Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps

Subject: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: Pilgrim
Date: 24 Jan 07 - 05:45 AM

A gentleman from our folk club sang this song one Tuesday night. Apparently it was written in the 1850s, and has about thirty verses by the time it is done. A look through the older books in the pub, and my searches of the internet, revealed nothing. Yet when the fellow sang it, a lady near me said her grandmother used to sing it. She couldn't even remember the chorus though. It would be lovely to ultimately do this chap a recording, but we'll see how we go.
Over to you...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: Peace
Date: 24 Jan 07 - 05:56 AM

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000258OK.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

That CD has a song entitled "While London Sleeps".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: skipy
Date: 24 Jan 07 - 05:58 AM

It is on Roy Hudd LP:- Castle PLSCD346.
Skipy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: Peace
Date: 24 Jan 07 - 05:58 AM

More info re above post.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: Pilgrim
Date: 24 Jan 07 - 06:08 AM

You clever people. Obscure songs found on CD in under fifteen minutes. I'm thoroughly impressed, and even more grateful. Thanks again.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: Peace
Date: 24 Jan 07 - 06:18 AM

Most welcome. I hope it's the right song. All the best to you, Pilgrim.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: Pilgrim
Date: 24 Jan 07 - 07:24 AM

Cheers Peace. I hope it's the right song too, but it's certainly worth the investment. This fella has been coming for nearly two years, and has only ever sung this one song once. We are trying to get him out of his shell a wee bit more as he has a cracking (in a good way) voice. I'm off to make a brew now, and if I know anything about computer technology if I put you a cup on this little cup holder that slides out of the base unit (the one with "DUD" on it), I'll send you one down the internet in a second. How many sugars?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: Peace
Date: 24 Jan 07 - 10:49 AM

LOL

You must be British. I'm in Canada and just now read this. Hope your day has been wonderful, Pilgrim.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: Billy Weeks
Date: 24 Jan 07 - 11:34 AM

As always, Michael Kilgarriff's 'Sing Us One of the Old Songs' provides a reliable factual starter for this kind of question. The song was published in 1896 as 'While London's Fast Asleep'. It was written by Harry Dacre, published by his own company (Frank Dean & Co) and sung by Marie Tyler.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: Peace
Date: 24 Jan 07 - 11:45 AM

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:ST9GHoqQ5JwJ:www.amazon.com/London-Pride-Tour-Song/dp/B0001FYRCQ+While+London%27s+Fast+Aslee

Link to Billy's post.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: Billy Weeks
Date: 25 Jan 07 - 04:06 AM

Thanks Peace. It's high time London songs (and there are many of them) were given an airing. One item on this CD is worth drawing attention to as a lovely, singable song: Chalk Farm to Camberwell Green.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: Gulliver
Date: 25 Jan 07 - 09:43 AM

Re London songs, I heard a version of a poem put to music years ago, that started:

As I came down the Highgate Hill,
The Highgate Hill, the Highgate Hill,
As I came down the Highgate Hill
I met the sun's bravado

Anyone know the tune it's sung to?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Jan 07 - 03:05 PM

I found this brief quote in a book called In Plain Clothes: Further Memoirs of a Political Police Officer By Harold Brust, 1937 (found with Google Book Search):

While London sleeps, and all its lamps are gleaming,
Millions of its people now lie sweetly sleeping;
Some have no homes, and some with sorrows weeping,...

[The book might have more, but this was all that was visible with Google Book Search.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Jan 07 - 03:21 PM

There was also a silent movie of the same name starring Rin Tin Tin. I suppose the title might have been a quote from the song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: Bert
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 04:38 PM

Here

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: Pilgrim
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 06:30 AM

Marvellous Bert, many thanks indeed.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: GUEST,julie bygrave
Date: 19 Jun 11 - 10:41 AM

I have a cassette tape (taped from the original Reel-to-Reel tape) that my dad recorded of my great grandma Mary Ann Moss singing the song While London Sleeps. He recorded it in the early 60's and my great gran was nearly 90. We believe it was a musical hall song.

Subject: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 21 Jun 11 - 12:06 PM

The University of Oxford has the sheet music, described as follows:

WHILE LONDON'S FAST ASLEEP
Words and music by Harry Dacre; sung ... by Miss Marie Tyler.
Publisher: London: Frank Dean & Co., ©1896.
Song for voice and piano.
First line: The greatest city of the world is London.
First line of chorus: While London sleeps, and all the lamps are gleaming.

Subject: Lyr Add: WHILE LONDON'S FAST ASLEEP (Harry Dacre)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 21 Jun 11 - 12:39 PM

You can see the sheet music here: at www.europeana.eu. (Click on the page image to enlarge it.)


WHILE LONDON'S FAST ASLEEP
Words and music by Harry Dacre
London: Frank Dean & Co., ©1896.

1. The greatest city of the world is London;
At least, that's what the wealthy people say.
It's very nice for some
Who always get the plum;
I only get what people throw away!
It's very nice for starving boys in winter.
It's very nice to camp it out at nights,
A doorstep for a bed,
Another for your head,
Because you haven't sold your blooming lights!

CHORUS: While London sleeps and all the lamps are gleaming,
Millions of people now lie sweetly dreaming.
Some have no homes and o'er their sorrows weep;
Others laugh and play the game while London's fast asleep!

2. There's lots of wealth and happiness in London.
There's lots of starving misery as well.
There's people good and true
Who can't get work to do,
Who've stolen bread and found the prison cell.
There's some of 'em can't stand it any longer,
So when they cannot earn an honest meal,
They seek the river-side
And jump into the tide
Because they're far too proud to beg or steal.

3. Now, have you noticed some of 'em by daylight?
The good young man who leads the Army band—
Your heart he wants to save,
Although he needs a shave,
And the "tide-mark" round his neck looks very grand.
But see him on the Q. T. of an evening,
A-strolling round with someone else's wife!
It takes a kid like me
Their little games to see,
For I'm a chap what's seen a bit of life!

4. The coppers get a name for being bad 'uns.
I don't mean "browns"; I mean the men in blue.
They're called a nasty lot,
But some of 'em are not,
Although I've caught it hot from one or two.
There's one of 'em has been a pal to this child.
One night he found me "dossing" in the street.
He didn't use his club,
But let me share his grub,
And with his lamp he let me warm my feet!

5. One night, when it was freezing hard and snowing,
I sees a woman trudging through it all,
So thin and poorly dressed;
The baby at her breast
Was only covered by a ragged shawl.
I followed her—I felt as how I had to,
When suddenly she pull the shawl aside,
Then screams, "My God! No, no!"
And sinks into the snow.
From cold and want her little one had died!

Subject: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: Bert
Date: 22 Jun 11 - 04:52 AM

Thanks for the extra verses Jim.

FWIW. it must have been written about the time when the police carried carbide lamps which gave of lots of heat.

I think I sang it on Mudcat radio years ago.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: While (Whilst ?) London Sleeps
From: Leadfingers
Date: 27 Apr 17 - 09:33 PM

BBC Radio 2 has Roy Hudd singing this at about 0220 , 28th April 2017