Eat more Fruit

AKA
First Published 1925
LyricsHerbert Rule MusicHarry StogdenRoudRN16221
Music Hall PerformersWee Georgie Wood (1894-1979)
Ernie Mayne (1831-1937)??
Jack Lane (1879-1953)
Folk performancesSource Singers
Hart, Bob 1975-78 England Suffolk
Ling, Ruby 1975-80 England Suffolk
Modern performances
Everywhere it's advertised, eat more fruit
I think that's a good idea, eat more fruit
In prehistoric days they used to live long lives
Why, Solomon, you all know, he had a thousand wives.

Eat more fruit, eat more fruit
Don't eat mutton, don't eat lamb
Don't eat beef and don't eat ham
Then you'll find, then you'll find
You'll live to ninety-nine before you scoot, scoot, scoot
What did eve say to Adam, that saucy little madam?
"Oh Adam you must eat more fruit."

Bertie took his Angeline out one night
Took her out to dine and what an appetite
And when he got the bill, what? Ten pounds six and three
He said to her "The next time, dear, that you come out with me."

Mrs Green and Mrs Brown strange to say
Went to church and both got married one fine day
And in two years or so, Mrs Brown had three
"I've got none" said Mrs Green, so then said Mrs B,

A song in Jack Lane’s repertoire in the UK, but also a big hit for Wee George Wood, a child star in the Halls of Australia and New Zealand. Another example of an early 20th century Music Hall song remembered by traditional singers in the latter part of the century.

I will be looking for information to construct a short biography of Jack Lane, that’s on my to-do list and will appear here. He appears to have been a Music Hall performer who was initially successful in the North and Midlands – but there must be more!

Eat more fruit is listed in Music Hall Magazine in 1982 as sung by Ernie Mayne, but I wonder if this is a mistake: Fried Fruit Fritters was a popular song of his, but I can find no other evidence of Ernie singing this one.

Sources:

Last Updated on October 31, 2020 by John Baxter | Published: September 29, 2020

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