| Lyrics | Desmond Carter | Music | Noel Gay | Roud Index | RN31115 |
| Music Hall performers | Leslie Sarony, 1930s Gracie Fields, 1930s -1950s |
| Folk performances | AF Holloway 1982, transcribed by Steve Roud. |
Christmas is coming, Christmas is coming
Christmas is coming again;
But that never thrills me, the thought of it chills me,
I tell you it fills me with pain!
It makes me remember a Christmas gone by,
When I was extremely upset;
A night in December, an evening that I
Would very much like to forget!
For I took my harp to a party but nobody asked me to play;
The others were jolly and hearty but I wasn't feeling so gay!
They might have said, "Play us a tune we can sing",
But somehow I don't think they noticed the thing!
For I took my harp to a party but nobody asked me to play,
So I took the darned thing away!
They asked Mrs Morgan to play her mouth organ,
And somebody else did a dance.
They let Mrs Carter perform a sonata,
But I wasn't given a chance!
A north country person called Sandy Mcpherson
Played bagpipes and took off his coat,
While both the Miss Fawcetts burst out of their corsets
In trying to take a top note!
For I took my harp to a party but nobody asked me to play;
The others were jolly and hearty but I wasn't feeling so gay!
I felt so ashamed at not striking a note
That I tried to hide that thing under my coat
For I took my harp to a party but nobody asked me to play,
So I took the darned thing away!
They sang "'Ome Sweet 'Ome" and "The Banks Of Loch Lomond",
Then "All The King's Horses" and "Trees",
While nephews and nieces kept playing their pieces,
And spreading their jam on the keys!
A daughter called Lena played her concertina,
We all played ridiculous games!
Till old Mr Dyer set his whiskers on fire,
And the fire engine played on the flames, oh!
When I took my harp to a party but nobody asked me to play,
I took the darned thing away!
A song often remembered for Gracie Fields version, but also in the repertoire of the marvellous Leslie Sarony. The lyrics seem to make it suitable for any mixed session, particular before Christmas!
Sources:
Lyrics Monologues.co.uk
VWML
Gracie Fields:
Lesley Sarony sings it:
Last Updated on May 8, 2023 by John Baxter | Published: December 7, 2019
