aint it grand (music hall delights!)

So if you have been reading thus far you know I've been doing some amateur research on old music. I had discovered that quite a few  gems of my developing years were actually covers of turn of the century music hall tunes. Music hall is kind of like vaudeville. It's an important step in the development of the modern entertainment world, and there is sparse data on both. Some of the covers might be obscure, and of course coming across them on my budget is an even bigger stretch.

Here is one that I discovered in a classic rock collection that turns out to be a cover of music hall.


Oh Mr Porter turns out to be about a loose woman, but Herman's Hermits altered it to be about them.... which is totally natural.

Here is the latest version of my favorite music hall song: Proper cup of coffee




Now I could work a bit harder and try to find Henry the 8th (an original music hall recording) but so far I am yet to be satisfied in this area.

I have of course been building up to my favorite find of the day, and that is "Ain't it grand to be bloomin well dead". It hits all the great buttons. It's morbid, funny, obscure and British.

So without further ado, here it is:



With Lyrics:
AIN'T IT GRAND, TO BE BLOOMIN' WELL DEAD!
by (Trad) arranged by Leslie Sarony
Lately there's nothing but trouble, grief and strife
There's not much attraction about this bloomin' life
Last night I dreamt I was bloomin' well dead
As I went to the funeral, I bloomin' well said,
Look at the flowers, bloomin' great orchids
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
And look at the corfin, bloomin' great 'andles
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!

I was so 'appy to think that I'd popped off
I said to a bloke with a nasty, 'acking cough
Look at the black 'earse, bloomin' great 'orses
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
Look at the bearers, all in their frock coats
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
And look at their top 'ats, polished with Guiness
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!

Some people there were praying for me soul
I said, 'It's the first time I've been off the dole'
Look at the mourners, bloomin' well sozzled
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
Look at the children, bloomin' excited
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
Look at the neighbours, bloomin' delighted
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!

'Spend the insurance', I murmered, 'for alack
'You know I shan't be with you going back.'
Look at the Missus, bloomin' well laughing
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
Look at me Sister, bloomin new 'at on
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!
And look at me Brother, bloomin' cigar on
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!

We come from clay and we all go back they say
Don't 'eave a brick it may be your Aunty May
Look at me Grandma, bloomin' great haybag
Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead!

The lyrics were provided by a pretty cool site:
http://www.trasksdad.com/MusicHall/

Not only do they have lyrics to many hard to find songs, they also have many of the songs themselves playable from the site. Now if I know the internet this wonderful thing won't last, so won't you please cruise by and give them some traffic, maybe some encouragement to continue. This is pop art people, and this history is disappearing faster than it can be preserved.

There, that's my pitch. Go help the arts, it's pretty much the only beautiful thing left in the world and the workers in it are often unpaid and unappreciated.

In other news I had a nice meeting with my mentor today, and saw my former mentor as well.... everyone is praying for me, per usual. Interesting side note that a girl overheard my conversation and slipped a note in my pocket saying God is fighting for me.... sweet thought. I'd love to see it. For now the night wears on and I want to go enjoy it. More later!