry.

Anyway, this lover is under this tree, singing to his light-'o-love, and he tells her of his desires as follows:

Will you still love me Mary-O
When my grussets be bended low
When my pubes grow dim and my orbs grow white
And my cordwangle makes an ugly sight
And my grussets be bended low-oh-oh
My grussets be bended low..

And she sings back to him

You ask me if I'll love you-O
When your grussets be bended low
Though your pubes grow dim and your orbs grow white
And your cordwangle makes an ugly sight
If I feel the way I do tonight
My answer will still be-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee (LONG PAUSE)
NO!!

Wassail! V

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Micca
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 04:01 AM

The Rambling Sid tapes issued by the BBC in the UK claim to have 40!!!!! songs on!!!!!!, a veritible Bogle Clenchers Moulie bag of festive cheer. and if any of the Trans-ponders need a copy we can arrange to send.. PM me.

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: The Shambles
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 06:33 AM

'Long be your cordwangle'

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Noreen
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 10:18 AM

Thanks, Micca, I'll look out for it, and one for my sister!

Noreen

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: GUEST,beachcomber
Date: 10 Sep 00 - 04:07 AM

What an absolutely hilarious and delightful discussion. I too remember the old Kenneth Horne shows. His dialogue with "Ramblin' Syd" was an essential part of the act I feel, as he played the straight (?) interviewer with "regular questions" for the edification of the listeners. Yes , I'd love to know who played the little intros on guitar, doubt if it was nylon strung though, as I remember the sound

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 20 Sep 00 - 04:59 AM

Rick, this thread came up while I was on leave. If you have any trouble getting hold of the Williams' "Ramblin'Sid Rumpo" recordings, send me a PM.
RtS

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 20 Sep 00 - 05:32 AM

PS: favourite line (spoken at the end of the Black Grunger of Hounslow I think)"there's a supermarket on the site now and they do say that some nights his ghostly horse can be seen galloping down the aisles and manifesting itself by the bacon counter" (quoted from bad memory- made even worse by trying to give myself a frontal lobotomy by walking into the corner of the up 'n' over garage door just before going on holiday!)
RtS

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 08:58 AM

... now I've listened to the LP again I see it was "galloping along the bacon counter and manifestin' hisself behind the crystallised fruits"
I thint the spoken bits are even better than the songs> One I might use is: "the most boring song in my niggardly repertoire".
RtS (Just because I'm pompous, opinionated and pedantic doesn't mean I'm right)

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 10:29 AM

Thanks to the amazing kindness of a couple of Mudcatters (Micca, and Seamus Kennedy) our little home has been filled with dangling cordwangles for a few days now.

Poor man, that Kenneth Williams, so tortured in his personal day to day life, and so funny in his public one. An excellent singer, I might add.

Rick

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 10:40 AM

So I don't need to send you another horse's head, Rick?
RtS

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Roger in Sheffield
Date: 07 Oct 00 - 04:49 PM

KW on UK TV right now. Friend just asked where he could get recordings of KW from, I know where to find out says I and so here I am in search of recordings.......

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: MMario
Date: 10 Sep 02 - 04:17 PM

be fresh

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 10 Sep 02 - 11:17 PM

Have these songs ever formed the subject of a festival workshop, and why not?

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Trevor
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 12:00 PM

Reg Pubes, Reg Pubes, lend me your grey nog,
All along out along down along lea,
For I am a-going to Ganderpoke Bog
With Bill Brewer....etc

Just in case you were wondering, according to the preamble, a nog is a cross between a horse and a dachshund. It stands four hands high and fourteen foot long.

'I'll sing you one-oh, green grows my bogling fork....'

In my callow youth, when I first heard Peter Bellamy I thought it was Rambling Sid...(hangs head in shame!)

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Trevor
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 12:02 PM

And I was forgetting, the line which I occasionally use myself...

'Tonight I shall have great pleasure....but first I'm going to sing you some songs....'

As I dip into my ganderbag........

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: GUEST,HP
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 02:12 PM

I'm very surprised that amongst all the contributions on this thread that acknowledge Marty Feldman as the wordsmith for many of Ramblin Sid's songs, no one has further praised Marty for other musical efforts.

