Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor)

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Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor)

11 May 97 - 08:38 PM (#5090)
Subject: Job's worth,It's more than me job's worth (Ly
From: John

I have heard this song only once, but it has stuck with me for a lot of years. It tells the tale of how British workers make excuses for not striving for that extra yard on the basis that it would cost them their job. It comes from the English satirist who wrote "Prawns in the Game."

I can't recall his name but he was deported from Sth Africa for penning anti Apartheid songs, circa early 70's.

Just remembered, it was Jeremy Taylor.

Any help please? John

10 Jun 97 - 03:08 AM (#6545)
Subject: RE: Job's worth,It's more than me job's worth (Ly
From: John

Thought that I might re-post this and try again,

Thanks John

02 Apr 98 - 06:59 PM (#24995)
Subject: LYR REQ:Job's worth,It's more than me job's worth
From: John in Brisbane

Still searching please.

I'm very impressed at how efficient the Filter Search function is to retrieve old threads.

Regards John

06 Apr 98 - 07:13 PM (#25304)
Subject: RE: Job's worth,It's more than me job's worth (Ly
From: RayBanks

I heard Jeremy Taylor sing this in English folk clubs back in the early seventies. I just remember the chorus:-

Jobsworth, Jobsworth, Its more than me job's worth I don't care if it rains or snows, Whatever you want, the answers NO. I could keep you waitin' four hours in a queue And if you don't like it, well you know what you can do!

I anyone out there knows the verses, I'd love them. Jeremey Taylor is a very funny man, and a good singer.

06 Apr 98 - 08:51 PM (#25318)
Subject: RE: Job's worth,It's more than me job's worth (Ly
From: Bob Bolton

Jobsworth:

I heard Jeremy Taylor sing this song, among many other beaut songs, when he toured Australia in the 70s. I particulary loved this one - it could be the anthem of any working musician who has had to deal with entrenched Jobsworths (or anyone else who has tried to get sense and work out of people securely ensonced under their official hat or behind the official desk).

I have it on one or two tape recordings of his concerts but I have never bothered to type the words out, since I quickly memorised them. If needed, I could get around to typing them out, as it is a song that needs a bit of a revival just now. I haven't tried my hand at writing out tunes in ABC but we have a local guru, so perhaps I will look into this as an economical way to pass on dots.

Let me know and I will post the words - after Easter and our National Folk Festival, in Canberra.

regards,

Bob Bolton

20 Apr 98 - 07:31 PM (#26087)
Subject: RE: Job's worth,It's more than me job's worth (Ly
From: Bob Bolton

G'day all,

I'm slowly surfacing after the (Australian) National Folk Festival. I see nobody else has popped up with the words of Jeremy's beaut song. I was listening to my tape of his 1979 Perth and Adelaide concerts as I drove down to Canberra. He is a witty performer - no wonder the South Africans did not like to hear his trenchant views of apartheid.

After exile, he took a little while to refocus on Britain but "Jobsworth" shows that he did so with a vengeance. I will finish transcibing the words and get back soon.

Regrads,

Bob Bolton

21 Apr 98 - 07:59 PM (#26207)
Subject: Lyr Add: JOBSWORTH (Jeremy Taylor)
From: Bob Bolton

G'day again,

I have sat down at typed the whole lot out - as performed by Jeremy Taylor on his 1979 Australian tour.

JOBSWORTH
Words (and Music?) by Jeremy Taylor

Now, I was just an ordinary English man,
Till I got me uniform, and hat,
And ever since that hour, I exercise me power,
Preventing you from doing this and that.
You'll find me on the turnstiles at the zoo,
Or outside the Roxy, marshalling the queue,
And if you turn up late, when I'm on the gate,
It's no good asking me to let you through... 'cause I'll just say:

CHORUS: Jobsworth, jobsworth; it's more than my job's worth.
I don't care, rain or snow, whatever you want - the answer's no!
I can keep you standing, for hours in the queue,
And if you don't like it, you know what you can do! (A...a...ah...ah)

When you're trying to see, what the butler saw,
I'm the one who says; "Come on, move on!",
And if you want to stay, you'll have to bleedin' pay,
And even then you can't stay long.
You may be almost dropping dead from thirst,
Or waiting for the toilet, fit to burst,
But I've got the key ... and you won't get that from me,
Until I've had me little grumble first!
Chorus:
Jobsworth, jobsworth; it's more than my job's worth.
I don't care, rain or snow, whatever you want - the answer's no!
I can keep you standing, for hours in the queue,
And if you don't like it, you know what you can do! (La, la, la, la, la, la, la la la la, la, la)

Spoken: (Yes, well, I died in the last war for people like you ... don't you forget it!)

Fishing in the river, on a summer's day,
I s'pose you think that water's all for free?
But, I've got news for you; everybody pays his due,
And right now it'll cost you 50p (plus VAT).
Don't think you can picnic on the grass,
Public amenity ... my ah ... foot,
And if you want fresh air, you'll find some over there,
But I don't feel inclined to let you pass ...without a backhander.

Mornin' Skipper, what can we do for you? (Recitative)
"Don't call me Skipper!" ... All right Chief, don't shout. (Recitative)
Whatever you require, we're very sorry, Squire,
But it's ten to one we just sold out.
'Course ... you could try that shop around the block ... (sniff),
But I doubt if he's got any left in stock,
And if you think we'll get 'em through, inside a month or two,
I'm afraid you're in for a nasty shock, ... Cock.

When you get back home, you will heave a sigh,
And thank the Lord that you've got rid of me.
But it won't be very long before your telephone goes wrong,
And you need someone to fix your ... TV,
And add to that, your lights have all gone out, (Nya, nya)
And your central heating boiler's up the spout,
And when you're tearing your hair, and the wife's going spare,
You'll hear us in the distance calling out: (Two, three, four...)

