Lyr Req: A 'Lazy Worker' Music Hall song?

Subject: Lyr Req: A 'Lazy Worker' Music Hall song?
From: GUEST,Jenny Fitz - Guest
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 10:10 PM

A song about an industriously idle worker ….. as sung by a man in a session in Sidmouth 2 years ago.
I only have alittle bit of it and would like to know if the rest of it exists in the gleaming recesses of someone's folk memory.
Here's all I have ... imagine a very cockney accent.


and it's a nuisance but I shant get in a stew
I've never doen a stroke of work in all me life it's true
so why should I be bothered now I've more work not to do?
I'll keep on finding ways of doing nothing
while the overseers busy overseeing
It'll keep me very busy looking busy
But it's busy doing nothing I'll be being

Cho.
Never do today what you can do tomorrow
That's the motto that I've followed all me life
But now that I'm being crushed beneath the wheels of industry
If I'm backed into a corner then perhaps I'll make the tea
I shivers at the thought of breaking sweat out of my brow
wheres the need when I can beg or steal or borrow
As that epitome of idleness me mother used to say
Never do today what you can do tomorrow

Now the thought of work has never been appealing
but the gaffers job don't look too bad to me
He stroll s in late and stretches out his dinner time til 3
settles down for 40 winks and then it's time to have his tea
he sups his Rosy Lea then eats his fruit cake
then those (something) scones with jam and margarine on
and he has the cheek to say that he's been working
when it's a little holiday he's been on
Never ….

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A 'Lazy Worker' Music Hall song?
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Oct 02 - 03:23 AM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A 'Lazy Worker' Music Hall song?
From: belfast
Date: 16 Oct 02 - 10:53 AM

I have heard a recording of an old music hall song which begins "What's the use of kicking up a row if there ain't no work about...". The accent was very cockney. And somewhere I have an abum of Bob Davenport singing it. The final lines are
"Lay your head back on the pillow
And read your Daily Mirror
And wait till the work comes round"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A 'Lazy Worker' Music Hall song?
From: Snuffy
Date: 16 Oct 02 - 06:58 PM

"Wait till the work comes round" was written and performed by Gus Elen (who also sang "If it wasn't for the houses in between"). It is in the new DT WAIT TILL THE WORK COMES ROUND, but I don't think it is the one being asked for here.

A couple of corrections to the DT version:

• In verse 1 I hear "And I plonks him one with this, you see..."
  
• In the chorus it's pronounced "That's a hargument that's sensible and sound"
  
• The second chorus ends:
  "With the swells in Rotten Row
  You can sit and have a blow
  And wait till the work comes round.
  

At present there is no tune for WTTWCR but I hope to post one in the not too distant future.

WassaiL! V

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A 'Lazy Worker' Music Hall song?
From: Snuffy
Date: 16 Oct 02 - 07:03 PM

I meant to say there is no tune in the DT, but I intend to transcribe it from the 1906 recording of Gus Elen's singing.

The song Jenny Fitz is after seems to be about someone who has got a job but tries to do as little work as possible

Subject: Lyr Add: WAIT TILL THE WORK COMES ROUND (Gus Elen)
From: Snuffy
Date: 17 Oct 02 - 07:02 PM

Here's what Gus Elen actually sings on the 1906 recording:

WAIT TILL THE WORK COMES ROUND
(Gus Elen)

Some people knuckle down through being out of work,
But I ain't one of them, not me.
If a gaffer starts to nag,
I soon packs up me bag
And I flops him one with this, you see...
It don't do to let people think you're on the rocks
Cause they're bound to turn their heads the other way.
But It makes no odds to me what the future's going to be
So long as I've got all I wants today...

Chorus 1:
So, what's the use of kicking up a row
If there ain't no work about?
If you can't get a job, you can rest in bed
Till the school kids all comes out.
[And] If you can't get work, you can't get the sack--
That's a hargument that's sensible and sound.
[So,] Lay your head back on your pillow,
And read your Daily Mirror;
And wait till the work comes round.

When trade is very rocky and you has to take the nocky,
It's best to face the music like a brick.
If your creditors come down on you for everything you owe,
You must bash them on the crumpet with a stick!
Some people walks about the streets, a-looking out for work
Till they haven't got a leg to call their own;
Instead of them a-waiting for the work to come to them,
With their feet stuck on the mantle-piece at home...

Chorus 2:
So, what's the use of kicking up a row
If there ain't no work about?
If you can't get a job, you can rest in bed
Till the school kids all comes out.
If you can't get work, you can't get the sack--
That's a hargument that's sensible and sound.
With the swells in Rotten Row
You can sit and have a blow
And wait till the work comes round.