I have a tape from about 1970 ish of an album of songs sung by Marty. All are spoofs of various styles including folk and included are such classics as a list of the ingredients of HP sauce sung in fake french, the 'five to eleven waltz', 'Is it wrong to love an elephant?' (I still sing this occasionally!!)etc etc etc.

He had a real genius and from the feel of the pastoral songs on this album, I would guess that it was Marty that had the knowledge of, and feel for, traditional music in the Ramblin Sid team. Kenneth was wonderful as well, but Marty was a real one off.

Subject: Lyr Add: D'YE KEN JIM PUBES (Kenneth Williams)
From: Mr Happy
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 07:15 AM

D'YE KEN JIM PUBES (Kenneth Williams)

D'ye ken Jim Pubes with his splod so bright
As he traddles his nadger in the bright moonlight?
He wurdles his posset all through the night,
But he can't turn it off in the morning.

Oh the sound of his groat threw me from my bed,
As he blew up his mooly fit to waken the dead,
Oh the noise of his grunge nearly blew off me head,
And removed all the paint from the awning.

D'ye ken Jim Pubes? Now his splod's turned white,
And his nadger's been struck with an awful blight,
And he can't find his posset without a light,
And he can't turn it on in the morning.

Oh his poor old groat, it has sprung a leak,
And the sound of his mooly's reduced to a squeak:
Though he blows and he blows till he's blue in the eek,
We'll no more hear him grunge in the mor-or-or-orning.

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: GUEST,CrazyEddie
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 07:20 AM

Just in case you were wondering, according to the preamble, a nog is a cross between a horse and a dachshund. It stands four hands high and fourteen foot long.
"Well, it gets very foggy on the moors...."

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Trevor
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 08:58 AM

And it gets foggy on the moors.

Subject: Lyr Add: PEWTER WOGGLERS BANGLING SONG
From: Amos
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 12:27 PM

PEWTER WOGGLERS BANGLING SONG


Come fellows raise your fumbeljugs,
Until your cringe is plunging.
Come raise aloft your nut-brown grot,
For soon we'll all be munging.
For tonight I'll drain the posset dry,
Every man shall do the same as I,
If he don't I'll wurdle in his eye.
Tomorrow we'll be grunging,
Tomorrow we'll be grunging.


This guy is a world-class Jumbuck in his own Wurdle!!

A

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: MMario
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 01:33 PM

*gleeful laughter*

oh boy they are gonna love these at the pub sing!

Subject: Lyr Add: MY GRANDFATHER'S GRUNGE (Kenneth Williams
From: GUEST,The Fantum
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 04:44 PM

MY GRANDFATHER'S GRUNGE

Authors probably as above

Singer Ramblin Sid Rumpo ( K Williams)

Tune My Grandfathers Clock

My Grandfathers grunge was to large for the house
So he left it outside by the door
It was almost as big as the old fool himself
And it weighed half a hundred weight more
He could whirl it around
With a mighty booming sound
While my Granny stood by in surprise
But he lost grip dented the tip
And it caused his untimely demise

Now he left it to me and its plain for to see
Its the pride and the joy of the broads
Every Michaelmas Day it is here on display
And its already won many awards
All the summer I munge
As I whirled that mighhty grunge
And my Granny regards me with pride
But I stopped short never to grunge again
When its cold outside

End.......

half a hundred weight is 56lb about 28kg Broads-in England a series of small lakes in Norfolk are known as "The Broads"

In Yonder Green Valley

Authors probably as above

Singer Ramblin Sid Rumpo ( K Williams)

Tune The Ash Grove?

In yonder green valley
I first met sweet Sally
When twilight was falling
We both held our tryst
Mid groves that were gloomy
She vowed her love to me
But it was so light there
We had to play whist

Amidst the bright barley
We stopped for a parley
Whilst hoot owls were calling
We plighted our grunge
Above us the stars shone
My grummets got caught on
A rambling rose bush
And nadgered my munge

Now with sorrow deep sorrow
My wogglers are laden
For Sally's departed
She married for wealth
Although I still wander
In yonder green valley
Its not so much fun
When you wurdle yourself

Advice given by Ramblin Sid
This song should be sung Lugubriously

Good Luck to all singers of this unique branch of the folk singer art

The Fantum

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: pavane
Date: 17 Sep 02 - 08:18 AM

I remember one song called, I think, 'Spotty Lil in the Balls Pond Road'. Anyone know where these words are?

