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Lyr Req: She Does Like a Little Bit of Scotch

18 Jan 01 - 11:45 AM (#376993)
Subject: She Does Like A Little Bit of Scotch
From: aussiebloke

The song fragment below was sang, sung, singed - err... aurally passed along to me by a friend...

Would love to find for her the whole song that her grandfather sang to her...


My old woman went to Scotland for a holiday
Got Scotland on the brain,
shes driving me insane,
she used to give me eggs and bacon for my breakfast once,
but now its nothing else but porridge,
now for months and months,
she does like a little bit of scotch she does,
she does like a little bit of scotch,
in the middle of the night she begins to sing,
jumps out of bed does the highland fling,
she christened me Sandy,
her ways you ought to watch,
tis a bright bright moonlight night tonight,
in a scots accent
she does like a little bit of scotch,
yeehaa,
she does like a little bit of scotch.

cheers...
aussiebloke

Click for related thread and for full lyrics


18 Jan 01 - 08:04 PM (#377374)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from my grandfather
From: Jim Dixon

This web site catalogs an Edison talking machine cylinder record called "She Does Like A Little Bit Of Scotch," sung by Billy Williams. It indicates it was released in the UK in 1913.

If you use a search engine like Google and use as your search argument:

"Billy Williams" "music hall"

you will find lots of references to him. Unfortunately, I was unable to find the lyrics you're looking for.


19 Jan 01 - 08:20 PM (#378182)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from my grandfather
From: aussiebloke

Thanks for that Jim, at least now we have a song title - I've done some searching too, no sign of the lyrics as yet...


20 Jan 01 - 03:47 PM (#378557)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from my grandfather
From: GUEST,Charles Colyer

You might find some more information at the following site. The song you're searching for is mentioned under Gus Williams' name. Or you might find Edison Blue Amberol 23113 and copy the lyrics from there. Good luck!

http://homepage.virgin.net/m.killy/index.htm

Charles


20 Jan 01 - 08:00 PM (#378697)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from my grandfather
From: Jim Dixon

You might try e-mailing Michael Kilgarriff, whose e-mail address is given at the above-mentioned web site, to see if he can supply the words. If you get them, please post them here.


21 Jan 01 - 09:36 PM (#379313)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from my grandfather
From: aussiebloke

Thanks for that Jim & Charles...

I've emailed Michael Kilgarriff as suggested, and with the clue about 'Edison Blue Amberol 23113' a Google search found a listing, but no lyrics here:

http://www.usinternet.com/users/danixon/4min.htm

I've e-mailed a request for the lyrics to Daniel Nixon as well - I'll post 'em if I get 'em...

Here's hoping, and thanks for your help...


22 Jan 01 - 09:52 PM (#380134)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from my grandfather
From: aussiebloke

Dan Nixon replied that he doesn't have the lyrics as such, but has offered to send me an *.ra file of the Edison cylinder version - I'll have a go at transcribing the lyrics from that...

Michael Kilgarriff very kindly supplied the following clues...
" ...I have it listed as sung by Gus Williams, though Billy Williams certainly recorded it - page 291 of Brian Rust's British Music Hall on Record lists BW as having recoded it c. March 1912 (matrix 79694) and issued for Pathe 5217, Pathe Actuelle 10676 and Diamond 0218. Billy Williams recorded over 500 songs in his brief career and it may be that this particular song was never published."

He also suggested these contacts, posted here for info, I'll follow the up email lead to the British Library...

Max Tyler 01243 783 322 - Historian of the British Music Hall Society
Performing Right Society - might have the copyright holder listed - tel 0207 580 5544.

" ...then there is the music library of the British Library; alas as yet the pre-1975 catalogue is not yet on-line so you'll have to write or email (www.bl.uk) ( Blicky to British Museum: dsc-customer-services@bl.uk ) for information... "

The chase continues - the game is afoot...


23 Jan 01 - 11:06 AM (#380488)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from my grandfather
From: Jim Dixon

Aussiebloke: It does my heart good to see someone working this hard to track down a song. Good luck to ya!


23 Jan 01 - 09:08 PM (#380937)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from my grandfather
From: GUEST,CraigS

I collect 78s of comedians, but, while I have several by Billy Williams, I don't have this one. What I can say is that the majority of my Billy Williams records are on the "Phoenix" and "Cinch" labels, and I have his autograph on one of them! I seem to remember (although I can't find the evidence) that I have one or two on the "Zonophone" or "Twin" labels as well (these labels are easily confused, as they amalgamated after/during WW1).


