Lyr Req: A Song to the Bloomers

Subject: A Song to the Bloomers
From: GUEST,Dr. M. L. Dodson
Date: 27 Jun 01 - 12:36 PM

I'm teaching a Women Writers Course this fall and want to find the lyrics to a suffragette song, "A Song to the Bloomers." It was to be sung to the tune of "Old Susanna." Where can I find these lyrics?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Song to the Bloomers
From: Sorcha
Date: 27 Jun 01 - 12:43 PM

I didn't find that one, but you might look at THE BLOOMERS at The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music. Scroll to bottom to go to next page.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Song to the Bloomers
From: Sorcha
Date: 27 Jun 01 - 12:48 PM

And this one, at The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music THE BLOOMER'S COMPLAINT has a tune similar to Susannah.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Song to the Bloomers
From: nutty
Date: 27 Jun 01 - 01:21 PM

There are two more songs here in the Bodleian Library

BLOOMER SONGS

Although it doesn't state what tune they should be sung to

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Song to the Bloomers
From: nutty
Date: 27 Jun 01 - 01:28 PM

In fact a further search of the Bodleian has unearthed more songs in the specific catagory of

BLOOMERISM

Hope these are of interest

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Song to the Bloomers
From: nutty
Date: 27 Jun 01 - 01:43 PM

SORRY ... that last link is not working

Back to the drawing board ... *grin*

Subject: Lyr Add: I'D BE A BLOOMER (Reed/Perring)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 01:02 AM

From The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music (or click for a PDF file):


I'D BE A BLOOMER
Words, Ernest H. Reed. Music, James Perring
London: T.E. Purday, [no date].

I'd be a Bloomer dashing and light,
Gay as a fairy that trips thro' the night.
Careless of those who look coldly on me,
I'd be a Bloomer merry and free.

What though a maiden be fair as a flow'r,
The spell of her brightness ne'er scatters its pow'r,
For forms full of beauty that move but to bless,
Are lost in the folds of an ill-fashion'd dress.

I'd be a Bloomer dashing and light,
Gay as a fairy that trips thro' the night.
Careless of those who look coldly on me,
I'd be a Bloomer dashing and free;
Dashing and free, dashing and free,
I'd be a Bloomer dashing and free.

Though maidens may frown when they gaze at my feet,
And tell me my trousers are most indiscreet,
I know 'tis with envy alone they repine,
That theirs do not prove so attractive as mine.

Shall I throw my Costume to humour the prude,
Who breathes only scandal and whispers me rude?
No, though she clings to the fashion that suits,
Give me the lov'd Tunic, Hat, Trousers, and Boots.

I'd be a Bloomer dashing and light,
Gay as a fairy that trips thro' the night.
Careless of those who look coldly on me,
I'd be a Bloomer dashing and free;
Dashing and free, dashing and free,
I'd be a Bloomer dashing and free.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BLOOMER'S COMPLAINT
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 01:03 AM

From The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music (or click for a PDF file):


THE BLOOMER'S COMPLAINT
[anonymous]
Philadelphia : A. Fiot, 1851.

1. Dear me, what a terrible clatter they raise,
Because that old gossip Dame Rumor
Declares, with her hands lifted up in amaze,
That I'm coming out as a Bloomer,
That I'm coming out as a Bloomer.
I wonder how often these men must be told
When a woman a notion once seizes,
However they ridicule, lecture or scold,
She'll do, after all, as she pleases,
She'll do, after all, as she pleases.

2. They know very well that their own fashions change
With each little change of the season,
But oh! it is "monstrous" and "dreadful" and "strange"
And "out of all manner of reason,"
And "out of all manner of reason,"
If we take a fancy to alter our dress,
And come out in style "à la Bloomer,"
To hear what an outcry they make, I confess,
Is putting me quite out of humor,
Is putting me quite out of humor.

3. I'll come out next week, with a wide Bloomer flat
Of a shape that I fancy will fright them.
I had not intended to go quite to that,
But I'll do it now, only to spite them,
But I'll do it now, only to spite them.
With my pants "à la Turque," and my skirts two feet long,
All fitting of course, most completely,
These grumblers shall own after all, they are wrong,
And that I, in a Bloomer, look sweetly,
And that I, in a Bloomer, look sweetly.

