Lyr Req: Johnny Todd pinched a z car

Subject: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd piched a z car
From: LesB
Date: 08 Feb 04 - 11:00 AM

Does anyone remenber a parody on Johnny Todd which started Johhny Todd pinched a z car?


Les

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd piched a z car
From: Anglo
Date: 08 Feb 04 - 05:00 PM

My memory of it is as follows:

Johnny Todd he stole a Z car, just to give his bird a ride,
By another was overtaken, Johnny Todd was soon inside.

18 months was Johnny's sentence, how she wept when he went down,
She was escorted from the courtroom by the handsome Sergeant Brown.

Do not weep my pretty maiden, I am strong and six feet tall
And you shall dance with me tomorrow, when we hold the policeman's ball.

You shall have both gin and orange, music sweet and softest light,
I'll give you my policeman's truncheon, 'twill take care of you all night.

Johnny Todd came home from Walton, to seek the love of his young life,
But once more he'd been overtaken, for she was the Sergeant's wife.

So all young men who go a-courting, shun the paths that lead inside,
Or you'll be left on your tod like Johnny, it's you that's taken for a ride.

(Sorry, but I have no idea of its provenance).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd piched a z car
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 08 Feb 04 - 06:47 PM

Was 'Johnny Todd' not the name of the tune used as the theme tune to the TV series 'Z Cars' (very early UK police drama, a bit more upbeat than Dixon of Dock Green but not quite Hill Street Blues).

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd piched a z car
From: Gareth
Date: 08 Feb 04 - 06:51 PM

Yes Liz - It was !

Anglo - Thanks - This goes in my repetoir !!!!!!

Gareth

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd piched a z car
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 08 Feb 04 - 06:54 PM

My God, I never knew I knew so much useless crap!

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd pinched a z car
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 02:10 AM

Click here for more information on the Z-Car theme song, and for instructions on how to program the tune as the ring tone on your cel phone.
I thought a Z-Car was a Datsun sports car....
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd pinched a z car
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 02:26 AM

I think the cars in the TV series were Ford Anglias...

It made Brian Blessed famous.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd pinched a z car
From: Leadfingers
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 04:45 AM

Kitty Please!! Ford Anglias?? They were Zephyrs ,which had a Chrome 'Z' in the centre of the Radiator grill,which featured large in the opening shots with Johnny Todd being played as the Signature Tune. Somehow the idea of Fancy Smith and co driving round in Anglias does appeal though.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd pinched a z car
From: Teribus
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 04:48 AM

Ford "Zephyrs" or "Zodiacs" Herga, not Anglias.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd pinched a z car
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 01:31 PM

It is also a good parody of the original song. Not heard it before.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd pinched a z car
From: GUEST,Fred
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 02:46 PM

Dear me Liz - how profound can you get. Surely the point of the parody is that Johny Todd was the Z cars theme - the clue as they say is in the question - Johny Todd he stole a Z car - not quite rocket science.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd pinched a z car
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 02:56 PM

At least I got the F word right... it was so long ago the series was in black and white, and I wasn't old enough to drive.

It is a good parody and I think Micca will appreciate it too. A shame no-one, Scouser or other, has claimed authorship or knowledge of authorship yet.

I suppose I could have mentioned Terence Rigby, Stratford Johns, Frank Windsor, Joe Lynch, Terence Edmonds, Jeremy Kemp....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd pinched a z car
From: jacqui c
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 03:03 PM

I have been doing the original version but suppose I will have to learn this one or Keith A will be stealing it!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd pinched a z car
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 05:19 PM

Fred - I was never aware that it was a song, and not everyone knows the tune was called Johnny Todd, ergo the witicism was lost to quite a few people.

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd pinched a z car
From: LesB
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 06:47 PM

Thanks Anglo, I was hoping to do it for a forthcoming themed singers night (Police & Thieves).


Les

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd pinched a z car
From: Leadfingers
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 06:55 PM

Actually Kitty I am surprised at a young thing like you even KNOWING about Z Cars !!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd pinched a z car
From: GUEST,Fred
Date: 10 Feb 04 - 06:29 AM

Apologies Liz I'm old enough to remember these things - when I'm able to remember anything. I sort of take it for granted that us folkies all know everything which is, of course, impossible. Plus I was in a shit mood last night.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd pinched a z car
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 10 Feb 04 - 06:44 AM

James Ellis from Belfast played PC Lynch.
Joe Lynch was in Never Mind the Quality Fell The Width, if memory serves.

Seamus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd pinched a z car
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 10 Feb 04 - 07:13 AM

Re the cars, see this article It appears that they used Consuls before the Zephyr 6 and that even Escorts were used towards the end.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd pinched a z car
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 10 Feb 04 - 07:57 AM

If you've got some kind of Real Player on your PC, this should give you a video clip of the credits and the Tune. Very evocative.

And don't forget Brian Blessed as one of the coppers.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd pinched a z car
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 10 Feb 04 - 12:44 PM

ER.... I remember Z Cars and I'm younger than Herga Kitty!

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd pinched a z car
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 10 Feb 04 - 01:41 PM

Thanks Seamus - I knew Joe Lynch was wrong, and meant PC Lynch butI couldn't remember James Ellis's name (Playing the Field etc) at the time. Wasn't John Bluthal in "Never Mind the Quality"...?

Kitty

PS Still no clues on authorship of the parody though!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johhny Todd pinched a z car
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 11 Feb 04 - 08:39 AM

I only knew the Reader's Digest version till now:

Johnny Todd nicked a Z-car
For to give his bird a ride,
Sergeant Lynch nicked him down in Newtown,
Now he's doing time inside.

The original Johnny Todd in theDT.