{"id":19269,"date":"2023-03-23T07:43:38","date_gmt":"2023-03-23T07:43:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=19269"},"modified":"2024-01-02T16:08:59","modified_gmt":"2024-01-02T16:08:59","slug":"why-cant-it-always-be-saturday","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/why-cant-it-always-be-saturday\/","title":{"rendered":"Why can’t it always be Saturday"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
First Published<\/td>1901<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Writer\/composer<\/td>Tom Moy <\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN1741<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>JW Rickaby<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Collected from the singing of:<\/strong>
Upton, Harry; England : Sussex; c1976<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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There's one day in each week that all men loves best\nOne day they fancy far more than the rest\nI've no need to tell you, I can see you've all guessed\nThe day I allude to is Saturday\nThere's football for those who's fond of the sport\nOn that day the good things for Sunday are bought\nMan finds his wife loves him far more than he thought\nWhen he brings home his wages on Saturday\n\nWhy can't it always be Saturday?\nWhy can't it always be pay-day?\nOh, how happy we'd all be then\nWouldn't it suit all us working men\nIf it was always Saturday\nWouldn't we all be gay?\nWe'd have money to spend and money to lend\nIf Saturday came every day<\/em>\n[twice]\n\nJust fancy a man who is fond of his beer\nGets one day's relief from monotony drear\nHe makes it the rule to get full up to here\nJust one night a week and that's Saturday\nIf he gets run in he has nothing to say\nBut on Monday gets off from his work half a day\nAppears at the Court and a fine has to pay\nBut he'll do just the same thing next Saturday\nAnd sorrow and care to the wind he will fling\nThe rest of the week to himself he will sing:\n\nThere's one thing quite certain we'd ne'er have to call\nAt the shop where the three brass balls hang on the wall\nIn fact we'd have no need for pawn-shops at all\nIf every day was Saturday.\nNo one would be rich, no one would be poor\nWe'd have no occasion to run up a score\nWe've plenty of pubs; we should want a few more\nIf every day was Saturday\nAnd such things as poverty we need not know\nSo all sing this chorus, wherever you go:\n\n<\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
A song from the early 20th century, remembered 70 years later by traditional singer Harry Upton. It was originally performed in the Halls by JW Rickaby, whose brief biography appears below. Here’s a short view of his performance at Gatti’s (a London Hall) in 1901:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Gattis, The Era – Saturday 13 July 1901<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
JW Rickaby (1869-1929) was born to a military family and spent much of his early life in Manchester. He began his career on stage as an actor before turning to comedy in 1904. Billed as The Big Dry Comedian<\/em>, he often sang his songs in character, for example as a policeman for one of his more famous songs PC 49<\/a><\/em>, or as a battered “swell” for his song They built Piccadilly for me.<\/em> He toured extensively in Australia where he was particularly popular <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He recorded a number of his songs – they are available on the Windyridge CD The Prince and the big dry. <\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here’s a recording of Harry Upton’s version of Why can’t it always be Saturday<\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harry Upton  sings it (from VWML<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n