Lyr Req: Willie Lee: 'I am a railway porter....'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Willie Lee: 'I am a railway porter....'
From: Joe_F
Date: 13 Mar 15 - 07:11 PM

Admirers of the poetry of station chants may also enjoy:

Change here for Winchester, Ashuelot, Nashua, Keene, and stations on the *Fitch*burg road
-- Kipling, "How the Whale got his Throat"

Miller's Dale for Tideswell...
Kirby Muxloe...
Mow Cop and Scholar Green...
-- Flanders & Swann, "Slow Train"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Willie Lee: 'I am a railway porter....'
From: GUEST,Stewart Taylor
Date: 13 Mar 15 - 04:14 PM

That's the best I've seen, brilliant.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Willie Lee: 'I am a railway porter....'
From: GUEST,Stewart Taylor
Date: 13 Mar 15 - 04:11 PM

"Im a decent railway porter, and my name is Johnny Lee, I stop at "a" the stations fae Dumbarton tae Dundee, and "a" the stations inbetween   "The Royal train" was another verse, "my duty is tae tell ye all tae change here" can't remember the words. Hope this helps.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Willie Lee: 'I am a railway porter....'
From: GUEST,999
Date: 15 Feb 12 - 01:57 PM

http://tinpan.fortunecity.com/reprazent/947/lyrics/willylee.txt

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Willie Lee: 'I am a railway porter....'
From: GUEST,Lesley
Date: 14 Feb 12 - 06:01 PM

My father used to sing the words...
I'm the Hurricane Railway porter from Kinellar to Dunbar
Shouting all change here for Achterarder, kiddle me garter, jion for ham and eggs
Abies knees , horses knees, finnicks and bandy legs,
clagnicudden, mielie puddin, Scots haggis ana
The rest ye keep yer seats for Tobermorey

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MUDDLE PUDDLE PORTER
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 Sep 02 - 04:39 PM

Copied from http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/S?ammem/amss:@field(TITLE+@band(The+Muddle+Puddle+porter.+[n.+p.]+[n.+d.]))

THE MUDDLE PUDDLE PORTER

There was a railway porter on the North South Eastern Line,
Where intellect was limited whose age was forty-nine,
His pest was situated at Muddle Puddle Junction,
The station's names he called out indistinctly--but with unction,
And all the porter had to do thro' morning noon and night,
Was to waggle to and fro a wretched bell with all his might,
And shout the sentence in a manner which you must know,
Change here for London, Chatham, Peckham, Brighton, Margate, Bow.

He thought in all his thirty years of service it was strange,
His wages never were increased, 'twas time to make a change,
He meant to try another calling earlier or later,
So went at once to Spiers & Ponds' who turned him to a waiter,
But in his new vacation, he in trouble quickly got,
The first old gentleman who came, required a dinner hot,
And asked, what are joints, he said the joints sir, yes sir, oh!
The joints are London, Chatham, Peckham, Brighton, Margate, Bow.

He got dismissed and went away in misery and pain
Determined that he never would be a waiter again,
Still he knew his troubles would make life much shorter,
He'd still remain the Muddle Puddle Railway Porter
And having got his berth again--his spirits did revive;
With pride and joy he waited till till the first train did arrive.
He rang his bell and shouted out, with vigour and ease,
Two beefs, a kidney and potatoes, Jelly and a cheese

At last the station master said, this sort of thing won't do,
He'd send the Irish Mail to smash and call it Irish stew,
We like originality, but do not want a dreamer,
The porter went as cabin boy, on board a river steamer,
His duties they were simple for he only had to shout
Instructions from the Captain when the boat was turned about,
But when she neared Temple Pier, he bellowed down below,
Change here, the joints are Hackney, Kidney Peckham Jelly, Bow,

The captain said this cabin boy, is really far too droll
We stand as little chance of reaching Lambeth as the pole,
So ouce again the porter exercised his former functions,
Of wagging to and fro the bell at the Muddle Puddle Junction,
The recollection of his former duties proved too strong.
For when the afternoon express came clattering along,
He nautically shouted this extraordinary yarn,
Go on ahead, oh ease her, back her, turn her starn

This proved the climax of the porter in his pleasing way,
The managing directors said this sort of thing won't pay,
They pensioned off their servant, with a fitting honorarium,
And made him hall porter at the Westminster Aquarium,
Aad now if anyone inquires with condescending smile,
The way to see the Octopus, he answers in his style
Down here for kidneys, Stepney, stop her jelly, Brighton, Peas,
The tanks are Hackney, turn her starn, potatoes, Chatham, cheese.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sung by Jean Redpath, song
From: Snuffy
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 09:19 PM

1823 appears to be the Plate Number, not the date. I don't think there were many railways to employ porters in 1823 (Stockton & Darlington 1825, Liverpool & Manchester 1830).