24 Jan 01 - 09:46 AM (#381195)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from my grandfather
From: aussiebloke

Ah, more clues Watson...


28 Jan 01 - 09:50 PM (#384508)
Subject: Lyr Add: SHE DOES LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF SCOTCH
From: aussiebloke

SHE DOES LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF SCOTCH
Transcribed from a recording by Billy Williams. UK 1913.
Thanks to Daniel Nixon for the *.ra file

Since my old woman went to Scotland for a holiday
She's got Scotland on the brain
She's driving me insane
She used to give me eggs and bacon for my breakfast once
But I've been eating nothing else but porridge now for months

She does like a little bit of scotch, d'ye ken?
She does like a little bit of scotch.
In the middle of the night she begins to sing
Jumps out of bed and does a highland fling
She's christened me Sandy
Her ways you ought to watch
It's a braw brecht moon licht nicht d'ye ken?
She does like a little drop of scotch, och aye!
She does like a little bit of scotch.

She does like a little bit of scotch, d'ye ken?
She does like a little bit of scotch
In the middle of the night she begins to sing
Jumps out of bed and does a highland fling
She's christened me Sandy
Her ways you ought to watch
It's a braw brecht moon licht nicht d'ye ken?
She does like a little drop of scotch, och aye!
She does like a little drop of scotch.

She wears a Tammy Shanter now when she goes walking out
And an awful craze she's got - growing thistles in a pot
In church last Sunday morning she created quite a scene
She forgot herself and started singing Jean from Aberdeen

She does like a little bit of scotch, d'ye ken?
She does like a little bit of scotch
In the middle of the night she begins to sing
Jumps out of bed and does a highland fling
She's christened me Sandy
Her ways you ought to watch
It's a braw brecht moon licht nicht d'ye ken?
She does like a little bit of scotch, och aye!
She does like a little bit of scotch.

She does like a little bit of scotch, d'ye ken?
She does like a little bit of scotch
In the middle of the night she begins to sing
Jumps out of bed and does a highland fling
She's christened me Sandy
Her ways you ought to watch
It's a braw brecht moon licht nicht d'ye ken?
She does like a little bit of scotch, och aye!
She does like a little bit of scotch.

Repeat: She does likeā€¦


28 Jan 01 - 11:19 PM (#384557)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from my grandfather
From: Jim Dixon

Bravo, aussiebloke! Another priceless song rescued from oblivion!


01 Feb 01 - 11:41 AM (#387495)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from my grandfather
From: aussiebloke


Thanks all.
Today, via the magic of good old-fashioned snail mail I posted a copy of these lyrics to my friend, a female in her 30's, who had recalled the song fragment way above, and initiated this particular search - I'm sure she'll be delighted.

She remembered it from her childhood as sang by her long passed away grandfather.

I have a copy of the Edison cylinder as an *.ra file if'n anyone wants it
e-mail me, or better still is there an on-line repository for such things here at mudcat, or elsewhere?

Thanks for your kind words Jim Dixon - rescuing a song from oblivion is very strong language, makes it sound very special...

Cheers

aussiebloke

Shameless player of the bodhrán in public


03 Feb 09 - 08:57 PM (#2556656)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from my grandfather
From: GUEST

you say you have a autograph of billy williams.cud u copy it 4 me by any chance as hes suposed to be my great great granfather and i would like to see his signiture.thanks. my email address is shirley_m_@hotmail.com


24 Jul 13 - 07:38 PM (#3541377)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: She Does Like a Little Bit of Scotch
From: GUEST

My Granda used to sing it

http://monologues.co.uk/musichall/Songs-S/She-Does-Like-A-Little-Drop-Of-Scotch.htm
Lyrics
Above link has a very good version of possible original and you can hear it on YouTube as well

Below is a mp3 link to one of six original versions. mp3
http://www.mp3chief.com/b/billy-williams-she-does-like-a-little-bit-of-scotch

My Granda (Ben Crowe, Carrickfergus) sang "Since my old 'lady' went to Scotland....", when where kids.
"...insane" was changed to "...astray"
He would have sang it a faster tempo as well.
He also dropped the repeat of last line in the chorus - simply ending it each time with
"0h, she does like a little bit of scotch"


Adam