Put me amongst the girls

AKA
First Published1907

Writer/composerCW Murphy and Dan LiptonRoudRN38250

Music Hall PerformersCharles R Whittle
Folk performancesCollected from the singing of:
Bob Hart; England : Suffolk ; 1975-78 (matched by title only)
PUT ME AMONGST THE GIRLS.
Written and Composed by C. W. MURPHY and DAN LIPTON.

I knew a naughty little lad,
And when mother sent him off to school 
He used to raise an awful noise
If the teacher placed him 'mongst the boys. 
He would be anything but good,
For there he'd sit a-fretting all the day, 
With sighs and teardrops in his eyes,
Then to the teacher coaxingly he'd say: (" Oh ! teacher—)

"Put me amongst the girls 
Put me amongst the girls! 
Do me a favour, do,
You know I'd do as much for you. 
Put me amongst the girls,
Those with the curly curls;
They'll enjoy themselves and so will I
If you put me amongst the girls."

John Jones came up to London town,
Meant to be a member of the Force ;
His feet were regulation feet,
Just the feet to ornament a beat.
"John, John, please get your helmet on,
Your duty lies up East," the sergeant cried.
"You're tough, so get amongst the rough."
John thought of Piccadilly as he sighed : (" Oh ! Sergeant—)
	
Far East the mummy old was found
Of Solomon, who had three hundred wives. 
It soon was brought across the foam,
And caused quite a flutter here at home. 
Famed men saw the mummy, then
They said, "To the Museum it must go, 
'Mongst bones and prehistoric stones" ;
But Solomon's wise mummy shouted, " No! (Not likely!)
 	
Seth Binks was such a pious man—
Never stayed out after 3 a.m. ;
Stage doors he used to hang about,
Till he caught a cold that laid him out.
Pals said, " Cheer up, you'll soon be dead !
We'll plant you 'mongst the daisies in the sun."
Poor Seth, though gasping for his breath,
Said, " If there's any planting to be done (Oh ! Doctor—)

A song popular in the Halls in 1907, where it was performed by Charles R Whittle. It was written by CW Murphy and Dan Lipton and featured in a 1907/08 Broadway Musical The Hoyden. Early recordings where made by Johnny Wakefield, Trummy Young.

The song was popular in the mid-1960s when it was recorded by Davy Jones (before his career in The Monkees) and by Freddy and The Dreamers.

The song also featured in Laurence Olivier/John Osborne play and film “The Entertainer”(1960)

Sources:

  • VWML entry
  • Kilgarrif Sing Us
  • Lyrics: from sheet music
  • Sheet Music: personal collection
  • Sheet Music (US) as sung in The Hoyden Baylor University
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