Subject: Lyr Add: HURRAH FOR THE GIRLS IN BLOOMERS (Somlyo)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 01:04 AM

From The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music (or click for a PDF file):


HURRAH FOR THE GIRLS IN BLOOMERS
Words and music by Arnold Somlyo.
Chicago: S. Brainard's Sons Co., 1894.

1. |: They mount their wheels with readiness and grace,
They're not a bit too shy,
You ought to see them fly;
They trot and pace and when they win a race,
The boys rejoice to see their choice
Come in first place. :|
|: For their wheels are of the very highest grade,
The finest made
They would not trade.
For anything you'd offer them, I'm sure.
No, no! no, no! They would not care to trade. :|

CHORUS: For they are the girls in bloomers,
The queens of the road and the wheel;
Oh! where is the man,
Who said that he ran
Ahead of the girls in bloomers.
For they are the girls in bloomers,
The queens of the road and the wheel;
Oh! where is the man,
Who said that he ran
Ahead of the girls in bloomers.

2. |: Their dress has charms that young and old admire,
The mashers know it well,
Perhaps you've heard them tell;
They say with rapture as they pass the wire,
The little flirts in naughty skirts,
They set our hearts afire. :|
|: And the dudes with collars high and turned up pants,
They watch their chance,
To meet their glance;
They watch their chances for a smile and glance.
A smile, a glance, But never get a chance. :|

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BLOOMERS (Schrage/Potstock)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 01:06 AM

From The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music (or click for a PDF file):


THE BLOOMERS
Words by O. Schrage. Music by W. Potstock.
Chicago: Wm. Potstock & Co., 1894.

1. It's been womens' aim, their greatest desire,
To dress like the men, wear trousers some day,
And since they are riding the pneumatic tires,
They discarded dresses, and bloomers display,
And when you are waking on the road or the street,
The girl with the bloomers you are sure to meet,
You think it is comic, alas! 'tis not so,
As often observed and been told.

CHORUS: Oh! those bloomers, Oh! those bloomers,
Look enchanting, on you girls,
Men admire your attire,
And to meet you they desire,
Men admire your attire,
And to meet you they desire.

2. A girl is out riding, her wheel takes a slip,
She takes a tumble, her bloomers they rip,
Her chum at the window she sees her fall,
Gets her brother's trousers who's out playing ball,
He has an engagement for theater that night,
His trousers are gone, imagine his plight!
He must stay at home, then receives a note,
That he don't need to call any more.

3. A girl has an engagement, go bicycle riding,
Her bloomers are lost, unable to find them,
She sees her father is taking a bath,
Then watches her chance and slips on his pants,
Then off on her wheel to meet her best man,
Just then he misses his only pair of pants,
He groans and he rages, denounces the girl,
In the bathtub remains 'til she returns.

4. A girl is out riding upon a country road,
She stops at a farmer's, to purchase some toast,
The bulldog he sees her, then makes a leap,
At the girl with the bloomers and out comes the seat,
Now think of the dilemma, it's serious indeed,
For a girl who is out on the road to meet,
You think it is comic, alas! 'tis not so,
As often observed and been told.

Subject: Lyr Add: A NEW SONG & DIALOGUE ON BLOOMERISM
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Oct 10 - 10:51 PM

From the Bodleian Library broadside collection, Firth b.25(167):


A NEW SONG & DIALOGUE ON BLOOMERISM
The Men wrong, and the Women right.

Oh Bill this dreadful piece of work will make me shed a tear,
My wife declares & solemn swears she will the breeches wear;
She burned her shift, her shawl, and stays, and spent it all in gin,
Then she come and cracked my head all with the rolling pin.

As here I pen, I know all men this bloomer job will rue.
May the d—— take the bloomers, and their Yankee Doodle doos.