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: GUEST,Jim Clark...London...England
Date: 18 Sep 02 - 05:47 AM

Wow !!!!!,

I am amazed and delighted to see a discussion of the late British comic genius Kenneth Williams at mudcat.....I grew up in Kings Cross the same part of central London he did,and I even attended the Argyle primary school in the sixties the same infant and primary school as he went to...but obviously a different generation...I have always found his humour to be such a familiar part of my life...there is something about his saucy postcard view of life that is very Kings cross in character...the areas changed a lot since i left in 1976,but during my first 16 years of life there it was a friendly if generaly poor area of London to live (i grew up in the 1880's tennemant blocks "Midhope buildings" built for the Victorian poor by the east end dwellings company.Until i was six years old we didnt have bath or toiletry facilities in the apartment we used to share a toilet on the balcony,and go once a week to the communal baths in the block (how things have changed???)..neighbours knew each others names,and we knew the local shopkeepers like family friends...We might not have been millionares,but my childhood memories are morre happy ones than sad,and I only have to think of Kenneth Williams who's father owned a barber shop off of Judd street for all those memories sweetened by the passing of time to flood back...it was very sad to hear of how in reality he was the archetypal sads clown of popular myth haunted by his own inability to come to terms with his own sexuality and in later life by obsessive behaviour patterns and arthritic pain..but for me their could never be a more amusing or greater practicioner of the comic art..

The definitive website about Kenneth Williams can be found at

http://www.kennethwilliams.org.uk/

Regards..

Jim Clark...London....England http://groups.msn.com/acousticmusiciansandpoetssoundarchive

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 18 Sep 02 - 11:06 AM

Hi Jim. I'm the guy who started this. Obviously a huge fan of Kenneth's even though I'm Canadian. Thanks for the memories of his (and your) neighbourhood. I tried to find an e-mail address on your website, but couldn't. Most likely my fault'cause I still don't know what I'm doin' on a computer.

Cheers

Rick ([e-mail])

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: GUEST,Jim Clark
Date: 19 Sep 02 - 05:13 AM

Dear Rick,

I've emailed Steve Arnold who runs the Kenneth Williams appreciation society's email address...

Regards...

Jim Clark...London..England http://groups.msn.com/acousticmusiciansandpoetssoundarchive

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Billy the Bus
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 04:22 AM

Revive....

Since NZ Public Radio is broke, they revive the classic BBC Wireless programmes of the 40-60s on a 6-monthly basis 'Just a Minute' finished a few weeks back (modern, minus KW). As stated above, and thrown at me by my mates in the late 50s...

"Hello Rodney."
"Hello Charles." (My 'real' name)

Aww.. Shucks.. I only got onto KW when one of his ballads sidetracked be from the 'Giant Squid' thread.

Thought we should revive this thread to get sanity into the MudHouse.

Cheers - Sam

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: GUEST,David Neale
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 04:42 AM

Haven't been through the huge number of replies, so my own might well be repetition, for which my apologies.

Rambling Syd Rumpo was a charatcer played by KW in a BBC radio programme of the 1960s called "Round The Horne," starring straight man Kenneth Horne. Rambling Syd himself was a West Country yokel, full of country knowledge (so he thought) and colourful Williamesque country expressions. He was also a "folk singer" whose repertoire consisted of almost unintelligeable yet very double-entendre country lyrics sung very tongue-in-cheek, of course, by Kenneth.

"Round the Horne" was also the home of Julian and Sandy, in which KW played alongside Hugh Paddick. They were a clearly gay couple (very risqué at the time!) with a new angle in work each week. Again, full of double-entendre, much of which was probably lost on a great deal of the listeners at the time, as this was something completely different, of course.

You can read more about the show at http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/comedy/progpages/horne.shtml

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 06:07 AM

A lady friend of mine worked in the BBC light entertainment department and had some wonderful tales to tell of KW.

Once she was left alone in the office with him, while her boss went out to get a couple of other people. They heard their footsteps coming back along the corridor, and just before the door opened, KW dropped his trousers. As the door opened he was dicovered struggling to get them on again, he then turned to my friend and said "My God Cathy, you can really get your knickers back on fast". Mind you everyone would have known it was a joke as "Julian and Sandy" portrayed his true sexual inclination.

