Lyr Req: She Cost Me Seven-and-Sixpence

Subject: Lyr Req: She cost me seven and sixpence........
From: GUEST,Steve Hogan
Date: 26 Jun 03 - 09:43 PM

Hi, can anyone supply the lyrics to the very non-pc music hall song:
"She cost me seven & sixpence and I wish I'd bought a dog"?

Also, confirm that the melody is "So early in the morning"?

Thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: She cost me seven and sixpence........
From: Sorcha
Date: 26 Jun 03 - 10:43 PM

I found a book to buy..... but that is pretty much all. Sorry.

Subject: Lyr Add: SHE COST ME SEVEN AND SIXPENCE
From: GUEST,Jim Ward
Date: 27 Jun 03 - 02:37 AM

Sung by Sam Mayo and written by him and James Hargreaves. I don't think Sam Mayo recorded the song but Wilkie Bard also sang the song and recorded it in 1932 on HMV 4132 as part of a medley of songs. Wilkie Bard also made a record in 1904 titled "Early In the Morning" which could have also been this song.
I havn't time to write out all eight verses but the first goes-

It's just six months ago since I,
Got married to a woman over Peckham Rye,
Because I havn't got much sense,
I forked out seven shillings and six pence,
She cost me seven and sixpence,
She cost me seven and sixpence,
She cost me seven and sixpence,
I could have bought a dog

I might put some more down after the weekend if nobody else does but I havn't got them written down so can't scan them in.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: She cost me seven and sixpence........
From: nickp
Date: 27 Jun 03 - 03:23 AM

Just to fill in, in the period this song was common, the dog licence and marriage licence both cost the save - 7 shillings & 6 pence (converted as 35 pence - about 50 cents at a very rough guess). I don't think we kave dog licenses nowadays and it's a while since I got married so I can remember the current fee!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: She cost me seven and sixpence........
From: IanC
Date: 27 Jun 03 - 03:49 AM

7/6d is 37.5p

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: She cost me seven and sixpence........
From: nickp
Date: 27 Jun 03 - 03:58 AM

Oops, too early in the morning! I looked at it and thought it didn't seem right. Bring back 'old money'!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: She cost me seven and sixpence........
From: IanC
Date: 27 Jun 03 - 04:54 AM

The song was written in 1904, title "She Cost Me Seven And Sixpence". The tune must only have been arranged by Hargreaves as it is sung to the tune of "So Early In The Morning".

The following paragraph about Sam Mayo is taken from Roy Busby's 'British Music Hall, an illustrated Who's Who'.

"Sam Mayo, comedian and comic singer, born Waterloo Road, Lambeth, in 1881. His father ran a second-hand clothes shop in the Cut, close to the Old Vic and the so-called 'Poverty Corner'. He made his first public appearance at a Sunday morning concert presented by Barry Ono at the Victoria Club in Blackfriars Road, followed by a lodge meeting of the 'Sons of the Phoenix' in the New Cut, Lambeth. His first real music-hall appearance was at the Alhambra, Sandgate, in 1898 and he soon became popular as a comedian. He dressed in a sort of dressing-gown and motoring cap and sang comic songs with a lugubrious expression. Billed as 'The Immobile One' he sang songs at the piano, including 'The Widow', 'She Cost me Seven and Sixpence', 'Baby, Baby', and 'I've Only Come Down for the Day'. He also toured his own revues and was popular in pantomime. He died on 31 March 1938."

Words and music are in the "Bumper Book Of Music Hall Songs", which I have a copy of. If no-one beats me to it, I'll type it up.

:-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: She cost me seven and sixpence........
From: fantum
Date: 29 Jun 03 - 01:30 PM

Oh come on children I must have this one.
I once sang a song that so offended the ladies in the audience they threw the beer mats at me. A real success it proves you are not audible wallpaper.
Could this be the successor?

Please post it

The Fantum

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: She cost me seven and sixpence........
From: Hrothgar
Date: 30 Jun 03 - 03:51 AM

And to be beaten seven and six in matchplay golf is .... a dog licence.

Just thought that this was vital information.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: She cost me seven and sixpence........
From: GUEST,Redhorse at work
Date: 30 Jun 03 - 08:32 AM

In the same vein we should not forget Uncle Dave's " Give me back my five dollars"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: She cost me seven and sixpence........
From: GUEST,the fantum
Date: 05 Jul 03 - 09:30 PM

please post the words

please

thanks
the fantum

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: She cost me seven and sixpence........
From: IanC
Date: 07 Jul 03 - 04:40 AM

Sorry Fantum, I clean forgot this one. I'll post the words asap. Got a session tonite, so it may not be for 1-2 days.

