Lyr Req: Everybody Knows Me in My Old Brown Hat

Subject: Everybody knows me in my old brown hat
From: GUEST,zbang
Date: 20 Apr 02 - 03:15 AM

Looking for the Harry Champion song "Everybody Knows Me in Me Old Brown Hat". It's on the Flowers & Frolics album _Bees_on_Horseback_, but I can't get the lyrics through the fairly heavy accent.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Everybody knows me in my old brown hat
From: masato sakurai
Date: 20 Apr 02 - 07:20 AM

The chorus is HERE.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Everybody knows me in my old brown hat
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Apr 02 - 09:42 AM

"Everybody Knows Me in My Old Brown Hat" sung by Harry Champion, can be found on a CD called Cockney Bill of London Town, Windyridge CDR3.

I have also found references to a song called "I See You've Got Your Old Brown Hat On."

Copied from http://www.soft.net.uk/creative/chorusese.htm :

EVERYBODY KNOWS ME IN MY OLD BROWN HAT

Everybody knows me by my old brown hat
That I've got upon my pim-pim-pimple.
It only cost me a tanner down the cut
But it looks all right on my little wooden nut.
Oh I say, what do you think of that?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Everybody knows me in my old brown hat
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 22 Apr 02 - 06:53 PM

I'm pretty sure I've got this on a video of a TV programme about Music Hall made by some of the people involved with the Players Theatre. I'll look it out, but it might take me a while to get down, 'cos if I remember rightly, it was sung at a rattling pace.

LFF

Subject: Lyr Add: EV'RYBODY KNOWS ME IN MY OLD BROWN HAT
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 26 Feb 03 - 02:03 PM

Ten months later, I've given up trying to find the video in the loft, but happily I've found the words anyway:

EV'RYBODY KNOWS ME IN MY OLD BROWN HAT

Sung by Harry Champion

Lyrics and Music by Fred Leigh & Charles Collins

Where I live the neighbours are a nice lot,
Spec'lly when I'm out of doors.
They all treat me with great respect,
But they never say "What's yours?"
If I walk in a public house,
They say "Look out! He's here!"
They grab their pots and glasses, shouting
"Danger! Mind yer beer!"

Ev'rybody knows me in my old brown hat
That I've got upon my pim-pim-pimple.
It only cost me a tanner down the Cut,
But it looks all right on my little wooden nut.
Oh I say!
What d'yer think of that?
If I can't get what I order in a pot
I'll have it in my old brown hat.

One day, all gay, I was at the races,
Having such a fine old spree.
I put my best behaviour on,
For the king stood close to me.
My old girl got excited when
The crowd began to cheer.
"What's up?" says she,
"Good lor!" says I
"Now don't you know my dear?"

Ev'rybody knows me in my old brown hat
That I've got upon my pim-pim-pimple.
It only cost me a tanner down the Cut,
But it looks all right on my little wooden nut.
Oh I say!
What d'yer think of that?
And I said to the king,
"It's a very funny thing,
But they know me in my old brown hat."

Last year, oh, dear! Down beside the seaside,
Ev'rybody laughed at me.
They crowded on the promenade,
When I went into the sea.
A p'liceman said "Your bathing suit
Is much too small my friend."
So I said "Tell the ladies, please,
To watch the other end."

Ev'rybody knows me in my old brown hat
That I've got upon my pim-pim-pimple.
It only cost me a tanner down the Cut,
But it looks all right on my little wooden nut.
Oh I say!
What d'yer think of that?
While I'm in the sea,
If the girls look at me,
They'll be looking at my old brown hat.

Oh, lor! Shan't forget my wedding morning,
Got an hour off from work,
I went to the church and looked as gay,
As an undertaker's clerk.
The parson said "The funeral
Takes place this afternoon."
Said I "Don't bury me until
I've had my honeymoon!"

Ev'rybody knows me in my old brown hat
That I've got upon my pim-pim-pimple.
It only cost me a tanner down the Cut,
But it looks all right on my little wooden nut.
Oh I say!
What d'yer think of that?
When I go to bed at night
You'll see a funny sight,
For you'll see me in my old brown hat.

LFF

PS I seem to remember it was sung in the programme I videoed by the bloke who played the son-in-law in the sketches where Dick Emery played Grandpa - Yocka-yocka!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Everybody knows me in my old brown hat
From: boglion
Date: 26 Feb 03 - 02:10 PM

There's a recording of it on "Bees on Horseback" by Flowers and Frolicks (Cockney Rhyming slang for B*ll*cks).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Everybody knows me in my old brown hat
From: GUEST,Andy Carter
Date: 17 Oct 05 - 09:41 AM

I learnt this song from family singalongs as a kid and we always sang

Everybody knows me by my old brown hat
That I wear upon my big pink thimble

Thimble being rhyming slang for head as in thimble and thread.

Subject: ADD: Everybody Knows Me in My Old Brown Hat
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Feb 11 - 01:45 PM

You can hear this song at YouTube. (It is the second of 2 songs in that "video."). For the following transcription, I started with the lyrics posted by Long Firm Freddie, and then changed them where necessary to make them agree with my hearing of the recording. As a result, it's nearly complete.


EV'RYBODY KNOWS ME IN MY OLD BROWN HAT*
(Lyrics and Music by Fred Leigh & Charles Collins, 1920)
As recorded by Harry Champion

1. Down our street, my neighbours are a nice lot, especially when I'm out of doors.
They all treat me with a great respect, but they never say, "What's yours?"
If I walk into a public house, they say, "Look out! He's here!"
They grab their pots and glasses, shouting, "Danger! Mind yer beer!"

Ev'rybody knows me in me old brown hat
That I wear upon me pim-pim-pimple.
Only cost me a tanner down the cut,
But it looks all right on me little wooden nut.
Oh, I say! What do you think of that?
The landlord got one ... in the pot,
So I had it in me old brown hat.

2. One day, all gay, I was at the races, having such a fair old spree.
I put my best behaviour on, the king stood next to me.
Me old gal got excited when the crowd began to cheer.
"What's up?" says she. "Good God!" said I. "Why, don't you know, old dear?"

Everybody knows me in me old brown hat
That I wear upon me pim-pim-pimple.
Only cost me a tanner down the cut,
But it looks all right on me little wooden nut.
Oh, I say! What do you think of that?
I said to the king, "It's a very funny thing,
But they know me in me old brown hat."

3. Last year, oh, dear! Down beside the seaside, Everybody laughed at me.
They crowded on the promenade when I dived in the sea.
A policeman said, "Your bathing drawers are far too long, my friend."
I said, "just ask the ladies, please, for to watch my other end."

'Cause everybody knows me in me little brown hat
That I wear upon me pim-pim-pimple.
Only cost me a tanner down the cut,
But it looks all right on me little wooden nut.
Oh, I say! Don't you ... of that?
While I'm in the sea, ladies won't be lookin' at me,
They'll be lookin' at me old brown hat.

4. Oh, lor! I shan't forget my wedding morning, got an hour off from work.
I went to church as lively as an undertaker's clerk.
The parson said, "The funeral takes place this afternoon."
I said, "Don't bury me until I've had my honeymoon!"

'Cause everybody knows me in me old brown hat
That I wear upon me pim-pim-pimple.
Only cost me a tanner down the cut,
But it looks all right on me little wooden nut.
Oh, I say! ...
In the bedroom tonight, you will see a funny sight,
For you'll see me in me old brown hat.

[* The sheet music has EV'RYBODY... but the recording has EVERYBODY....]