Lyr Req: Don't Do It Again Matilda (H Champion)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Do It Again Matilda (H Champion)
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jan 21 - 02:16 PM

In addition to 'kite' meaning belly, it can also be a London slang word for face as in ‘blow out your kite’ meaning ‘fill your face’:
“From morn til night blow out your kite on boiled beef and carrots”
From ‘Boiled Beef and Carrots’, a Music Hall song written by Charles Collins and Fred Murray (1909) Round index number: RN 30163
Sung by Harry Champion
As children, many London folk were told to blow their noses as they had 'snotty kites' which implies that 'kite' could also mean nose as it'Don't do it again, Matilda' which has these lines:
“Matilda she went to a fancy dress ball
And she played an original part
She rubbed herself over with raspberry jam
And she went as a raspberry tart.
I went up to hug her and give her a kiss
And the jam went all over me kite.
I know she’s a sticker,
Lor’, what a licker!
I shouted “You’ve done it tonight!”
But don’t do it again, Matilda,
Don’t do it again!
That raspberry jam was made out of glue,
Which cannot be helped, but I’m sticking to you,
My luck! Our noses are stuck and I’m starting to lose my train.
I can’t walk about with you stuck on my snout,
So don’t do it again.”

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Do It Again Matilda (H Champion)
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Oct 12 - 06:18 PM

Th expression 'pull a kite' means to 'pull a face', so jam all over his kite probably means a jammy face.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't Do It Again Matilda
From: GUEST,Dave Collier
Date: 29 Jan 10 - 04:04 PM

I've an analysis of the words used in this song at http://haze-dweller.blogspot.com/2010/01/don-do-it-again-matilda.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't do it again Matilda
From: GUEST,Chris Hughes
Date: 31 Oct 09 - 03:58 PM

Don't know the derivation, but my parents used to speak of 'stuffing your kite' meaning to tuck in to food.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't do it again Matilda
From: GUEST,Chris Hughes
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 07:10 AM

Kite = belly, as in to stuff one's kite, or in another Harry Champion song, Boiled Beef and Carrots, 'From morn till night, Blow out your kite on Boiled Beef and Carrots'.

Derivation? Not a clue . . .

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't do it again Matilda
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 02 Aug 02 - 10:19 AM

Cosmotheka sang "my kite" for "my cape". I suppose it's ryhming slang--for what, I don't know, but it rhymes.

Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't do it again Matilda
From: GUEST,Songbird
Date: 02 Aug 02 - 03:17 AM

Any idea of the tune??

Thanks

Subject: Lyr Add: DON'T DO IT AGAIN, MATILDA (Fred Murray)
From: GUEST,hjbutler
Date: 29 Jul 02 - 10:54 PM

I have a copy of the ASV CD "Your Own . . . Your Very Own" with the Champion song rec. May 1910 (label no. 27176) which I transcribed. Have I got it right?


DON'T DO IT AGAIN, MATILDA
Words and music by Fred Murray, 1911
As sung by Harry Champion.

1. Matilda, a lady I've known many years, she's a beauty, a bit of all right.
Last night in her parlour, I sat on a chair and I had such a terrible fright.
I thought that her poodle had bit me, I did, when I rolled myself up in a knot.
When she said that her beautiful set of false teeth she had laid on the chair, I said, "What?"

Ah, don't do it again, Matilda. Don't do it again.
Your beautiful teeth they are most unkind.
Never bit me before, but they bit me behind.
Wow! Wow! They're biting me now, and I cannot locate the pain.
Pull 'em out of my south. Put 'em into your mouth, and don't do it again.

2. Matilda and I went to Brighton one day and she stood on the beach 'long o' me.
The wind it was windy, got under her clothes and it blew her right out in the sea.
I saw her come up with a smile on her face, but she looked like a drownded old pup.
She came up again to the top of the foam, when I said, "That's your second time up."