:-)

Subject: Lyr Add: SHE COST ME SEVEN AND SIXPENCE
From: GUEST,Jim Ward
Date: 07 Jul 03 - 06:27 AM

These are the verses I remember from many years ago. I'm sure there are other verses but IanC can post them with any corrections to mine.

It's just six months ago since I,
Got married to a woman over Peckham Rye,
Because I havn't got much sense,
I forked out seven shillings and six pence,
She cost me seven and sixpence,
She cost me seven and sixpence,
She cost me seven and sixpence,
I could have bought a dog

We've a big milk pail you see
Where we keep our milk and we
Left the lid off the other day
And when I came home ma did say
"A mouse jumped in the milk pail"
"A mouse jumped in the milk pail"
"A mouse jumped in the milk pail
So I threw the tom-cat in"

I saw a cat the other day
The cat had no tail strange to say
I said "What's wrong with that poor cat?"
They said "It's Manx- there all like that"
I said "Well I never"
I said "Well I never"
I said "Well I never
It's a Manx shirt I've got on"

I was courting years ago
With a girl from down our row
Today I met her on a train
I said "Have you got any children, Jane?
She said "I've got six thank you"
She said "I've got six thank you"
She said "I've got six thank you"
I said "Blimey, don't thank me"

My pa and I went out one day
And down a country lane did stray
A bull ran out from a field you see
And the farmer shouted out to me
"Don't show him anything red, sir"
"Don't show him anything red, sir"
"Don't show him anything red, sir"
So I covered up father's nose

A tramp called round our house last week
He said "I've not a thing to eat"
I said "I think that's very hard
But see my pa in our back yard
My father's in the pigsty
My father's in the pigsty
My father's in the pigsty
He's the one with the hat"

Subject: Lyr Add: SHE COST ME SEVEN AND SIXPENCE
From: IanC
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 05:06 AM

Here's the lyrics from "The Bumper Book Of Music Hall Songs".

She Cost Me Seven and Sixpence
words and music by James Hargreaves and Sam Mayo

It's just six months ago since I
Got married to a woman at Peckham Rye.
But I could not have had much sense
For she cost me seven shillings and sixpence.

She cost me seven and sixpence,
She cost me seven and sixpence,
She cost me seven and sixpence,
I wish I'd bought a dog!

We've got a big milk pail you see,
Where mother keeps her milk but she
Left the lid off yesterday,
And when I came home, strange to say,

A mouse was in that milk pail,
A mouse was in that milk pail,
A mouse was in that milk pail,
So I threw our tom cat in.

My pa and I went out one day
And down the country roads did stray.
A bull dashed out of a field, you see,
And the farmer shouted out to me,

"Don't let him see anything red, sir!
Don't let him see anything red, sir!
Don't let him see anything red, sir!"
So I covered up father's nose.

I saw a cat in a house one day,
The cat had no tail, strange to say.
I said "What's wrong with that poor cat?"
They said "It's Manx - they're all like that."

I said "I never knew it!"
I said "I never knew it!"
I said "I never knew it!
It's a Manx shirt I've got on!"

The hidden-treasure craze I've got,
The clue said "Go to a shady spot
Where some birds on a tree you'll see,
Then look up at the birds that are on that tree."

I looked up for that treasure,
I looked up for that treasure,
I looked up for that treasure,
Has anybody got a match?

A girl I courted years ago
Got married to a man named Joe.
Last week I met her in a train,
I said, "Have you got any family, Jane?"

She said, "I've got six, thank you!"
She said, "I've got six, thank you!"
She said, "I've got six, thank you!"
I said, "Oh, don't thank me."

A tramp called round at our house once,
Said he "I've had no food for months."
I said "I know that's very hard,
But just go round to our back yard -

"My father's in the pigsty,
My father's in the pigsty,
My father's in the pigsty,
You'll know him by his hat."

A pal of mine once said to me,
"Will you knock me up at half past three?"
I said, "Yes," so at half past one,
I knocked him up and said, "Oh, John,

I've just come round to tell you,
I've just come round to tell you,
I've just come round to tell you,
You've two more hours to sleep!

I can confirm that the tune is "Early in The Morning" (aka William Brown / Keep That Wheel A'Turning), though you have to double up on the words in the first verse to make it scan.

:-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: She cost me seven and sixpence........
From: GUEST,The Fantum
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 02:46 PM

Thank you IanC and Jim Ward may the sun always shine on you.
I spent some time on the net chasing this one about without any success. I have come to the conclusion that if it is really odd stuff that you are after ask on the mudcat.
Does this make mudcatters odd people?

On that thought I will swiftly leave

The Fantum