{"id":14501,"date":"2022-01-23T10:34:54","date_gmt":"2022-01-23T10:34:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=14501"},"modified":"2022-01-23T10:46:41","modified_gmt":"2022-01-23T10:46:41","slug":"one-touch-of-nature-makes-the-whole-world-kin","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/one-touch-of-nature-makes-the-whole-world-kin\/","title":{"rendered":"One touch of nature makes the whole world kin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>One touch of nature<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1897<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Writer\/composer<\/td>Felix McGlennon<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN12909<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Marie Loftus<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Collected from the singing of:<\/strong>
Norris, Jack; England: Sussex; 1960
Hart, Bob; England: Suffolk; 1969<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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'Tis night, the scene's a blood-stained battle field,\nA truce 'till morning seek the deadly foes;\nThe rival armies fought, but none would yield,\nThe weary soldiers crave a brief repose;\nAh, many a gallant heart in death is stilled,\nAnd many a comrade mourns a comrade dear;\nWith dreams of glory ev'ry soldier's thrilled,\nTho' death is nigh, no thought have they of fear.\n\nCrouching 'round the camp fires, in the ruddy glow,\nWhile the watchful sentries pace there to and fro;\nWaiting for the morning, then to face the foe,\nEager all, a heroes' name to win;\n\"We've been good old chums. Jack, naught could part us two,\nIf my time has come, Jack, and if spared are you,\nTell the little girl I love, I was ever true,\"\nOne touch of nature makes the whole world kin.<\/em>\n\n'Tis Christmas Eve, the joyous bells ring out,\nThey seem to say, \"Good will and peace to all;\"\nThe village sleeps, nor heeds the royster's shout,.\nAnd silence reigns there in the rich man's hall;\nBut see! a burglar plies his lawless trade,\nWith muffled feet and eager, watchful eyes,\nOn plunder bent, of capture not afraid,\nHe grimly whispers, \"He who'd cross me, dies.\"\n\nCreeping there so stealthy in the silent gloom,\nSearching for his plunder all around the room,\n\"I'll stop not at murder, though death be my doom,\"\nDesperate is his heart and steeped in sin;\nHark: a tiny voice there. \"Take me on your knee!\nAre you Santa Claus? please, no toys can I see!\"\n\"Goodnight, little darling one, kiss me, pray for me!\"\nOne touch of nature makes the whole world kin.\n\nBefore the Judge defiantly she stands,\nPoor outcast drifting on the sea of life;\nThe drink fiend holds her as in iron bands,\nToo helpless she to struggle in the strife;\nBut slowly, surely drifting, sinking down,\nAnd yet she once was some poor mother's pride;\nNow reckless there nor heeds the Judge's frown,\nPoor Magdalen, far better she had died.\n\nI was once so pure, sir, innocent and young,\nTill the tempter came, sir, with his lying tongue,\nWhat cared he though my heart was with anguish wrung,\nThough I drifted in the path of sin;\nIn the village church I used to kneel in prayer,\nWould you know the name of him who laid the snare?\nYou were my betrayer, sir, judge me, if you dare,\nOne touch of nature makes the whole world kin.<\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Another late 19th-century hit in the Halls that was remembered by traditional singers in south-east England in the late 20th century. You can hear Bob Hart singing it at the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library website<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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The song was written and composed by the prolific Felix McGlennon<\/a>\u00a0 and originally a hit in the British music halls for Marie Loftus although in the United States it was associated with the singing of Helene Maura.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The title is a quote from Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida<\/em> – often thought of as a call to recognise our common humanity, in its original context it seems to have meant something different…<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Marie Loftus was a typical serio-comic performer in that she interspersed comic songs with more serious fare. This review makes it clear that this particular song was not sung for comedic effect (as a “burlesque”):<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00a0It was not., however, as a burlesque artist only that Marie shone on this occasion. She gave the audience a specimen of her descriptive powers, and earned an ovation when she warbled a song which reminded us that “one touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” <\/em>Miss Loftus, who looked her best, was at her best, and the audience had a difficulty in parting with her.\u00a0<\/p>Nov. 22, 1897; The Licensed Victuallers’ Mirror\u00a0<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n