Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad

Subject: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From:
Date: 01 Sep 04 - 10:36 AM

I heard this song from a friend from Newcastle, England.

The first verse is something along these lines:

Sam got a job on the railroad,
A job he was very clever at,
He put the grease on the engines,
With a lump of mouldy fat.
One day a runaway engine,
Came rolling down the track.
Sam firmly believed,
If he rolled up his sleeves,
He could hold that engine back!

Oh! More hard work for the undertakers,
Another little job for the tomb stone makers,
Down at the local cemetery, where
The men are digging a brand new grave for Sam,
He snuffed it,
He's gone to the golden shore,
Never to rise no more,
He's gone where the flies won't tickle him.

There are several more verses in a similar vein, Sam gets various job, such as working at the circus where he has to dive from a great height into a tiny bucket of water. Each time his naive enthusiasm leads to his death, and a cheery rendition of the chorus.

I wondered if anyone knew the origin of this song, and the author, and possibly the correct lyrics?

Michael

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Sep 04 - 01:30 PM

This one sounds interesting.
Refresh.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: Blowzabella
Date: 01 Sep 04 - 03:49 PM

I thought Sam had gone away aboard a man-o-war....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 12:41 PM

prefresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Sep 04 - 10:06 PM

I found this posted at a Google Answers thread about "school songs":

Sambo had an uncle, an uncle very rich.
One day he said to Sambo, "I'll give you two and six."
Sambo feeling thirsty, went into a shop.
Ten lemonades and ten ginger beers, and then he went off, pop!

CHORUS: Bang....
More work for the undertaker,
Another little job for the tombstone maker.
In the local cemetery, on the tombstone you will see:
"Sambo the brave and free pegs out."

Sambo had an auntie, an auntie very poor.
One day she said to Sambo, "Get down and scrub that floor."
Sambo, feeling tired, went upstairs to bed.
He tried to climb the banisters, but fell down on his head.

Sambo joined the railway, at this he had no hope.
He tried to scrub the railway line with a bar of mouldy soap.
Along came a runaway engine and pushed him on the track.
He just rolled up his mouldy sleeves and tried to push it back.

* * *
And another version on the same page:

Sambo joined the railway. His heart was full of hope.
He tried to scrub the railway line with a bar of Sunlight soap.
Up came a big express train right in Sambo's face,
And would you believe it? He rolled up his sleeves and he pushed that engine back.

CHORUS: Slap bang, more work for the undertaker,
Seven and six for the tombstone maker.
Off to the local cemetery.
On his tombstone you will see:
"Sambo, that's me. I'm free."

* * *

This radio playlist features a 1901 Edison Cylinder called MORE WORK FOR THE UNDERTAKER performed by Dan W Quinn

music-makers.co.uk advertises a songbook called "An Evening at the Music Hall" which contains MORE WORK FOR THE UNDERTAKER.

This site offers to send an mp3 file on request.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Sep 04 - 10:19 PM

When will I ever learn to check this forum before looking elsewhere?

One version of MORE WORK FOR THE UNDERTAKER is posted here among some other songs.

See also this thread: Lyr Req: More Work for the Undertaker which contains a nearly complete set of lyrics that I posted myself last year. (Now, where did I put those memory pills?)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Sep 04 - 06:13 PM

Anyone email the requestor?

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST,Michael
Date: 08 Sep 04 - 05:20 AM

Many thanks for this. I am astonished at how brilliant you mudcat people are.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST,liz magpie
Date: 24 Apr 08 - 07:15 PM

In the 60s in Wembley, we just used to sing:
Another little job for the undertaker,
Little bit more work for the tombstone maker,
Off to the London Cemet'ry,
On his tombstone you will see
"Sammy - that's me!"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST,Liz Magpie
Date: 24 Apr 08 - 07:25 PM

And, I've just remembered a funny little verse my Dad used to say to me :

Sammy sat on the tramway line,
The driver rang his bell,
The tram went on to Hammersmith
And Sammy went to Hell.

