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04 Apr 01 - 10:17 AM (#432967) Subject: Poor old man crossing the road From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C A friend from Bristol (UK) used to sing us this cummulative children's song, which involved a trolly bus and several other tongue-twistings additions. Can't find it in my search of the DT archieves. Can anyone help? POOR OLD MAN CROSSING THE ROAD A poor old man was crossing the road, Crossing the road, crossing the road; A poor old man was crossing the road When along came a...? Which ran over the poor old man. |
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04 Apr 01 - 11:18 AM (#433004) Subject: Lyr Add: (MY) POOR OLD MAN (WAS CROSSING THE ROAD) From: MMario found two versions:
Poor Old Man |
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04 Apr 01 - 11:57 AM (#433033) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Poor old man crossing the road From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C Ahhhhh! Satiated for now. Thanks again, MMario. I never could make out all the words and now I see why. |
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04 Apr 01 - 12:44 PM (#433072) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Poor old man crossing the road From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C Speaking of the hazards of crossing the road, I recently ran across a description of the "Year's Wackiest Accident" reprinted in the COFFEE NEWS, Vol. 5, Issue 42, April 2, 2001 – a irreputable source if there ever was one: "It happened at a railway crossing in Britain, where a car stopped suddenly when it (sic) realized a train was approaching. A motorcyclist behind the car smashed into the back of the car, flipping the motorcyclist into the air. He (the motorcyclists) landed behind a horse and rider waiting at the crossing, which startled the horse, causing it to bolt. A man walking his dog rushed to the rescue, but not before tying his dog to the railway barrier. After the train passed by the barrier went up, taking the dog with it. The dog's owner hurt himself jumping to get his pet. Only the horse rider filed an insurance claim." Maybe this story was why I began thinking about the above song. Maybe we should start a new song challenge! |
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31 May 12 - 12:50 PM (#3357698) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: GUEST It should be Poor old man was crossing the road when along came a Wheel barrow fish and chip cart Trolley Bus wire wiper (needs explaining these days!) Corporation car what sucks water out of holes Shiny silver spittled silver shaddow (Rolls Royce) Double decker bus with babies singing (you can add "the wheels on the bus go round and round" to make it more complicated. Bicycle wheel that went rolling down the hill and ran over the poor old man! |
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31 May 12 - 02:07 PM (#3357717) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: GUEST I learned this from the singing of Alex Atterson |
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31 May 12 - 03:57 PM (#3357764) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: Gurney The version that I sing is: A poor old man was crossing the road, crossing the road, crossing the road. A poor old man was crossing the road, when along came a man with a- Fish-and-chipped-potato cart. (Refrain) Now, don't let that wheel of your F&CPC (Three times) run over the poor old man. Tank-on-wheels that sucks water out of holes. (Refrain, accumulating, F&CPC, TOWTSWOOH,) Ruddy great red Russian rocket on rollers with rude writing written on it. (Refrain, now three vehicles)) Accumulates like the 'Barley Mow.' Heard it in Leicestershire long ago. That is long enough, because you are singing on your own by the third verse. Easier if you hear it. |
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31 May 12 - 05:09 PM (#3357795) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: Charley Noble Nice to see my old thread request revived. I guess I've been active on this forum since 2001! Cheerily, Charley Noble, formerly Guest Roll & Go-C |
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01 Jun 12 - 11:16 AM (#3358052) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: banjoman We tend to make up various means of transport as we go and depending on where we are singing. We have added such delights as An electric Portsmouth Tram, A Sheffield Trolley Bus and little Johnny from next door in his pedal car. Needs loads of breath this song. |
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20 Feb 16 - 06:07 PM (#3774037) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: GUEST The version I know is as above with Wheelbarrow Fish and chip potato cart Ice cream ding a ling "wot sells lolly gobble chocolate bombs" Corporation cart "wot sucks water out of 'oles" |
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21 Feb 16 - 08:20 AM (#3774110) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: GUEST what a daft song- not even funny |
