|
31 Jan 11 - 08:53 AM (#3085820) Subject: Lyr Req: You Can't Help Laughing, Can Yer? From: Jim Dixon Here's another of my attempts at transcribing an old music-hall song. This was a difficult one because Champion sings so fast, and uses lots of slang terms. There are lots of questionable words and phrases—so many that I haven't bothered marking them with question marks. I'm expecting (hoping for) lots of corrections, so I numbered the lines for easy reference. Please help! You can hear this recording at YouTube. YOU CAN'T HELP LAUGHING, CAN YER? Lawrence, Carter As sung by Harry Champion 1. I was told I had a funny face, 2. So I gave notice at my place, 3. Thought I'd go upon the stage. 4. Then I'd earn a decent wage. 5. I sang a song called "Boiled Beef and Carrots" 6. And "Take Your Umbrella with You, John" 7. With a funny suit of clothes 8. And an old red nose 9. As soon as I come on. 10. You can't help laughing, can you? 11. Don't it make you laugh? Ha-ha! 12. I was a potman at the pub, 13. Got twelve bob a week and all me grub. 14. I worked hard down at the old Britannia. 15. Nine hundred and eighty quid a week for doing this! 16. Well, you can't help laughing, can you? 17. One fine night you trot into a show 18. Inside a picture palace-o, 19. Right in front of some young toff, 20. With a girl and what a laugh! 21. In the dark she started kissing him. 22. It stopped the circulation of your blood. 23. She makes a funny row 24. Like an old milk cow 25. That trots off in the mud. 26. You can't help laughing, can you? 27. Don't it make you laugh? Ha-ha! 28. He teaches her a go for his darling Flo 29. Bites at her face and she says, "Ow!" 30. That's her coming now. Don't it fair unman you? 31. It's your old woman with a ...-shop man. 32. Well, you can't help laughing, can you? 33. Perhaps you think of going for a day 34. Down to a place called Pegward bay, 35. Put your togs on nice and trim, 36. While you go and have a swim. 37. In the water you feel funny 38. When the kippers come and nibble at your toes, 39. But don't you give a shout 40. When the tide goes out 41. And takes away your clothes. 42. You can't help laughing, can you? 43. Don't it make you laugh? Ha-ha! 44. You look like Adam. You're nice and cool. 45. Then comes along a young ladies' school. 46. They pass by. The sun comes out to tan you, 47. But you hit a rough speck in the water again. 48. Well, you can't help laughing, can you? 49. Now in a running racetrack chums and I 50. The Windsor Cup I thought I'd try. 51. I had on fine-cut ... 52. Rather large and lots o' room 53. My poor ... began to giggle 54. Then he stumbled down to wallop on the track 55. I didn't pick him up, 56. But I won that cup 57. And caused him to ... 58. You can't help laughing, can you? 59. Don't it make you laugh? Ha-ha! 60. When you was a-laughing around your face 61. I did a sprint and won that race 62. It's all true. The painting which I ran you. 63. They belonged to my woman that I wore that day 64. Well, you can't help laughing, can you? 65. You can't help laughing, can you? 66. Don't it make you laugh? Ha-ha! 67. I was a potman at the pub, 68. Got twelve bob a week and all me grub. 69. I worked hard down at the old Britannia. 70. Nine hundred and eighty quid a week for doing this! 71. Well, you can't help laughing, can you? |
|
03 Feb 11 - 07:22 AM (#3087809) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You Can't Help Laughing, Can Yer? From: Billy Weeks Strange that Kilgarriff's splendid book gives so little information on this one, but Tony Barker's equally splendid discography ('Music Hall' mag Nos 25 and 26, 1982) gives it as by Lawrence & Carter, published and recorded in 1913. I have the Regal record but not the printed music. However, several of the verses have embedded themelves in my memory for the past sixty years or so and I offer the following: 15 and 70: Now I'm getting eighty quid for doing this (nine hundred and eighty would have been unthinkable in 1913) 28: Kisses her and calls her his darling Flo, bites at her cheek and she says 'Oh'. 31: Tripe shop man. I saw Harry Champion when I was still at at school. He was in his seventies, but still tremendously energetic. Unforgettable. |
|
03 Feb 11 - 07:29 AM (#3087810) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You Can't Help Laughing, Can Yer? From: Billy Weeks Also, I think: 30: As they're coming out 34: Pegwell Bay (near Ramsgate in Kent) 47: You duck down quick... |
|
06 Oct 12 - 08:42 PM (#3415685) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You Can't Help Laughing, Can Yer? From: GUEST,joolz My recording says 'bites at her face' so it may be a bit different recording to one of those above, but I've put the words of mine below. I think this is closer than yours as a cow stuck in mud would bellow more than one trotting off. You'd take your clothes off and put them in a pile to swim rather than put them on, and that's why they are washed away by the sea. You 'run back in the water again' to cover your modesty from the ladies' school. In the race a rival laughed at him wearing wearing women's pants to run, rather than a painting. You did a great job with all these lyrics and your work is much appreciated. It's easy for others to pick up wee tweaks, but you did the hardest job of getting them written down in the first place. Thank you. joolz I was told I had a funny face, So I gave notice at my place, Thought I'd go upon the stage. Then I'd earn a decent wage. I sang a song called "Boiled Beef and Carrots" And "Take Your Umbrella