Well, here's a pretty kettle of fish! I'm blowed if the men is not got into a fine mess through this cursed bloomerism. When I got up to go to work this morning, I could not find my trousers nor my hat, so I had to go to shop with a flannel petticoat wrapped around me, and an old straw bonnet; and they took me for a Guy Fawkes. And when going home to breakfast, who should I see but my old woman, with my hat and trousers on, and a short pipe stuck in her mouth. Holloa, says I, take that says she, and she gave me such a sender under the mug, which sent me sprawling; and the boys tore my petticoat, and the girls throwed stones at me. I am a bloomer, says my wife; yes love, says I; but I want my trousers. I wish you may get them, says she. That's not all, wait a bit.

The men must wash the women's shirts, their coats, and trousers too,
Nurse the children, make the toast, sing Yankee Doodle doo,
Sand the passage, wash the rooms, mind what to them is said,
And take the women's breakfast every morning up to bed.

So bloomers we will be, will be, all bloomers we will be.
In a little time we women all will make our husbands see.

Sam; yes my dear! I want a new coat, yes love; I want a pair of trousers, a new hat, a pair water tights, a new linen shirt, and a dashing handkerchief to tie round my neck; very well, love. And Sam, I shall want a donkey to ride on; and mind Sam, fetch me a half an ounce of the best shag, and a short pipe. And Sam, make haste and wash the dishes, make the beds, clean the fire-irons, wash my shirt and trousers, look after the children, and Sam, recollect that I am a bloomer. Yes, you are a blooming ——. Mind what you say, or by the coat I wear I will make you. Make haste Sam and go and tell Mrs. Wriggle-and-twist I will meet her at ten o'clock to go to Battersea hunting frogs. See what that is at the door, Sam; tell them I am engaged, and can't come.

When men from work at night come home, they will have to face the tub.
The trousers, shirts, and stockings they'll have to rub & scrub,
Rock the cradle, light the fire, and put to rights the room,
Or get a whack upon the back with the handle of the broom.

Instead of shift and cap, the women wear hat and shirt,
And trousers too, instead of gowns that draggle in the dirt.

These bloomers are a choker, Ned; what do you think my old Sal said to me last night. Jem, says she, I am going out to the Scientific Constitution, and when you have had a warm you must clean the knives and forks, then iron me a shirt and trousers; so you see I began to clean the knives and cut my finger, then I put the iron on the fire, and it got red hot, and then I took it off without a holder and burnt my hand all to a cinder. Well, I began to iron, and scorched my wife's shirt and trousers; I am in for it now, I said. Ten minutes before twelve my wife come to the door drunk as the devil, brought home by a coalheaver, with the back and front part of her trousers all split, the buttons pulled off, the tail of her shirt hanging out, and it smelt horrible. She lay down on the floor bawling, give me my breeches, my bloomer breeches, and a hunting we will go.

I would in a prison end my life, I would so help my bob,
Than marry a finniking bloomer wife, give me six months in quod;
I scorched my fingers, burnt my hand, while Sally out did flirt,
Because I had to starch and iron her trousers and her shirt.

William. Yes love; when you have washed the tea things and mended my stockings, and put the children to bed, take the market basket, and here's eighteenpence, buy everything that is wanted, and make haste for, I am a bloomer William, and I will not be played with any longer. The men have had their way long enough, and I think it is high time the women had theirs. And William, there is an Act of Parliament called the Bloomers Act. The 93rd clause of which says, that any man who contradicts, or dares to contradict his lawful wife in any way shape, or form, see page 43, chapter 76, he shall be liable to be stoned to death by bloomers without mercy. Recollect that William.

Bad luck I say both night and day to all their blooming jobs.
They had better chain us by the legs, and shove us into quod.
The blooming act has placed the men all in a sad condition,
They never thought of this until they saw the Exhibition.

Hang us, hill us, what a shame, I wish we had known it sooner.
I wish old Harry had the lot, that made the women bloomers.

