{"id":5465,"date":"2020-09-30T15:50:54","date_gmt":"2020-09-30T15:50:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=5465"},"modified":"2025-12-14T07:52:57","modified_gmt":"2025-12-14T07:52:57","slug":"its-a-great-big-shame","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/its-a-great-big-shame\/","title":{"rendered":"It’s a great big shame"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td><\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td> 1894<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Lyrics<\/strong><\/td>Edgar Bateman<\/td>Music<\/strong><\/td>George Le Brunn<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN24511<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Gus Elen<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Source S<\/strong>ource Singers
“A cockney family” 1930s-50s England : London
Messenger, Alice 1975-80 England : Suffolk

Modern performances<\/strong>
David Kossoff and the Mike Sammes Singers, 1960s<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
I've lost my pal, 'e's the best in all the tahn\nBut don't you fink 'im dead becos \u2018e ain't\nBut since \u2018es wed \u2018e as \u2018ad ter knuckle dahn\nIts enufter vex the temper of a saint\n\u2018E's a brewer's dray-man, wiva leg of mutton fist\n\u2018An as strong as a bullick or an \u2018orse\nYet in \u2018er \u2018ands e's like a little kid\nOh I wish as I could get \u2018im a divorce.\n\nIt's a great big shame\nAnd if she belonged to me\nI'd let her know who's who\nNagging at a fellow that is six foot three\nAnd her not four feet two.\nThey hadn't been married for a month or more\nWhen underneath her thumb goes Jim\nOh isn't it a pity that the likes of her\nShould put upon the likes of him.<\/em>\n\nNow Jim was class-'e could sing a decent song\nAnd at scrappin \u2018e \u2018ad won some great renown\nIt took two coppers for to make \u2018im move along\nAnd anovver six to \u2018old the feller dahn\nBut today when I axes would he come an' \u2018ave some beer\nTo the door-step on tiptoe \u2018e arrives\n\u201cI dares't\u201d says \u2018e \u201cDon't shout cos she'll \u2018ear\nI've got ter clean the windows an' the knives.\n\nOn a Sunday morn, wiv a dozen pals or more\n\u2018E'd play at pitch and toss along the Lea\nBut now she bullies \u2018im a scrubbin' \u2018o the floor\nSuch a change, well I never did I see\nWiv an apron on \u2018im I twigged \u2018im on \u2018is knees\nA rubbin' up the old \u2018arf stone\nWot wiv emptying the ashes and a shelling of the peas\nI'm blowed if \u2018e can call \u2018is-self \u2018is own.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
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Gus Ellen<\/a>‘s song: It’s a great big shame<\/em> follows a number of Music Hall songs which exploit the comedic potential of the “henpecked” husband, and which perhaps feel dated now. Written and composed by a prolific pair: Edgar Bateman and George Le Brunn<\/a>, who are discussed elsewhere on this site.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
The song was collected from a source singer in the 1970s, and recalled in a book detailing a Cockney family’s singing habits in the 1930s. These may be slender links, but nonetheless it’s a song that strictly speaking might be characterised as being part of the folk tradition.<\/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