Lucky Jim (How I envy Him)

AKA
First Published 1896
Writer/composer Charles Horwitz / Frederick Bowers Roud RN9545

Music Hall Performers GH Chirgwin
Folk performances Collected from the singing of:
Rowe, Cliff ; England : Somerset ; 1984
Adams, Harry ; England : Somerset ; 1977		 

LUCKY JIM (HOW I ENVY HIM)
Words by Charles Howitz. Music by Fredrick V. Bowers.


Jim and I as children played together.
Best of chums for many years were we.
I alas, had no luck, was a Jonah;
Jim my chum was lucky as could be.

Ah! Lucky Jim, 
How I envy him!
Ah! Lucky Jim, 
How I envy him!

Years passed by. Still Jim and I were comrades.
He and I both loved the same sweet maid.
She loved Jim and married him one evening.
Jim was lucky. I unlucky stayed.

Years rolled on and death took Jim away, boys,
Left his widow and she married me.
Now we're married, oft I think of Jim, boys,
Sleeping in the churchyard by the sea.

An American song from the late 1890s – a hit throughout the English speaking world. In Britain it was particular associated with the blackface Music Hall performer GH Chirgwin.

George Formby senior sang a different song of the same title.

It was recorded a number of times – here are versions by Tom English and Dan W Quinn:

Sources: