Lyr Req: I Played My Concertina (Sam Mayo)

Subject: Lyr Req: I played my concertina - Sam Mayo
From: Fidjit
Date: 29 Oct 06 - 04:46 AM

Sam Mayo, Music hall Artist Sings the song "I played my concertina". The clip I have has only one verse. Anybody ?

Chas

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I played my concertina - Sam Mayo
From: Alan Day
Date: 29 Oct 06 - 10:15 AM

Is this the same tune as recorded by Harry Bluff?

The first verse goes

This concertina you must know
I take with me wher ere I go
One day when sailing out abroad
My poor wife she fell over board

I know I am a selfish clown
I could not stand and see her drown
So I shut me eyes and sat me down
and Played me concertina.

Al

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I played my concertina - Sam Mayo
From: Charley Noble
Date: 29 Oct 06 - 10:35 AM

Al-

This does appear to be a promising and much needed song, and hundreds if not dozens of us concertina players would be interested. Would you please post more?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I played my concertina - Sam Mayo
From: Fidjit
Date: 29 Oct 06 - 11:38 AM

Yes Alan that's the one (Tanks for the cd you sent by the way)
You can hear the clip
here

P'raps I'll hav eto buy the Cd.

Charley, Hope you enjoyed your trip to "Blighty".

Chas

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I played my concertina - Sam Mayo
From: Alan Day
Date: 29 Oct 06 - 11:40 AM

Charlie, the song was going to be included on one of the International series, but sadly there is no concertina on it.
Now if there is another version that includes a concertina refered to as Sam Mayo then perhaps we can work on that.The version I have it is not easy to work out the words and I have not really had the time to sit and work on them, although the recording has been cleaned, just in case it was going to be included in English INT.Perhaps between Chas and myself we may be able to piece it all together.
Glad you enjoyed the first verse,I bet you didn't show it to the wife.
Al

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I played my concertina - Sam Mayo
From: Fidjit
Date: 29 Oct 06 - 11:53 AM

We'll have to listen to much more than that clip

Chas

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I played my concertina - Sam Mayo
From: Alan Day
Date: 29 Oct 06 - 11:53 AM

Chas, You must have been sending that clip as I was writing my reply.I do have a different version, but it is almost a copy of this clip.
Harry Bluff allegedly mimicked other artists and this would prove this point.Harry's version is much brighter than this ,but the backing band etc is almost identical with the arrangement and still no concertina.
I will see how I get on with the words or give someone else the job.
Al

Subject: Lyr Add: I PLAYED MY CONCERTINA (f. Arthur Osmond)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 09:49 PM

There's a complete mp3 file here, at the Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project at UC Santa Barbara:

I PLAYED MY CONCERTINA
As sung by Arthur Osmond on Edison Standard Record 10209, 1909.

This concertina, you must know,
I take with me where'er I go.
While I was sailing once abroad,
My poor wife she fell overboard.
I said, "I am a selfish clown.
I can't stand here and see her drown."
So I shut my eyes and sat me down
And played my concertina.

One day whilst bathing in the sea,
Some ladies had a game with me.
Those naughty ladies, sad to say,
They pinched my clothes and ran away.
"Give me my clothes," I had to screech,
But they stuck to them just like a leech,
So I walked home along the beach
And played my concertina.

At twelve o'clock the other night,
I rushed around to Doctor White.
When I got there and rang the bell,
The doctor came and shouted, "Well!
Please tell me, sir, what brings you here
At twelve o'clock? It's very queer."
I said, "I thought you'd like to hear
Me play my concertina."

For a donkey ride I went one day,
And in my usual careless way,
I pinned my concertina to
The donkey's tail, and off we flew.
I gave a shout as we set sail.
He jumped me up till I felt pale,
And every time he wagged his tail,
It played my concertina.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I played my concertina - Sam Mayo
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 01:09 AM

Jim -- great site!

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I played my concertina - Sam Mayo
From: Alan Day
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 03:32 AM

Jim, the last verse about the Donkey saves me trying to work that one out, but the other verses you mention are not on this record.One verse is with him on stage kissing the Fairy Queen and the other involves him sitting under a swing.I have the recording in the car I will see if I can add to the verses you have posted.The clip of the tune you can hear repeats for each verse.
Al

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I played my concertina - Sam Mayo
From: Alan Day
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 05:38 PM

Many thanks Jim,Another version and still no concertina.Very enjoyable however.
Al

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I played my concertina - Sam Mayo
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 10:19 PM

Thanks, gang!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I played my concertina - Sam Mayo
From: Fidjit
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 09:23 AM

Hey !! Well done Jim, Alan and all.

I knew someone 'd get it all down

Now I'll just go to the pub in town

and I'll play my concertina

Thanks
Chas

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I played my concertina - Sam Mayo
From: Alan Day
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 10:24 AM

The last couple of verses on the Harry Bluff recording are a bit distorted but they are approx as follows

In Pantomone on stage I do
I played the Prince I say to you
My wife she got upon the Scene
and saw me kiss the Fairy Queen
When I got home she glared at me
No more upon the stage says she
Tomorrow night you'l play with me
and play your concertina

I recently saw a peculiar thing
A lady she sat apon a swing
A little girl was placed on high
To ring the bell she had to try
She hit the bell and it did ring
and it did play God save the King
and I sat underneath the swing
and played me concertina.

Well between us we have just about cracked this one.
Lets hope the next version has a concertina in it.
Al

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I played my concertina - Sam Mayo
From: Fidjit
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 10:25 AM

Whilst on the net I'm browsing around
See here's a nice little song I've found
With others help along the way
We've got all the words without delay
We're all as happy as can be
It's nice to be in such company
And now I'm off to the pub in town
For a pint of beer, and I'll sit me down
And play me concertina.

It makes you feel good to be a part of this lot.

Enjoy.

Chas

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I played my concertina - Sam Mayo
From: Fidjit
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 10:58 AM

And now I'm off to the pub in town
For a pint of beer, and I'll sit me down
And play me concertina
Wrong stanza

Change it to :

I'm off to the pub, no frown you see
And I'll play me concertina.

Chas