Lyr Req: A Suit of Corduroy's

Subject: A Suit of Corduroy's
From:
Date: 21 Mar 01 - 10:28 PM

This is a song about a Mother making her Son a suit of corduroy clothing and how he has lost them. Some of the words go: "The godamn things they tumbled in and I lost my corduroys" " "I shit in my corduroys" He lost them while trying to clean his dirt up in a brook etc. A little crude but a cute old song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Suit of Corduroy's
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 21 Mar 01 - 10:57 PM

At Garry Gillard's  Copper Family  site:

Corduroy

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(Joe Offer) from archive.org:

Corduroy

Sung by Bob, Ron and John Copper on the Song for Every Season LP.

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My father was fond of lush and he emptied many a butt
And for to get a suit of togs we had to stinge our guts.
Oftimes my mother and I dined off a saveloy
To save up the browns to buy me a suit of corduroy

Right tiddy fol lol, fol lol, fol lol
Right tiddy fol lol, fol lay
Right tiddy fol lol, fol lol, fol lol
Right tiddy fol lol, fol lay

When father came home drunk at night we used him rob
And after the course of a week or two we saved up seven bob.
One day my mother did say, come along with me my boy
We will go to Moses and Sons for a suit of corduroy

Right tiddy etc.

We soon picked out a suit the best that we could find
They fitted me very well but rather loose behind,
That's no fault said the man for he's a growing boy
And I'll warrant that his behind it will grow to the corduroy

Right tiddy etc.

We quickly fitted them on and my mother she paid the blunt
There was two pockets at the side and a little hole in front.
As we were walking along all the people they did cry
How very nice he looks in his suit of corduroy

Right tiddy etc.

My mother she used to scold because I had so many faults
And feeling rather queer one day she gave me a dose of salts.
Soon after I was taken short and the buttons did so annoy
And before I could get my trouser down I [raspberry] my corduroy

Right tiddy etc.

When I was out at play one day my pal says to me Jim
Let's go to Battersea park and there we'll have a swim.
As we were swimming about me and this other boy
Some covey hooked it off with my suit of corduroy

Right tiddy etc.

Now as naked as I was born I was taken home in a cart
And when my mother heard the news it nearly broke her heart
She said, you've cooked my goose, you very naughty boy,
I shall never forget the day when you lost your corduroy

Right tiddy etc.

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An informative note, with links, about this song by Malcolm Douglas appears in a thread at the Mudcat Cafe.

index

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New: 1 December 2000 |
Now: 23 March 2001 |
Garry Gillard

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Suit of Corduroy's
From: Garry Gillard
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 07:08 AM

Thank you Malcolm!

Garry

Subject: Lyr Add: CORDUROY (from Bob Copper)
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 11:59 AM

And, now:


CORDUROY
(Traditional; from the singing of Bob Copper. © Coppersongs, 1976.)

My father was fond of lush and he emptied many a butt,
And for to get a suit of togs we had to stinge our guts;
Ofttimes my mother and I dined off a saveloy,
To save up the "browns" to buy me a suit of corduroy.

Chorus: Right tiddy fol lol fol lol fol lol right tiddy fol lol, fal lay,
Right tiddy fol lol fol lol fol lol right tiddy fol lol fal lay.

When father came home at night and drunk we used him rob,
And after the course of a week or two we saved up seven bob.
One day my mother did say, "Come along with me, my boy,
We will go to Moses and Sons for a suit of corduroy."

We soon picked out a suit, the best that we could find.
They fitted me very well but rather loose behind.
"That's no fault," said the man, "for he's a growing boy,
And I'll warrant that his behind it will grow to the corduroy."

We quickly fitted them on and my mother she paid the blunt.
There was two pockets at the side and a little hole in front.
As we were walking along all the people they did cry:
"How very nice he looks in his suit of corduroy."

My mother she used to scold because I had so many faults,
And feeling rather queer one day she gave me a dose of salts.
Soon after I was taken short and the buttons did so annoy
And before I could get my trousers down I ...[raspberry noise]... my corduroy.

When I was out at play one day, my pal said to me: "Jim,
Let's go to Battersea Park and there we'll have a swim."
As we were swimming about, me and this other boy,
Some covey hooked it off with my suit of corduroy.

Now as naked as I was born I was taken home in a cart
And when my mother heard the news it nearly broke her heart.
She said, "You've cooked my goose, you very naughty boy.
I shall never forget the day when you lost your corduroy."


A midi of the tune, based on the notation in Bob's book, Early To Rise (Heinnemann 1976) goes to Alan of Australia for the Mudcat Midi Pages. As a temporary measure until it appears there, it can be heard, courtesy of the South Riding Folk Network, here:

Corduroy: Click to play Midi.

