Lather Father Mister Barber

AKA
First Published 1928
Writer/composer Harry Helmsley / Emmie Joyce Roud RNtbc

Music Hall Performers Harry Helmsley
Folk performances Collected from the singing of:
Hannis, Reg ; England : Gloucestershire		 

Jimmy poked his head one day inside the barber's shop 
Saw his father in a chair, saw the barber’s strop. 
Saw the barber with a mug mixing up the lather. 
So he shouted out with glee: "Please make it strong for father"
 
Lather father, Mister Barber. Father lathered me. 
Make it thick make it stick. It’s as easy as can be. 
Lather father, Mister Barber, for you will agree:
If you lather father barber he can't lather me! 

The barber did as he was told and lathered for an hour. 
Soapsuds dropped around the place, just like a summer shower. 
You couldn’t see an inch of face.  Was Jimmy pleased?  Why, rather! "Carry on", he cried with glee, "'cos that’s the stuff for father". 

Jimmy watched him all the time and then exclaimed with glee. 
"I’d rather lather father, sure, than father lather me. 
For that’s the barber’s job, of course, and a jolly fine one, rather. 
I wish I was a barber, gee, I’d save it up for father"

A song collected from the singing of Reg Hannis in Gloucestershire, see the excellent GlosTrad Site for more on this and a recording

Lather Father Mister Barber was written and recorded in the 1920s using a well known tongue twister as the basis for its chorus. It has understandably been confused with the earlier song I’d rather lather father than father lather me (1876). The two songs use similar versions of the same tongue twister but otherwise seem unrelated.

Harry Hemsley (1878 – 1951) was a comedian and mimic who started his professional life as a comic artist for Ally Slopers Half Holiday. He went on to perform in Music Hall and variety, film and radio, specialising in impressions of children – he wrote the Olvaltineys theme song, which may mean something to older readers!

Harry Helmsley sings it(1928):

Sources: