Lyr Req: Hobnail Boots That Father Wore

Subject: Lyr Add: THE HOBNAILED BOOTS THAT FARVER WORE
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Oct 08 - 11:21 AM

Lyrics copied from monologues.co.uk:

THE HOBNAILED BOOTS THAT FARVER WORE

1. Poor Farver's feet took up half the street,
So his boots were in proportion,
And the kids he'd squash in a day, by gosh!
It really was a caution.
Now me and my brother, from the age of four
Up to eleven, used to sleep and snore
Nice and cosy in a box of straw
In the hobnailed boots that my farver wore.

2. On Lord Mayor's day, just to shout hooray,
Farver went, and how he sauced 'em!
But he blocked the street with his big feet
And the Lord Mayor drove across 'em.
And as he went a-riding through the Guild Hall door,
Farver fell wallop on his back, oh lor!
And the crowd stopped hooraying then, for all they saw
Were the hobnailed boots that my farver wore.

3. I've got good teeth, and it's my belief
I must thank Farver for it,
For if we've got coke and we want it broke,
I pick it up and gnaw it.
You've all got to eat a peck of dirt or more
Before you snuff it, it's a wise old saw.
Well, I've had my whack, I cut me teeth, oh lor!
On the hobnailed boots that my farver wore.

4. When young Kate and Flo went to Southend, so
As money they'd be saving,
Farver's boot was seen as a bathing machine.
In it, they undressed for bathing.
While they were undressing, they forgot, I'm sure,
The Farver'd cut for his corn, oh lor!
Now the boys are a-giggling at what they saw
In the hobnailed boots that my farver wore.

5. We had a goat with a cast iron throat,
Though he never used to bite us.
Farver's boots he chewed, and the goat they slewed,
For he died of appendicitis.
Now that goat had whiskers, and they touched the floor,
And when they were plaited by the kids next door,
Made the finest laces that you ever saw
For the hobnailed boots that my farver wore.

6. We took a trip on a great big ship
But my farver, so misguided,
Wouldn't walk about with his legs stretched out,
So the ship it went lopsided.
Down went the vessel through a hole in the floor,
And all 'cept the captain's mother-in-law
Were saved that night, for they rode ashore
In the hobnailed boots that Farver wore.

7. Farver worked one day, building ships they say,
For the Navy down at Chatham,
And some German spies opened wide their eyes
When his big boots they looked at 'em.
When those spies from Germany his big boots saw,
They wired to the Kaiser "Build two ships more."
What they thought were Britannia ships-of war
Were the hobnailed boots that Farver wore.

8. When I went to school, oh, I looked a fool,
For one day when we were drilling,
My teacher said, "Toe the line, fathead,"
And I did, though most unwilling.
Said she, "Don't keep backing through the school house door,
But just toe the line, as I've told you before."
"Oh, he has towed the line" said the kids with a roar
In the hobnailed boots that Farver wore.

9. The afternoon that we shot the moon,
All the tallymen we took in,
For we paid 'em nix and we moved our sticks
While the landlord stood there lookin'.
But my farver he walked as if his feet were sore
As he limped up the ally to the Old Brown Boar,
For we'd tucked the piano in the toes, oh lor!
Of the hobnailed boots that Farver wore.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hobnail Boots That Father Wore
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Oct 08 - 10:34 AM

The National Library of Australia has this description in its catalogue:

THE HOBNAILED BOOTS THAT FARVER WORE
By R. P. Weston and Fred J. Barnes
Melbourne: Stanley Mullen, c1907.
"Billy Williams song"

Subject: Jordon
From: GUEST,Brytney
Date: 05 Oct 08 - 09:28 PM

well... really good post!

Subject: Lyr Add: THE HOBNAIL BOOTS THAT FATHER WORE
From: GUEST,Pete
Date: 11 Jul 08 - 08:26 AM

Oh me father's feet took up half the street,
And his boots were in proportion.
And the kids he'd squash in a day, by gosh,
It really was a caution.
Me and my brother from the age of four,
Up till eleven, used to sleep and snore,
Nice and cosy in the box of straw,
In the hobnail boots that me father wore.

My brother's tricks got him well-earned kicks,
In the part where teacher caned him.
To the doctor he had to go, you see,
Just to show him where it pained him.
When he lifted up his jacket, why, the doctor swore.
"He's got spotted fever!" but the spots he saw,
It wasn't spotted fever, 'twas the nails galore
From the hobnail boots that me father wore.

We had a goat with a cast iron throat,
So he never used to bite us.
Father's boots he'd chew, then the goat fates flew,
For he died of appendicitis.
That goat had whiskers and they touched the floor,
And when satisfied, the kids next door
Made the loveliest laces that you ever saw,
For the hobnail boots that me father wore.

We took a trip on board a ship,
But father's so misguided.
Wouldn't walk about with his legs stretched out,
So the ship, it went lopsided.
Down went the vessel through the hole in the floor.
All 'cept the captain and his mother-in-law,
Were saved that night, for they rowed ashore,
In the hobnail boots that me father wore.

Father worked one day building ships, they say,
With the Navy down at Chatham.
Some German spies opened wide their eyes,
When his big boots, they looked at 'em.
When those spies from Germany, his big boots saw.
They wired to the Kaiser, "Build two ships more!"
What they thought was Britannia's ships of war,
Were the hobnail boots that me father wore

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: hobnail boots
From: GUEST,Paul Kuhlmann in Florida
Date: 10 Feb 07 - 12:21 AM

Hello Judith,

I have that song in MP3 format. email me at [e-mail] if you are still interested in having it.

Regards,

Paul

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: hobnail boots
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 24 Feb 06 - 05:54 PM

Please share.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: hobnail boots
From: GUEST,Paul in Florida
Date: 24 Feb 06 - 05:35 PM

Hello,

I own the wax cylinder recorded by Billy Williams, and it has very different lyrics.

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: hobnail boots
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 07:55 PM

Left out were the notes (in the article linked by Malcolm) to this song, sung by Harry Holman, which is not as written by Weston and Barnes.
The original had six verses with additional verses added, "probably by Billy Williams." "Harry's second verse is one of these extras."
The original Billy Williams release was on a 2 minute wax cylinder, Edison 13641, followed by a couple of re-recordings.

What were the original verses and what were the other 'added' verses? It would be interesting t see them all.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE HOBNAIL BOOTS THAT FATHER WORE
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 06:51 PM

Whooopsy - forgot to post the lyrics

THE HOBNAIL BOOTS THAT FATHER WORE

Poor Father's feet took up half the street
So his boots were in proportion,
And the kid's he'd squash in a day, by gosh!
That really was a caution
Now me and me brother from the age of four
Were up to eleven, could sleep and snore
Nice and cosy in a box of straw
In the hobnailed boots that me father wore

Now we went for a trip on a girt big ship
And poor father so misguided
Wouldn't walk about with his legs stretched out
So the ship her went lopsided
Down went the vessel through the hole in the floor
And said the captain's mother-in-law
Were saved that night for they rowed ashore
In the hobnailed boots that me father wore

Now me and me brother from the age of four
Up to eleven, could sleep and snore
So nice and cosy in a box of straw
In the hobnailed boots that me father wore

On a Lord Mayor's Day, just to shout hooray
Father went and how he sauced 'em
For he blocked up the street with his girt big feet
And the Lord Mayor drove right across them
While they were a-going through the Guildhall door
Father fell down wallop on his back, O Lor
Well, they stops their 'ollering then, for all they saw
Was the hobnailed boots that me father wore

When young Kate and Flo went down Southend.
So that money they'd be saving
Father's boots they used as a bathing machine
And in it they undressed for bathing
While they were undressing they forgot I'm sure
The 'ole Father cut for his corn, oh Lor
Now all the boys are a-giggling at what they saw
In the hobnailed boots that me father wore.

Written by R P Weston and F J Barnes in 1907, and sung on the halls by Billy Williams

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: hobnail boots
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 11:29 AM

Now, this is a better place to ask than buried away in a very long discussion about The Raggle Taggle Gipsies! It's a music hall song, written by R P Weston and F J Barnes and originally recorded on wax cylinder by Billy Williams in 1907 (and later on '78).

See http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/saturday.htm for a set of words.

Subject: Lyr Req: hobnail boots
From: GUEST,Judith
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 11:06 AM

Does anyone know a song which has the line in it "the hobnail boots that father wore"? It is a song I remember from my childhood, but that is the only line I can bring to mind.