Now William, let me see what you have bought me for eighteenpence. Well, here's two half-quartern loaves, fourpence halfpenny; a quarter of a pound of ninepenny butter, twopence three farthings; half an ounce of mixed tea, three halfpence; a quartern of sugar, one penny; two farthing's worth of loose wood, halfpenny; a farthing's worth of mustard, a farthing's worth of pepper, and a farthing's worth of salt, three farthings; half-an-ounce of the very best shag and a pipe, twopence; a three farthing ball of worsted, a farthing ball of white, and a farthing ball of black cotton; two penny-worth of potatoes, and two penny-worth of fresh herrings and fat. Well, let me see, that is one shilling and fivepence farthing; where's the other three farthings? Well, Sally, I was thirsty, and I had a pint of small beer. Oh, you rogue, you villain, you spendthrift, I'll learn you to go to market and spend the money; you shall go to bed directly without supper. I am a bloomer, as I told you before; so you had better mind in the future.

She gave me eighteenpence said Bill, and ordered me the rout,
And then she made me shew how the money was laid out;
She with her fist gave me a twist, right underneath the ear,
'Twas because I spent three farthings in a pint of table beer.

I will run away and go to sea on board a brig or schooner,
I cannot live at home amongst the proud infernal Bloomers.

Subject: Lyr Add: A NEW SONG ON THE BLOOMER COSTUME
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 Oct 10 - 10:39 AM

From Curiosities of Street Literature (London: Reeves and Turner, 1871), page 121:


A NEW SONG ON THE BLOOMER COSTUME.
M. O'Loughnan.

[CHORUS?] Oh, did you hear the news of late?
According to the rumours,
The pretty ladies one and all
Are going to join the bloomers.
Since Mrs. Dexter's come to town,
She says, "Oh, what a row, sir!
The men shall wear the petticoats
And ladies wear the trousers."

Oh, did you hear, &c.

[1] Now Mrs. Dexter's come to town.
She says she'll not he lazy,
But quickly turn the ladies' brains,
And set the men all crazy.
Old maids and lasses fine and gay,
Short, stumpy, tall and bandy,
Long petticoats now throw away
And beat the Yankee dandy.

[2] Prince Albert and the Queen one day
Had such a jolly row, sirs,
She threw off her petticoats
And put on boots and trousers.
Won't it be funny for to see
Ladies possessed of riches,
Riding up and down the town
In Wellingtons and breeches?

[3] Now you with ankles short and thick,
Of every rank and station,
Oh, won't you cut it fine and slick,
By this new alteration?
And landladies that creep about,
Well known as twenty-stoners,
Come shove your bustles up the spout,
And join the dashing bloomers.

[4] The bloomers dress, the people say,
Is getting all the go now.
The pretty factory lasses they
Will cut a gallant show now.
In petticoats above their knees,
And breeches too you'll fit them,
Nice jackets made of velveteen,
All button'd up behind them.

[5] Now married men, take my advice:
Step out and spend your riches,
And buy your wife all in a trice,
Short petticoats and breeches,
For in the fashion she will hop,
Whene'er she's out of humour.
I wonder if her tongue will stop
When she becomes a bloomer.

[6] Last night my wife she said to me,
"Tom, when we've got the notes in,
I'll have a pair of gaiters, and
Breeches made of goat's skin,
A pair of boots and silver spurs,
For I have got such bad legs,
I cannot hide; I'll have to ride
The donkey now a strad-legs."

[7] The men must go out selling fish,
And deal in shrimps and mussels,
Dress'd up in ladies' petticoats,
Fine flounces and big bustles.
You'll have no call to work at all,
But walk out in your broaches
The ladies are determined for
To drive the cabs and coaches.

[8] The tailors now must all be sharp
In making noble stitches,
And be sure and clap their burning goose
Upon the ladies' breeches.
Their pretty little fingers will
Be just as sore as mutton,
Until that they have found the way
Their trousers to unbutton.

[9] You factory lasses, one and all,
Your dresses all reform now.
Buy a jacket and a trousers for
To keep you snug and warm now,
Short petticoats and garters too,
No matter how the time goes,
A billycock and feather for
To see which way the wind blows.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Song to the Bloomers
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Mar 25 - 01:17 PM

Did you ever find it? I'm looking for it today!