I'd be about 5 at the time. He never said it in Mum's hearing, she'd have been cross. Back in the 50s the word "hell" was a bit rude for a child, so it was our own naughty joke, and I'd just collapse in giggles.
I can only assume it was from his own schooldays in Paddington around 1920.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Aug 08 - 08:02 PM

This is a great forum! I found this thread while trying to find lyrics of songs my mom sang to me when I was little, in the early 1960's. What's interesting is that my mom is Jamaican, so the song was not "Sammy" (or Sambo, as I've seen elsewhere) but "Jumbo" (or Jambo?).

Her version of the lyrics involved Jumbo sliding down a bannister and falling on his head. Another mentioned him having "an Auntie very poor" who "made him scrub the floor."

The final verse included something in French, that I can't quite recall.

In the London cemetery,
Underneath the willow tree

Jumbo, ??? ici (Jambo lies here)

---

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Thanks.
**Forum Muderator**

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Aug 08 - 09:57 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST,Julian Terry
Date: 14 Oct 09 - 11:28 PM

The version I remember is:

Sambo had an uncle, an uncle very rich.
One day he said to Sambo, "I'll give you two and six."
Sambo was excited and went off to the shop.
Ten lemonades and a ginger beer, and Sambo went off, pop!

CHORUS:
Bang....
More work for the undertaker,
Another little job for the tombstone maker.
Off to the local cemetery, on this tombstone you will see:
"Sambo that's me"

Sambo had an auntie, an auntie very poor.
One day she said to Sambo, "I'll make you scrub the floor."
'something something' upstairs to bed.
He tried to climb the banisters, and fell down on his head.

Sambo joined the railway, for him there was no hope.
He tried to scrub the railway line with a bar of mouldy soap.
The saw an engine coming along the dirty track,
He rolled his dirty shirt sleeves up and tried to push it back.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 18 Oct 09 - 04:35 PM

I may have missed this.....but how does the tune go?

I had a friend who used to say, whenever an item of news deserved it, ...another little job for the undertaker..."

Sort of like, "The prime Minister has full confidence in (whoever has sinned)..." Another litte job... you get the idea!

Now I know where he got it from!

Best wishes,

Peter

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST,Leeanne
Date: 13 Nov 09 - 01:29 AM

I also remember this verse:

Sambo had an aunty, an aunty very poor
Who one day gave to Sambo,
a rotten apple core.
Sambo didn't want it
so he ran upstairs to bed.
He trod on a stair that wasn't there
and fell and broke his head.

Oh! More work for the undertaker
another little job for the tombstone maker
Off to the local cemetery
on his tombstone you will see
"Sambo, that's me"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST,Liz Strutt
Date: 10 Jan 10 - 11:29 AM

My father used to sing this to us and now my children and grandchildren sing it

Sammy got a job on the railway
A job he'll never forget
It was greasing the lines that were rusty
With a lump of mouldy fat

Along came a runaway engine
Sammy stood on the track
He rolled up his sleeves
For he firmly believed
He could push that engine back

Nice little job for the undertaker,
canny little job for the tombstone maker
On the local cemetery day
Men were digging brand new grave

For Sammy snuffed it
He's gone to the golden shore
Hey ho he'll never come again
Coz he's gone where the flies won't bother him

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST,phil b
Date: 14 Dec 10 - 09:16 AM

Sambo worked on a railway, a railway very fast
One day they said to Sambo "We'll make you grease the tracks".
Down came a runaway engine - now what do you think of that?
Sambo rolled up his shirtsleeves and tried to push it back.
Splat!

Chorus:-
Another little job for the undertaker
Another little job for the tombstone maker
In a local cemetery, on a tombstone, there you'll see
"Sambo - that's me"

Sambo had an aunty, an aunty very poor
One day she said to Sambo "I'll make you sweep the floor".
Sambo didn't like it and went upstairs to bed
Tried to climb the bannister and fell right on his head.
Bang!