Recorded by Gus Elen 4th September 1906

MIDI file: WAITWORK.MID

Timebase: 480

Text: @KMIDI KARAOKE FILE
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Key: F
TimeSig: 4/4 48 8
Name: Wait Till The Work Comes Round
Start
0000 1 72 105 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 65 105 0319 0 65 000 0001 1 67 080 0159 0 67 000 0001 1 69 080 0319 0 69 000 0001 1 70 080 0159 0 70 000 0001 1 67 095 0479 0 67 000 0001 1 72 080 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 65 105 0319 0 65 000 0001 1 67 080 0159 0 67 000 0001 1 69 080 0319 0 69 000 0001 1 70 080 0159 0 70 000 0001 1 67 095 0479 0 67 000 0001 1 72 080 0319 0 72 000 0001 1 69 080 0159 0 69 000 0001 1 65 105 0319 0 65 000 0001 1 67 080 0159 0 67 000 0001 1 65 080 0319 0 65 000 0001 1 62 080 0159 0 62 000 0001 1 60 095 0479 0 60 000 0001 1 62 080 0479 0 62 000 0001 1 65 105 0959 0 65 000 0481 1 69 080 0319 0 69 000 0001 1 67 080 0159 0 67 000 0001 1 65 105 0319 0 65 000 0001 1 67 080 0159 0 67 000 0001 1 69 080 0319 0 69 000 0001 1 70 080 0159 0 70 000 0001 1 67 095 0479 0 67 000 0001 1 72 080 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 65 105 0319 0 65 000 0001 1 67 080 0159 0 67 000 0001 1 69 080 0319 0 69 000 0001 1 70 080 0159 0 70 000 0001 1 67 095 0479 0 67 000 0001 1 72 080 0319 0 72 000 0001 1 72 080 0159 0 72 000 0001 1 76 105 0319 0 76 000 0001 1 74 080 0159 0 74 000 0001 1 76 080 0319 0 76 000 0001 1 72 080 0159 0 72 000 0001 1 76 095 0479 0 76 000 0001 1 74 080 0479 0 74 000 0001 1 72 105 0959 0 72 000 0481 1 72 080 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 72 105 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 77 080 0319 0 77 000 0001 1 72 080 0159 0 72 000 0001 1 74 095 0479 0 74 000 0001 1 74 080 0319 0 74 000 0001 1 72 080 0159 0 72 000 0001 1 69 105 0319 0 69 000 0001 1 72 080 0159 0 72 000 0001 1 77 080 0319 0 77 000 0001 1 72 080 0159 0 72 000 0001 1 74 095 0479 0 74 000 0001 1 72 080 0319 0 72 000 0001 1 72 080 0159 0 72 000 0001 1 77 105 0319 0 77 000 0001 1 76 080 0159 0 76 000 0001 1 74 080 0319 0 74 000 0001 1 72 080 0159 0 72 000 0001 1 69 095 0319 0 69 000 0001 1 65 080 0159 0 65 000 0001 1 67 080 0319 0 67 000 0001 1 65 080 0159 0 65 000 0001 1 72 105 0959 0 72 000 0481 1 72 080 0319 0 72 000 0001 1 72 080 0159 0 72 000 0001 1 71 105 0319 0 71 000 0001 1 69 080 0159 0 69 000 0001 1 71 080 0319 0 71 000 0001 1 74 080 0159 0 74 000 0001 1 67 095 0479 0 67 000 0001 1 67 080 0319 0 67 000 0001 1 67 080 0159 0 67 000 0001 1 72 105 0319 0 72 000 0001 1 71 080 0159 0 71 000 0001 1 72 080 0319 0 72 000 0001 1 76 080 0159 0 76 000 0001 1 67 095 0479 0 67 000 0001 1 67 080 0479 0 67 000 0001 1 69 105 0319 0 69 000 0001 1 71 080 0159 0 71 000 0001 1 72 080 0319 0 72 000 0001 1 74 080 0159 0 74 000 0001 1 76 095 0319 0 76 000 0001 1 72 080 0159 0 72 000 0001 1 74 080 0319 0 74 000 0001 1 71 080 0159 0 71 000 0001 1 72 105 0959 0 72 000 0481 1 72 080 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 65 105 0799 0 65 000 0001 1 69 080 0159 0 69 000 0001 1 72 095 0799 0 72 000 0001 1 74 080 0159 0 74 000 0001 1 72 105 0319 0 72 000 0001 1 70 080 0159 0 70 000 0001 1 67 080 0319 0 67 000 0001 1 69 080 0159 0 69 000 0001 1 65 095 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 69 080 0319 0 69 000 0001 1 67 080 0159 0 67 000 0001 1 65 105 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 62 080 0479 0 62 000 0001 1 60 095 0479 0 60 000 0001 1 62 080 0479 0 62 000 0001 1 65 105 0959 0 65 000 0481 1 69 080 0319 0 69 000 0001 1 67 080 0159 0 67 000 0001 1 65 105 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 69 080 0319 0 69 000 0001 1 70 080 0159 0 70 000 0001 1 72 095 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 72 080 0319 0 72 000 0001 1 74 080 0159 0 74 000 0001 1 76 105 0479 0 76 000 0001 1 76 080 0479 0 76 000 0001 1 69 095 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 72 080 0319 0 72 000 0001 1 74 080 0159 0 74 000 0001 1 76 105 0479 0 76 000 0001 1 72 080 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 72 095 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 69 080 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 72 105 0959 0 72 000 0481 1 72 080 0319 0 72 000 0001 1 72 080 0159 0 72 000 0001 1 77 105 0479 0 77 000 0001 1 77 080 0479 0 77 000 0001 1 77 095 0479 0 77 000 0001 1 72 080 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 77 105 0479 0 77 000 0001 1 72 080 0319 0 72 000 0001 1 69 080 0159 0 69 000 0001 1 65 095 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 72 080 0319 0 72 000 0001 1 72 080 0159 0 72 000 0001 1 77 105 0319 0 77 000 0001 1 72 080 0159 0 72 000 0001 1 72 080 0319 0 72 000 0001 1 69 080 0159 0 69 000 0001 1 69 095 0319 0 69 000 0001 1 69 080 0159 0 69 000 0001 1 67 080 0319 0 67 000 0001 1 65 080 0159 0 65 000 0001 1 72 105 0959 0 72 000 0481 1 69 080 0319 0 69 000 0001 1 67 080 0159 0 67 000 0001 1 65 105 0319 0 65 000 0001 1 67 080 0159 0 67 000 0001 1 69 080 0319 0 69 000 0001 1 70 080 0159 0 70 000 0001 1 67 095 0319 0 67 000 0001 1 72 080 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 72 080 0159 0 72 000 0001 1 65 105 0319 0 65 000 0001 1 67 080 0159 0 67 000 0001 1 69 080 0319 0 69 000 0001 1 70 080 0159 0 70 000 0001 1 67 095 0319 0 67 000 0001 1 72 080 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 72 080 0159 0 72 000 0001 1 77 105 0479 0 77 000 0001 1 72 080 0319 0 72 000 0001 1 74 080 0159 0 74 000 0001 1 69 095 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 67 080 0479 0 67 000 0001 1 65 105 0959 0 65 000
End