On another occasion she managed to get me a pass into the BBC canteen when she was taking him to lunch (it wasn't easy as a lot of people liked listening to him holding forth on different topics). I found him hilarious - I can remember a story about theatrical landladies.
Evidently to save money when they advertise in "The Stage" etc, they used to use abreviations - ie BSF meant Bathroom Same Floor. He would ask them if the lodgings were LTC - and invariably they'd say yes. When we enquired what LTC meant, he said "Landlady takes Cock".

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 08:49 AM

Billy - thanks for reviving this thread. He was fantastic & Round the Horne was fun. I'm getting all nostalgic, so I had a look at my comedy books - mostly Goon Show, I ight head to the library tomorrow & see what I can find. Maybe put on some of my Goon show tapes, too. Maybe I'll head for the ABC shop & see what BBC classics they have.

I've never owned a TV & have always listened to radio & I've been a fan of the old English radio comedies for decades. Radio National was re-playing 'em yet again at 5.30am on weekdays last year & maybe still are but I no longer wake at that ungodly hour.

There is nothing to beat the old time British comedians - they were all masters of comedy & timing.

I also read his biography when it came out.

sandra

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 10:29 AM

Hmmm....I may just dig out the diaries for a fourth read!

Rick

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 10:37 AM

More about "Julian & Sandy".

"Beyond our Ken" was the precursor to "Round the Horne" - the "Ken" in the title referred to Kenneth Horne rather than KW.

In latter years he was known for his wonderfully petulant outbursts on "Just a Minute" in which he would describe himself as a "Media Superstar" and expect to be given preferential treatment.

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: jacqui c
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 02:41 PM

I saw Kenneth many years ago on stage in a review show. I must have been about eleven or twelve and can't now remember the name of the show. I think that it might have been called 'One Over the Eight'. He was superb, even for a kid of that age to appreciate. He did one sketch as a bank robber trying to tell the clerk put up your hands and give me the money but couldn't get the words out right. That bit has stayed with me for over forty years now and I don't think I'll ever forget it. I've loved the man ever since.

It seems that a lot of gifted people pay a high price for their talent, but what they give to us......

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 05:29 PM

Thanks, Sam, for reviving this thread once again.

Wurdling away,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: GUEST,jim
Date: 09 Jul 03 - 05:26 AM

round the horne is on bbc 7 today at 12 or 12.30, you can get it on
digital radio or streaming on a pc
go to bbc.co.uk/radio and follow the links
cheers
       jim

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Jingle
Date: 09 Jul 03 - 02:28 PM

Whatever happend to Rambling Sid's close relative, J. Peasemould Gruntfuttock Esquire ??

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: The Walrus
Date: 09 Jul 03 - 08:05 PM

And don't forget that oriental criminal mastermind Dr Chou En Ginsberg.

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Jul 03 - 03:04 AM

Where i come from leadfingers is nicknamed "Ramblin' Sid"

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Jingle
Date: 10 Jul 03 - 01:12 PM

Wasn't Chou En Ginsberg the one who said "They've stolen the World Clup (sic) - now we'll have to drink out of the World Saucer"? They don't write em like that any more, to coin a phrase.

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 23 Sep 03 - 11:20 PM

No small part of the influences on "The Fooles Troupe"

was Kenneth Williams. And The Goons. And Round the Horne. and many other BBC Radio Shows.

Robin
The Virtual Fooles Troupe

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: GUEST
Date: 30 May 11 - 07:27 AM

I am just listening to this, and found this thread, brilliant lol

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Ann N
Date: 30 May 11 - 08:41 AM

re-read this thread when it surfaced again and I'm still smiling from the memories it brought back :) Here's a link to Rambling Syd at Amazon

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: GUEST,Gail
Date: 30 May 11 - 10:51 AM

The song I love best isn't one of his folk parodies, it's 'Ma Crepe Suzette'. It's just a load of common French words strung together to make pure nonsense ("all night garage!") but I find it oddly touching.

Kenneth Williams singing 'Ma Crepe Suzette'

Subject: RE: Kenneth Williams
From: Lox
Date: 30 May 11 - 07:04 PM

sorry ....


.... 100   :-)