AKA | |
First Published | 1917 |
Writer/composer | Weston and Lee | Roud | RN2413 |
Music Hall Performers | Ernie Mayne |
Folk performances | Source Singers [Unknown singer] 1956 England : Dorset Wratten, Bill 1960 England : Sussex Cutmore, Charlie 1964/5 England : Suffolk Showers, Charlie 1970 England : Somerset Pitman, Charlie no date England : Cornwall Brown, Buster no date England : Essex |
Just a day each week it's true. I help to win the war I do I don't sell flags around the street, I go without my bits of meat And when I pass the butcher's shop and hear 'em shout, 'bye-bye' I pull my belt up four more holes and sadly I reply, It's my meatless day, my meatless day, I'm not going to eat Any sort of meat, meat, meat, meat, meat I'm thin and pale, all I've put away Is four quarts of mussels, five loaves of bread, Nine pairs of kippers and a big cod's head Five tins of salmon and I feel half dead 'Cos it's my meatless day. Last night I wandered through the park I met a lady after dark And feeling faint for want of food I fell into her arms (how rude) Then she murmured, 'Kiss me George.' Her face I chanced to see Well the girl was black, with negro lips so I shouted, 'Not for me' Oh It's my meatless day, my meatless day, I'm not going to eat Any sort of meat, meat, meat, meat, meat I'm thin and pale, all I've put away Is two rolly polly's, (never left a crumb), Three currant puddings and a little bit of plum Five apple dumplings are a-rolling round my tum 'Cos it's my meatless day. As a farmer's boy I worked near York. The day the pig died we had pork Next day the old cow died and we had beef for breakfast, dinner and tea We had mutton when the sheep pegged out, and we all got over fed Next day the farmer's missus died, so I went up and said Here, it's my meatless day, my meatless day, I'm not going to eat Any sort of meat, meat, meat, meat, meat I'm thin and pale, all I've put away Is five pound of taters that I had to thieve A vegetable marrow as long as me sleeve A jar of pickled onions you can tell when I breathe It's my meatless day.
A song from the First World War reflecting the government campaign encouraging the population to eat less meat to contribute to the war effort… remembered by several traditional singers in the later part of the century.
The song was made famous in the Halls by Ernie Mayne,, who often sang comic songs which drew comedy from his size – he was a big man. Another song by the prolific Weston and Lee, who seem to have written at least 50% of the songs we remember from this period!
Ernie Mayne sings it:
Sources:
- VWML entry
- Kilgarrif Sing Us
- Lyrics: monologues.co.uk
Last Updated on January 7, 2021 by John Baxter | Published: January 7, 2021