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16 Mar 05 - 05:53 PM (#1436395) Subject: Lyr Req: The Knocker up From: brumfolk Does anyone remember a song called " the knocker up" i think possibly by gary and vera aspey,. The last line of the chorus ( if i remember ) is " to work you must be going". Be interested to find it |
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16 Mar 05 - 06:53 PM (#1436447) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker up From: Big Jim from Jackson You are right, it is by Gary and Vera Aspey. It's on one of their albums---I can't recall just which one, and I don't have them available to me just at this moment. They have a number of songs about mining and other industrial-themed material. Gary and Vera are one of the best duets anywhere. |
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16 Mar 05 - 07:23 PM (#1436464) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker up From: Sorcha Couldn't find much, it's NOT on the album From the North, and it looks like most of their albums have been discontinued. Sorry |
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16 Mar 05 - 07:33 PM (#1436471) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker up From: Peace Lancashire Sings Again - Kershaw, Mary & Harvey They do a song entitled "Song of the Knocker-up". |
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17 Mar 05 - 04:40 AM (#1436716) Subject: Lyr Add: THE KNOCKER-UPPER MAN (Mike Canavan) From: rich-joy ^^ THE KNOCKER-UPPER MAN ~ Mike Canavan THROUGH COBBLED streets so cold and damp The Knocker-Upper man goes creeping Tap-tapping at the window pane To wake the town from sleeping. chorus : He said : "Hey thee up and stir th'self The factory hooter's blowin' So get up from your nice warm bed To work you must be goin'." DAY IN, day out, the year about Though snow and rain are falling You'd hear his clogs along the street You'd hear his voice a-calling. ALL THE EARLY-rising working folk The Knocker-Upper's call they heeded But times go by, old customs die Now he's no longer needed. THROUGH STREETS of quiet suburbia The Knocker-Upper's ghost goes creeping Now listening to the ringing sound That wakes the town from sleeping. Cheers! R-J (the first song that Poor Misery and I sang together, all those years ago!!!) |
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17 Mar 05 - 04:42 AM (#1436719) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker up From: rich-joy sorry, not sure how to change thread titles to "Lyr Add" ... Cheers! R-J |
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18 Mar 05 - 07:46 AM (#1437585) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker up From: Jim Dixon According to this Topic Discography, Gary & Vera Aspey recorded KNOCKER UPPER MAN on their album "Seeing Double," Topic 12TS407, 1981. It also lists SONG OF THE KNOCKER-UP, recorded by Mary and Harvey Kershaw on their album "Lancashire Sings Again!" Topic 12TS302. A duo called Hanky Park (Tony Downes and Pete Martin) performs THE KNOCKER-UPPER MAN (by Mike Canavan) on their album "Rough & Ready." You can hear a sound sample on that web page. |
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18 Oct 07 - 07:39 AM (#2173514) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: GUEST, Sminky I found this fragment whilst searching a Lancashire genealogy site. The person remembers it being sung by her father: "Every morning at 'alf past five Thowt knocker-up comes round Tic, tic, tic, wi' a big long stick When I were sleeping sound And if it weren't for the little bit 'o brass I had to earn To keep myself alive I'd se'at yon man at the bottom o' th' pit 'Fore I'd wake up at 'alf past five!" |
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18 Oct 07 - 09:01 AM (#2173565) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: Charley Noble Does this phrase have an alternative meaning in the UK as it surely would have here in the States? Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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18 Oct 07 - 09:14 AM (#2173580) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: GUEST,PMB I'm sure most of his victims thought he was a complete f***er. They had to pay him though. And no, say "knock me up at half seven" and you won't get any raised eyebrows here. The Little Piecer is another song on the same subject of having to go to t' mill in t' morn. |
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18 Oct 07 - 09:41 AM (#2173596) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: GUEST, Sminky Charley - mercifully it does, though we also use the 'other' definition. Guest PMB - if someone were to bang on my bedroom window at 5am, he would soon be chewing on the contents of my chamber pot! I love the Dave Brooks version of The Little Piecer. I've been trying to find photos of the knocker-upper on the web, without success (I know I've seen one somewhere). The nearest thing is this sketch. Question is - who got the knocker-up up? |
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18 Oct 07 - 10:35 AM (#2173635) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: Santa Jez Lowe has a song on the same theme called "Cursed be the Caller" (with his knock, knock, knock.) |
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18 Oct 07 - 11:27 AM (#2173671) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: Lowden Jameswright Many years ago my brother-in-law went to the US and asked a young lady on reception in a hotel if she wouldn't mind knocking him up at 7:30, then wondered why she reacted as she did. His ignorance of US custom & practice also landed him in a sticky situation when he booked in on another night at the YMCA - rather naive my brother-in-law! |
