When Enoch he knocked, she knocked Enoch

AKA Enoch Brown
First Published 1894
Writer/composer Charles Brighton Roud RN10724

Music Hall Performers Charles Brighton
Folk performances Collected from the singing of:
Neal, Jesse; England : Gloucestershire 1960
Bond, Frank; England : Hampshire 1965
Nesling, Harkie; England : Suffolk 1971
Whiting, Fred; England : Suffolk 1984

From sheet music held online at the New York Public Library

I was walking 'round the town with Enoch Brown
And a lady on my side. 
"Its a little late at night,
And I'm a little tight
I'll go home now" Enoch cried,
"Will you com along with me and safely see
Me right home to the door?"
"If the lady doesn't mind and you'd be so kind"
So we said: "To be sure."
"For the wife" he cried "might be inside"
"But let her do her worst;"
"Will you knock?" Said he, and he spoke to me
Said I: "No fear! Ladies first."

Then she knocked, I knocked, Enoch he knocked, knocked with a rat-tat-tat
But upon my life, poor Enoch's wife was waiting on the mat. 
For she came to the door with a chopper and a saw, 
Gave Enoch such a clout [Drums] 
When Enoch he knocked, she knocked Enoch, knocked poor Enoch out
Then she knocked, I knocked, Enoch he knocked, knocked with a rat-tat-tat
But upon my life, poor Enoch's wife was waiting on the mat. 
For she came to the door with a chopper and a saw, 
Gave Enoch such a clout [Drums] 
When Enoch he knocked, she knocked Enoch, knocked poor Enoch out

Now he gave a horrid yell, as down he fell; 
And he shouted out "I'm dead!" 
He'd a dislocated jaw, 
His teeth were on the floor, 
And a big hole in his head. 
But he couldn't get inside, no matter how he tried 
For his wife had shut the door. 
He said "Let me in my dear" 
Said she "No fear, 
You'll stop outside I'm sure" 
"I appeal to you, what can I do?" 
Said I "We'll try again" 
So Enoch knocked and my girl she knocked; 
But ah! All was a very plain...

I was knocked when I knocked and Enoch knocked
For he knocked did Enoch Brown;
The knocker was knocked, my girl was knocked
When Enoch got knocked down.
I've knock'd about a lot, was never so knocked
As when Enoch knocked the door.
When Enoch he knocked the knocker,
She knocked him with a chopper,
And he fell down to the floor.
No more for me where-e'er I be
I'll soon bet out of sight
And let a pal go by if he's hi-ti-hi!
For I shan't forget that night.
When ...

Perhaps a rather violent comic song from the 1890s, sung by a number of traditional singers in the late 2oth century. You can hear Harkie Nesling sing it here: British Library Sounds

It was written and performed by Charles Brighton (1867-96) a comic singer and songwriter who started appearing in the Halls of northern England in the early 1890s. His rise seems to have been rapid – by 1893 he was heading the bill at the Queen’s Theatre, Keighley and in 1895 he was starting to appear in London. He had great success with this song and You’ll have to marry me now. His short career ended tragically and abruptly when he committed suicide in 1896. An inquest gave a verdict of “temporary insanity”.

15th May 1896, Evening Express, Cardiff

Sources: