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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: GUEST,jk Date: 20 Jan 23 - 05:52 PM Growing up in the fifties, we heard this version. Alice, where art thou going, upstairs to take a shower Your form is like a toothpick and you hair is like a (mat?) Alice got in the bathtub and she slipped on the soap! Oh my goodness oh my soul, there goes Alice down the hole! Alice, where art thou going. Second verse starts: Some call for the plumber We had a 78 record with these words and we have never been able to find a copy. It was on Columbia we thought or on a record with a blue label like Columbia. Any ideas? both my brother and I remember exactly the same wording. Thanks |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: GUEST Date: 09 Jul 16 - 02:20 AM My dad would sing it to me ,growing up in michigan. His dad sang it to him. Bumpie, where are you going? Upstairs to take a bath. Bumpie, thin as a toothpick Head just like a tack Bumpie, fell in the water Floated to near the drain Goodness, gracious, sake my soul Bumpie he went down that hole Goodbye Bumpie |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: Mo the caller Date: 15 May 16 - 04:20 AM I was reminded of that song by a recently revived thread about a particularly repulsive song It started me wondering why the songs that we learnt as children / teenagers about horrid subjects (Gone down the plughole, Jumped without a paracute etc) were relished. Yet when I come across a new one I find it so repulsive that I don't want to revive the thread. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: Jack Campin Date: 14 May 16 - 08:06 AM Is there any connection between this and "Your Baby Has Gone Down the Plughole"? (That one is English music hall, I think). |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: GUEST,Esta Blood Date: 14 May 16 - 07:42 AM I'm 83 years old but I still remember this song from my childhood: Alice, where art thou going? I'm going to take a bath. But thou art so slim and slender, Just like a big giraffe! But Alice stepped in the bathtub And pulled the stopper out; Lord have mercy on my soul! There goes Alice down the hole! Alice, where art thou going? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: GUEST Date: 19 Dec 14 - 01:04 PM I learned it that way in Iowa. When I was 2 years old, I met my first Alice and immediately "recognized her" in amazement from the song. I said "You doe down da hole!" Alice joined my mother in laughter while I was perplexed at the humor of it. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: GUEST Date: 07 Dec 13 - 08:21 PM Alice, where are thou going Upstairs to take a bath Form on her like a toothpick Head on her loke a tack Alice stepped in the bathtub Pulled out the waterplug... Oh my goodness! Bless my soul! There goes Alice down the hole! Wolfe |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: GUEST Date: 03 Jun 12 - 06:27 PM "ALICE WHERE ARE YOU GOING" Alice where are you going, Upstairs to take a bath, Legs on just like a toothpick, Head on just like a tack, Alice got in the bathtub, Pulled out the rubber plug, Oh my Gracious,Oh my soul, There goes Alice down the hole, Alice where are you going? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: GUEST Date: 23 Aug 11 - 09:20 PM Alice,where art thou going? Upstairs to take a bath. Your form is like a toothpick, and tears roll down your back. Alice jumped into the bathtub, just to take a bath. Oh my goodness,oh my oh,there goes alice down that hole. Alice, farewell to the' |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: GUEST,shebangs Date: 11 Jul 11 - 05:47 PM Just the other night I was trying to remember the lyrics to this song and I all that I could remember was the "glop, glop, glop". In doing my search, I came upon the name "Alice" and the rest of the song came back. It's amazing what we store in our long term memories! This is how I remember it: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to take a bath. Alice with legs like toothpicks and a neck like a gir raffe, raffe, raffe, raffe, raffe, raffe, raffe, raffe. Alice got in the bathtub. Alice pulled out the plug. Oh my goodness, oh my soul! There goes Alice down the hole! Alice, where are you going? Glop, glop, glop. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: GUEST,Jo D Date: 17 Mar 11 - 05:02 PM My Dad used to sing the Alice song. I have never heard it sung by anyone else. Goodness knows where he learned it. The words differ slightly from the other versions but it is obviously the same song. Our family is from Hampshire, England. Alice was very slender, Alice was very thin, She went into the bathroom, Filled the bath up and jumped right in, Her maid who was absent minded, Pulled the plug out before she was through, Pussyfoot Johnson save my soul, There goes Alice down the hole, Alice where art thou going? When I was teaching I sometimes sang it to the children and I was always worried that a parent would complain that it had given their child nightmares. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: GUEST,Cactus Rose Date: 16 Mar 11 - 03:23 PM My Mother sang this to us all the time and my husband who is 10 years younger than me had never heard it and thinks I am nuts (or my Mother) So glad to find out it was a real song and not one my Mother made up. We were raised in Texas so it might be a Southern thing. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where art thou going? up stair From: GUEST,Irish Date: 19 Jan 11 - 07:16 PM My mother's name was Alice and she sang this song to me when I was a child getting ready to take a bath....she didn't use all the words that are posted here but it's real close.. fond memories. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: GUEST,snowy in the south Date: 01 Dec 10 - 11:44 AM Alice where are you going? upstairs to take a bath, Alice with leggs like toothpicks and a neck like a giraffe da da da da Alice got in the bathtub Alice pulled out the plug, then (spoken) Oh my goodness oh my soul there goes Alice down the hole! Alice where are you going upstairs to take a bath Alice with leggs like toohpicks and a neck like a giraffe blub blub blub (thats how I learned it) |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: GUEST Date: 07 Aug 10 - 03:17 PM Alice, where are you going? Upstairs, to take a bath. Alice, with legs like tooth picks And a neck like a giraffe-raffe-raffe-raffe-raffe-raffe-raffe-raffe Alice, stepped in the bathtub Alice, pulled out the plug Oh my Goodness! Oh my Soul! There goes Alice, down the hole! Alice, where are you going? Glub, Glub, Glub She couldn't swimmmmm |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: GUEST Date: 03 Jul 10 - 08:40 PM My version I know from who knows where: Anna Mae, where are you going upstairs to take a bath Anna Mae, you are so skinny you always make me laugh Anna Mae pulled out the stopper to let the water out Oh my Goodness, bless my soul, there goes Anna Mae down that hole Anna Mae, Anna Mae, come back up that hole! glub glub Everyone that I tell that song to, says I made it up, I had to prove them wrong. I don't know where I learned it, I am in my 50's so it must have been a really old song. We were raised in Florida and Georgia. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: open mike Date: 02 Jul 10 - 12:37 PM this brings to mind a jump rope rhyme where the character went upstairs to kiss a fellow--the character was Cinderella all dressed in yellow. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: GUEST,Esme Date: 02 Jul 10 - 01:51 AM I know it as, Alice, where are you going, (bom bom bom) Upstairs to take a bath (dirty dirty!) Alice, with legs like toothpicks (snap!) and a neck like a giraffe-raff-raff-raff-raff. Alice jumps in the water (splash!) Alice pulls out the plug (oh no!) Oh my goodness, Oh my soul, there goes Alice down the hole! Into the sewer, sewer, sewer, which is just three blocks from Joe's Junior High. Three cheers for Joe's Junior high, it's the best Junior High in Toledo Its colors are purple and white, And the purple stands for freedom, and the white stands for FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! And it repeats, three more times, each time Alice gets one block closer to the junior high until she is under it. Which is just two blocks from... Which is just one block from... Which is right under... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: GUEST,Alice Post Date: 16 Feb 10 - 01:39 AM I love the song, and I still sing it. Children love to hear me sing it, especially because I am over weight. I think it may be a parody on the "Alice Where Art Thou Going" archived at Indiana University as mentioned above. I sing: Alice, Where art thou going? Upstairs to take a bath. Her body was like a toothpick. Her head was like a tack. Oh, Alice stepped in the bathtub, Pulled the plug right out! Oh! my goodness, Oh! my soul! There goes Alice Down the hole! Alice, where art thou going? (The End) I'll try to write the tune for you. I think I sing it in the key of b-flat. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: GUEST,Rebecca F Date: 03 Jan 10 - 12:17 PM Here's the version I learned as a child. It has a second verse. Anna May, where are you going? Upstairs, to take a bath Anna May, with legs like toothpicks And a neck like a giraffe Anna May stepped into the bathtub Anna May pulled out the plug Oh my goodness, oh my soul There goes Anna May down that hole! Anna May? Anna May! (glug, glug, glug) Anna May, how did you get there? Did you slide down on the soap? Anna May, don't give up patience. Anna May, here comes a rope. Oh my goodness, oh my soul Here comes Anna May up that hole! Anna May? Anna May! (glug, glug, glug) |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: GUEST,Evelyn Stringham Date: 26 Nov 09 - 09:04 PM At Red Mt. Active Adult Center the Hungry 5 Plus band played "Who the HECK is Alice" yesterday. My friend said she sang a song when a girl (she's 89) was "Alice, where are you going" and proceeded to sing it. I then recalled it myself. But you should hear the song about a man who lived 20 some years next door to Alice, loved her all the time, and then one day a limousine came and took her away! The crowd yells the name of the song throughout the song,...there is even another girl who alsolives near the singer, who has loved him unrequited! The song is better w/ right wordsa nd a good singer and band, whhich the Hungry 5 Plus has n Mesa, Az. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs From: Joe Offer Date: 20 Nov 09 - 01:41 AM I think you're pretty safe in thinking it's in the public domain, Redworm. Sandy Paton, who died this year at the age of 80, traced it back to his mother's singing. He said she sang it in Pennsylvania in about 1920, and 1923 is the cutoff date for copyright. Sandy did not specify the "toothpick" verse. He posted only one verse that hadn't been posted above his post. -Joe- |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: GUEST,redwom71 Date: 20 Nov 09 - 12:52 AM Does anyone know if this is copywrighted or not? The version containing the lyrics of her legs like toothpicks that is. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs to.. From: Jim Dixon Date: 30 Sep 09 - 08:33 PM Indiana University has the sheet music for this one: ALICE WHERE ART THOU? Words, W[ellington] Guernsey. Music, Joseph Ascher. Boston: Oliver Ditson & Co., 1860 (approximate). "Sung by Sig. [Pasquilino] Brignoli" [The lyrics are nearly identical to what Leeneia posted above, so I won't repeat them; however, it's "Lyra", not "Luna."] |
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Subject: Lyr Add: ALICE WHERE ART THOU GOING (Heelan,Gumble From: Jim Dixon Date: 29 Sep 09 - 02:17 PM Is it possible the song with "upstairs to take a bath" started out as a parody of the following song? I don't know the tune that has been discussed here, so I hope someone who does will listen to this: There is a recording, taken from a 1907 Edison cylinder, of Billy Murray singing ALICE, WHERE ART THOU GOING? at the Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project. (Or, if that doesn't work click here to play the mp3 file.) From the sheet music at Indiana University: ALICE, WHERE ART THOU GOING? Words, Will A. Heelan. Music, Albert Gumble. New York: Jerome H. Remick & Co., 1906. 1. Her Christian name is Alice and her dad's a president. Her home is not a palace but an East-side tenement. It's at our labor meetings that her dad's chief officer. He's there with friendly greetings, so I guess it's me for her. Each Sunday morning dressed up swell, my visits never cease. I ding-a-ling her front-door bell, and speak my little piece: CHORUS: Alice, where art thou going? Where can we spend the day? Alice, we'll make a dead swell showing If it costs my whole week's pay. My coin was made for blowing. Girlie, it's up to you: Sail or ride or roam the sands, Or sit and listen to the bands, Alice, where art thou going? 2. If she lived in the White House or a shanty out of date, Her home would be a lighthouse that would always steer me straight. That sounds just like a poet and I like it too, somehow, But if she was to know it, I can hear her laughing now. Well, anyway, she waits at that, as sure as Sunday shines, And blushes when I tip my hat, and speak my little lines: CHORUS [There is a still older song called ALICE, WHERE ART THOU? that this might be a parody of. More investigation will follow.] |
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Subject: Lyr Add: ALICE, WHERE ART THOU? (Guernsey, Ascher) From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 27 Sep 09 - 07:18 PM Four years ago, Snuffy posted a link, and nobody's paid much attention to it. The link is to a sappy 19th C song called 'Alice Where Art Thou'. All the camp songs we've seen are parodies of it,but the kids probably have no idea. In case you have not had enough sugar today, I copy the saccharine lyrics below: The birds sleeping gently, Sweet Luna gleameth bright, Her rays tinge the forest, And all seems glad tonight. The wind sighing by me, Cooling my fevered brow; The stream flows as ever, Yet Alice, Where art thou? One year back this even, And thou wert by my side, One year back this even, And thou wert by my side. Vowing to love me; One year past this even And thou wert by my side, Vowing to love me, Alice, What e'er might betide! The silver rain falling, Just as it falleth now, And all things slept gently, Oh! Alice, where art thou? I've sought thee by lakelet, I've sought thee on the hill; And in the pleasant wildwood, When winds blow cold and chill. I've sought thee in forest, I'm looking heav'nward now. Oh! there 'mid the starshine; I've sought thee in forest I'm looking heav'nward now, Oh! there amid the starshine Alice I know, art thou! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Where are you going? Upstairs to take a.. From: GUEST Date: 27 Sep 09 - 01:09 PM My mother used to sing a song to me and I have googled it but can't find anything. Does anyone know it? If begins: There was a chief, he had a daughter and he named her laughing water, ha ha drip drip drip. |
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Subject: RE: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs, to tak From: GUEST,jenn81615 Date: 29 Aug 09 - 03:54 PM So, our family (in Kansas) sings a slightly different version of this song and it goes likes this. Alice, Where art thou going? Upstairs to take a bath. Figure like a toothpick Head like a tack (Whack!) Stepped into the bath tub (stomp, stomp) Slipped upon the soap (whoosh) Oh my goodness, Oh my soul, there goes Alice down the hole! Alice, Where art thou going? |
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Subject: RE: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs, to tak From: curmudgeon Date: 03 Mar 07 - 11:23 AM Has anyone heard this variant? Linn -- to lazy to change from Tom's cookie. |
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Subject: RE: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs, to tak From: Bat Goddess Date: 02 Mar 07 - 01:30 PM Came across this thread recently while checking out "Down the Plughole" (I recently found NHDave singing it on a tape I made last November) and then while talking to my mother in Milwaukee a couple weeks ago, she brought up "Alice Where Art Thou Going" which she knew from her childhood in Stetsonville, Wisconsin during the 1930s. Don't know why it came to mind now in her reminiscing, but she used to sing it to us when we were kids. Her words are different from what's been posted here, though, and she just mailed them to me. Here they are: Alice, where art thou going? Out to take a shower. Your form is like a toothpick And your breath is very sour. Alice slipped in the bath tub Slipped on the soap. Oh my goodness, oh my soul, There goes Alice down the hole Alice, where art thou gone? Linn |
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Subject: RE: Alice where are you going? Upstairs to take a bath From: pkferret Date: 30 Nov 05 - 10:37 PM I always heard it similar to what you all have said except the line about pulling out the plug: Alice stepped in the bathtub, and slipped on a piece of soap ...... No one else seems to have this line. |
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Subject: RE: Alice where are you going? Upstairs to take a From: BuckMulligan Date: 30 Nov 05 - 09:07 AM Not a whole song, but Tom Paxton gave us Went down in a coffeehouse palace Met a little lady and her name was Alice She had friends and her friends had her it seems Face was dirty and her sweater was baggy Pants were tight and her hair was shaggy I've seen her like on college football teams Show me a pretty little number When she walks, she rolls like thunder Eyes as deep and dark as the deep blue sea Round right here and round right there Pretty red lips and her very own hair Wrap her up, she's the natural girl for me from "Show Me a Pretty Little Number" - recorded by CMT as "The Natural Girl for Me." I don't think you could record this song today without some folks getting riled up. |
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Subject: RE: Alice where are you going? Upstairs to take a From: Bard Judith Date: 29 Nov 05 - 08:18 PM Oh, and the tune for the original composition above is 'The Derby Ram' . Note that the last line of each verse repeats as a kind of 'break' between verses. You may also want to take it at a slower tempo, but it's a great catchy tune, no? Glad you liked it, Sinsull! Regards from the bard, Judith |
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Subject: RE: Alice where are you going? Upstairs to take a bath From: GUEST,JenM Date: 28 Nov 05 - 08:22 AM Alice, where are you going/ Upstairs to take a bath. We used to sing it at Girl Scout camp in the 60's, unfortunately, I'm not musical enough to give you the tune over the internet. |
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Subject: RE: Alice where are you going? Upstairs to take a From: Bard Judith Date: 28 Nov 05 - 12:31 AM A song in there somewhere? Happy to oblige... To My Feline ------------- "When I see mine own Alice A-going up the stairs, I follow my sweet Alice Lest she should shed her hairs Upon the rugs and carpets Where she's oft wont to sit - Or pee upon the guest beds And render them unfit. Oh Alice, thou art pretty, But Alice, thou art fat, And should'st not be insulted When I call you - a cat! (Alternative verse: Oh Alice, thou art cuddly, Though something of a hog, For sharing of thy bedding Comes not natural to a dog...) And though tis in thy nature To shed and hack and pee, I love thee still, my Alice, Oh Alice - dost love me? |
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Subject: RE: Alice where are you going? Upstairs to take a From: GUEST,Bob Coltman Date: 27 Nov 05 - 09:36 AM Jim, I agree. I think the Grayson and Whitter has no connection. (Sorry, this is thread creep, but BTW the hints of Child in "The Greenland" (Loving Henry?) are pretty distant --- "To the lonesome hills and valleys I will wander for his sake" recalls "My Sailor Boy" --- But I think the Grayson and Whitter song as a whole is a late, fragmented version of "John Riley" / "Fair Maid In The Garden." Grayson being blind was more reliant on memory than most people who'd have a written paper "ballet" to check back against, and would have been more likely to conflate bits of similar songs. End of thread creep.) "Alice Where Art Thou" does seem to have been echoed in the street rhyme "Alice Where Are You Going?" -- maybe no more than just a reference to the (very well known in the 19th century) title. I'd still like to know if "Alice where are you going / upstairs to take a bath" was ever sung??? (And if so, what tune?) Or only chanted/recited? Bob |
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Subject: Lyr Add: WHERE ARE YOU GOING, ALICE (Grayson/Whitt From: Jim Dixon Date: 26 Nov 05 - 09:10 PM Here's the song Bob Coltman mentioned above, but apart from the similarity of the title, I don't see any connection to the song Alabama Mama requested. Instead, this seems derived from one of the Child ballads—darned if I can remember which one. Transcribed from the sound file at Honking Duck: WHERE ARE YOU GOING, ALICE As sung by Grayson & Whitter, 1929 Where are you going, Alice, my own heart's delight? Where are you going, Alice, this dark and rainy night? Down in yonder city my attention does remain, Looking for a young man. Sweet William is his name. Never mind young William. He will not meet you there. Never mind young William. He will not meet you there. Never mind young William. He will not meet you there. Just stay with me in Greenlands (?). No danger need you fear. When she heard this sad news, she fell into despair, Wringing her hands and tangling her hair. If Willie he is drownded, no other will I take. Tp lonesome groves and valleys I'll wander for his sake. [SPOKEN:] Pore little Alice! When he heard this sad news, he could no longer stand. Took her in his arms. Little Alice, I'm the man. Little Alice, I'm the young man that's caused you all this pain, But now we've met in Greenlands (?) to never part again. |
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Subject: RE: Alice where are you going? Upstairs to take a bath From: George Papavgeris Date: 24 Nov 05 - 01:56 PM I wanted to name my daughter after my mum-in-law - she was Mabel Alice. So we called our girl Aliki, Greek for Alice. No such connotations for the name Alice in Greece or England that I am aware of, but Nessie and I did joke amongst ourselves that Aliki was "a leaky" baby. We 'fessed up when she got older (now 20). Aliki wasn't impressed. |
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Subject: RE: Alice where are you going? Upstairs to take a bath From: SINSULL Date: 24 Nov 05 - 09:34 AM HMMMMMM When i see m7y Alice headed up the stairs I give chase before she pees on the guest beds. Must be a song in there somewhere. |
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Subject: RE: Alice where are you going? Upstairs to take a bath From: Snuffy Date: 24 Nov 05 - 09:21 AM Alice, Where Art Thou? by J. Ascher (1829-1869) |
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Subject: RE: Alice where are you going? Upstairs to take a bath From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 24 Nov 05 - 07:13 AM I've actually never heard this sung, except once years ago by a mono-tone 5 year old. Does anyone have the notes or a midi of this classic? |
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Subject: RE: Alice where are you going? Upstairs to take a bath From: Mo the caller Date: 24 Nov 05 - 04:34 AM Hi Beanster In my childhood (in London UK) a tin-tack was a small nail with not much of a head at all. |
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Subject: RE: Alice where are you going? Upstairs to take a From: GUEST,Bob Coltman Date: 23 Nov 05 - 04:38 PM And, just after sending off the previous message, I remembered: "Where Are You Going, Alice?" recorded in the '20s by G.B. Grayson and Henry Whitter "Where are you going Alice, This dark and drizzly night..." I disremember the words, but I have it on a record someplace. Another "serious" variant of the old theme this street rhyme seems to parody??? |
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Subject: RE: Alice where are you going? Upstairs to take a From: GUEST,Bob Coltman Date: 23 Nov 05 - 04:35 PM Isn't there a fairly high-toney old song called "Alice Where Art Thou?" Could this be a parody? Any indication of a tune, or was it chanted? |
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Subject: RE: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs, to tak From: GUEST Date: 23 Nov 05 - 03:20 PM I had: Annabelle, where are you going? Upstairs, to take a bath your legs are like two toothpicks your neck like a giraffe Anabelle stepped in the bathtub Annabelle Pulled out the the plug (spoken) Oh my goodness, oh my soul! There goes annabelle down that hole! Annabelle? An |
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Subject: RE: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs, to tak From: GUEST,Mrrzy-at-work Date: 06 Apr 00 - 11:40 AM My childhood version was almost the same: Alice, with legs like TOOTHpicks, a neck like a giraffe / Alice, went to the BATHtub, upstairs, to take a bath / Alice, got in the BATHtub, Alice pulled out the plug / (spoken but sharply) Oh my goodness o my soul, there goes Alice down the hole! / (questioning) Alice? (shouting) ALICE! (slowly and with finality) glug, glug, glug. |
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Subject: RE: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs, to tak From: The Beanster Date: 06 Apr 00 - 01:30 AM Thanks so much Joe for bringing these lyrics and the other info to me. (and thanks to Mark, as well). My weirdo mom (and I mean that affectionately) had some really strange lyrics to this...in the 3rd & 4th lines, something about "Neck on her, like a match stick; Head on her, like a tack." I never even knew what that meant! (like a tack?) And there were other verses about how Alice FELL in the bathtub and how the water swirled around the drain as she went down....! I'm telling ya, my mom has a wicked sense of humor. hahaha She probably had forgotten the words (or was bored by the original lyrics) and just made up her own version! Anyway, thanks again. Brought back some happy memories... |
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Subject: Anna May, Where Are You Going? From: Joe Offer Date: 05 Apr 00 - 04:31 PM Mark Cohen came up with these words in another thread. In their excellent Never Grow Up album, Anne Hills and Cindgy Mangsen use these same lyrics, but with the name "Alice." -Joe Offer- Beanster: Anna May, where are you going? Upstairs, to take a bath Anna May, with legs like toothpicks And a neck like a giraffe Anna May stepped into the bathtub Anna May pulled out the plug Oh my goodness, oh my soul There goes Anna May down the hole! Anna May? Anna May! (glug) Of course, I'm reaching way back for that one, which I learned from my younger sister, and it's one of those that probably has many versions, but that's the way it was in northeast Philadelphia, 1965 or so. (My sister's best friend was named Annabelle, and immediately became Anna May after this song became known, much to her chagrin.) Aloha, Mark Cohen |
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Subject: RE: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs, to tak From: Sandy Paton Date: 16 Jan 99 - 07:58 PM Animaterra: We can understand your problem. Our new grandaughter might have been named Allison, but for the damnable connection with Peyton Place. Yes, Mudcatters all, that's how we pronounce our name. We spell it Paton, as they do in Ayrshire, Scotland, where my grandfather was born, but it is pronounced as though it were spelled Payton. We wear it with pride, since Robbie Burns' first illigitimate child was born to one Elizabeth Paton, for whom he created the song "The Rantin' Dog, the Daddy O't." Galston, Ayrshire, wasn't all that far from Robbie's stompin' grounds, but my father was unwilling to pursue the possible connection. Proper Methodist, he. I'd jump on any relationship to Burns like a turkey on a junebug! Sandy |
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Subject: RE: Alice, where are you going? Upstairs, to tak From: Alice Date: 16 Jan 99 - 02:17 PM Hey, Dale, thanks for that list! Alice Blue Gown is the only one that came to my mind, so you came up with some from searching Levy that I didn't know. I was thinking about how cruel kids can be this morning as I looked at my son with the broken clavicle caused by the bully at school. We happened to see Lord Of The Flies on TV about a week ago, and Ryan said, Gee, mom, this is so freaky, what these kids are doing, killing each other. I said, Wait til you read the book, it's even freakier. The story shows how kids need to be trained not to be cruel. The capacity to enjoy inflicting pain is active in them if they aren't civilized to be compassionate. It reminds me of the children's songs like Weela Wallia and The Man Of Double Deed, which I have sung since I was a kid. Alice is a name passed down in my family, and when my brother was in Leitrim last year, looking at the land records where our family were tenants, he found that Alice Flynn was the last who had the largest parcel before the immigration to the US. It is being reforested now. |
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