Chorus

Sambo had an uncle, an uncle very rich
One day he said to Sambo "I'll give you seven and six".
Sambo, feeling thirsty, went to the local shop
Five lemonades and four ginger beers and then he went off pop.
Bang!

Chorus

At least that's how I remember it.

Subject: Sambo!
From: GUEST,GA
Date: 19 Apr 11 - 03:32 AM

Sambo had an uncle, an uncle very rich
One day he said to Sambo, I'll give you two and six
Sambo feeling thirsty went into a shop.
Ten lemonades and ten ginger beers and Sambo went off pop!

Bang!

More work for the undertaker
Another little job for the tombstone maker.
Off to the local cemetery
On his tombstone you will see
Sambo, that's me.

Sambo had an aunty, an aunty very poor.
One day she said to Sambo, I'll make you scrub that floor.
Sambo didn't want to and went upstairs to bed
He tried to climb the banister and fell down on his head

Bang! + chorus

Sambo went to the gas-works with neither hat nor coat
He tried to grease the railway line with a bar of sunlight soap.
Along came a run-away engine and knocked poor Sambo down
And would you believe he rolled up his sleeves
And knocked that engine down.

Bang! + chorus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST,GA
Date: 19 Apr 11 - 03:37 AM

I meant to add in my post that I was taught this song by my mother. She had learnt the song during the 1920's when she was a girl guide. I just today scanned her camp song book to give the song to my grand nephew. Just for fun I googled the words of the chorus and was so excited to come up with this site. Very interesting to see the different versions.

I do know the tune!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 19 Apr 11 - 04:23 AM

The tune for the verse is very similar (as I remember it) to "My old man's a dustman"

Cheers
Nigel

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 10:54 PM

Here is the version from my Dad who grew up in Leeds, England.

Sambo had an uncle, an uncle very rich.
One day he said to Sambo, "Here is two and six."
Sambo feeling thirsty, went into a shop.
Six lemonades and a ginger beer and Sambo went off pop.

(Chorus)
Ooooooh Crash bang ball
Another little job for the tombstone maker
Down at the local cemetary
On his tombstone, you will see
Sambo, the brave man free.

Sambo had an auntie, an auntie very poor.
One day she said to Sambo, "Go and wash the floor."
Sambo feeling tired, went upstairs to bed.
Came flying down the banister and landed on his head.

(Chorus)

Sambo joined the railway in a green and yellow cap.
Saw the engine coming and tried to push it back.

(Chorus)

That is all I've got.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Sep 11 - 04:26 PM

The way my mum sang it was....

Sambo joined the railway, in a green and purple coat,
He tried to clean the railway lines with a piece of mouldy soap.
He saw an engine coming, he stood right in it's track.
He rolled up his sleeves and slapped his knees,
and pushed the engine back.

More work for the undertaker, another little job for the tombstone maker.
Down at the local cemetry, on a tombstone, you will see,
'Sambo, the brave and free'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Nov 11 - 05:23 PM

I heard the song as

Samuel had an uncle, an uncle very rich.
One day he said to Samuel, "I'll give you two and six."
Samuel feeling thirsty, went to a local shop.
Ten lemonades and ten ginger beers, and then he went off, pop!

CHORUS: Bang....
More work for the undertaker,
Another little job for the tombstone maker.
In the local cemetery, on the tombstone you will see:
"Samuel thats me."

Samuel had an auntie, an auntie very poor.
One day she said to Samuel, "Get down and scrub that floor."
Samuel didn't want to, he went upstairs to bed.
He slid back down the banister, fell down on his head.

CHORUS: Bang.....
More work for the undertaker
Another little job for the tombstone maker
In the local cemetery, on his tombstone you will see
Samuel, thats me

Samuel joined the railway, in a green and purple coat,
He tried to clean the railway lines with a piece of mouldy soap.
He saw an engine coming, he stood right in it's track.
He rolled up his sleeves and slapped his knees,
and pushed the engine back.

