Lyr Add: Christmas Song Failures

Subject: Lyr Add: A NEW CHRISTMAS SONG (from Bodleian)
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 11:24 PM

The Bodleian Library, as well as being informative is ae graveyard of bad songs. Looking for songs about eating, I found this (and more):

Lyr. Add: A New Christmas Song

Christmas is very near arrived,
Drown all sorrow, be alive,
Drown all sorrow, banish grief,
Boil the pudding, roast the beef.

Chorus
Boil the pudding, boil away,
Both night and day,
And have a blow out in the morning.

Merrily, Cheerily, drown all care,
Christmas comes but once a year,
There are ducks and turkeys,
Geese and greens, carriages that go by steam,
Flocking up to every town;
Boil the pudding and knock me down,
How different now are folkses ways,
To what the where in former days,
For our customers did not dream,
They'd cook the geese and pudding by steam.

Come join me merry gentlemen,
To dance the polka, and do it again,
Rule Britannia like good a 'un,
Pick the plums and boil the pudding,
Bless you merry gentlemen,
Hoping you may all live long,
Old and young, great and small,
Missing none but taking all,
Now my song is near a close,
Will it suit, do you suppose,
If it will as I believe,
We will sing it away till Christmas eve.

By a tipsy shopkeeper?? From Bodleian Library, Harding B11(4208), pub. J. Harkness, Preston. Dated ca. 1840-1866.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Christmas Song Failures
From: Giac
Date: 11 Dec 02 - 02:15 AM

**LOL**

I think it would be a kindness to say the author was tipsy.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE SUNNY BANK / I SAW THREE SHIPS
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 11 Dec 02 - 01:11 PM

An unsuccessful (I presume) "cover" of an older tune:

THE SUNNY BANK

As I sat on a sunny bank,
A sunny bank, a sunny bank
As I sat on a sunny bank,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

I spy'd three ships come sailing by,
Come sailing by, come sailing by,
I spy'd three ships come sailing by,
On Christmas day in the morning.

And who should be with these three ships,
With these three ships, with these three ships,
And who should be with these three ships
But Joseph and his fair lady.

O he did whistle, she did sing,
And all the bells on earth did ring,
For joy that our Saviour he was born,
On Christmas day in the morning.

T. Bloomer, Printer, Birmingham
From Bodleian Library, Douce Adds. 137(22)
Dated ca. 1821-1827

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Christmas Song Failures
From: denise:^)
Date: 11 Dec 02 - 04:09 PM

Well, I've never seen the verse with the "sunny banks" before, but I certainly know, "I Saw Three Ships." Not exactly what I would refer to as a "failure..."

denise:^)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Christmas Song Failures
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 11 Dec 02 - 04:49 PM

Denise, it was the "cover" I was referring to. This anon. old carol is a general favorite, but certainly not in the form I posted here. The Bodleian is full of re-makes and steals from successful songs or what we could call the really old "golden oldies."

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Christmas Song Failures
From: denise:^)
Date: 11 Dec 02 - 04:49 PM

Ah...!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Christmas Song Failures
From: Donuel
Date: 11 Dec 02 - 07:34 PM

Hey, I'll trade you a Christmas wish for some food
Now bring me some figgy pudding
And BRING IT RIGHT NOW!
I won't go until you give me some
So bring it right here.
All right then...happy new year.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Christmas Song Failures
From: GUEST,Pizza 2 U
Date: 12 Dec 02 - 10:55 AM

then there is the Pizza song wot goes

"................. Deep Pan Crisp an' Even............"

no tips please.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Christmas Song Failures
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Dec 04 - 02:43 PM

In the spirit of the season, I think this thread needs to be refreshed.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Christmas Song Failures
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 20 Dec 04 - 02:58 PM

With the line divisions adjusted in the first verse, and a slight scansion adjustment towards the end, I think that first verse would work quite well:

Merrily, Cheerily, drown all care,
Christmas comes but once a year,
There are ducks and turkeys, geese and greens,
Carriages that go by steam,
Flocking up to every town;
Boil the pudding and knock me down,
How different now are folkses ways,
To what the where in former days,
For our customers they did not dream,
They'd cook the pudding and geese by steam.