with You, John" With a funny suit of clothes And an old red nose As soon as I come on. You can't help laughing, can you? Don't it make you laugh? Not half! I was a potman at the pub, Got twelve bob a week and all me grub. I worked hard down at the old Britannia. Now I'm getting eighty quid a week for doing this! Well, you can't help laughing, can you? One fine night you trot into a show Inside a picture palace-o, Right in front of some young toff, With his girl and what a laugh! In the dark she start a-kissing him. It stops the circulation of your blood. She makes a funny row Like an old milk cow That's stuck fast in the mud. You can't help laughing, can you? Don't it make you laugh? Not half! He kisses her and calls her his darling Flo Bites at her face and she says, "Oh!" As they're coming out. Don't it fair unman you? It's your old woman with a tripe-shop man. Well, you can't help laughing, can you? Perhaps you think of going for a day Down to a place called Pegwell Bay, Put your togs all nice and trim, While you go and have a swim. In the water you feel funny When the kippers come and nibble at your toes, But don't you give a shout When the tide goes out And takes away your clothes. You can't help laughing, can you? Don't it make you laugh? Not half! You look like Adam. You're nice and cool. Then comes along a young ladies' school. They pass by. The sun comes out to tan you, But you have to run back in the water again. Well, you can't help laughing, can you? Now in a running racetrack chums and I The Windsor Cup I thought I'd try. I had on a fine costume Rather large and lots of room My poor rival began to giggle Then he stumbled down to wallop on the track I didn't pick him up, But I won that cup And shouted to him Jack- You can't help laughing, can you? Don't it make you laugh? Not half! When you was a-laughing around your face I did a sprint and won that race It's all true. The pants in which I ran you. They belonged to my woman that I wore that day Well, you can't help laughing, can you? You can't help laughing, can you? Don't it make you laugh? Not half! I was a potman at the pub, Got twelve bob a week and all me grub. I worked hard down at the old Britannia. Now I'm getting eighty quid a week for doing this! Well, you can't help laughing, can you? |
|
07 Oct 12 - 03:45 PM (#3415967) Subject: Lyr Add; YOU CAN'T HELP LAUGHING, CAN YER? From: GUEST,999 YOU CAN'T HELP LAUGHING, CAN YER? The following is from http://monologues.co.uk/musichall/Songs-Y/You-Cant-Help-Laughing.htm I have not done a word-by-word comparison with the lyrics posted by either Jim or joolz. I was told I had a funny face, so I gave notice at my place Thought I'd go upon the stage, then I'd earn a decent wage I sang a song called 'Boiled Beef and Carrots' and 'Take your umbrella with you John' With some funny suit of clothes and a old red nose. As soon as I come on. Chorus: You can't help laughing can yer? Don't it make you laugh not half I was the potman at a pub Got four bob a week and all me grub I worked hard down at the Old Britannia Now I'm getting eigthy quid a week for doing this Well, you can't help laughing can yer? One fine night you toddle to a show, inside a picture palace O Right in front there's some young spark, with his girl and what a lark In the dark she start's kissing him, it stops the circulation of the blood She makes a funny row like an old moo-cow that's stuck fast in the mud. Chorus: You can't help laughing can yer? Don't it make you laugh not half He kisses her and calls her his darling Flo Bites on her face and she says oh As they're coming out, don't it fair unmend yer It's your old woman with a tripe shop man Well, you can't stop laughing can yer? Perhaps you think of going for a day, Down to a place called Pegwell Bay Put your togs all nice and trim, while you go and have a swim In the water you feel funny when The kippers come and nibble at your toes But don't you give a shout when the tide goes out and takes away your clothes Chorus: You can't help laughing can yer? Don't it make you laugh not half You'll look like Adam you're nice and cool Then along comes a young ladies school They pass by, the Sun comes out to tan yer But you have to rush back in the water again Well, you can't help laughing can yer? Now in a running race Jack Jones and I The wind backed up, I thought I'd die I had on my costume, rather large and lots of room My poor rival began to giggle Then he tumbled down a wallop on the track I didn't pick him up, but I won the cup Then shouted to him, 'Jack, Chorus: You can't help laughing can yer? Don't it make you laugh not half When you was a-laughing round your face I did a sprint and won that race It's all through, the pants in which I ran yer They belong to my old woman that I wore that day Well, you can't help laughing can yer.' |
|
07 Oct 12 - 04:07 PM (#3415982) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You Can't Help Laughing, Can Yer? From: GUEST,joolz aaaargh! I've been on that great website a lot, but didn't see those lyrics, duh. I got pretty close, but those are right I think. thankz joolz |
|
07 Oct 12 - 04:19 PM (#3415987) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You Can't Help Laughing, Can Yer? From: GUEST,999 Hi, joolz. It is infuriating. Trust me, I know the feeling. |
|
12 Oct 13 - 02:23 PM (#3566360) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You Can't Help Laughing, Can Yer? From: GUEST,Bernard Sanders Any body know the lyrics and music for "Take Your Umbrella with You, John" referenced in line5? |