CHORUS: Jobsworth, jobsworth; it's more than my job's worth.
I don't care, rain or snow, whatever you want - the answer's no!
I can keep you standing, for ...years in the queue,
And if you don't like it, you know what you can do! (You can lump it!)

You know what ... you ... can ... do!
(Rump, duddie ah dah - rump dah - vroom)

SPOKEN: Of course, that is the spirit that won the last war. When Hitler said: "I'm coming to invade you", we said, "Sorry mate; we're closed!"

NOTE: Transcription includes asides (in brackets) that need not be part of any given performance

BRIEF GLOSSARY:
50p: Fifty (new) pence, half a pound, roughly one US dollar
VAT: Value Added Tax - a goods and services tax
Skipper: English vernacular form of address to one's presumed "Betters"
Chief: English vernacular form of address to one's presumed "Betters"
Squire: English vernacular form of address to one's presumed "Betters"
Cock: English vernacular form of address ... to any at all.

On my tape of Jeremy Taylor's 1979 concerts in Perth (mainly) and Adelaide are the following items:
Dr. Barnard's Driver (Story)
The Transplant Calypso
The Immorality Act
The Lift Girl's Lament
Ag Pleez Deddy
The Republic Day Calypso
All Along the South Coast (poem)
Love on the Sands
Lurv, California Style
Jobsworth
You Know! (poem)
Made in Holland
When You've Gone Out of Your Mind
Prawns in the Game
The Donkeys' Charter
The Winter Song
Pommy Bastards (Jeremy's paean to Australian appreciation of the English)
Irene Goodnight

The first half are from Jeremy's South African days and the second half (all bar the penultimate item) come from his English exile period. "Lurv, California Style" is a screamingly funny (over here) tale of acculturation and sex, but may lose some of its point among natives of the U. S. of A.

Enjoy:

Bob Bolton

21 Apr 98 - 09:40 PM (#26229)
Subject: RE: Job's worth,It's more than me job's worth (Ly
From: John in Brisbane

Bob,

Yes I will enjoy and thanks very much. While my memory of the tune is only fair, I seem to recall that it was vaguely skiffle(ish) - similar to 'Any Old Iron' - if that helps any other readers.

Regards John

02 Feb 10 - 05:14 PM (#2828492)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor)
From: GUEST

Saw J eremy Taylor with a Spike Milligan show many years ago in Liverpool. Brilliant!
nel

02 Feb 10 - 05:46 PM (#2828515)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor)
From: cptsnapper

I used to have the live album of Jeremy & Spike's show but sadly it's gone astray.

02 Feb 10 - 06:07 PM (#2828531)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor)
From: ChrisJBrady

See:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz44_Sp0K8A

CJB.

03 Feb 10 - 10:53 AM (#2828838)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor)
From: Nigel Parsons

I used to have the live album of Jeremy & Spike's show but sadly it's gone astray.
Now available on CD, See Here

Cheers
Nigel

03 Feb 10 - 11:13 AM (#2828860)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor)
From: Cretzon

Still got that original vinyl album recorded at Cambridge and bought around the same time. Still in good nick, too - although I've transferred it digitally to CD.

I've bought a few of Jeremy's CD's directly from him over the last few years. You could try emailing him via his website - he might have a CD version of that LP. It definitely pops up on Ebay regularly.

29 Jun 20 - 05:45 PM (#4062077)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor)
From: Joe Offer

needs some cleanup

29 Jun 20 - 07:30 PM (#4062091)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor)
From: GUEST,Roger

I remember Jeremy Taylor and his music well.
He should be credited with introducing the word 'Jobsworth' into general usage in the English language.

29 Jun 20 - 10:52 PM (#4062107)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor)
From: GUEST,Gerry

When I've heard it done, the audience joins in with a loud NO! at the end of the second line of each chorus.

30 Jun 20 - 04:29 AM (#4062129)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor)
From: GUEST,Ray

As for introducing the word into the English language, he told me, many years ago, that he originally found the word in an article in the Telegraph.

30 Jun 20 - 06:08 AM (#4062138)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor)
From: banjoman

Ithink that at least the chorus was used by Ester Ranzen & Co on "that's Life" When they exposed a Jobsworth each week.

30 Jun 20 - 06:46 AM (#4062142)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor)
From: GUEST,Ray

I don’t remember that they gave any credit to the song on the “that’s life” programme. They simply stole the concept.

The Jeremy/Spike record was eventually re-released on the famous cheapo label “Music for Pleasure” - I have a copy.

30 Jun 20 - 07:44 AM (#4062145)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor)
From: GUEST,Jerry

I recall the term Jobsworth becoming a popular slang word amongst disaffected youths in the early 1970s, so yes it predates Jeremy Taylor’s song, although the song hit the folk clubs just as the word had become common parlance, hence its popularity. Other terms like Rip Off emerged about the same time in the UK, and is now regularly used in the Media.

30 Jun 20 - 09:48 AM (#4062163)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor)
From: Richard Mellish

This revived thread gives me a lame excuse to tell a little tale that a friend/colleague told me, from an earlier time in his career.

I forget what organisation he was working for at the time, but he needed some item for the job that he was working on, so he went to see the storeman. (Let's call the item a whatsit.)

Can I have a whatsit, please.
No.
Why, haven't you got one?
Yes I've got one.
Well can I have it then?
No.
Why not?
Somebody might want it.

03 Feb 21 - 12:38 PM (#4091288)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jobsworth (Jeremy Taylor)
From: dayvaitch

I'd certainly never heard the term "jobsworth" until I saw him perform "Jobsworth". Late 60s I think.

Pretty sure I've still got it on vinyl.