This was a popular song of the mid-19th century; presumably it had its origins in the Music Halls--the tune is very much of that type. There are several broadside copies at the Bodleian Library Broadside Collection:

Suit of Corderoy Printed between 1846 and 1854 by E.M.A. Hodges, (from Pitt's), wholesale toy warehouse, 31 Dudley street [S]even Dials.

The suit of corduroy Printed between 1860 and 1883 by H. Disley, 57, High-street, St. Giles, London. W.C.

Suit of corduroy Printed by Bebbington, J.O. Oldham-road, Manchester.

Suit of corduroy! Printed and Sold between 1849 and 1862 at Such's Song Mart, 123, Union Street, Boro' S.E.

There is also a mostly illegible Glasgow edition, which specifies the tune as that of Four and Nine.

Some of the above are in Standard English, others are written in the "Stage Cockney" of the day. There isn't a great deal of variation in the texts, though locations and the name of the tailors vary. Evidently, the song made it to the USA as well; there is a songsheet at the "America Singing" Collection:

The Suit of Corduroys H. De Marsan, Publisher, 60 Chatham Street, N. Y. [no date.] Again, much the same, but with the incontinence episode omitted, perhaps for the benefit of tender American sensibilities!

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Suit of Corduroy's
From: GUEST,Brenda M Cook
Date: 09 Oct 15 - 06:17 AM

I Goooogled "Suit of corduroy" and found this website but am not comfortable with what I have found. It doesn't seem to fit what

My grandmother used to sing: (England 1940s/50s) - she only ever sang (knew ?) the chorus:

"Come now, young and old,
If ever you wish for joy,
Never dress your youngsters in
A suit of corduroy."

This seems a different rhythm and scansion from the verses you quote. I don't know if the narrative was similar!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Suit of Corduroy's
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Jan 16 - 07:14 AM

Most folks when they grow up
At times they do presume
In things that have gone by
It please them to amuse;
How I remember well,
I never felt such joy
Ever since the day when I got birched
In my suit of corduroy

Chorus:

Then around me, young and old, around
If ever you wish to join me
If ever you wish to buy a suit
You buy the corduroy.

When father come home at night
If drunk we used to rob
And in the course of a week or so
We had up seven bob [i.e. 7 shillings; 0.45 of a euro]
My mother said unto me,
Jack, come with me my boy;
Let's go to Groves's shop
And buy a suit of corduroy

Chorus:

We soon picked out the suit
The best that we could find;
It fitted very well in front
But hellish slack behind.
Ah, never mind, the shopman said,
He is a growing boy
I warrant his little arse
Will soon fill out the corduroy

Chorus:

I felt quite proud
My mother she paid the brunt
It had two pockets by the side
And a little hole in front.
As I went marching down the street
The people they did say,
How very well he looks
In his suit of corduroy!

Chorus:

One day I was taken sick
I told my mother my fault
She said: My boy, you must be ill
And give me a dose of salts
And when the salts begin to work
The buttons begin to fly,
Before I had my trousers down
I [raspberry] my corduroy

Chorus:

As I was walking down the street
Some feller shouted, Jim!
Let's go to the canal
And there we'll have a swim!
And while we were swimming about,
Me and this other boy,
Some feller runned away
With my suit of corduroy

Chorus:

As naked as I was born
I was drove home in a cab
And when my mother heard of this
It nearly drove her mad.
She said, You silly little goose,
You're a very naughty boy!
But I shall never forget the day
When I [raspberry] my corduroy.

Last chorus.

(Charlie Wills, Somerset/Dorset, c.1971)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Suit of Corduroy's
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 16 Jan 16 - 06:12 PM

Bill House sang me this in 1985. The recording is on the British Library site. He learned it face to face from 'Old Charl' as he called him. 'He was a right old songster' He was amazed when I produced the Charlie Wills LP for him. Bill also sang 'Household Remedies.'
Surprisingly Frances Collinson appears to have collected the song in the 'London' pub in Bridport in 1947. I reckon Charlie was the singer, Collinson did not bother to record his name.
I was young an not so wise in those days. How much do I wish I had asked more questions than I did.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Suit of Corduroy's
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 17 Jan 16 - 03:54 AM

Yes I have the Charlie Wills LP, also did a field recording of a lady in Huddersfield a past Landlady who was leading light of the Licensed Victualers (ladies) who had some nice entertaining songs ~

including a version of this song and plot ~ also alluded to the fact that Huddersfield had won the Rugby.League World Challenge cup in I think 1954 ~ the Captain of the team was still getting free drinks on the strength of it ~ a Scotsman I think and he also sang one or two songs in the bar

Wish I had a filing system

Ray

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Suit of Corduroy's
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 17 Jan 16 - 04:58 AM

Andy Turner just did this as his 'Song A Week'

Andy Turner - Corduroy