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18 Oct 07 - 04:00 PM (#2173914) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: Charley Noble Thanks for the clarification, gang. Language practice can be a minefield as one travels from one fair land to another. Keep your pecker up! Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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19 Oct 07 - 04:00 AM (#2174248) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: Dave the Gnome It is written, as said in the above lyrics, by Mike Canavan. Mike can still be found in the pubs and clubs around Manchester either with his Celidh band, 'LegPlaiters' (sp?), with various other bands and, occasionaly, on his own. Dave |
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19 Oct 07 - 05:06 AM (#2174279) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: The Doctor There is also a one verse song on the same subject, as follows: A mate of mine once said to me,'Will you knock me up at half past three?' And so, promptly at half past one, I knocked on his window and I said,'Oh John, I've just come round to tell you, I've just come round to tell you, I've just come round to tell you, you've got two more hours to sleep.' |
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19 Oct 07 - 06:21 AM (#2174314) Subject: Lyr Add: COAL-HOLE CAVALRY From: GUEST, Sminky Finally managed to track down a photo of the man himself. There's also this song by the Houghton Weavers (I detect some little pieces of The Little Piecer in this): Coal Hole Cavalry Early mornin' dreaming is shattered One clitter clatter on't cobbles outside Th'owd knocker upper's rat tattin' on't window Makin' sure nobody's 'oer lied CHORUS Clitterin' clatterin' coal hole cavalry Gallopin' rain or fine Clitterin' clatterin' coal hole cavalry Gallopin' down t'mine Father yawnin' drizzle on't window More clitter clatterin' comin down'thill Stairs are creakin' th'oven doors bangin' Father a'waitin' for uncle bill CHORUS Mam is fillin' his bottle wi' waiter Clatter clitter clatterin' rattle on't latch Clogs in't lobby and talkin' quiet Arguing toss abeawt satday's match CHORUS Come on billy lad best get going Clatter clitter clatterin' front door bang Going deawn t' mucky owd coal pit Hear t'pit hat and snap tin clang CHORUS Colliers ridin' a million horses Clatter clitter clatter all over the word Beggar off injuns cavalry's comin' Picks and shovels and banners unfurled CHORUS Buzzer's blowin' out t'sound o't'victry Clatter clitter clatterin's over and done All goes quiet and sleep is comin' I wish I was a collier it must be fun Then it gets bizarre... There was a UK TV advert for Mother's Pride bread in the late 60s, featuring Dusty Springfield singing the following ditty: I'm a happy knocker-upper and I'm popular beside 'Cos I wake 'em with a cuppa ... and tasty Mother's Pride, Then they're up in a flash and a rush (it's the bread) And a dash and a push (it's the bread) With a flash and a dash and a rush and a push (I can say it's the bread). It's the Mother's Pride bread! It makes them love work! They're going berserk to get off to work! It's in the way I wake 'em by bringing to their side — The bread (we freshly bake 'em!).... Fantastic Mother's Pride! Words and music by one Malcom Mitchell, ca. July 1968 |
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19 Oct 07 - 07:27 AM (#2174363) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: GUEST,AlanG at work Sminky You forgot to say that the words and music to Coal 'Ole Cavalry are by Ted Edwards. Ted is still writing excellent songs and can be seen (and heard) every 2nd and 4th Wednesday at the "songs in the Snug" |
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19 Oct 07 - 07:47 AM (#2174379) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: GUEST, Sminky AlanG Thanks for bringing that to my attention. There were no details on the lyrics page I found. I assumed it was by the HW themselves. My apologies. |
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19 Oct 07 - 12:17 PM (#2174559) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: open mike yes i once was travelling with a british woman who offered to come knock me up in the morning...she had no idea that "knocked up" meant "to get pregnant". |
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19 Oct 07 - 07:41 PM (#2174887) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: GUEST,AlanG at work Yes, but here in the UK he gets paid for knocking people up EVERY MORNING! |
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19 Oct 07 - 07:52 PM (#2174894) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: Dave the Gnome and... Just noticed that Mike is on at Swinton Folk Club on November the 19th.! Ted may be there too, which does happen quite often. Cheers Dave |
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21 Oct 07 - 06:38 AM (#2175812) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: Dave the Gnome Ted was at Swinton festival yesterday, out of interest. Lovely to see him singing again - No-one does 'The coal and Albert Berry' better! D. |
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21 Oct 07 - 07:13 AM (#2175824) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: GUEST,Peter Stockport Eee, When I was a lad we still had a knocker up man. I'm only just 50. He must have been one of the last ones. His name was Alan and he also did something, probably cleaned, the gas lamps in the street. Must have been some of the last gas lamps as well. Any idea when the last of the gas lamps in general use went? I don't mean the odd ones at the museum in Manchester! Peter |
