{"id":12984,"date":"2021-09-21T06:04:06","date_gmt":"2021-09-21T06:04:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=12984"},"modified":"2021-09-21T06:04:09","modified_gmt":"2021-09-21T06:04:09","slug":"when-enoch-he-knocked-she-knocked-enoch","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/when-enoch-he-knocked-she-knocked-enoch\/","title":{"rendered":"When Enoch he knocked, she knocked Enoch"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>Enoch Brown<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1894<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Writer\/composer<\/td>Charles Brighton<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN10724<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Charles Brighton<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Collected from the singing of:<\/strong>
Neal, Jesse; England : Gloucestershire 1960
Bond, Frank; England : Hampshire 1965
Nesling, Harkie; England : Suffolk 1971
Whiting, Fred; England : Suffolk 1984 <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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From sheet music held online at the New York Public Library<\/a>\n\nI was walking 'round the town with Enoch Brown\nAnd a lady on my side. \n\"Its a little late at night,\nAnd I'm a little tight\nI'll go home now\" Enoch cried,\n\"Will you com along with me and safely see\nMe right home to the door?\"\n\"If the lady doesn't mind and you'd be so kind\"\nSo we said: \"To be sure.\"\n\"For the wife\" he cried \"might be inside\"\n\"But let her do her worst;\"\n\"Will you knock?\" Said he, and he spoke to me\nSaid I: \"No fear! Ladies first.\"\n\nThen she knocked, I knocked, Enoch he knocked, knocked with a rat-tat-tat\nBut upon my life, poor Enoch's wife was waiting on the mat. \nFor she came to the door with a chopper and a saw, \nGave Enoch such a clout <\/em><\/em>[Drums] \nWhen Enoch he knocked, she knocked Enoch, knocked poor Enoch out<\/em><\/em>\nThen she knocked, I knocked, Enoch he knocked, knocked with a rat-tat-tat\nBut upon my life, poor Enoch's wife was waiting on the mat. \nFor she came to the door with a chopper and a saw, \nGave Enoch such a clout <\/em>[Drums] \nWhen Enoch he knocked, she knocked Enoch, knocked poor Enoch out<\/em>\n\nNow he gave a horrid yell, as down he fell; \nAnd he shouted out \"I'm dead!\" \nHe'd a dislocated jaw, \nHis teeth were on the floor, \nAnd a big hole in his head. \nBut he couldn't get inside, no matter how he tried \nFor his wife had shut the door. \nHe said \"Let me in my dear\" \nSaid she \"No fear, \nYou'll stop outside I'm sure\" \n\"I appeal to you, what can I do?\" \nSaid I \"We'll try again\" \nSo Enoch knocked and my girl she knocked; \nBut ah! All was a very plain...\n\nI was knocked when I knocked and Enoch knocked\nFor he knocked did Enoch Brown;\nThe knocker was knocked, my girl was knocked\nWhen Enoch got knocked down.\nI've knock'd about a lot, was never so knocked\nAs when Enoch knocked the door.\nWhen Enoch he knocked the knocker,\nShe knocked him with a chopper,\nAnd he fell down to the floor.\nNo more for me where-e'er I be\nI'll soon bet out of sight\nAnd let a pal go by if he's hi-ti-hi!\nFor I shan't forget that night.\nWhen ...\n\n<\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/em>. His short career ended tragically and abruptly when he committed suicide in  1896. An inquest gave a verdict of “temporary insanity”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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15th May 1896, Evening Express, Cardiff<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n