CHORUS:Bang.....
More work for the undertaker
Another little job for the tombstone maker
In the local cemetery, on his tombstone you will see
Samuel, thats me


Its sang in the song of "my old mans a dustbin man, he wears a dustbin mans hat - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej-CZniXdqE   but samuel/sambo song is sang alot slower

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Jan 12 - 01:35 PM

Sambo had an uncle,
An uncle very rich,
One day he said to sambo,
I'll give you ten and six,
Sambo was excited he went Down to the shops,
10 lemonades and 10 ginger beers sambo went a pop!

Bambo went the undertaker,
Another job for the tombstone maker,
In a local cemetery on a tombstone you will see,
Sambo R.I.P

Sambo had and auntie an auntie very poor,
One day she said to Sambo I'll make you scrub the floor,
Sambo wasn't happy he went upstairs to bed,
Sliding down the banister he fell and bumped his head

(Chorus)

Don't. Know the last versus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST,Jazz
Date: 14 Dec 12 - 01:42 PM

Well, it was nice to see that everyone has roughly the same lyrics. My Nanna taught my father and his brothers the song and taught me and my cousins it too. When we catch up and reminisce about her, we often sing the song in chorus. It is a nice little reminder of all our childhoods.
Our version went pretty much the same as everyone's, I guess it's a bit like Chinese Whispers, everyone will accidentally make a few little changes along the line but the essence is still there.
Well, here it goes;

Sambo had an aunty, an aunty very poor,
One day she said to Sambo, "get down and wash that floor".
Sambo didn't want to, so off he went to bed,
Slid down the bannister and landed on his head.

Boom! More work for the undertaker,
Another little job for the tombstone maker.
In the local cemetery, on a tombstone you will see,
"Sambo was brave and free"

Sambo had an uncle, an uncle very rich,
One day he said to Sambo, "here's seven and six".
Sambo feeling thirsty, went down to the shop,
Drank six lemonades and seven ginger beers and Sambo went off POP!

Boom! More work for the undertaker,
Another little job for the tombstone maker.
In the local cemetery, on a tombstone you will see,
"Sambo was brave and free"

Sambo joined the railway, with a red and scarlet coat,
He tried to wash the railway track with a bar of mouldy soap.
He saw an engine coming, along down the track,
He rolled up his sleeves, and slapped his knees and tried to push it back.

Boom! More work for the undertaker,
Another little job for the tombstone maker.
In the local cemetery, on a tombstone you will see,
"Sambo was brave and free"!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST,Serge Jacques LeBlanc
Date: 20 Feb 13 - 07:42 PM

Here's the way my Grandfather Herbert C. Vosper used to sing it...

Sam was a worker on the railroad,
His work he was very clever at,
One day he was polishing the track,
With a lump of moldy fat.
Along came a runaway engine,
Sam was on the tracks,
He thoroughly believed,
He could shove that locomotive back...

Now... there's a little more work for the Tombstone Maker
Down at the local Cemetery,
Building a grave for Sambo!!!
He snuffed it.
He's gone to the Golden Shores...
He's gone where they don't play Billiards...
He's gone where they don't eat Fish and Chips...
And he's gone where they don't polish Railroad Tracks...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST,Janet
Date: 21 Feb 13 - 07:29 AM

Down at the local cemetary gate.
Very very busy at a brand new grave.
Sambo he snuffed it.
(grease railroad tracks)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST,Yorkshire lass
Date: 11 Jun 13 - 05:56 PM

This is the version we sang in the playground in the fifties-

Sambo had an auntie and auntie very poor
One day she said to Sambo get down and scrub the floor
Sambo feeling tired went upstairs to bed
Tried to climb the banister and fell down on his head
Crash bang

Chorus
More work for the undertaker
Another little job for the tombstone maker
Down in the local cemetery
On his tombstone you will see
Sambo the brave and free

Sambo had an uncle and uncle very rich
One day he said to Sambo I'll give you 2 and 6.   (two shillings and six pence)
Sambo feeling thirsty went into a shop
Five lemonades and six ginger beers
And his belly went off pop
Crash bang

Chorus
More work for the undertaker etc.