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21 Oct 07 - 07:25 AM (#2175831) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: Davie_ Im sure I remember Mike Harding singin this one at Herford, WG in early 70`s. |
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21 Oct 07 - 07:36 AM (#2175837) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: Dave the Gnome Probably lit the lamps, Peter. It was usualy a combined job for a man with a long pole to rattle windows in the morning and light the lamps at night:-) D. |
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21 Oct 07 - 12:52 PM (#2175983) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: GUEST,Peter Stockport Dave, I wondered about that but I'm sure they would have been automated by the 60's. He didn't come round every night as I recall. I know they had clockwork timers so that's why I thought he probably just cleaned the glass. In fact I'd guess he wound up the timer and reset it etc. at the same time. Peter |
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22 Oct 07 - 12:02 PM (#2176498) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: Dave the Gnome Could well be, Peter. Makes sense - Wonder if anyone has done a song about the gas lamp winder! :D |
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23 Oct 07 - 06:15 PM (#2177618) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: GUEST,Yvonne B I'M looking for the words to The Little Piecer. Can anyone help, as I see its mentioned here? |
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23 Oct 07 - 06:40 PM (#2177634) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: Zany Mouse Gary and Vera also recorded Coalhole Cavalry and Albert Berry. I sing a traditional West Riding of Yorkshire song about a knocker upper but it is a funny song rather than the more serious one here. Rhiannon |
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24 Oct 07 - 07:19 AM (#2177965) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man From: GUEST, Sminky My understanding is that the lamplighter was usually employed by the local council, the knocker-upper was either employed by the mill/pit company or was 'freelance'. However, that did not prevent one man from performing both duties. Eg this (from a nostalgia website): "My uncle Walter was the knocker-up, lamplighter and chimney sweep! Anything to earn a bob or two I think" Heavy sleepers would often tie string around their big toe and dangle the other end out of the window, ready for the knocker-upper to tug on if window tapping didn't work. Imagine that happening today! You'd see cars driving around with severed toes attached to their exhaust pipes. Rochdale even had a one-armed lamplighter in 1910! |
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19 Oct 17 - 02:39 PM (#3883341) Subject: Lyr Add: THE KNOCKER-UPPER MAN (Mike Canavan) From: Jim Dixon My transcription from a recording at YouTube. I have boldfaced the words that are different from rich-joy's version above--but I have no reason to think these words are more authoritative than his. THE KNOCKER-UPPER MAN Words and music by Mike Canavan As sung by Pete Martin 1. Through the cobbled streets of sulphur towns A knocker-upper man goes creepin', Tap-tapping on the window pane To wake the town from sleepin'. CHORUS: He sang: "Hey thee up and stir theeself. The fact'ry hooter's blowin', So get up from your nice warm bed. To work you must be goin'." 2. Day in, day out, the year about, Though snow and rain was fallin', You'd hear his clogs along the street. You'd hear his voice a-callin'. CHORUS 3. All the early-rising working folk. The knocker-upper's call they heeded. But time slips by, and customs die. Now he's no longer needed. CHORUS: No more "Hey thee up...." etc. 4. Through the streets of smart suburbia, The knocker-upper's ghost goes creepin', While a host of new alarm clocks Awakes the town from sleepin'. CHORUS: No more "Hey thee up...." etc. |
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19 Oct 17 - 07:56 PM (#3883379) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man (Mike Canavan) From: rich-joy If my memory serves me well (hmmm, sounds like a line from a song!), I think the words I quoted in the March 2005 post, came from a Gary & Vera Aspey recording. It's a long time since I sang it, particularly as my Beloved has now left the planet. Putting "the knocker-upper man" into Google Images, brings up a surprising amount of pics, including a lady pea-shooter doing the deed (which I had never heard of!) Cheers! Rich-Joy Down Under |
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19 Oct 17 - 08:39 PM (#3883388) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man (Mike Canavan) From: rich-joy Here's a link to The BrenTProduction's YT clip of Knocker-Upper footage from 1946-49 in NW England. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngegztks61Y The song is interesting too - seems to be Mike's lyrics set to a minor key tune - doesn't credit the singer though .... R-J |
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20 Oct 17 - 06:44 AM (#3883464) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Knocker-Upper Man (Mike Canavan) From: GUEST,henryp Long before the dawn's first spark Comes the tap upon the pane And if there is no sign of life Tap, tap, tap it comes again He battles through the wind and rain To make his early morning call But who wakes him, the knocker-up? Perhaps he never sleeps at all |