ABC format:

X: 2
T:Wait Till The Work Comes Round
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=100
C:Gus Elen
S:Recorded by Gus Elen 4 Sept 1906
R:Hornpipe
N:Filename WAITWORK
K:F
c2|FGAB G2c2|FGAB G2
w: Some|peo-ple knuck-le down through be-ing out of work
cA|(FG)FD C2D2|F4 z2
w: But I ain't_ one of them, not me.
AG|FGAB G2c2|FGAB G2
w: If a gaff-er starts to nag, I soon packs up me bag
cc|edec e2d2|c4 z2
w: And I flops him one with this, you see
c2|c2fc d2dc|Acfc d2
w: It don't do to let peop-le think you're on the rocks
cc|fedc AFGF|c4 z2
w: Cause they're bound to turn their heads the o-ther way.
cc|=BABd G2GG|c=Bce G2
w: But it makes no odds to me what the fu-ture's going to be
G2|A=Bcd ecdB|c4 z2||
w: So long as I've got all I wants to-day
c2|F2-FA c2-cd|cBGA F2
w: So, what's_ the use_ of kick-ing up a row
AG|F2D2 C2D2|F4 z2
w: If there ain't no work a-bout?
AG|F2AB c2cd|e2e2 A2
w: If you can't get a job, you can rest in bed
cd|e2c2 c2A2|c4 z2
w: Till the school kids all comes out.
cc|f2f2 f2c2|f2cA F2
w: If you can't get work, you can't get the sack
cc|fccA AAGF|c4 z2
w: That's a har-gu-ment that's sen-si-ble and sound.
AG|FGAB G<c-cc|FGAB G<c-c
w: Lay your head back on your pil-low_ And read your Dai-ly Mir-ror_
c|f2cd A2G2|F4 z2||
w: And wait till the work comes round.

WassaiL! V

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A 'Lazy Worker' Music Hall song?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 02 Feb 11 - 02:02 PM

I don't think we've properly identified the song that Jenny Fitz quoted in the first message.

All we've done is come up with another song on a similar theme. It's obviously not the same song.

My first guess at the title of that song is NEVER DO TODAY WHAT YOU CAN DO TOMORROW, but I've checked my usual sources, and can't find a song with that title.

Any other ideas?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A 'Lazy Worker' Music Hall song?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Aug 23 - 03:16 PM

And here's a recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHqzBWkT5Ws

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A 'Lazy Worker' Music Hall song?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Aug 23 - 03:16 PM

And here's a recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHqzBWkT5Ws