Lyr Req: Hersham Boys (not Sham 69)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hersham Boys (not Sham 69)
From: GUEST,Helen
Date: 12 May 13 - 06:19 PM

My Dad is from Hersham and used to sing Hersham Boys around the house, I will ask him if he can remember all the lyrics. Mum remembers

Hersham Boys. Hersham Boys
Eyes like diamonds teeth like pearls
Then something you can't something out of the Hersham
Boys?
I will let you know if Dad remembers.

It's quite a catchy song.

Subject: Lyr Add: HERSHAM BOYS (from Sham 69)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 01 Aug 03 - 12:40 AM

OK, here's the punk version, just so we know what Shelley is NOT looking for.
(Copied from http://www.lyricstime.com/lyrics/50517.html)

HERSHAM BOYS
(Dave Parsons, Jimmy Pursey)

Robin Hood, Robin Hood here we are again

Living each day outside the law
Trying not to do what we did before
Country slag with the Bow Bell voice
So close to the city we ain't got much choice

Council estates or tower blocks
Wherever you live, you get the knocks
But the people round here they are so nice
Stop being naughty. Take our advice

CHORUS: Hersham boys, Hersham boys
Lace up boots and corduroys
Hersham boys, Hersham boys
They call us the Cockney cowboys

It's down to the hop for the local girls
They're not beauty queens but they're our pearls
But when you go to bed tonight
Don't worry about us, we're all right. CHORUS

?
?
That's right guvnor Jack the lad
Know what I mean, eh, know what I mean? CHORUS

[Performed by Sham 69 on "The Adventures of the Hersham Boys," 1979, and on several later albums.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hersham Boys (not Sham 69)
From: Shelley C
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 02:35 PM

Dave - my Dad knew the song as a local one from Hersham, Surrey. But I guess it could have come from somewhere else originally (Cornwall, even?) . I would guess it was fairly common in Hersham at one time, because presumably Jimmy Pursey (also from Hersham) heard it somewhere and used bits of it for the Sham 69 version.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hersham Boys (not Sham 69)
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 11 Jul 03 - 06:20 AM

Almost certainly the da da da da line ends in '......girls' I'd say.

Nowadays I tend to hear it at football matches but with Hersham replaced as appropriate, and no doubt inspired by Sham 69 rather than an earlier version.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hersham Boys (not Sham 69)
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 11 Jul 03 - 06:14 AM

Are you saying that the song originally came from Hersham Surrey ?

I've never heard of it and I'm only a few miles away from it (Kingston-upon-Thames) here at work. I'd doubt if there's likely to be any old codgers in Hersham who'd know it these days. Hershams's a rather a built-up urban sprawl area these days. The two nearest folk clubs are "The Ram" at Claygate, and "The Blue Anchor" at Byfleet.

Are you sure that the words weren't originally from somewhere else and were just "localised" by the singer.

BTW There is a Hersham in Cornwall as well - perhaps the song originally came from there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hersham Boys (not Sham 69)
From: Shelley C
Date: 10 Jul 03 - 03:00 PM

Sorcha, thanks for looking.
I guess it's just an obscure local ditty, that is now only known to a few old codgers in Hersham. Shame to think that the memory might die with them.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hersham Boys (not Sham 69)
From: Sorcha
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 05:22 PM

I had no luck either.

Subject: Lyr Req: Hersham Boys (not Sham 69)
From: Shelley C
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 04:59 PM

Does anyone know the lyrics to this old song? My Dad was taught it by his old friend Dennis (from Hersham, Surrey) in 1936. Dennis has recently died, and I'd love to know how the lyrics went. Dad is now 82, and all that he can remember is:

Hersham boys, Hersham boys
Lace up boots and corduroys
Eyes like diamonds, teeth like pearls
Da da da da da
Hersham boys

I've tried various searches, but all I can come up with is the Sham 69 version, (which was no doubt based on the older, gentler version)

Thanks
Shelley C