{"id":2296,"date":"2020-04-17T16:03:43","date_gmt":"2020-04-17T16:03:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=2296"},"modified":"2025-12-17T10:14:53","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T10:14:53","slug":"a-little-bit-of-what-you-fancy-does-you-good","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/a-little-bit-of-what-you-fancy-does-you-good\/","title":{"rendered":"Little bit of what you fancy does you good, A"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Lyrics<\/strong><\/td>Fred Leigh<\/td>Music<\/strong><\/td> George Arthurs<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>V21307<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n
Music Hall performers<\/strong><\/td>Marie Lloyd 1910s, 1920s<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>???<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
I never was a one to go and stint myself\nIf I like a thing, I like it, that's enough\nBut there's lots of people say that if you like a thing a lot\nIt'll grow on you and all that sort of stuff\nNow I like my drop of stout as well as anyone\nBut a drop of stout\u2018s supposed to make you fat\nAnd there's many a lar-di-dar-di madam doesn't dare to touch it\n\u201cCos she mustn't spoil her figure silly cat.\n\nI always hold in having it if you fancy it\nIf you fancy it, that's understood\nAnd suppose it makes you fat?\nI don't worry over that\nA little of what you fancy does you good.<\/em>\n\nNow, once a year I like a little holiday\nAnd we've always had one, my old man and me\nBut the last time that we had one he brings up a new idea\nAs we watched the ladies bathing in the sea\nHe said what a man requires is a change of everything\nSo he ought to take his holidays alone\nRight away from everyday affairs, so I said \u201cVery likely\nWell if you prefer a fortnight on your own.\n\nI always hold with havin' it if you fancy it, \nIf you fancy it, that's understood! \nBut if that's your bloomin' game, \nI intend to do the same, \n'Cause a little o' what you fancy does you good!<\/em>\n\nI had to catch a certain train the other day\nAnd I very nearly lost it, I declare\nBut the guard said, \u201cJump in Missus\u201d Then he shoved me in a first\nAnd I found a nice young couple sitting there\nI could see that honeymoon was stamped all over \u2018em\nI felt sorry for the lady and the chap\nSo I said to them \u201cExcuse me, but if you want to have a cuddle\nHave a cuddle \u2018cos I'm going to have a nap.\n\nAnd I always hold with havin' it if you fancy it, \nIf you fancy it, that's understood! \nAnd while you young couple spoon, \nI'll dream of my 'oneymoon,\n'Cause a little o' what you fancy does you good! <\/em>\n\nAnd I always hold with havin' it if you fancy it,\nGet on with it, don't waste no time! \nAnd while you young couple spoon, \nI'll be at my 'oneymoon, \n'Cause a little o' what you fancy does you good!<\/em><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Marie Lloyd (1870 to 1922), billed as \u201cQueen of Comedy\u201d,  was the daughter of an artificial flower maker, and had several menial jobs before making her debut in the Halls in 1885. She was almost immediately was taken on by one of the most successful agents of the day, George Ware . Despite this, success was not overnight, and her first big hit was in 1890, Wink the Other Eye.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
She was hugely successful throughout the English-speaking world and toured successfully in the UK, America and South Africa. She featured in the press as much for her series of unhappy marriages as for her success on the stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A number of her songs are still remembered today, including this one, Its a bit of a Ruin that Cromwell Knocked About a Bit<\/a><\/em>, Tommy make room for your uncle<\/a><\/em> and  Don\u2019t Dilly Dally<\/em><\/a> .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She had a reputation for being \u201cblue\u201d, but her songs and sketches when written down usually appear pretty mild, even by the standards of the day. It was something about the way she delivered the material \u2026  <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her early death saw at least 50,000 fans lining the route of her funeral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m not aware of her material being taken up by traditional singers, but many of her songs can still be heard in pub singarounds. The lyrics to this song were written by the prolific Fred W Leigh<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
A recording or download of this song can be purchased from Windyridge CDs.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n