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21 Feb 16 - 12:34 PM (#3774150) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: Les in Chorlton Part of the rich and deep vein of a much undervalued genre of folk song - known s "Daft". An xlnt example and a much enjoyed song. |
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04 Mar 16 - 06:52 AM (#3776626) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: scouse Sung it for years and audience reaction is great even over here in the Netherlands.. it's no daft,it's good fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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04 Mar 16 - 07:54 AM (#3776629) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: GUEST,poor old man Can't say I find it very funny |
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22 Apr 19 - 04:12 AM (#3988536) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: GUEST,Fiona To Guests that ‘don’t find it very funny ‘. Get a life! It’s a great fun song to sing both to folks and in the car with the kids and it’s lovely to see all the versions. For some reason I woke up this morning with it in my head though it must be 25 years since I last thought of it. Our version, sung in Sutton Coldfield in the 60’s included a bus load of ‘people’ going to Blackpool for the day. I better not state the bus passengers origin as it would probably not be PC to sing that now on this sad touchy world. Great to see this thread! |
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22 Apr 19 - 12:34 PM (#3988582) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: Ged Fox The version we sang at scout camp in the early sixties included four or five of the of the verses above, wheelbarr-i-ow, bicyc-i-al, fish & chip potato cart, some sort of bus but I forget the details, some sort of refuse collection ditto. It ended with "A poor old man was crossing the road, crossing the road, crossing the road, A poor old man was crossing the road, When along came a man in a TANK!" |
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23 Apr 19 - 08:48 AM (#3988694) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: GUEST,Dave Hunt My version ends with -- poor old man etc - when along came a 1922 Aveling and Porter steam steam roller Don't let the wheels of your ….WHOOPS!....TOO LATE! I've also got kids to suggest daft things crossing the road...some great suggestions eg A life size model of the Titanic on wheels A kangaroo!, a railway engine etc... |
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24 Apr 19 - 04:26 PM (#3989048) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: GUEST,George Frampton here Isn't there a verse: Ten ton tipper truck from Timothy White and Taylors' to add to the mix? |
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24 Apr 19 - 05:16 PM (#3989059) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: Gurney Guest Poor Old Man. Some fell upon stony ground. |
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27 Apr 19 - 09:23 AM (#3989531) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: Herga Kitty In 2004, when the Sidmouth Middle Bar Singers were celebrating their 25th year of singing in the Anchor by singing continuously for 25 hours without repeating a song, someone claimed (erroneously as it later turned out on checking) that the song I had started to sing had already been sung. A Poor Old Man came to my rescue, and I was grateful for the years I'd spent as a teenager at the Herga folk club learning songs by osmosis. There are some people who regress backwards to the wheelbarrow rather than progress forwards from the wheelbarrow - I think that's just showing off! Kitty |
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28 Apr 19 - 04:51 PM (#3989759) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: goatfell I like the song |
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23 Oct 19 - 06:47 PM (#4015103) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: GUEST,Mick |
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23 Oct 19 - 07:58 PM (#4015110) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: Tattie Bogle It's daft, right enough, and funny because of that, and it's harder than Rattlin' Bog to learn in the genre of "cumulative songs". Being daft is not a fault IMHO. I admire anyone who can lead it: I can never keep up! As for songs that go backwards, Iain Mackintosh also used to sing one that starts as a very old man and goes back through various life milestones of decreasing age as far as in utero. |
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25 Oct 19 - 05:21 AM (#4015284) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: banjoman Its been part of Maggie's (wife) repertoire for many years and she often sings it to visitors in the pub at Milestones museum where she works. Goes down a treat as she includes lots of the vintage/steam vehicles on display there. |
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25 Oct 19 - 09:15 AM (#4015321) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Poor Old Man Was Crossing the Road From: John MacKenzie I still sing this song occasionally, which I learned from a guy called Mark Smith (I think he was) who used to turn up at the club I ran in Kew, and many other London folk clubs in the late 60's & early 79's. I seem to think he came from Hitchin. |