{"id":4581,"date":"2020-08-08T11:00:54","date_gmt":"2020-08-08T11:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=4581"},"modified":"2025-12-10T07:07:52","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T07:07:52","slug":"following-in-fathers-footsteps","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/following-in-fathers-footsteps\/","title":{"rendered":"Following in father’s footsteps"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>I’m following in father’s footsteps<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1892 <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Lyrics<\/strong><\/td>EW Rogers<\/td>Music<\/strong><\/td>EW Rogers<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN17699<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Vesta Tilley<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Source Singers<\/strong>
unknown, 1988, England; Gloucestershire
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To follow in your Father's footsteps\nA motto for each boy\nAnd following in Father's footsteps is\nA thing I much enjoy\nMy Mother caught me out one evening\nUp the West End on the spree\nShe said, \u201cWhere are you going?\u201d\nI answered, \u201cDon't ask me,\u201d\n\nI'm following in Father's footsteps\nI'm following the dear old dad\nHe's just in front with a fine big gal\nSo I thought that I'd have one as well\nI don't know where he's going\nBut when he gets there I'll be glad\nI'm following in Father's footsteps\nI'm following the dear old dad.<\/em>\n\nPa said that to the North of England\nOn business had to go\nTo Charing Cross he went, and where he booked\nI booked first class also\nI found myself that night in Paris\nTo the clergyman next door\nI answered when he said, \u201cWhat are\nYou in this gay place for?\u201d\n\nI'm following in Father's footsteps\nI'm following the dear old dad\nHe's travelling now for his firm you see\nIn fancy goods it seems to me\nI don't know where he's going\nBut when he gets there I'll be glad\nI'm following in Father's footsteps\nI'm following the dear old dad.<\/em>\n\nAt Margate with papa I toddled out\nTo have a good old swim\nI did not know the proper place to bathe\nSo I left it all to him\nI found myself amongst some ladies\nAnd enjoyed it, so did pa\nTill ma yelled \u201cPercy, fie for shame\u201d\nSaid I \u201c Its all right ma,\n\nI'm following in Father's footsteps\nI'm following the dear old dad\nHe's just out there with the fair Miss Jupp\nTo show me how to hold girls up\nI'm going to hold her next ma\nSo when he drops her I'll be glad\nI'm following in Father's footsteps\nI'm following the dear old dad.<\/em>\n\nTo dinner up in town last night I went\nAnd pa went there as well\nHow many lemonades we had, my word\nI really couldn't tell\nAt 2am pa started off for home\nLike this, and so did I\nFolks said \u201dMind where you are going\u201d\nBut I simply made reply.\n\nI'm following in Father's footsteps\nI'm following the dear old dad\nHe's wobbling on in the front you see\nAnd \u2018pon my word he's worse than me\nI don't know where he's going\nBut when he gets there I'll be glad\nI'm following in Father's footsteps\nI'm following the dear old dad.<\/em><\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
A song still sung in folk circles today, but only formally collected once the late 1980s, and I’m pretty sure it would have been sung “knowingly” i.e. knowing that it was a classic music hall song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Vesta Tilley<\/strong> (1864-1952) was the 2nd of 13 children born to a Worcester pottery worker. Her father worked part-time as chairman of the local Music Hall and from a young age she sang and mimicked other singers. Her father eventually moved to become chairman of St George’s music Hall in Nottingham, and Little Tilley and became The Great Little Tilley, a male impersonator from her early teens on. As she grew older she became Miss Vesta Tilley again, billed as “No vulgarity; Genuine Talent; All imitators notice: Tilley stands unrivalled”<\/em>. From the 1880s on she was one of the major stars with hits like After the Ball, Burlington Bertie, Jolly good luck to who loves a soldier<\/a><\/em>, and this one. She had great success in America as well as in Britain.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
During World War I Tilley was often referred to as “Britain’s best recruiting sergeant” and many of her songs reflected an apparent enthusiasm for the war, though they were often tinged with cynicism. She forcefully encouraged young men in her audience to enlist with songs like It’s a fine time for a soldier <\/em>and The army of today’s all right<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
EW Rogers ((1864-1913) was initially a stage performer but by the early 1880s was a professional songwriter. His hits include Ask a policeman<\/em>, and this one. His biggest impact went largely unnoticed – he acted as accompanist for George Robey, and wrote many of his songs and a great deal of his patter.<\/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