Ah, don't do it again, Matilda. Never you do it again.
You've done it now twice and number three,
You'll find it unlucky. Just take it from me.
Don't throw that under your nose, but swallow the raging main.
Drink up all the lot. When you get to the bot', then never come up again.

3. Matilda she went to a fancy dress ball and she played an original part.
She rubbed herself over with raspberry jam and she went as a raspberry tart.
I went up to hug her and give her a kiss. Well, the jam was all over my kite.
I know she's a sticker, but lor' what a licker! I shouted, "You've done it tonight."

Ah, don't do it again, Matilda. Don't do it again.
That raspberry jam was made of glue,
Which cannot be helped, but I'm sticking to you.
My luck! Our noses are stuck, and I'm starting to lose my train.
I can't walk about with you stuck on my snout, so don't do it again.

4. I shall never forget, on the day I got wed, well, there's only your humble to blame.
Matilda insisted on washing my shirt and I'd only one shirt to my name.
She sent it along, and when I put it on, I discovered that I was a jay,
She'd starched it all over from bottom to top, so I wrote her a letter to say:

Don't do it again, Matilda. Don't do it again.
The dickey's as stiff as a rusty nail,
And the back of it's wagging about like a tail.
My shirt, oh, doesn't it hurt! Just toddle around and explain,
It's a stiff as a pin and I can't tuck it in, so don't do it again.


Transcribed from no. 27176 (May 1910)

HJB

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't do it again Matilda
From: Gray D
Date: 30 Jun 02 - 07:34 PM

There's something about the mixture of Brummie and adopted Cockerney accents that can make the words a little difficult to define sometimes.

I thought it was to do with "a rumble" meaning some trouble, a bit of bother etc.

Thanks for that.

Gray D

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't do it again Matilda
From: GUEST,Folkmonster
Date: 29 Jun 02 - 08:33 PM

I shall never forget, on the day I got wed, Well there's only a ... *your 'umble* ... to blame,

I think. your humble = myself

FM

Subject: Lyr Add: DON'T DO IT AGAIN MATILDA (Cosmotheka)
From: Gray D
Date: 29 Jun 02 - 07:48 AM

Transcribed from Cosmotheka's magnificent live album "A Good Turn Out".

---

DON'T DO IT AGAIN MATILDA

I shall never forget, on the day I got wed,
Well there's only a rumble to blame,
Matilda insisted on washing me shirt,
And I'd only one shirt to me name,
Well she brought it along and when I put it on
I discovered that I was a Jay,
'Cos she'd starched it all over from bottom to top,
So I wrote 'er a letter to say

Don't do it again, Matilda, don't do it again,
The dicky's as stiff as a rusty nail,
And the back of it's wagging about like a tail,
My shirt, oh doesn't it 'urt,
'Old on I'll try to explain
It's as stiff as a pin and I can't tuck it in
So don't do it again

(and again and its . . )

Don't do it again, Matilda, don't do it again,
The dicky's as stiff as a rusty nail,
And the back of it's wagging about like a tail,
My shirt, oh doesn't it 'urt,
'Old on I'll try to explain
It's as stiff as a pin and I can't tuck it in,
And its oh such a sin 'cos it rubs on me skin
Its stuck under me chin and it 'urts me to grin
So don't do it agaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaain
(Don't do it again, Matildaaahh!)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Don't do it again Matilda
From: Gray D
Date: 28 Jun 02 - 08:12 PM

Its a bit late for me to start now. I'll check this thread again and post the lyrics tomorrow, if Sorcha hasn't beaten me to it by then.

Subject: Don't do it again Matilda
From: GUEST,Merry B
Date: 28 Jun 02 - 05:39 PM

I have an old recording of Harry Champion singing this song but cannot get the last verse when 'he gets married and Matilda starches his shirt. I've looked around a lot for the lyrics but Music Hall lyrics seem to be hard to come by on the internet. Any help out there??

Merry