Origins: Down at the Old Bull and Bush / Anheuser

Subject: query: bull and bush
From: GUEST,Emily
Date: 26 Nov 01 - 10:30 PM

I was listening to a CD of Meet Me in St. Louis, and said to myself, I know this song. But then, when I looked on the notes to make sure, it said, "Under the Anheuser Bush" not, "Down at the Old Bull and Bush" as I remembered it. Being lyricless, I did not know whether my mind was playing tricks on me, or what? anyway, I was wondering if anyone had any information. Thanks

Emily

Subject: RE: query: bull and bush
From: ddw
Date: 26 Nov 01 - 10:33 PM

Crass commercialism? Anheuser Busch headquarters are in St. Louis, aren't they?

david

Subject: RE: query: bull and bush
From: Sorcha
Date: 26 Nov 01 - 11:04 PM

Hmm. There is some info in this thread, but I don't think Meet Me In St. Louis is the same song.......

Subject: RE: query: bull and bush
From: JudeL
Date: 27 Nov 01 - 04:47 AM

There used to be on tv a program which had modern performers dressing up in apt costumes and performing old time music hall songs and stuff on a stage to an audience who were also all in costume with a master of ceremonies that would introduce each act with words that had at least 5 sylables each, that few people had ever heard of e.g." and now for your enthrawlingly eloqent elucidation that master of the mesmeric mystification" etc etc to introduce a hypnotist or magician.
The reason I mention this program is that the last song sung each week with most of the srtists on stage and virtually the entire audience joining in was "down at the old bull and bush"

Subject: RE: query: bull and bush
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Nov 01 - 04:58 AM

Click here for sheet music to "Under the Anheuser Bush" at The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music. I guess the "Anheuser" version may have been first. Click here for a thread with lots of information.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: query: bull and bush
From: bill\sables
Date: 27 Nov 01 - 04:59 AM

Jude, The programme to which you refer was "The Good Old Days" from Leeds City Varieties I think the M.C. or Barker as he was called was Leonard Sax It was usually screened on Sunday nights on BBC. I'm not sure but I think I remember that Barney Colehan, the producer, had some sort of tiff with the BBC gods and so the programme was taken off the air. It would be good to see some repeats of this instead of the crap we have today like Soap Stars, Pop Stars and Stars in their Eyes.
Cheers Bill

Subject: RE: query: bull and bush
From: JudeL
Date: 27 Nov 01 - 05:12 AM

As it's a bbc production maybe some of the episodes are available on video.

Subject: RE: query: bull and bush
From: GUEST,D_hand
Date: 27 Nov 01 - 05:12 AM

Point of interest: Did you know that Leonard Sax is Andrews Sax's(Manuel - Falty Towers) brother

Subject: RE: query: bull and bush
From: lady penelope
Date: 27 Nov 01 - 05:16 AM

The Bull & Bush is a very old pub in north London. In fact it's old enough that when the original pub was built, it wasn't in London. It's on a road between what was Hampstead Village and the great North Road ( now an area known as Golders Green). It was known for raucus behaviour, putting on unlicensed entertainment, being a trysting place for the adulterous and non-adulterous and for being open for most of 24 hours a day. As it was 'sort of' out of the way they got away with this till the local area became more urbanised.

I don't know whether the St. Louis version has precidence ( that can't be spelled right ) over the bull &bush one, but I do know that the lyrics were written to a tune already well known.

Help any ?

TTFN M'Lady P.

Subject: RE: query: bull and bush
From: Gervase
Date: 27 Nov 01 - 06:27 AM

The original Music Hall Bull and Bush was made famous by Florrie Forde (the Madonna of her day), who was born in Australia in 1876 and came to London at the age of 23 (she had already been performing - with some notoriety - in Sydney from the age of 16). In the UK she had a performing career that spanned some 30 years and died in 1940, collapsing minutes after starring in a concert party for troops in Scotland.
You can here her singing it here
Although Bull and Bush was her best-known song, she also sang and recorded 'Hold Your Hand Out, Naughty Boy', and the First World War favourites 'Goodbye-ee' (based on Harry Tate's catchphrase), 'Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit bag' and 'It's A Long Way To Tipperary'. A remarkable, feisty woman.

Subject: RE: query: bull and bush
From: Gervase
Date: 27 Nov 01 - 06:46 AM

It's said that the Music Hall Bull and Bush was written either by Harry Tilzer (1872-1946) or his younger brother Albert (1878-1956) - which I find hard to believe, given that it makes a specific reference to a Hampstead pub and had already been recorded and passed into the popular repertoire when the Tilzers were composing prolifically and in very American style in New York.
Others credit the song to Marie Lloyd, a sometime rival of Forde's. Anyway, here are the words:

Talk about the shade of a sheltering palm.
Praise about a tree with its wide spreading charms.
There's a little nook down our old Hampstead town,
You know the place, it has won great renown.

Often with my sweetheart on a bright summers day,
To the little pub there my footsteps will stray.
If she hesitates when she looks at the sign,
"Lovely" I whisper, "no do not decline".

Chorus:
Come, come, come and make eyes at me
Down at the old "Bull and Bush".
Come, come, drink some port wine with me
Down at the old "Bull and Bush".
Hear the little German band,
"Fol-de-riddle-i-doh",
Do let me hold your hand, dear.
Come, come, come and have a drink or two
Down at the old "Bull and Bush".