What a Friend We Have in Maggie?

Subject: Thatcher stories
From: GUEST,maggiethatcher_com
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 04:44 AM

During the late seventies I worked for a fruit & veg supply company. One day I was given a special order to make up. It was for a dinner that evening and Margaret Thatcher, then PM, was guest of honour.
Part of the order was a box of button mushrooms. I picked up a mushroom, rolled up a ball of snot, slid it up the mushroom's stem and under the cap.
I did another, then another, then another. I just couldn't stop myself. By the time the order was despatched I'd done more than half the box.
So, Baroness Thatcher, I'm sorry you ate my bogies.
Well done, that man! A free T-shirt is winging its way to you.
Got a similar Maggie-related story? Email it to us at [e-mail]

maggie thatcher.com

Subject: RE: A duet of a fun kind
From: Joybell
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 05:39 PM

Me too Ron. Of course our Dear John is doing his best to stuff things up here. We could do a parody for him using "Dear John, Oh how I hate to write...." but that's a thread of a different colour. Good start on your idea.
One of the problems we have is that "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" has been parodied so many times before. "What a Friend We Have in Hoover" being the noteworthy one.

Meanwhile we've been working on my original conception. If you sing the two songs together - as indicated up there at the top of this thread, it works best if the one singing "What a Friend etc." switches tunes for the b part and sings the Maggie tune for two lines. Can't wait to get our fidler friend in on this. I have in mind a tastful rendition for some concert or other over the Christmas period. Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: What a Friend We Have in Maggie?
From: Ron Davies
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 09:52 PM

Well, I really didn't intend to do a parody--I was looking forward to reading what some of the creative minds around here would come up with--especially those in the UK, who know what it was like under the Thatcher regime. I'm just a colonial--I don't really know what went on.

But, extrapolating from my feelings about her buddies in the US, Reagan and now "W", it could start something like this----- (it's somewhat overstated, and understatement is always more effective)---- But...

What a friend we have in Maggie
All our griefs and cares to cause
What a privilege---- to bury all that's good beneath her laws

Subject: RE: What a Friend We Have in Maggie?
From: Joybell
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 04:49 PM

Well enough of all this let's have a parody then, Ron. At least you've all kept the thread from dying at birth. Thanks. Joy

Subject: RE: What a Friend We Have in Maggie?
From: GUEST,G-String
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 11:45 AM

Thatcher should have been hung, just the same as Jesus, God rest his sole. Its His birthday soon.

Subject: RE: What a Friend We Have in Maggie?
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 11:13 AM

Mind you Jim2 - Edwina - she did a good job in the seat of power department...... apparently

Subject: RE: What a Friend We Have in Maggie?
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 11:11 AM

Now now Guest Jim(2) - quit masquerading as me and be up front with your perversions

Subject: RE: What a Friend We Have in Maggie?
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 11:01 AM

Nah! Maggie for me, all the way. I used to fancy Edwina Currie until I learnt of her entanglement with John Major

Subject: RE: What a Friend We Have in Maggie?
From: GUEST,David Edwards
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 10:49 AM

GUEST David Edwards 10.31 AM is an imposter!! I, the real David Edwards fancied Dennis Thatcher.

Subject: RE: What a Friend We Have in Maggie?
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 10:45 AM

She was a bit fit in her younger days though.... hmmm....

Subject: RE: What a Friend We Have in Maggie?
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 10:35 AM

Something's rotten in the States of Capital

Subject: RE: What a Friend We Have in Maggie?
From: GUEST,David Edwards
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 10:31 AM

Mind you, now I think about it, I fancied her something rotten as well.

Subject: RE: What a Friend We Have in Maggie?
From: GUEST,David Edwards
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 10:29 AM

"I am in the top 4%."

Part of the cream of our society - rich and thick. Anyway, you're telling porkies Ted, you were made redundant in the Thatcher years. You're a peasant like the rest of us.

Subject: RE: What a Friend We Have in Maggie?
From: GUEST,David Edwards
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 10:24 AM

Guest Jim, Ted fancies the knickers off of Maggie. He's a strange bloke who likes the dominatrix type.

Subject: RE: What a Friend We Have in Maggie?
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 10:22 AM

I am in the top 4%.

Subject: RE: What a Friend We Have in Maggie?
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 10:16 AM

Yeh sure ..... if you were in the top 4% of wage earners and didn't give a shit for anyone else, or the environment etc etc etc....

Subject: RE: What a Friend We Have in Maggie?
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 10:04 AM

Fine woman, and a splendid Prime Minister.

Subject: RE: What a Friend We Have in Maggie?
From: Ron Davies
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 06:59 AM

I thought this was going to be a parody based on Thatcher.

Subject: What a Friend We Have in Maggie?
From: Joybell
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 07:27 AM

Has anyone noticed how similar "What a Friend We have in Jesus" (the most usual tune) and "When You and I Were Young Maggie" are?

The "Maggie" tune was written in 1866 by J. C. Butterfield two years before Charles C. Con­verse wrote the tune "Erie" which is the one we usually associate with "What a Friend etc." Erie was the town in
Pennsylvania where Converse worked.

We tried singing the two songs together and they make a rather nice duet. They deviate a little in the middle part but come together again at the end bit.

....All songs will sound the same when they call out your name
In that small town talent quest up in the sky. - Mike O'Rourke

Joy