Sambo joined the railway he'd a blue and purple coat
Tried to polish the railway line with a piece of mouldy soap
Saw the engine coming stood right in his tracks
Rolled up his sleeves and slapped his knees and pushed the engine back.
Crash bang

Chorus
More work for the undertaker etc.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Jun 13 - 06:09 PM

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview/id/15316.html

The song was well-traveled.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 11 Sep 13 - 08:53 PM

this is the last verse as I remember it when we used to sing it in class some 35 years ago. but I had no idea how many versions there are & all the politically correct ones as well.

Sambo was a naughty boy for him there was no hope, he had to scrub the railway line with a rusty bar of soap. Along came the engine whistling down the track, sambo rolled his sleeves up & tried to push it back

Bang

More work for the undertaker, another little job for the tombstone maker in the local cemetery. On a tombstone you will see sambo that's me

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST,susan
Date: 28 Nov 14 - 05:27 PM

We changed the name from Sambo to Jimbo, but the version I know is...

Jimbo had an auntie,
An auntie very poor,
One day she said to Jimbo
'I'll make you scrub the floor'
Jimbo didn't like it
He went upstairs to bed
He tried to climb the bannister
And fell down on his head

Bang!
More work for the undertaker
'nother little job for the tombstone maker
Off to the local cemetery
On his tombstone you will see
Jimbo R.I.P

Jimbo had an uncle
An uncle very rich
One day he said to Jimbo
'I'll give you four and six'
Jimbo was delighted
He went off to the shops
10 lemonade and 10 ginger beers
And then he went off pop

Bang!
More work for the undertaker
'nother little job for the tombstone maker
Off to the local cemetery
On his tombstone you will see
Jimbo R.I.P

Jimbo was a naughty boy
For him there was no hope
He tried to scrub the railway line
With a bar of rusty soap
Along came a runaway engine
Along the railway track
Jimbo rolled his shirt sleeves up
And tried to push it back

Bang!
More work for the undertaker
'nother little job for the tombstone maker
Off to the local cemetery
On his tombstone you will see
Jimbo R.I.P

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Sep 15 - 09:31 PM

In the version I heard as a kid in Victoria Australia it was his relatives not Sambo himself who kept on dying. I remember most of one verse:
Sambo had a cousin, a cousin he disliked,
One day she said to sambo "I'll make you clean my bike".
He something something something and loosened all the screws-
Next day he turns on the radio, his cousin's on the news!

And the chorus:
More work for the undertaker
7/6 for the tombstone maker
Off to the local cemetery
Sambo! That's me.

And in the verse about the aunt for example, she is the one who slips and dies. Sambo goes tot he graveyard as his relatives are buried, not when he is buried.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST,Past my prime!
Date: 07 Jul 18 - 06:37 AM

Sambo had a sister, a sister very thin,
One day she said to Sambo "I'll prick you with a pin".
Sambo didn't like that so he ????
She stuck the pin right into him
And Sambo went off pop!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sam got a job on the railroad
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Aug 21 - 03:23 PM

How lovely to find that so many know thia little song, even though they all have different versions. I learned this in South Africa more than 60 years ago. Another variation:
Samuel had an uncle, an uncle very rich, One day Samuel's uncle, gave him two and six, Samuel got excited and rushed into a shop shouting, 'six ginger beers, six lemonades' and something went off pop, bang!
More work for the undertaker, Jolly good job for the tombstone maker, in the local cemetrey, on his tombstone you will see, 'Samuel, the brave and free.'