If George Grossmith Junr is the Diary of a Nobody man, I would think that makes it late Victorian

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sung by Jean Redpath, song
From: toadfrog
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 08:05 PM

O.k. Scabby Doug. It seems to be a "Scottishized" version of THE MUDDLE PUDDLE PORTER, vintage (apparently) 1823, in which one changes for "London, Chatham, Peckham, Brighton, Margate, Bow.
Levy has it:

title: The Muddle-Puddle Porter.
Composer, Lyricist, Arranger: Written & Composed by George Grossmith Junr.; The last three verses written by James McCraw Junr., Esqr.
James McCraw Junr. Publication: London: Hopwood & Crew, 42 New Bond Street, W., n.d..
Form of Composition: strophic with chorus
Instrumentation: piano and voice
First Line: There was a railway porter on the North South Eastern Line
First Line of Chorus: Change here for London, Chatham, Peckham, Brighton, Margate, Bow [varies with each verse]
Performer: Sung With the Greatest Success By Lionel Brough
Engraver, Lithographer, Artist: Stannard & Son
Advertisement: ads on back cover for Hopwood & Crew stock
Plate Number: 1823
Subject: Caricatures
Subject: Waiters
Subject: Steamboats
Call No.: Box: 048 Item: 007

I must be getting old, for I can't read much of the text.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE RAILWAY PORTER SONG
From: toadfrog
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 07:45 PM

S. Doug: You have to be right. A web site run by one "Horseye" gives the following, which sounds older and maybe more authentic.

THE RAILWAY PORTER SONG

Well, I am a railway porter and my name is Willie Wee,
I'm the maist important person ye could ever hope to see,
I'm in charge of every station, fae Dundonell tae Dundee,
And I'm only here to tell ye where ye change for.

Ye change fer Auchtermuchty, Tilly or Tuchty; Crieff and John o' Groats
Fife and Tulloch oats, Beecham's pills and Quaker Oats:
Ye change for Ecclefechan, Aberdeen, and all the stations in between.

Unless ye want tae gang tae Tobermory.

Ye should see me hurl ma barrow, ye should see me sweep the flair,
If there's no a tip forthcoming ye should hear me curse and swear,
When a train comes in the station, ma heid flies in the air,
And I cry wi' all ma might - You've got to change here.

Well, one day the Royal Train drew in, my heart was full of pride,
I keeked in through the windae, and whae d'ye think I spied?
It was His Majesty ! King George - himself;
The Queen was by his side.
So I cried, wi' all ma might - Ye've got to change here.

Horseye observes he does not know where the song came from, but his uncle Tilch used to sing it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sung by Jean Redpath, song
From: GUEST,Scabby Doug
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 12:37 PM

This site:-

http://mysite.freeserve.com/arthurlloyd/EraObit.htm
Suggests that it was written for the music hall and adapted by ARTHUR LLOYD and "Scottished" for the music hall.

That being the case, I think that the lyrics quoted above have been updated...

Cheers

Steven Clark

Subject: Lyr Add: WILLIE LEE
From: toadfrog
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 08:24 PM

weerover: Thanks a million! With your assistance: the BBC America Shop Index of Traditional Scottish songs gives these lyrics:

WILLIE LEE

Oh, I am a railway porter and my name is Willie Lee,
You can search around the country frae Dumbarton tae Dundee,
I'm the most important person that you're ever like tae see
And my duty is tae tell ye whaur ye chinge fur..
Ye change fur....

Chorus: Auchterclochter, cuddlemadochter, Crieff or Callercoats,
Land's End tae John o' Groats, Beecham's Pills or Quaker Oats.
Ye chinge fur Ecclefechan, Aiberdeen an' a' the stations in between
Unless ye want tae gang tae Tobermory.

Oh, at Auchterclochter junction if you're ever like tae be,
Just pop your head frae the windae and you're sure tae notice me,
I'm the most important person that you're ever like tae see
And my duty is tae tell ye whaur ye chinge fur ...
Ye change fur....

Ae day at Auchterclochter junction, oh I wis filled wi' pride!
The royal train drew in and when I looked inside,
I saw Her Majesty, Lizzie, the Queen and the Duke wis by her side
And they asked me a' the stations that ye chinge fur . . .
Ah telt them...

Auchterclochter, cuddlemadochter, Crieff or Callercoats
Land's End tae John o' Groats, Beecham's Pills or Quaker Oats
Ye chinge fur Clachnacudden, Sands o'Budden and then ye buy a big mealy pudden
Tae eat until ye gang tae Tobermory,
Tae eat until ye gang tae Tobermory.

So far as I can ascertain on line, it really is traditional. If you have better lyrics than these, pse add!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sung by Jean Redpath, song
From: weerover
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 03:12 AM

Song is "The Railway Porter". Chorus goes "Change for Auchtermuchter, Cuddle-ma-dochter [daughter], Crieff or Cullercoats, Fife or John O'Groats, Beechams Pills or Quaker Oats, Change for Ecclefechan, Aiberdeen and a' the places in atween, Unless ye want tae gang tae Tobermory".

Will post the verses when I get a chance to remember them unless someone else gets them in first.

Subject: Sung by Jean Redpath, song
From: toadfrog
Date: 24 Sep 02 - 11:10 PM

Once heard on Prairie Home Companion. The chorus is as if called out by Scottish conductor, with long list of place names:

Ye'll have tae change here.
Ye change for [place names]Fife and John O' Groats,
[Place names] field and Quaker Oats,
and [place name that sounds like "Auchterlach" and Aberdeen
And a' the places in between,
Unless ye want tae gang to [place name].

Nice catchy tune. Does anyone know the song?